The king and queen had promised that only members of the Admiral's family should be sent to govern the island; they had promised that no one but himself should have the right to trade in the new lands.

But now they began to go back on their promises.

If Columbus cannot find us gold and spices, they said, other men can.

So they gave permission to other captains to explore and trade in the western lands.
And as the complaints against the Admiral kept coming they began to talk of sending over some one else to govern the islands.
More letters came from Columbus asking the king and queen to let him keep up his slave-trade, and to send out some one to act as a judge of his quarrel with Roldan.

Then the king and queen decided that something must be done at once.