14 5 0 – 175 0 ISA B ELLA OF CASTILE Fall of Granada QUEEN OF SPAIN Born 1451 Died 1504 TIMELINE Isabella’s greatest achievement was the conquest of Granada, the last Moorish kingdom in Spain. She and 1451 Birth of Isabella, daughter of John II her husband are pictured (left) accepting the submission of Castile and Isabella of Portugal. of their new Muslim subjects, but in practice, promises of religious toleration were not kept. 1452 Birth of Ferdinand II of Aragon. Isabella of Castile 1454 John II of Castile dies; Isabella’s half- brother Henry IV accedes to the throne. Having achieved so much for “God’s cause,” Isabella had time for other 1468 Isabella’s younger brother Alfonso dies. activities. She and Ferdinand agreed to 1469 Isabella of Castile marries Ferdinand “I... am ready to pawn my jewels sponsor the “enterprise of the Indies,” of Aragon. the first transatlantic voyage of 1470 Birth of Isabella’s eldest daughter, Isabella. Christopher Columbus (see pp.228–29), 1474 Henry IV of Castile dies; Isabella and to defray the expenses of it...” which led to the development of a Ferdinand claim the throne. global Spanish empire (see pp.234–35). ISABELLA TO COLUMBUS, SPEAKING ABOUT HIS PROPOSED VOYAGE TO ASIA, 1492 1476 Isabella and Ferdinand set up the hermandad, a collection of local militias that act Isabella’s final years as a peacekeeping organization. In her final years, Isabella was 1478 Birth of Isabella and Ferdinand’s son ccording to a contemporary risked the wrath of Henry, who had not distressed by a succession of family and heir, John; the Spanish Inquisition chronicler, Isabella I of Spain given his consent. But Isabella knew tragedies. She had five children: A is established. was a neglected child: “The that this was the marriage most likely Isabella, John, Joanna, Maria, and Queen, Our Lady, from childhood was to bring her power. In 1469 they were Catherine. Both 1479 A treaty with Portugal brings order to without a father and we can even say a married in the Spanish city of militias that formed a basic police force, Family portrait Isabella and Maria Castile; birth of Isabella and Ferdinand’s daughter mother… She had work and cares, and Valladolid, and for much of the next and eventually became the basis of a This painting in a Dominican married into the Joanna; Ferdinand inherits the throne of Aragon, thereby bringing two Spanish dynasties together an extreme lack of necessary things.” 10 years they fought for recognition national Spanish army. monastery in Avila shows Portuguese royal under the same monarchs. Isabella’s father, John II of Castile of their right to become joint rulers of In 1477 Isabella and Ferdinand Isabella, Ferdinand, and their family, while John children John and Joanna at (a Spanish kingdom), died when she the unruly kingdom of Castile. entered the city of Toledo in triumph— and Joanna married 1480 Parliament confirms Isabella’s succession prayer before the image of as Queen of Castile; the monarchs announce was three, at which point her depressed they were the unchallenged monarchs the Madonna and Child. the daughter and son mother shut herself away. Her young Love and war of Castile. Their partnership was of the Habsburg their intention to go to war against Granada. brother died of a plaguelike illness in In 1474 Henry died and civil war carefully worked out. In keeping with Emperor Maximilian 1481 Dominican priest Tomas de Torquemada 1468, and her older half-brother, the broke out. However, within a few their motto “Tanto monta, monta tanto, the monarchs of I. The first husband of is appointed by Isabella as Grand Inquisitor. mentally unstable Henry IV, perceived years it was clear that Isabella Isabel como Fernando” (“It’s the same Europe, and awarded Catherine was Arthur, As a result, treachery and heresy become her as a threat. However, Isabella and Ferdinand were winning thing, Isabella is the same as the title of the Prince of Wales; the indistinguishable in Spain, and nonconformists, emerged from this Cinderella-like on every front. By 1476 they Ferdinand”), they issued joint decrees “Catholic Monarchs” second, Henry VIII Jews, and dissidents are rigorously persecuted. childhood an extremely strong-willed had set up the hermandad and approved coins and stamps. by the pope. In of England. Torquemada is likely to have been the author of the infamous decree of 1492, which expelled and intelligent young woman. (“brotherhood”), a Although Ferdinand’s name preceded addition to forming But Isabella’s son the Jews from