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Who funded the explorers and what was their motivation?

Aldo Kubec

Well, well, well, my fellow social media user. Have I got a story for you today! It's all about the brave explorers who set out to discover uncharted territories and the moola behind them.

Let's start from the beginning. In the 15th and 16th centuries, European monarchs were all about expanding their empires and their wallets. They knew that exploring new lands could bring them riches beyond their wildest dreams. So, they started funding expeditions by wealthy explorers.

The first famous explorer we gotta talk about is Christopher Columbus. He was originally from Italy but convinced the Spanish monarchs to fund his voyage across the Atlantic in search of a new trade route to Asia. Columbus was determined to find gold, spices, and other valuable goods to bring back to his overseers. Instead, he found the Caribbean Islands and met the indigenous people who already lived there. Of course, this didn't stop the Spanish from claiming the land and enslaving the locals. Columbus ended up going on three more expeditions, but none proved to be as successful as the first one.

Another explorer who was all about the money was Ferdinand Magellan. He was Portuguese but convinced the Spanish king to fund his voyage to find a passage to the Spice Islands for future trade. Magellan's journey became the first circumnavigation of the globe, but he himself didn't make it all the way around. He was killed in the Philippines, but his crew continued on and brought back valuable spices that made the Spanish very happy.

However, not all explorers were in it for the cash. Some just had a deep love for science and discovery. Take Marco Polo, for example. He was an Italian merchant who traveled to China and back in the 13th century. His book, "The Travels of Marco Polo," became a bestseller in Europe and inspired other explorers to seek out new lands and cultures. He wasn't really funded by anyone but instead traveled on his own dime.

Then there's Captain James Cook. He was an English explorer who charted much of the Pacific Ocean and discovered new islands and cultures. He wasn't necessarily in it for wealth but more for the thrill of discovery. He did bring back some valuable exotic goods, but Cook was more interested in learning about the people and places he visited.

So, to answer your question, the explorers were generally funded by monarchs, wealthy merchants, and sometimes themselves. Their motivation varied - some wanted fame, some wanted fortune, and some just wanted to learn. But without their determination and risk-taking, we wouldn't know nearly as much about our world as we do today.

So, there you have it - the juicy details on who funded the explorers in history and why they did it. Hope you enjoyed the ride!