Queen Isabella Character Analysis in Sapiens

Queen Isabella was the queen of Spain in the 1400s. She funded Christopher Columbus’s infamous sailing expedition that resulted in Spain colonizing the Americas. In Sapiens, Harari discusses Queen Isabella to show that European rulers of that time period sometimes functioned like capitalist merchants—Queen Isabella effectively extended credit to Columbus, hoping that his voyage would yield wealth for her nation.

Queen Isabella Character Timeline in Sapiens

The timeline below shows where the character Queen Isabella appears in Sapiens. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Fiction, Cooperation, and Culture Theme Icon

...the world, and he pitched the idea like an entrepreneur to several kings and queens. Queen Isabella of Spain took the gamble, and she ended up generating wealth for all of Spain... (full context)