The statement that best describes how Henry the Navigator, Dias, da Gama, Columbus, Magellan, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, and Pope Leo X's roles led to the expansion of empires is:
Each individual used exploration as a way to colonize and expand their respective empires.
This statement encompasses the broader goal of exploration during the Age of Discovery, which was not only about discovery but also about colonization and the expansion of national power and territory.