Christopher Columbus and the Rise of the Spanish Empire

During the period of 1500’s-1600’s, the Spanish Christians retoke Spain from the Muslims. This may be considered the beginnings of Spain becoming a world power. Other notable events that took place including the Spanish Inquisition were more significantly the acquisition of foreign lands, all claimed in the name of Queen Isabella of Spain. Spain had acquired a huge colonial empire in the Americas. They became a dominant force by having achieved ruling power across Europe. They also acquired many islands in the Philippines. Spreading its Spanish culture, language and religion, far and wide, Spain had become a super world power.

By 1588 Spain had acquired the West Indies, Cuba, Florida, Mexico, Central America, a large part of South America and the Philippines. Christopher Columbus was not the only explorer to have claimed foreign lands for Spain. Other explorers included Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, who claimed Mexico in 1540 and Francisco Pizarro who gave leeway to Spanish colonization of lands in South America in the mid 1530’s by conquering the Inca Empire. Other explorers such as Vasco Nunez Balboa, Ferdinand Magellan and Hernando De Soto, eventually laid claim to Latin America for Spain.

Motivated by Portugal’s achievements and their kings denial of his proposal, to sail east by going west, Christopher Columbus in 1492 initiated the creation of the Spanish Empire. In an attempt to find a quicker route to India, than that of Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, he set sail west, intended to arrive east. Instead, he continued along his miscalculated chart which took him further west, never reaching east to India, rather the Americas. On October 12, 1492, he encountered islands which became known as the West Indies. Convinced he’d reached India, he called the native of the lands, Indians. Within the next days, with the assistance of natives, he further explored and claimed other islands in the west, such as Cuba and Hispaniola.

Christopher Columbus returned to Spain in the spring of 1493 giving his report that the islands were perfect for colonization. He was sent back with 17 ships in the fall of 1500. His four journeys sparked the establishment of the Spanish Empire, and eventually the New World. Yet, in Columbus’s mind, as well as those he had convinced, he insist he had achieved his goal of reaching east by going west. Thus, in the name of Spain, Christopher Columbus was the first explorer to have claimed foreign lands for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, creating the onset of the Spanish Empire.