Let's say the Bristol Society of Merchant Venturers decided to fund Columbus's four voyages with the approval of the English king to find a route to Asia.
From the previous posts of similar premises, there's two ways Columbus could have approached his routes.
How exactly would an English-funded Columbus go about his four or so journeys to the west ? Would he take the northern route or the more southern route via the Canarias ?
- On one hand, some people suggest that Columbus would attempt to go through a more southern route, taking a pit-stop in the Canarias with a friendly Castilla and jumping ahead westward to land in the Carribean isles. They state that Columbus had already had knowledge of the more southerly route from his journals acquired from his marriage as well as his familiarity with the southern ventures.
- On another hand, some people suggest Columbus would first land in Newfoundland or New England, taking the Viking route and heading west towards the northeast regions of North America
What about sailing to the Azores and then heading south and then west from there? As Divergent54 pointed out, I can't see either the English nor Spanish being super interested in launching an English expedition from a Spanish holding.
How would Castilla react to a ship with an English flag sailing over to the Canarias and then sailing west to the unknown ? Would they follow suit in the following years, say, by 1495 ?
That's another possibility but what would Portugal's reaction be when a ship with an English decided to go west from their isles ? Would they follow suit in a similar expedition a few years later ?
Possibly but the Azores are pretty remote and insignificant even compared to the Canaries. The only reason that we know Columbus even stopped there OTL is that his logs mention it. It doesn't seem to have been considered of any interest by anybody else.
The english would get arrested, and Columbus and upper-management might even get executed. Portuguese might panic that Columbus gave various proprietary secrets to the english in regards to their new trade routes.That's another possibility but what would Portugal's reaction be when a ship with an English decided to go west from their isles ? Would they follow suit in a similar expedition a few years later ?
The english would get arrested, and Columbus and upper-management might even get executed. Portuguese might panic that Columbus gave various proprietary secrets to the english in regards to their new trade routes.
I highly doubt they would pick a southern route, since the english were looking for Hy-Brasil for sometime now. Columbus would probably secure funding by coaxing a voyage to hy-brasil which means if succeeds, he would've discovered eastern canada or new england.
The english would get arrested, and Columbus and upper-management might even get executed. Portuguese might panic that Columbus gave various proprietary secrets to the english in regards to their new trade routes.
Except that didn't rule out a southern or middle route either; the patent authorizing John Cabot's expedition (which, as per the OP, has been replaced by Columbus) said so, in that western and southern seas were fair game.
Besides, the idea of a Northern exclusive route wasn't the Bristol Society of Merchant Venturers' but Cabot's; the specific routes travelled during the Age of Exploration were set by the explorers themselves. Thus, Columbus > Cabot = no Northern route as a default or inevitability.
Good thing the Spaniards never took any East Indies or South American territory, or they'd be in REAL trouble with Lisbon!
Sarcasm aside, any proof that Columbus even had enforceable proprietary secrets from Portugal to spill in the first place? And considering that such an expedition would been a three-shipper minimum, I don't see the English rolling over for a tenuous claim that could well lead to an Anglo-Portuguese war unless cooler heads prevail.
I'm basing my assumption on previous attempts in the early 1480s to find hy-brasil. I would assume Columbus would try to sell his idea under the cloack of hy-brasil. He wouldn't exactly replace Cabot's patent since Cabot's patent was a consequence of Columbus. A southern route through portuguese or spanish possessions would be viewed as suspicious by the Iberians. .Based on likelihood, I think the english would explore east canada before the caribbean.
I'm not familiar about the Bristol Society, could you please elaborate.
I'm not entirely sure, but it sounds plausible.So northern route then ? Would Columbus make subsequent second, third, and fourth journeys ? If he lands in northeast North America, he would've considered it to be the lands of northern Japan or China, a climate way to cold for the likings of the Spice lands. Would Columbus attempt a second or third route or would English merchants give up on the funding to ? Would they attempt to continue forward with more journeys to find, say, a Central or Northwest Passageway across the new continent through Asia ?
If setting sail from England, Columbus may land on the coast of the delmarva peninsula.