Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Columbus was Funded by WHO?

Actually, Queen Isabella did not fund Columbus.
ER — (archived)

Although she certainly supported his trips, and paved the way for him, there is strong evidence, (and it is taught so in Spanish schools), that the actual funding was provided by a wealthy Jewish merchant, recently converted to Catholicism. It is not unrealistic to assume, however, that he was pressured by the Queen to do this, since 1492 was also the year that Ferdinand and Isabella drove out the Moors and expelled all unconverted Jews from Spain.

Most commercial enterprises in those days were financed by Jewish venture capitalists since lending for interest was considered a sin by Christians. It is one of the major reasons the Italian trading city-states, were particularly prosperous from trade, because of their Jewish populations. You will recall that is where Christoforo Colombo hailed from. It is also known several Jews were in Columbus's crews, their services were highly prized as translators and navigators and because of their extensive experience in Asia (they had been sailing there with the Portuguese around Africa).

The Queen Isabella hocking her crown jewels story is probably just a grade-school over-simplification that has somehow been given mythic status by Hollywood.

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