Queen Isabella's Decree

In History, Veronica wrote a "Decree" about Christopher Columbus' voyage and its purposes in the voice of Queen Isabella. Read below!

Queen Isabella’s Decree

By Veronica 

Bienvenidos, my loyal subjects. Some of you have asked as to why I am sending Cristóbal Colón on a westward journey to Asia. Spain will be the first to start the Reconquista and change everybody to Catholicism (p.115, History Textbook). As well, we are embarking upon this historical journey to find riches, spices and gold. We will convert people to our glorious religion and claim land for all of Spain.

Our neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal, is much smaller, but they are sending explorers out to claim land all the time. They will soon be larger than us if we do not send Cristóbal Colón. We are a fine people and we must show the Portuguese our power and later, our riches. Soon, our empire will be bigger than any country in the world.

Furthermore, in Spain, we are all proud Catholics. In other countries, they have many different religions, which I will not allow.  King Ferdinand and I started the Spanish Reconquista. We fought a war to push all Muslim people out of Spain. Under the Reconquista, we ruled that Muslims and Jews would either have to leave the country, or become Catholic. When we send out Cristóbal Colón, he will convert the people he meets in Asia into Catholics, and thus, our religion will be spread throughout the world.

Spain will become one of the most knowledgeable countries in the world, when we find out that the world is actually round. If Cristóbal Colón arrives there safely, we will have an alternate route to Asia. Instead of navigating the dangerous Silk Road, we will safely and smoothly make it across the sea in a caravel. It will be a quick journey, so Portugal will not attain this knowledge before us.

Even though we are spending a little bit of money from our savings to help Cristóbal Colón, he will bring back enough riches for all of Spain. We will have new spices, gold, silk and more. We will have everything you can dream of from the continent of Asia.

We will be the wealthiest country in the world!