The Catholic Monarchs Geography and History Year 2 of Secondary Education
In the second half of the 15th Century, Enrique IV was the King of Castile. He had a problem: he did not have a son but a daughter called Juana.
María of Aragón
Juan II
Isabel of Portugal
Enrique IV Alfonso of Ávila Juana “la Beltraneja”
Isabel
Many noblemen thought that Juana was not actually Enrique’s daughter. They said that she was Beltrán de la Cueva’s daughter!!
They decided to look for a new King: Enrique’s step-brother called Alfonso.
Alfonso died early and Enrique’s step-sister, Isabel claimed the throne. Enrique accepted Isabel as his heir in the Treaty of Los Toros de Guisando
In 1474, Enrique died and Isabel proclaimed herself Queen of Castile
A Civil War broke out in Castile between…
Juana “la Beltraneja” (she was Enrique’s daughter) Her uncle and husband, Alfonso V of Portugal, helped her.
Isabel (she was Enrique’s sister) Fernando of Aragón, helped Isabella (his wife)
The war finished with the Treaty of Alcaçovas (1478)
Isabel defeated Juana “la Beltraneja”. Juana entered in a convent. He lived there for the rest of her life.
The Crown of Aragón and the Crown of Castile united by a dynastic marriage.
Fernando became King of Aragón in 1479, after his father’s death.
Isabel became Queen of Castile in 1478, after the Treaty of Alcaçovas.
In 1482, the War of Granada broke out. The Catholic Monarchs decided to conquer the last Muslim kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula.
In 1492, Isabel and Fernando conquered the Kingdom of Granada.
finally
Also in 1492, they financed Christopher Columbus’ expedition. Columbus wanted to reach India sailing west.
On 12th October 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered a new continent: America
They also conquered Melilla and Orรกn in North Africa. They finished the conquest of the Canary Islands and the Kingdom of Naples.
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, the “Gran Capitán” was a famous Castilian general. He defeated the French armies in Italy many times.
The Catholic Monarchs looked for the religious unity of their kingdoms. They created the Inquisition (a Church tribunal).
In 1492, Jews were expelled from Castile and Aragón if they didn’t convert to Christianity.
Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity Moriscos: Muslims people baptised
Cardenal Cisneros was the Archbishop of Toledo and the Isabel’s adviser.
Isabel and Fernando were considered to defend Christianity against Muslims and Jews, so Pope Alexander VI gave them the title of Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs used their children to establish alliances with other European Kingdoms:
She got married to Manuel, King of Portugal
He got married to Margarita of Austria
She got married to Felipe of Austria, “the Handsome�
She got married to Manuel, King of Portugal after Isabel died.
She got married to Henry VIII of England
They formed alliances with Portugal, England and the Holy Roman Empire. France, the great enemy, was alone.
There were many tragedies in the family: • Prince Juan died when he was 19 years old. • Princess Isabel died after having a son, Miguel de Paz. • Prince Miguel de Paz died with only 2 years. After that, Princess Juana became the successor to the thrones of Castile and Aragón, but she was mad!!
Isabel died in 1504.
After Isabel’s death, Fernando conquered the Kingdom of Navarra (1512). It was annexed to Castile.
Fernando died in 1516. As Juana “la Loca” couldn’t rule the kingdoms, her son Carlos of Habsburg became King of Castile and Aragón.
WHAT YEAR SHOULD WE REMEMBER FOREVER?
1492 12th October: America was discovered by Christopher Columbus
2th January: Granada was conquered
31st March: Jews were expelled
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