What was Christopher Columbus' motivations for his goals?

"Money" was his major motivation. His financial demands (10 percent of all earnings to be made in the lands to be discovered, among others) was considered so extravagant by the Portuguese that they refused to back his expedition. Another reason was that they had - correctly - calculated that India or China never could be found where Colombus thought he would find it.

Columbus repeated his financial claims to the Spanish Court and reached an agreement. Only the Spanish Government never made good on its promises and Columbus spent the rest of his life in fruitless ligitation.