with Donna Felipa, now no longer
living. Here he addressed himself to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, and to
the Duke of Medina Celi, whose extensive possessions along the coasts of
Spain were likely to incline them in favour of a maritime expedition.
There is some uncertainty as to the degree of encouragement which he
received from them; but long afterwards, when Columbus had succeeded, the
Duke of Medina Celi wrote to the Cardinal of Spain showing that he (the
duke) had maintained Columbus two years in his house, and was ready to
have undertaken the enterprise, but that he saw it was one for the queen
herself, and even then he wished to have had a part in it. Probably, any
man in whose house Columbus resided for two years would have caught some
portion of his enthusiasm, and have been ready to take up his project. It
may be conjectured, however, that none of the nobles of the Spanish court
would have been likely to undertake the matter without some sanction from
the king or queen.

LETTER TO QUEEN ISABELLA.

To the queen, accordingly, the Duke of Medina Celi addressed a letter, of
which Columbus was himself the bearer, commending his enterprise to the
royal favour. But the juncture was singularly inopportune for the
consideration of any peaceful project. The war with the Moors was raging
more and more furiously, as they were driven back, contesting every inch
of ground, farther and farther from the heart of the kingdom. The court
was now at Cordova, actively preparing for the campaign which was to
result in that subjugation of the crescent to the cross, throughout the
Peninsula, which was completed by the conquest of Granada some six years
later. Amid the clang of arms and the bustle of warlike preparation,
Columbus was not likely to obtain more than a slight and superficial
attention to a matter which must have seemed remote and uncertain. Indeed,
when it is considered that the most pressing internal affairs of kingdoms
are neglected by the wisest rulers in times of war, it is wonderful that
he succeeded in obtaining any audience at all.

COLUMBUS AT COURT; JUNTA OF COSMOGRAPHERS; DECISION OF THE JUNTA.

However, he was fortunate enough to find at once a friend in the Treasurer
of the Household, Alonso de Quintanilla, a man who, like himself, "took
delight in great things," and who obtained a hearing for him from the
Spanish monarchs. Ferdinand and Isabella did not dismiss him abruptly. On
the contrary, it is