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Why were European explorers searching for new sea routes to Asia?

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Map showing the transatlantic and global routes of major early voyages of discovery and exploration by Spain, Portugal, England, and France during the 15th and 16th centuries. The map traces the journeys of explorers such as Columbus, Cabot, Magellan, da Gama, and others, with labeled paths crossing the Atlantic and encircling Africa and South America, as well as lines of demarcation dividing Spanish and Portuguese exploration zones. — European exploration Map depicting the European exploration of the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries, including the voyages made by Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastián del Cano, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Jacques Cartier, Sir Francis Drake, and others. The lines of demarcation represent an early division between the territory of Spain (to the west) and Portugal (to the east).

European explorers sought new sea routes to Asia primarily to bypass the restrictive trade monopolies held by Mediterranean powers and to secure direct access to the lucrative spice trade.312

By the late 15th century, several factors drove this search:

Trade Monopolies: The Ottoman Empire and Venice controlled the traditional overland and Mediterranean routes to the East. This allowed them to dominate the supply of valuable goods—such as pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves—and charge exorbitant prices.312
Security Concerns: The breakup of the Mongol Empire made traditional land routes across Asia increasingly insecure for Western merchants.2
Economic and Political Ambition: European nations, particularly Spain and Portugal, were motivated by a desire for wealth, including gold, and the need to strengthen their national power relative to their rivals.45
Religious Fervor: Explorers like Christopher Columbus were also driven by the desire to spread Christianity and form alliances with legendary Eastern rulers, such as Prester John, to counter Islamic influence.4

These combined pressures pushed explorers to venture into the Atlantic in search of a direct maritime passage to the riches of Asia.642