Christopher Columbus asked Genoa and Venice for support for his western route to Asia, before going to Castile. What if one of them agreed to finance the project? Can you imagine a Genoese or Venetian colonization of the Americas?
Preexsting relationships.Then why did he went to them?
Lastly sailing from Italian peninsula puts them at disadvantage since they need to pass through competitors waters (Castile and Portugal) to get to the Atlantic.
*Granada permits Italian ships to dock as an alternative to letting its Spanish rival gain trade
Would an Italian state be willing to intervene against the Christian states of Castille and Aragon during the *reconquista to protect Granada?
And perhaps more importantly, could an Italian state actually turn the tide of the war? I'd imagine that their support would consist mostly of shipping over Swiss mercenaries to fight alongside the Muslims, but I don't know if that would realistically be a tipping point in the war.
Then why did they let him shop the idea to others, did they just assume he'd fail so not consider him a real threat?The reason that both Genoa and Venice said no was because both countries trading power was derived from India/China trade coming through the Middle East. So it was not in their interest to finance an enterprise that 1) weakened them 2) opened trade route that they could not control or dominate
He had traveled to Portugal and studied cartography and there he approached the Portuguese. They were the most advanced in maritime exploration at the time. When he was turned down (see previous posts for reasons) he returned to Italian peninsula. They knew he had been turned down by Portugal and presume that by turning him down he would desists. He then left and went elsewhere.Then why did they let him shop the idea to others, did they just assume he'd fail so not consider him a real threat?
Would an Italian state be willing to intervene against the Christian states of Castille and Aragon during the *reconquista to protect Granada?
And perhaps more importantly, could an Italian state actually turn the tide of the war? I'd imagine that their support would consist mostly of shipping over Swiss mercenaries to fight alongside the Muslims, but I don't know if that would realistically be a tipping point in the war.
actually, genoa had control of gibraltar so no problem about entering the atlantic.The reason that both Genoa and Venice said no was because both countries trading power was derived from India/China trade coming through the Middle East. So it was not in their interest to finance and enterprise that 1) weakened them
2) opened trade route that they could not control or dominate
Secondly neither Italian country had developed the type of ocean going ships that were required for such an enterprise. Even if one of the countries had decided to do so would of required they obtain the knowledge and build their own ships.
Lastly sailing from Italian peninsula puts them at disadvantage since they need to pass through competitors waters (Castile and Portugal) to get to the Atlantic.
When did Genoa control Gibraltar?actually, genoa had control of gibraltar so no problem about entering the atlantic.
the genoese help in the reconquista was crucial( they conquered on their own minorca, almeira, tortosa).After the final fall of granada the genoese took control of some ports as usual, one of these was gibraltar where the genoese population growed and became even the main population in 700', even today if you go there you will find lots of genoese tipical surnames like Parodi,Canepa etc.When did Genoa control Gibraltar?
I think that if a strong Italian or just North Italian state develops by the time of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople they might have incentive in trying to circumnavigate Africa/cross the Atlantic to try and reach India without having to deal with the Turks, but they will always be at a disadvantage compared to Atlantic powers and would probably have better success in trying to regain naval supremacy in the Eastern Med, maybe even conquer outposts in N. Africa to limit the Barbary pirates issue.
Later on, Tuscany tried to go for a colony in Guyana, but I doubt it would have succeeded: the area was climatically very bad and close to potentially hostile powers (the Dutch). But that's an example of the kind of colonies Italian powers could realistically get.
Unless... Spain opens up colonisation of some of its colonies to Italian subjects? Maybe even deporting say rebellious Neapolitans to Florida or somewhere else after Masaniello's rebellion? It would be a different modus operandi for the Spanish colonial empire, but could have quite interesting demographic and cultural consequences in the long term.