Queen Isabelle I of Castile: Ruthless Queen or Noble Companion?
Queen Isabella I of Castile was born on April 22, 1451 in Madrigal de las Atlas Torres. Isabella’s parents were King John of Castile and Isabella of Portugal. She eventually went on to marry Ferdinand II of Aragon and together they constituted a united Spain. Queen Isabella held the status of an overambitious and noble heroine with an alter ego of a statesman or legislator. These traits became a staple during her reign by allowing her supporters to blindly follow her, while also promoting angst in the eyes of those who attempted to defy her and the kingdom.
Queen Isabella is famous for two events in her lifetime: The Spanish Inquisition and funding Christopher Columbus’ journey that led to the discovery of America. Isabelle and Ferdinand courageously led Spain throughout the late 15th and early 16th centuries. During this time, the two ruled two halves of Spain. Ferdinand was ruler of Aragon and Isabella ruled Castile. The partnership earned the title of the “Catholic Monarch” due to their role in the Inquisition.
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The Inquisition was put in motion to convert non-Catholic believers into Catholic citizens. During this time, the two power figures concocted the Alhambra Decree. The Alhambra Decree was formed so Isabella and Ferdinand could banish Jews from Castile and Aragon. The Spanish Inquisition was inhumane when it came to punishment for those who did not convert. Isabelle and Ferdinand ordered people to be burned at the stake if they did not conform to the lifestyle of the Catholic Church. This heinous act towards the people of her kingdom is the reason why some refer to her as
After seeing that their life’s goal was a victory they agreed to begin Spanish exploration. One of the most important explorer was an Italian man named Christopher Columbus. Isabella is especially remembered as an important figure in time because ...
Christopher Columbus and Alvez Nunez Cabeza de Vaca were both explorers for Spain, but under different rulers and different times. The more famous, Christopher Columbus, came before de Vaca’s time. Columbus sailed a series of four voyages between 1492 and 1504 in search for a route to Asia which led accidentally to his discovery of new land inhabited with Indians. Christopher sailed under the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella for his journey to the “Indies,” whom he was loyal to by claiming everything in their name. De Vaca , followed in Christopher’s footsteps and journeyed to Hispanionola for Spain’s emperor, Charlves V, the grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella. Both, Columbus and de Vaca composed a series of letters addressing the main issue of their journey to the new land, but both were expressed in a different manner, included different material, and were motivated to write for dissimilar reasons.
The English reconquest of Spain was a series of events leading to the Christian regaining the control of the Iberian Peninsula. During the time, the Christian and Islamic cultures had built off of each other, both economically and socially. Ferdinand II and his wife Isabella I where the catholic monarchs that played a key role in the success of the reconquest of the Peninsula. Their marriage was a political alliance between Argon and Castilian nobles as a way for them to unite. While their marriage was not for romance or love, the two did deeply care about each other and made quite the power couple, literally. As a team, Ferdinand and Isabella were able to gain control over Castile and keep fighting until their conquest was over. Ferdinand
In 1981, Isabel de Madariaga wrote the landmark book, Russia in the Age of Catherine the Great. This book was the first comprehensive study of Catherine the Great’s reign. It was a very long, thoroughly researched, very dense book about later eighteenth-century in Russia and was meant for scholars. The book I read and am reviewing, Catherine the Great: a Short History, also by de Madariaga, is more than a shortened version of her earlier work; it is a manageable, factual examination of only about 200 pages with maps, illustrations and timelines, and genealogical tables.
Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain were the duo monarchs of the new nation of Spain, brought together by their families' lands of Argon and Castille. Ferdinand of Argon, son of John II of Argon, rose to power through his marriage to Isabella of Castille. Isabella of Castille was the daughter of King John I, of Castille. After King John I died, her older brother was the next heir I'm line, King Henry IV. When King Henry IV was seen unfit to rule by nobles, he was pushed aside to let his younger half-brother Alfonso take the throne. Fortunately, at least for Isabella, Alfonso soon after died of the plague, and had named her his successor in his will. This king and queen brought together their people firstly by completing the Reconquista, the expulsion of people practicing Muslim and Judism, to unify their nation under the religion of Roman Cathlioc. Although this couple's greatest achievement was their funding towards Christopher Columbus who ultimately found the New World. Through this, and their "claim" of it, Spain grew prostperous through the collection and mineing of silver and gold. This also lead to colonization and tr...
