Portugal Denied This Explorer’s Request To Sail To The New World.

Portugal denied Christopher Columbus’s request to sail to the New World because they thought the journey would be too expensive and make no benefit to the Portuguese Empire.

In 1484, for getting financial support, Christopher Columbus met Portuguese King John II and proposed to him his plan of finding a sea route to Asia.

Portuguese King John II submitted Columbus’s plan to his experts. However, the experts rejected his plan showing some major mistakes.

In 1488, Columbus again requested Portuguese authority to support him. But this time again, they denied his request.

What Did Christopher Columbus Do After Getting Rejection From The Portuguese Authority?

After getting rejected by the Portuguese authority, Columbus went to meet King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile.

On May 1st, 1486, he presented his plan to the Queen. She referred his plan to her experts.

Although this time also, experts called his plan unrealistic; but at the same time, they showed some interest in it.

Did They Sponsor Columbus’s Expedition?

Yes, in the end, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella agreed to provide him with all the necessary support for the expedition.

Even, they promised him some great benefits, if he succeed and claim lands for Spain.

Some of their promises were:

• They promised to give him the rank of admiral of the ocean sea.
• The Spanish authority promised to appoint him as the viceroy and governor of all the new lands he could claim for the Spanish Empire.
• They promised to give him 10 percent of the total revenues that they would gain from the new lands.
• And more.

However, the way they promised, never transformed into reality.