What Is The Relationship Between Christopher Columbus And Isabella Of Spain

In a time of religious discord and violence with the Moors, it would seem that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain would not have had the time and money to sponsor an unprecedented ocean voyage. Although religious unrest at home caused the King and Queen to decline the voyage sponsorship three times, eventually, after eight long, anticipating years for one Italian, religious ideology, financial gains, and Columbus’ talent at sea is what drove the two monarchs to finally fund the voyage of Christopher Columbus.
Before 1492, Spain consisted of small ruling kingdoms, and for hundreds of years, had been attempting to drive the Moors out of the Iberian Peninsula. These efforts were in vain until King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella
Regardless of a being an Italian, Columbus had an impressive background and knowledge of sailing and navigation. Before going to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, he had studied ocean currents and wind patterns for years in the North Atlantic. A merchant ship employed Columbus as a teenager, and when sailing off the coast of Portugal, French privateers attacked the ship. Columbus floated to shore after the boat sank. Once ashore, he decided to stay in Lisbon, Portugal where he studied navigation, cartography, mathematics, and astronomy. One could say that Columbus’ miscalculations during his voyage to “the East Indies” discredit his talent at sea, but his thoughts on the magnetic field and sea routes show that he was a superior navigator. Also, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella weren’t paraded with sailors willing to take on this unknown journey due to the belief that the Earth was flat. In contrast, Columbus’ proposition that the Earth was round made him capable of taking risks, not allowing himself to be held back from opportunities from fear of “falling off”. Columbus’ plan of going westward to the East Indies rather than east, though a prolonged acceptance, intrigued the two monarchs from the start, especially since the previous used way, the Silk Road, was no longer safe after the fall of the Mongolian Empire and the fall of Constantinople. Ending trade with Asia was not an option, so it was imperative that another trade route was found, and although
He requested to be given inherited titles of Viceroy and Governor over all discovered lands on the expedition, the office of Admiral of the Ocean Sea, and to his descendants, one-tenth of all gold, silver, pearls, gems, spices, and other valuable materials discovered. Although at first hearing of this request, it was too much of a price to pay for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, but eventually the opportunity of Columbus’ offer could not be passed aside, which is why the financial advisor to the crown, Luis de Santangel, persuaded Queen Isabella to reconsider Columbus’ requests. He convinced her that the expedition would be “so little risk yet could prove of so great service to God and the exaltation of His Church, not to speak of the very great increase and glory of her realms and kingdoms”