WI: Columbus trusts Erostathenses?

(Sorry if I misspelled the guy's name)

The WI: Columbus sailed for England? thread reminded me of an old WI I had forgotten to post: WI Columbus used an accurate estimate of the Earth's diameter? OTL, the E-dude came up with an excellent estimate over a thousand years prior to his voyage, and it will clearly kill his idea of sailing west to go east (Earth's too big for him to carry enough supplies). What happens?

My guess is, quite a lot, yet not all that much. The discovery of the Americas will be delayed not very much--there are reports that fishermen were exploring the Grand Banks around the same time, and that Portugal was running into Brazil. However, the entire political situation will be very different. Spain is less likely to carve out a major empire, and perhaps the first developed areas will be the East Coast of the US and Brazil, rather than Brazil and the Caribbean/Mexico.
 
The WI: Columbus sailed for England? thread reminded me of an old WI I had forgotten to post: WI Columbus used an accurate estimate of the Earth's diameter?
IIRC Columbus used a accurate estimate of the Earth's circumstance, It was the land distance from Spain to China he got wrong. [looking at Maps from the time, he was not only one]
 
Assuming the discovery of the New World is delayed sufficiently, Spain might just channel it's energy into renewed campaigns in North Africa. What that would look like, I'm not so sure, but without the financial riches of Aztec Gold they're going to be in trouble.

In such a scenario I could see Portugal taking the lions share of the New World. Say they discover Brazil in the 1490's sending expeditions north into the Caribbean. Short jump from there to Meso-America and bada-bing badaboom. AZTECS. Some Portuguese Cortes-figure conquers the Aztecs and Gold begins being shipped to Lisbon...I think it would be interesting to see a Portuguese dominated New World, very interesting. Especially since assuming the Portuguese take out the Inca's, that New World silver would be used to open trade with China.
 
I think if Colombus fails for some reason, the Americas get discovered from Brazil and Newfoundland, with expeditions and expansions from there. Possibly Brazil a little slower, wouldn't there seem to be less of intrinsic value there?

In any case, Europeans will not have the straight-to-the-jugular advantage they enjoyed when they were launching straight off the Caribbean to gold-rich, disease-ravaged mesoamerican nations.

Diseases will precede the Europeans, and so will word of mouth. Euroepans will encounter slightly forewarned nations that will be picking themselves up again after the diseases.

Probably the tottering structure of the Aztecs will be gone, and some other alliance will have taken its place. Possibly a more stable and less locally hated one.
The Incas won't be encountered in the middle of a disease-triggered civil war.
 

mowque

Banned
IIRC Columbus used a accurate estimate of the Earth's circumstance, It was the land distance from Spain to China he got wrong. [looking at Maps from the time, he was not only one]

I thought Columbus cooked the numbers so it seemed probable that he might make it to Japan?
 
I think if Colombus fails for some reason, the Americas get discovered from Brazil and Newfoundland, with expeditions and expansions from there. Possibly Brazil a little slower, wouldn't there seem to be less of intrinsic value there?

Well, actually Brazil was being developed around the same time that Spain was getting its grubby paws involved in South America. Its big thing was sugar--it was a big sugar plantation for a long time--and sugar is certainly going to be just as valuable ITTL. In fact, without the Caribbean being developed, it may become even bigger and more important.
 
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