Christopher Columbus sailed for the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, known together as the “Catholic Monarchs.”

Who Columbus Sailed For

  • Columbus was Italian by birth (from the Republic of Genoa) but could not get backing from his own region or from Portugal.
  • His famous 1492 voyage across the Atlantic was financed and authorized by Spain’s Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, so he sailed under the Spanish flag.
  • In return, Spain expected him to find a westward route to Asia, bring back wealth (especially spices and gold), and claim new lands for the Spanish Crown.

In short: he was an Italian navigator, but he sailed for Spain.

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