Christopher Columbus was the famous explorer who sailed for Spain in search of the New World. He embarked on his first voyage in 1492, sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Columbus aimed to find a westward route to Asia but instead made contact with the islands of the Caribbean, marking the beginning of European exploration and colonization in the Americas. His voyages revolutionized the global understanding of geography and initiated significant cultural exchanges and transformations between the Old World and the New World.