1402

In 1402, Jean de Béthencourt's expedition marked the beginning of the European conquest of the Canary Islands, starting with Lanzarote. This event occurred within the context of European expansion into new territories during the Late Middle Ages. Béthencourt, a Norman nobleman, received support from Henry III of Castile, allowing him to establish a base on Lanzarote. The arrival of Europeans profoundly altered the lives of the indigenous inhabitants, the Mahos, who faced enslavement and forced conversion to Christianity. The conquest of Lanzarote was the first step in a series of campaigns that culminated in the incorporation of the entire archipelago into the Kingdom of Castile. This event is crucial for understanding the subsequent colonization and the cultural, social, and economic impact that transformed the islands into a strategic point in Atlantic trade routes.