Queen Isabella, a Spanish monarch of the thirteenth century, had many lasting impacts on not only Spain, but the entire world. Most do not know her for these impacts, as they have gone unnoticed by many for numerous years. Not originally born in a favorable position of power, she was able to rise in rank to use the influence that she had wished to have from a young age. The odds of her rule were not good, yet she still managed to be an innovative and transformative world figure that changed the course of history. While Queen Isabella was predominantly known for unifying Spain into a single country under one government, she was most impactful in her influence on western exploration and colonization. At the time, not many in Europe or in the eastern parts of …show more content…
Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, was one of those who dared to venture out to the west in search of a better, faster route to India. Columbus had been rejected by King John II of Portugal when he had asked if he was able to fund the journey. Evidently, not much faith was placed in his ideas. When he approached Queen Isabella and her husband, King Ferdinand, after much convincing, they agreed that they would fund Columbus’s voyage (Benson). Columbus spent much time attempting to convince the leaders of several countries to agree to his plan and give him the materials to effectuate his plan. Without Isabella and Ferdinand, the journey would not have been possible (Benson). Or at least, it would not have been put into action as soon as it was. When Columbus set sail on his journey, this caught the attention of surrounding other nations. The journey is credited with influencing other explorers, such as Amerigo Vespucci and Ferdinand Magellan, to head in the same direction (“The Voyage of Christopher Columbus”). Many other countries ended up exploring around the same area that Columbus had originally landed in that included other spots in the Caribbean and parts of what is now South