Christopher Columbus was looking for a new route to India, China, Japan, and the Spice Islands in order to bring back gold and spices that were highly sought in Europe. His patrons, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I of Spain, hoped that his success would bring them greater status. Columbus believed that he could reach these destinations by sailing westward across the Atlantic Ocean. Despite being rejected by other monarchs, Columbus eventually obtained royal support from Ferdinand and Isabella in January 1492. Columbuss voyages across the Atlantic Ocean were the first known European contact with the Caribbean and Central and South America, and they opened the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas.