What if Córdoba remained an independent state into the Colonial period?

In this scenario the Caliphate of Córdoba is not plagued by leadership crisises and stays a strong and powerful state at least into the eighteenth century. Presuming America is still discovered (though probably not by Spain) what is the likelihood that a Muslim nation begins to colonise the new world? And what effects would this have on European and American history? I doubt Spain would exist as a nation, Barcelona would likely still by a puppet state of France. Portugal may still exist in this scenario though.
 

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They and the Spanish would be too busy worrying about each other to do much colonisation outside of the Caribbean. Cordoba would only colonise the Caribbean because the Spanish were, and even then, they'd eventually have to answer to other European powers who between them and the Ottomans, wouldn't take a Muslim country colonising the Caribbean (or elsewhere in the New World) very well. After all, it would exert a corrupting influence on the unsaved heathens there. Not saying, however, that anti-Spanish countries would never find a reason to ally with Cordoba or that they'd always be against Cordoba and their New World ventures.

Also, it might lead Morocco to colonise the Caribbean as well, and the Andalusian Muslim states and Morocco often weren't on the best of terms.
 
That said, I find it unlikely that Spain would fund a western exploration in its shrunken state. It is far more likely the west was discovered by one of the other colonists: Britain, France or maybe Russia
 
Ah it's much bigger than I assumed it was when I clicked on this thread!

So there's no Burgundian Portugal?

I read once that Spain's ability to outfit the expedition of Columbus (intellectually) depended on a twin basis of Portuguese (Henry the Navigator et al) and Cadizian traditions

Cordoba would still have the latter which could have led to Portugal-like expeditions and explorations in the centuries to come. Therefore, it would not be impossible to conclude Cordoba outfits this expedition

Portugal also gained from the closing of the Eastern route to China, blocked by hostile Muslim powers, which also accounted for Venetian decline. In this scenario, maybe Cordoba is the friendly, non-hostile Muslim power and gains just as Portugal did in OTL
 
I'm interested in how new world relations could play out. Certainly in earlier times we could expect a religious war to play out, but by this period technological advancement was considered more important. Religion may be an excuse for war though, the European powers have always been good at finding them.
 
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