Final answer:
Ferdinand and Isabella were motivated to fund exploration to spread Catholicism and gain a commercial advantage over Portugal. After the Reconquista, they supported Columbus's 1492 voyage, which led to the accidental discovery of the Americas, establishing Spanish influence in the new world.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reasons Behind Ferdinand and Isabella's Interest in Exploration
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain were deeply invested in the expansion of Catholicism and in gaining commercial advantages over their Iberian neighbor Portugal. After the completion of the Reconquista, the threat posed by the Muslim presence on the Iberian Peninsula subsided, allowing them to focus on broader aspirations, such as exploration and empire building. The motivations for funding Christopher Columbus's 1492 expedition were twofold:
- Religious zeal, particularly on the part of Isabella, who envisioned spreading Catholic faith to the East.
- Economic interests, as Ferdinand sought wealth from overseas trade.
They realized that with the Portuguese mariners nearing Asia by sailing around Africa, there was an urgent need to find alternative routes to ensure Spain did not fall behind in the lucrative trade with the Far East. Columbus proposed he could reach Asia by sailing westward across the Atlantic Ocean. Despite initial skepticism about Columbus's miscalculated distance estimates, the Spanish monarchy, seeing an opportunity to outmaneuver Portugal, provided him with the famed ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The successful venture did not lead to Asia as intended but did result in the discovery of the Americas, inadvertently establishing a new sphere for Spanish influence and trade.