Spain sent Christopher Columbus to the Caribbean to search for a new trade route to Asia and to expand their empire. At the time, there was intense competition among European powers to find a direct route to the lucrative markets of the East, bypassing the Ottoman Empire, which controlled the existing trade routes. Spain hoped that by finding a western route, they could gain an advantage in the race for trade and riches. Additionally, Spain wanted to spread Christianity and convert the native populations to Catholicism.
