Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer known for his voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. He is credited with opening up the Americas to European colonization after his famous journey in 1492, when he landed in the Bahamas while seeking a westward route to Asia. Columbus made a total of four trips to the New World, which significantly impacted the course of history. His expeditions were sponsored by the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, and led to the widespread awareness of the Americas in Europe, although they also initiated a period of colonization and exploitation of indigenous peoples.