Columbus began the official report of his first voyage to America, addressed to Ferdinand and Isabella, with the following words: “And thus, having expelled all the Jews from all your kingdoms and dominions, in the month of January, Your Highnesses commanded me that...I should go to the said parts of India.”
Circumstantial bit, but pretty telling that he was sticking to his roots.
The "coincidence" seems to suggest much more than is told commonly.