Spain had been the greatest power in the 1500s in Europe.The defeat of the Spanish Armada is one of the most famous events in English history. It was one of Queen Elizabeth's greatest accomplishments.
The Inquisition run by Tomas de Torquemada persecuted other religions and was a base of counter-reformation
The Inquisition founded in 1199 is a tribunal from the Christian faith of the Holy office to expose and punish religious unorthodoxy. ?From that time until its decline in the late 1600?s and the early 1700?s, the number of executions for witchcraft reached an appalling total of 100,000? (Hart, pg. 63). These executions from France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and other parts of Europe have a record number of considerable injustice, prejudice and cruelty. The Inquisition and the witch trials were all part of a time when the panic from the Holy Church was committing a harsh extreme to the cleansings of anything unorthodox. Educated people like lawyers, doctors, bishops, and scholars all participated in witch hunt. ?Some Historians have shown that the movement as a whole was a revival of the pagan superstition and cult whose origin lay in the ancient world, which cause a rebirth of learning? (Hart, pg. 65). The witch paranoia was an old chapter in history reborn during the 12 century causing the Great Witch Panic. The Christian churc...
Queen Isabella also took part in the voyage with Christopher Columbus. She gave him support when he was about to leave for sea. Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, which led to the establishment of a Spanish empire in America. Isabella supported many people, but Christopher Columbus was her most important (Maltby par 2). I don’t think he could have done that voyage without her.
...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).
Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon were one of the most famous married couples in history. Isabella was beautiful. “She had blue eyes and chestnut hair.” “She was just striking” (Isaacs). By the time she was 18, she wore beautiful gowns and jewels. “She wore them throughout her life” (Isaacs). Ferdinand and Isabella ruled Spain in a joint ruling, converted Muslims to Christianity, sponsored Christopher Columbus’s journey to a New World, had a family and Isabella even had time for education. Isabella and Ferdinand were devout Catholics that pushed and strived for Christianity in Spain. Despite their extreme measure to push for Christianity, their time in reign was the Golden Age of Spain.
The word “inquisition” means to examine. Inquisitors would “examine” suspected Heretics, people whose ideas do not match those of the Roman Catholic Church, and punish them accordingly. This included torture and burning. The great inquisition movement that took place in Spain, or Hispania as it was called before Spain united. It was called The Spanish Inquisition. It took place for approximately five hundred years, from the late 15th century to mid 19th century. Many ironic elements were involved in the history of the Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition lasted longer than any other preceding it, and was the most cruel, bloodthirsty, and festive of all. The objective of the inquisition, in its early state, was to convert all Jews into Christians, but later it mutated into an ugly machine who’s new objective was to rid the country of the newly converted Christians.
As a result of confrontations with such heresy, the Inquisition was established by a series of papal decrees between 1227 and 1235. Pope Innocent IV authorized the use of torture in 1252, and Pope Alexander IV gave the Inquisition authority over all cases of sorcery involving heresy, although local courts carried out most actual prosecution of witches. At the same time, other developments created a climate in which alle...
After over six years of proposals to multiple nobles around Europe, Columbus found Queen Isabella and Kind Ferdinand of Spain who offered to fund the voyage, and on Augu...
Many people have heard of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. However, only some know of all the things they accomplished. They might be best known for funding the voyages of Christopher Columbus, but they also greatly contributed to the unity of Spain (“Isabella l”). Together, they brought many kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula together to form what Spain is today. Through Spain’s unification, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella strengthened Spain into an economic and dominant world power, enabling the spread of Christianity and the colonization of a New World.