Lastly, these two could compel any mariner to embark on the fleet,
and could fix his wages, whether he wished to go or not.
The money for this second expedition came from a source which Spain has
no reason to be proud of today, but which she had small reason to be
ashamed of in the sixteenth century. It was the confiscated wealth of
the Jews who, as enemies of Christianity, had been banished from the
kingdom the year before. Columbus's "one eighth of the expense," which
by the contract of Santa Fe he was bound to supply, he had no means of
furnishing, since he had not yet reached lands rich enough to yield it.
It was at the end of May that Columbus left Barcelona, hoping soon to
embark again for his "Indies." There was indeed every reason for haste,
since King John of Portugal had lost no time in presenting his claims to
Rome.
We have already mentioned the important part which prelates played in
the affairs of their countries. Similarly, the Pope played an important
part in international affairs; and that is why a Pope had made the
Portuguese treaty of 1470, and why King John now sought its enforcement
by the present Pope. But Ferdinand and Isabella also were hurrying
messengers to Rome. The pontiff at this time happened to be not an
Italian but a Spaniard, Alexander Borgia, born a subject of Ferdinand's
own kingdom of Aragon.
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