Which country funded john cabot

Independently of Christopher Columbus, John Cabot envisioned the possibility of reaching Asia by sailing westward. England, hoping to profit from any trade Cabot might establish with the New World, gave support to his efforts to sail to unknown lands and to return with goods. His voyages to North America in and helped lay the groundwork for Britain's later claim to Canada. His name is also associated with Genoa, and he may have spent some time there as a boy.

But by Cabot was living in Venice, where he became a citizen. In about he married a Venetian woman, Mattea, and they had three sons: Ludovico, Sebastiano and Sancio. A merchant like his father, Cabot traded in spices with the ports of the eastern Mediterranean, and became an expert mariner. Valuable goods from Asia — spices, silks, precious stones and metals — were brought either overland or up the Red Sea for sale in Europe.

Venetians played a prominent part in this trade. Then, about , Cabot and his family moved to Valencia in Spain. It is probable that, like his fellow-countryman Christopher Columbus, Cabot wanted to be part of an expanding frontier of exploration, the Atlantic Ocean. The leaders in this enterprise were the Portuguese, and the Spanish were also interested. The monarchs of both countries wanted to find new routes to Asia and its riches — routes which would avoid the Mediterranean and the virtual monopoly on the spice trade held by the Italians.

Others believe he may have landed at Newfoundland, Labrador or even Maine. Though the Matthew 's logs are incomplete, it is believed that Cabot went ashore with a small party and claimed the land for the King of England. In July , the ship sailed for England and arrived in Bristol on August 6, In , Cabot married a young woman named Mattea. The couple had three sons: Ludovico, Sancto and Sebastiano.

It is believed Cabot died sometime in or , but his fate remains a mystery. In February , Cabot was given permission to make a new voyage to North America; in May of that year, he departed from Bristol, England, with five ships and a crew of men.

The ships carried ample provisions and small samplings of cloth, lace points and other "trifles," suggesting an expectation of fostering trade with Indigenous peoples. En route, one ship became disabled and sailed to Ireland, while the other four ships continued on.

From this point, there is only speculation as to the fate of the voyage and Cabot. For many years, it was believed that the ships were lost at sea. Search The Canadian Encyclopedia. Remember me. I forgot my password. Why sign up? Create Account. Suggest an Edit. Enter your suggested edit s to this article in the form field below. Accessed 11 November In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada.

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Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. Article by Douglas Hunter. John Cabot a.