outh of Spain, and while meditating
an appeal to the king of France, opened his plans to the count (from
1491, duke) of Medina Celi. The latter gave him great encouragement,
entertained him for two years, and even determined to furnish him with
three or four caravels, to carry out his great design. Finally, however,
being deterred by the consideration that the enterprise was too vast for
a subject, he turned his guest from the determination he had come to of
making application at the court of France, by writing on his behalf to
Queen Isabella; and Columbus repaired to the court at Cordova at her
bidding (1486).

It was an ill moment for the navigator's fortune. Castile and Leon were
in the thick of that struggle which resulted in the final conquest of
the Granada Moors; and neither Ferdinand nor Isabella had time as yet to
give due consideration to Columbus' proposals. The adventurer was indeed
kindly received; he was handed over to the care of Alonso de
Quintanilla, whom he speedily converted into an enthusiastic supporter
of his theory. He made many other friends, and among them Beatriz
Enriquez, the mother of his second son Fernando. But the committee,
presided over by the queen's confessor, Fray Hernando de Talavera, which
had been appointed to consider the new project, reported that it was
vain and impracticable.

From Cordova Columbus followed the court to Salamanca, having already
been introduced by Quintanilla to the notice of the grand cardinal,
Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, "the third king of Spain"; the latter had
befriended and supported the Genoese, and apparently arranged the first
interview between him and Queen Isabella. At Salamanca prolonged
discussions took place upon the questions now raised; the Dominicans of
San Esteban entertained Columbus during the conferences (1486-1487). In
1487 Columbus, who had been following the court from place to place
(billeted in towns as an officer of the sovereigns, and gratified from
time to time with sums of money towards his expenses), was present at
the siege of Malaga. In 1488 he was invited by the king of Portugal, his
"especial friend," to return to that country, and was assured of
protection against arrest or proceedings of any kind (March 20): he had
probably made fresh overtures to King John shortly before; and in the
autumn of 1488 we find him in Lisbon, conferring with his brother
Bartholomew and laying plans for the future. We have no record of the
final n