Isabel of Spain
Isabel of Spain was a strong and determined woman. She was born on April 22, 1451 in the town of Madrigal de las Altas Torres in Old Castile. She was the daughter of John II, king of Castile and his second wife, Isabella of Portugal. Her family were very strong Catholics and was born and raised a Catholic. She was married to Ferdinand who was King of Aragon. She took control and protected her country while taking on the responsibility of being a wife and a mother of five. Isabel and Ferdinand together ruled both of the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. The most important ideas of Isabel of Spain was the starting of the Spanish Inquisition, ruling as a female, gaining power, and expanding an empire that would be known throughout.
The Muslims and Jews of Spain during that time did not believe in Christianity. This became a conflict to Isabel uniting Spain. In fear, many Muslims and Jews had converted to Christianity but were suspected to have been practicing their own faith secretly. Isabel felt betrayed and it sparked the start of the Spanish Inquisition. “…establishing an Inquisition, expelling the Jews, converting or expelling the Muslims of Granada and Castile, and sanctioning the Muslims' continued presence in Aragon” (Myerson, 11). Isabel and Ferdinand continued with their plans to unify all of Spain by continuing effort to expel the Moors also known as the Muslims, who held some parts of Spain. In 1492, the Muslim Kingdom of Granada fell to Isabel and Ferdinand. Also, all the Jews in Spain who refused to convert to Christianity were expelled. Isabel felt her religion was the only true one and if she didn't rid them from her country then Spain would be ruined.
Isabel was Europe's first female monarch. During...
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...o the discovery of America. The New World brought great wealth to Spain and helped the Spanish government, economy and society.
In conclusion, Isabel of Spain was a great ruler who was confident and determined. She proved that female could rule and were not weak. She did not gain power she earned it on her own and did anything she could to make Spain as powerful as she could. Isabel left a great impact on the new country of Spain.
Works Cited
Lehfeldt, Elizabeth A. "Ruling Sexuality: The Political Legitimacy of Isabel of
Castile." Renaissance Quarterly 53.1 (2000): 31-56. JSTOR. Web. 23 Apr. 2014
Meyerson, Mark D. The Muslims of Valencia in the Age of Fernando and Isabel:
Between Coexistence and Crusade. Berkeley: U of California, 1991. Web.
Stuart, Nancy Rubin. Isabella of Castile: The First Renaissance Queen. New York:
St. Martin's, 1991.
The traditions my parents instilled in me at a young age are important to me. They are part of my Latin culture and identity. One of the most important traditions that I value the most is our devotion to “La Virgen de Guadalupe” (The Virgin of Guadalupe), and although I don't go to church or share a specific a religion, I believe in La Virgen as a protector and a guardian figure and maintain her presence in my daily life.
This disunity of what is supposed to be a single Muslim community (umma) made many Muslims angry and gave them the idea that religion needed to be purified, this sparked a purification of religion in Christianity as well. This eventually led to Islamic Spain falling into the hands of Ferdinand and Isabel who expelled all Muslims from Spain and ended the long-lived Islamic Spain. Bibliography Ansary, Tamim. Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes. New York: Public Affairs, 2010.
Spain’s journey to greatness began with Christopher Columbus. Columbus had believed that the world was a sphere; therefore, one could reach the East Indies by sailing westward instead of the traditional
Queen Isabella was born in 1451, in the city of Castile, Spain (Leon 75). She was the daughter of King John II and Arevalo (Maltby par 1). Her family was very strong Catholics and she was born and raised a Catholic. Her brother, Alfonso, became King. He banished her mother, younger brother, and her from the kingdom (Leon 75, 77). Isabella had chestnut hair with natural red highlights and her look was demure and soft. She went to school with nuns at Santa Ana Convent. At school, she fancied reading, writing, music, and painting. In her free time, she was tutored at home with her older brother. After her childhood, she learned treachery was everywhere. As a teenager, her family forced her to marry a scoundrel. That day, she prayed to God for deliverance. On the way to their wedding, he choked and died from bronchitis. From that day on, she was ready for what was coming her way.