Spain. As a leading contender for the throne network of local Isabella’s on state documents, her coat the final episode in the and heir, John, died of Castile, Isabella attracted many of arms came first. They were a united centuries-long battle soon after his 1482 Birth of Isabella and suitors—including the king of Portugal front, fully supporting each by the Christian church to reclaim wedding, and this loss was followed by Ferdinand’s twin daughters, and brothers of the kings of England other’s decisions. the Iberian peninsula, Granada’s the death in childbirth of Isabella’s only one of whom (Maria) and France—but she herself decided conquest was widely seen as eldest daughter, Isabella. Then, before survives. to marry Ferdinand of Aragon: The Catholic Monarchs compensation for the loss of he was two, her grandson Michael died 1485 Birth of Isabella and “It has to be he and absolutely no Isabella may have viewed Constantinople to Muslim in her arms. Since it was clear that the Ferdinand’s youngest other.” In marrying the young the turmoil of her Ottoman Turks in 1453 unhappy Joanna la loca (“the mad”) daughter Catherine. prince of Aragon—whom she had childhood as a sign of (see pp.206–07). had lost her reason, all hope for the 1492 Fall of Granada, last yet to meet—17-year-old Isabella God’s displeasure with future of the dynasty rested with Moorish kingdom in the weak rule of her Isabella and Ferdinand’s Habsburg Spain; Ferdinand and half-brother Henry. Her New-found wealth grandson, the future Holy Roman Isabella agree to support This 15th-century gold coin was sense of duty and passion Emperor Charles V. It is thought that the expedition of minted in Seville with the images of Christopher Columbus. for order and unity led to both monarchs. Spain had access to vast these events contributed to a decline in THE BOOK OF Isabella gives him numerous PRIVILEGES the establishment of the amounts of silver and gold in the Americas. Isabella’s health, and her death in 1504. Spanish Inquisition in 1478. This entitlements to the new lands he discovers, which he compiles was a court run by the Catholic Church K I N G O F S P ai N (1452–1516) in his Book of Privileges. with the aim of ensuring royal subjects remained faithful Christians. Within FERDINAND OF ARAGON 1493 In the Papal Bull (a decree) Inter Caetera, Isabella’s own lifetime, this institution— Pope Alexander VI refers to the couple as Reyes Catolicos (The Catholic Monarchs). Isabella the Catholic whose first victims were Jews and Ferdinand’s political skill was matched by his flair Isabella’s strong will helped bring conversos (Christians of Jewish as a military commander. Although not particularly 1497 John marries Margaret of Austria; Joanna about fundamental changes in ethnicity)—became a byword for handsome, he had great charm, and in his marries Philip of Flanders. Spain. Her reign led to the cruelty and terror. By 1492, the year of enthusiasm for hunting, jousting, gambling, 1498 John dies suddenly; young Isabella, permanent unification of Spain the fall of Granada, those who died and women, he was the epitome of the Queen of Portugal, dies in childbirth. (which had previously been a because of its denunciations may have dashing Renaissance prince. collection of kingdoms) and her 1499 Isabella and Ferdinand’s daughter Maria After Isabella’s death, he was in an decision to sponsor Christopher exceeded ten thousand in number. marries Manoel of Portugal. awkward position as a former king, until Columbus’s journey to find a In 1480 Isabella and Ferdinand 1500 Death of Isabella and Ferdinand’s 1506, when the death of his son-in-law new route to Asia laid the announced their intention to go to war grandson Michael; their youngest daughter groundwork for an era of global Philip the Handsome allowed his return to against Granada, the last Moorish Catherine (Catherine of Aragon) marries commerce and trade. Castile as Regent for his fragile daughter (Muslim) kingdom in Spain (see Prince Arthur of England. Catholic New World pp.174–75). In 1492, after being Joanna. Ambitious and flexible, Ferdinand This 17th-century altarpiece from Guatemala reveals gained much territory in Italy for Spain as 1504 Isabella dies. the impact of Spanish culture in the Americas. Isabella besieged for a year and a half, Granada a result of the Italian Wars of 1511–13. regarded it as her sacred duty to bring Christianity to surrendered. For this victory, Isabella her subjects in the New World. and Ferdinand were congratulated by 226 227.