[topher]

The Rennaisance began here with such actions undertaken at incredible cost (for their time) by Christians, Moslems and Jews working together.

I don't think you are talking about Spain. At the time that Columbus asked for money for discovering America, after Spain pushed the Moors out, the Jews were massacred in Spain.

Ireland was the source of knowledge for the West for a number of Centuries...

[muawiyah]

The Jews were NOT massacred in Spain. 60,000+ of them relocated to other European countries, or to North Africa, or to Baghdad.

Tens of thousands of other Jews converted to Christianity.

If you knew anything of Medieval Spanish history you would have already known that it was a quite ordinary practice for commoners and peasants to "convert" to whatever religion their current liege lord chose ~ Jews were not out of the loop of history in Spain.

The EXPULSION occurred in the year 1492. Columbus set sail in 1492. He had, among others, 5 full-blooded Romany Gypsies on board. No doubt he had some Conversos there as well.