phers, however, Columbus underestimated
the circumference of the earth, a mistake
that led him to the false notion that the
westerly route would be faster and easier.
Historians generally credit Norwegian
Vikings as the first European navigators to
reach North America. However, the Viking
expedition of around 1000A.D. that estab-
lished a small settlement in what is now
Newfoundland was unknown to the rest
of Europe and failed to establish a perma-
nent settlement. In 1485, Columbus first
proposed a new voyage to the west to the
king of Portugal, John II. He asked for a
fleet of three ships and a reward of 10 per-
cent of all income from new land he dis-
covered. The offer was rejected, after which
Columbus turned to Ferdinand and Isa-
bella, the monarchs of a newly united
kingdom of Spain. He would sail from the
port of Seville south to the Canary Islands,
then head due west and remain on that
course until reaching Japan. Columbus be-
lieved he would enjoy clear sailing all the
way to Asia.
At the time the kingdom of Spain was
struggling with debts and in dire need of
trade and gold; the relatively weak Spanish
fleets, however, had no hope of overcom-
ing the Portuguese, who were building and
strengthening trading ports throughout
Asia. Although the king and queen of
Spain were advised to reject Columbus’s
voyage by navigators who claimed he was
misjudging the distance to Asia, they re-
warded him with a pension to prevent him
from sailing for any rival nation and fi-
nally agreed to support his expedition in- Columbus was named “Admiral of
the Ocean Sea” and was promised a gener-
ous portion of money earned from any
new Spanish ports or colonies.
Christopher Columbus at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, displaying some of the results
of his voyage. THELIBRARY OFCONGRESS.
Columbus, Christopher