...w country of Spain. She mostly impacted religions. When she was alive she always taught people that everyone in this world is equal (“Isabella of Castile” par 5). She made huge sacrifices when she was young. She even turned down an offer to be Queen. She believed that unless both her brothers died it was not her right to be Queen (“Queen Isabella’ par 4). Being an educated Catholic girl, Isabella was mostly influenced by god. Her parents taught her to always follow the word of god (“Isabella of Castile” par43). Isabella wanted to be remembered as someone to look up to. Today she has accomplished that. Many people in Spain wish to make Isabella a Saint. But fro right now she is called a servant of god (“Isabella of Castile” par 39).
The first voyage to the New World was met with success and the beginnings of Spanish colonization. Landing on Hispaniola and meeting a local tribe that greeted him with friendship, Columbus sought wealth,
Queen Elizabeth I was said to be one of the best rulers of England. Unlike rulers before her, she was a Protestant and not a Catholic. She was not stupid though. She did go to church and did everything that Catholics did to prevent getting her head cut off under the rules of her sister Mary. Elizabeth was very young when she came to rule. She was only 17 years old when her sister Mary died and she took over.
Joan of Arc (Jehanne Darc) was born January 6th, 1412 in a little village of Domremy, France. She grew up as a faithful Catholic and a sweet, respectful maiden girl. According to a prediction, a young maiden girl would save France and sure enough Joan would be that girl. Starting at age twelve, she began having visions of different Angels and hearing voices from the Saints and God himself. And with these orders, she made a sacred promise to always stay a virgin and disobeyed her father even though he warn her not to be influence by this craziness. By the time she was nineteen, she was up on trial for claims of witchcraft even though she saved France. Throughout her adventures, she inspired others and showed she was no different even though she was a girl.
Spain’s initial goals were to discover gold or other mineral wealth, explore the new world, spread Catholicism, and overall, continue Christopher Columbus’s goal of finding passage to the east.
Later, the Inquisition turned to people of Islam and attempted to convert the in the same way they had done to the Jews. And, even later, to those suspected of being Protestants. The Spanish Inquisition was similar to the first inquisition that was started in France.
The expedition was successful and it brought Spain many goods and riches, making it very important to Spain. Works Cited Bentley, Jerry H., Herbert F. Ziegler, and Heather E. Street-Salter. Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History, Volume II, From 1500 to the Present, Second Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 411-29 Brooklyn College Department of History, The Shaping of the Modern World from the Enlightenment to the Present, Fifth Edition.
Isabella and Ferdinand accomplished many things that altered the course of history. They expanded the Spanish empire by funding explorers. They also united several kingdoms to make the country that Spain is today, geographically and economically. However, Ferdinand and Isabella always believed that their greatest achievement was making Spain a dominantly Christian nation (“Isabella and Ferdinand”). By the end of their rule, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella colonized a world that had never been discovered, set up the spread of Christianity, and altogether created Spain into a nation with immense economical and industrial power in the world.
A Vanished World: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain is survey medieval Spain, where Christians, Jews, and Muslims once lived side by side and the Muslims were in charge. The book tries to lead the reader to the conclusion that there is indeed a historical precedent for the three major religions establishing a beneficially symbiotic relationship which may be an enduring lesson for coexistence. The author, Chris Lowney, is an ex-Jesuit and holds degrees in medieval history and philosophy.
The initial response of the inquisition was predetermined by the anti-Jewish judgment increased by the black plague in Spain. The lack of scientific development meant that Jews were blamed for the plague pandemic during 1347 to 1350. At the time the Jewish community was an important part of the Spanish economy, as the only moneylenders the King and Queen attempted to protect them. However, measures to stop the plague continually failed this further fuelled hatred towards the Jewish population. By 1492 King Ferdinand and Isabella created the Alhambra Decree that expelled Jews from their territories. They went into great detail to create a subtle form of propaganda, indoctrinating the public into believing Jews were a form of ‘disease’ that would infect good Christians. The converts that were left in the Iberian Peninsula became the main target of the inquisition. These converts called conve...
Because Belisa Crepusculario had such a difficult childhood in which she experienced so much loss in her life, she is forced to become a stronger person both mentally and physically to survive such devastating circumstances. It will ultimately be this strong sense of survival that she develops through these experiences of great loss, which will guide her through the survival of life threatening situations.