What were Columbus and his sponsor seeking in the New World?

In the year before Columbus’s departure from Palos on the 3 August 1492 it is unclear what his objectives were. His intention to cross the Atlantic to reach Asia in order to create a new trade route between there and Europe is confirmed by several marginal notes in his books and by the preparations he made before his voyage. He employed an interpreter adept in oriental languages, he took letters on board with him specifically for the sovereign of China, and he made it known to

From the point of view of the Spanish monarchy a successful expedition meant the possible acquirement of new lands and of wealth as well as a chance to pass the Portuguese in the exploration and expansion into the Atlantic Ocean. The capitulations of February 1492 were set out to ensure the royal rights over the potential territorial gains and the division of any financial gains. As far as Columbus’s other sponsors were concerned, the expedition was a financial investment and Columbus was bound by contract to achieve certain things, primarily the attainment of wealth through trade and barter. However, the discovery of distant lands was a gamble. There could be no certainty of profit potential; the very fact that the lands were unknown meant that any potential wealth contained within them was unquantifiable . Asia on the other hand, with its established reserves of spices and gold was something tangible and therefore would have been a far more attractive prospect to Columbus’s benefactors. Thus, it is possible to deduce that’s Columbus’s pronouncement that he would ‘to go east by way of the west’ came about because he realised that his financial backing depended upon it .

Some topics in this essay:
Ocean Americas, Atlantic Ocean, Chinese Monarch, West African, Spain Europe, Admiral Castile, Ocean Sea’, Chinese Crown, Marco Polo, Spanish Crown, trade route, mainland ocean sea’, mainland ocean, spanish crown, east west’, references island, expedition meant, ‘to east, atlantic ocean, ‘to east west’, ocean sea’, granada capitulations,