Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand paid for exploration to cross the Atlantic Ocean because they wanted to conquer the Caribbean Islands a new route to trade with Asian nations on existing trade relationships in the Western Hemisphere show that they could use Portuguese technologies .
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand funded Christopher Columbus' expedition to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 with the intention of finding a new route to trade with Asian nations. At the time, the Ottoman Empire had closed off the existing trade routes to the East, causing the European powers to seek alternative routes.
The monarchs believed that if Columbus found a western route, they could establish new trade relationships and bypass the Ottoman-controlled routes. They hoped to find valuable goods like spices, silks, and precious metals from Asia, which would greatly benefit their kingdom economically.
Additionally, Isabella and Ferdinand wanted to spread Christianity and expand their empire. They hoped that by exploring and colonizing new lands, they could convert the indigenous peoples to Christianity and establish Spanish control over these newly discovered territories.
While Portuguese technologies, such as navigational instruments and shipbuilding techniques, were indeed influential in the exploration era, Isabella and Ferdinand's primary motivation was to find a new trade route to Asia and expand their empire, rather than simply imitate Portuguese advancements.