Wyatt Ramos

Hendon
His 1305
11/17/14
Isabella and Ferdinand
Isabella and Ferdinand served as queen and king of Spain from 1474 to 1504. Together
they championed many reforms in the economic and justice systems in Spain, brought an end to
the Reconquista, sponsored the voyage of Columbus, and evangelized the Iberian Peninsula. The
many achievements of these monarchs revitalized the Kingdoms in the area today known as
Spain. They united the kingdoms, and through economic reform and patronage of explorers
ushered Spain into a golden age of exploration, and planted the seeds that grow Spain into the
most militarily powerful state in the world. While some may there methods were unethical, it is
undeniable that their rule brought incredible prosperity to their kingdom, and ultimately ushered
the world into a new age.
The kingdom of Castile was left a victim of rampant crime and rapid inflation by the
preceding leader Henry IV. Henry IV had done little during his reign to enforce the law, and as
such crime had gotten so bad that it has been claimed that murder, rape, and robbery happened
without punishment. Isabella, being far more unforgiving than Ferdinand, answered this with the
La Santa Hermandad, or the Holy Brotherhood, a police force not unfamiliar to Castile, but never
before used to enforce the rule of the crown (Armesto 87). La Santa Hermandad enforced the law
of the Crown throughout Castile and Leon replacing the system that came before of allowing
nobility to freely enforce law. Henry IV had also failed to adequately control the Kingdoms

finances. In order to make money Henry IV had sold royal estates at well below their value.
Isabella and Ferdinand reacquired these lands buying them back at the values at which they had
been purchased, with the stipulation that no lands given to churches, hospitals, or the poor would
be taken back (Armesto 86). Finally, they had to regain control of the currency. Economic
regulation for Isabella and Ferdinand was focused on, above all else, the regulation of trade
(Armesto 70). They focused on restoring internal trade, and to do this coinage had to be unified
in Castile. During Henry IV's rule mints had been owned privately and inflation ran rampant.
Isabella and Ferdinand centralized the minting of coins in Castile, and thus regained control of
the value of their currency and insured confidence in trade (Armest 71).
For 700 years a war known as the Reconquista had been fought on the Iberian peninsula.
This war was fought between monarchs of the peninsula and the Muslims who resided there. for
200 years the final stronghold of the Muslim peoples was Granada (Armesto 90). In 1482
Isabella and Ferdinand led a campaign against Granada. Soldiers from many countries across
Europe fought under the unified front of Isabella and Ferdinand while Granada fell victim to
disorganization, and grew increasingly dependent on the natural barriers that surrounded it for
defense (Prescott 148). In 1492 Granada fell exciting sensation throughout Christendom, and
unifying the Kingdoms of Castile-Leon, Aragon, and Granada (Prescott 148). This was a major
victory for the Christian world as it was seen as a counter-balance for the loss of constantinople
nearly half a century before (Prescot 149). The Treaty of Granada was signed later that year
guaranteeing religious freedoms to the Muslims and Jews of Granada (Cowans 15-19). This
treaty guaranteed many rights and freedoms to the people of Granada, but it wouldn't last as the
Moors eventually attempted an uprising and the crown would consider this a violation of the
treaty.

Earlier in their reign a man by the name of Christopher Columbus had approached them
to request sponsorship of a trans-Atlantic journey to India (Armesto 148). Advisors to the crown
had strongly discouraged this, and so instead of funding the trip a yearly allowance, and free
lodging throughout the kingdom was provided. This shows a softer side to Isabella than is
generally seen. Isabella, as has been shown, tended to lean towards more definitive answers to
the problems she was presented. After the success in Granada Columbus again requested funding
by the crown (Armesto 148). Again royal advisors advised strongly against it, and this time
Isabella outright denied funding of his expedition, returning to her stern approach to politics.
However, after Christopher's leaving Ferdinand quickly convinced Isabella to agree to fund the
journey, and officials were sent to retrieve Columbus (Armesto 148). Ultimately, it can said this
journey was a failure as Columbus never reached the proposed sight of India, but this did launch
Spain into a golden age of exploration and wealth. In this sight Columbus's journey was actually
one the greatest successes of their reign, this exploration served as the seed that grew Spain into
the most powerful military force in the world, brought great wealth in the form of silver, and led
to massive empirical expansion.
The final largely defining occurrence of their rule was the expulsion of the Jewish and
Muslim peoples of the state. Isabella initially opposed harsh measures against these people, but
Toms de Torquemada eventually convinced Ferdinand, and through Ferdinand Isabella (Liss
298). On March, 31 1492 the Alhambra decree for the expulsion of the Jews was issued.
Traditionally it has been stated that 200,000 Jews evacuated the Kingdom, but it has been shown
in recent years that a maximum of 40,000 Jew evacuated the Kingdom (Kamen 29). The
remaining Jews converted, and came under investigation of the Spanish inquisition. In 1500 the
moors in the Granada, due to increasing pressure to evangelize, began an uprising known as the

Morisco rebellions (Zargorin 13). This rebellion was cited by the crown as a violation of the
Treaty of Granada, and thus the people of Granada no longer were granted the protection offered
by the treaty (Zagorin 14). This meant that they we're forced to leave or convert, and fall under
the investigation of the Spanish inquisition.
Through these many acts the rulers Isabella and Ferdinand transformed their land into a
great kingdom. They largely solved the crime, and economical issues of Castile, unified a large
portion of Iberian Peninsula, started the golden age of exploration, and evangelized the state. In
each of these changing the land, and setting the stage for an amazing power to grow. It may be
said that these rulers we're cruel in expelling the other religious groups within their borders, but
it cannot denied that their rule caused great prosperity in their land. Even today, despite their
sometimes cruel decisions, many people argue that Isabella deserves to be named a saint, and she
currently holds the official title "Servant of God," (Isabella of Castile).

Citations
Armesto, Felipe. Ferdinand and Isabella. New York: Taplinger Pub., 1975. Print.
Cowans, Jon. Early Modern Spain : A Documentary History. Philadelphia: U of
Pennsylvania, 2003. Print.
"Isabella of Castile." New World Encyclopedia, . 23 Apr 2014, 14:43 UTC. 19 Nov 2014,
06:02
Kamen, Henry. The Spanish Inquistion: A Historical Revision. First ed. New Haven: Yale
UP, 1999. Print.
Liss, Peggy K. Isabel the Queen: Life and times. New York: Oxford UP, 1992. Print.
Prescott, William Hickling. History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic.
Carbonda le, Ill.: Southern Illinois UP, 1962. Print.
Zagorin, Perez. Rebels and Rulers, 1500-1660. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1982. Print.