A lot of times I hear how Columbus was stupid, that his calculations were completely off and that other scientists knew this, nevertheless he got founds for his journey, which I think is kind of weird. So I was wondering if this is just some kind of "anti" myth formed to counter the previous misconceptions?
My questions:
Was he more wrong in calculating the earth's circumference or the size of the Asian continent?
What are the actual numbers he calculated of the earth's circumference and the width of Asia+Europe? How do these compare to the consensus at the time?
If he was so obviously wrong, how did he get the funding?
This very detailed answer by /u/terminus-trantor may be of interest in regards to wrongness of calculation: In Columbus' time, what were the competing theories about the circumference of the Earth?
additionally, How did Christopher Columbus convince Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand to fund his voyage West? by u/TywinDeVillena
and
Did Columbus try to convince other kings before being hired by Spain? If yes, why did they refuse? by u/The_Truthkeeper both discuss the hiring process.