Background
Portugal had been the main European power interested in pursuing trade routes overseas. Their next-door neighbors, Castile(predecessor of Spain) had been somewhat slower to begin exploring the Atlantic due to the bigger surface to re-conquer in Spain. It was not until the late 15th century, following the unification of Castile and Aragon and the completion of the reconquista that Spain emerged and became fully committed to looking for new trade routes and colonies overseas. In 1492 the joint rulers of the Spanish nation conquered the Moorish kingdom of Granada, which had been providing Castile with African goods through tribute. After failing to convince Portuguese king to open a new route, Columbus presented the idea to the new Kings of Spain and they decided to fund Christopher Columbus' expedition that they hoped would bypass Portugal's lock on Africa and the Indian Ocean reaching Asia by traveling west.[3]
Portugal had been the main European power interested in pursuing trade routes overseas. Their next-door neighbors, Castile(predecessor of Spain) had been somewhat slower to begin exploring the Atlantic due to the bigger surface to re-conquer in Spain. It was not until the late 15th century, following the unification of Castile and Aragon and the completion of the reconquista that Spain emerged and became fully committed to looking for new trade routes and colonies overseas. In 1492 the joint rulers of the Spanish nation conquered the Moorish kingdom of Granada, which had been providing Castile with African goods through tribute. After failing to convince Portuguese king to open a new route, Columbus presented the idea to the new Kings of Spain and they decided to fund Christopher Columbus' expedition that they hoped would bypass Portugal's lock on Africa and the Indian Ocean reaching Asia by traveling west.[3]
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