Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.
Most of the trade routes connecting Europe and Asia around 1400 were controlled by Muslim kingdoms, especially the Ottoman Empire which was constantly at war with the European Christian powers. The Italians were able to work out an understanding with the Arab traders who brought Asian goods to the Alexandria (in Egypt) and sold them to the Italians. As traders and governments of western Europe like Holland, Spain, Portugal and England realised the importance of this trade, they wanted to find faster and easier routes to countries like India and China, without passing through regions controlled by Italian traders. The Portugese for example, wanted to find a route around Africa to reach India. The Spanish wanted to know if it was possible to reach India by crossing the Atlantic Ocean. They invested huge fortunes by hiring experienced sea mariners and giving them ships and other resources to explore. This led to the discovery of Central America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and of sea route to India around Africa by Vasco Da Gama in 1498. Columbus was working on behalf of the Spanish queen while Vasco da Gama was working for the Portugese king. Soon English and Dutch governments too were sending their sailors to these regions.
a) Why do you think the Italians were controlling the trade with Asia in 1400 and not other Europeans like Portuguese or Spanish?
b) Why were the Portuguese and Spanish keen to find other routes to reach Asia
