Cathy

“As they consolidated their conquest, the sovereigns summoned Colón to Málaga. The Talavera commission’s conclusion did not surprise them but, as King João, they were reluctant to dismiss him entirely. Castile’s opportunities for overseas expansion were limited and, if they dismissed him, Colón might sail for another sovereign, including Henry VII of England, Charles VIII of France, or even João.”
― Andrew Rowen, Encounters Unforeseen: 1492 Retold

“The sovereigns’ chief accountant took pity on him, seeing him penniless, and arranged food and shelter”
― Andrew Rowen, Encounters Unforeseen: 1492 Retold

“Their skin was olive—like the heathens of the Canary Islands, much lighter than the Guineans—and many had painted themselves with red, black, or white designs. Memories of the scant clothing of Canarians and Guineans flickered through his thoughts, and Cristóbal was satisfied that the distance of the naked peoples from his crews was sufficient for safety—so long as the crews remained alert. He overheard the people’s whispers and guessed that their language, as the Guineans’, would lack words common to the languages he knew. He grasped”
― Andrew Rowen, Encounters Unforeseen: 1492 Retold

“Pending the sovereigns’ final review, Talavera authorized a small sum dispensed to Colón in reimbursement of his expenses at court. Cristóbal’s utter disappointment was transparent to all. His boastfulness had made many enemies at court, and they mocked his ideas and failure.”
― Andrew Rowen, Encounters Unforeseen: 1492 Retold