During the 1400’s, the desire of many European countries to reach the Indian subcontinent via aquatic trade routes grew quite dramatically, as land routes were long and filled with many hostile competitors. Nations began searching for various explorers with enough intelligence, courage, and bravado to bring back riches, resources, or land. Around this time, one such explorer, named Christopher Columbus, began pleading with a handful of monarchies for funding of his new, daring voyage; he was going to sail west into the open ocean and reach India exponentially quicker than others who had sailed around the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa. In 1491, he managed to convince the Spanish monarchy of his logic, and set sail in 1492 from …show more content…
His rationale for the westward excursion was based upon his belief that the world was actually thousands of miles smaller in circumference than many explorers, scientists, and mathematicians had agreed upon (Mach), as a result of it’s being pear-shaped. He used these outdated numbers to formulate his argument, one that most people of power ultimately discredited. It was already common knowledge that the earth was spherical, and most royal courts hired people to confirm Columbus’s numbers, but found them to be inaccurate. However, the rulers of Spain had, in fact, been looking for an advantage in the world of trade, and had deliberated upon Columbus’s endeavor on several occasions before (“According to the agreement”). They were interested, but had very little faith that he would return from such an unprecedented campaign. Not quite willing to risk their money on an operation which might utterly fail, they let Columbus go with the assurance that they would reconvene a year later to further discuss the topic. While the royal court in Spain contemplated his proposition, Columbus reached out to the Portuguese king once more. He was invited to the court, but when he arrived, Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese explorer previously hired by king John II, had returned from his own quest (“Bartolomeu Dias”). The Portuguese royal court no longer required Columbus’s vow of fame and fortune, and he was left to his previous task of acquiring payment. He intended to make an appeal to the French court, but the Spanish king, Ferdinand, had been quick to reach out to the explorer, and accepted his proposal before he reached France. This was most likely due to a fear that another nation might benefit from Columbus’s findings rather than