Final answer:
Christopher Columbus, who set sail in 1492, represented Spain, financed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. His voyages led to the discovery of the New World, believing he had reached the East Indies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The navigator in question, sailing in 1492, was Christopher Columbus, representing Spain during his historic voyages. Sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus aimed to find a westward route to the East Indies but inadvertently discovered the New World.
His expeditions, financed by the Spanish monarchs, included a momentous landing in the Bahamas and subsequent arrival in Hispaniola (now the Dominican Republic and Haiti). Columbus's journeys marked the commencement of Spanish exploration and colonization in the Americas, shaping the nation's significant presence in the New World. Despite his miscalculation of reaching Asia, Columbus's explorations had profound historical implications, ushering in an era of European contact with the Americas and paving the way for subsequent waves of exploration, conquest, and cultural exchange.