During the 14th century, the port city of Genoa was a powerful marine republic with ships sailing through the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Christopher Columbus, originally a young wool weaver's son named Christophoro Columba, became a skilled navigator and sought financing from the King and Queen of Portugal for a journey to discover a new trade route to the East. Columbus was influenced by tales of famous explorers like Marco Polo and believed in the possibility of sailing west to reach the Indies and China. Despite popular myth, ancient astronomers had already calculated the Earth's circumference, and the Age of Exploration was already underway in Europe. Europeans were eager to find new trade routes after the closure of the Silk Road by the Ottoman Turks. Discussions within the maritime community turned to exploring a westward journey, leading Columbus to seek funding for his ambitious expedition.