Columbus

A vastly interesting man of Italy. Columbus went to the Spanish King, Ferdinand, and Queen, Isabella, for help in reaching the Far East when his plan to reach his goal by sailing due west instead of around Africa were conceived as too risky by Portugal. Although, difficult to convince the royalty of Spain eventually agreed to help Columbus after the defeat of the moors in Granada. With three ships Columbus set sail in 1492. However, instead of reaching the Near East, Columbus bumped into the Americas where he enslaved the natives and oversaw a fruitless search for gold.