As it proved, the discovery of the route by the Cape of Good Hope was, commercially, a great injury to Genoa and the other maritime cities of Italy.

Before this time, the eastern trade of Europe came by the ports of the eastern Mediterranean, and the Italian cities.
Columbus's offer to Genoa was therefore one which, if her statesmen could have foreseen the future, they would have considered eagerly.
But Genoa was greatly depressed at this period.

In her wars with the Turks she had been, on the whole, not successful.

She had lost Caffa, her station in the Crimea, and her possessions in the Archipelago were threatened.

The government did not accept Columbus's proposals, and he was obliged to return with them to Spain.