Isabella I was the queen of Spain and lived from April 22, 45, to November 26, 1504. She was also called Isabella and was Queen of Castile and León from 1474 until she died in 1504. She was also Queen of Aragon from 1479 until her death as the wife of King Ferdinand, reigning together over Spain. Isabella I and Ferdinand are known as Catholics. Her reign was significant. Do you think there have been more important monarchs than Isabella I?
Biography of Isabella I
Isabella I reorganized the governmental system in Spain (to her credit), brought the crime rate down, and unburdened the kingdom of the debt which her half-brother King Henry IV had left behind. Isabella I’s marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469 created the impetus for the unification of Spain. Her reforms and those she made with her husband had an influence that was worldwide.
Isabella I and Ferdinand are known for being the first monarchs to be referred to as the queen and king of Spain. Their actions included completing many great things that are famous the world over. They inculde of the Reconquista, the ordering the mass expulsion of Jews from Spain, initiating the Spanish Inquisition, financing Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage to the New World, and establishing the Spanish Empire, making Spain a major worldwide power and ushering in the Spanish Golden Age.
Isabella I was involved with several world-shaping events during her reign. The first was the discovery of the so-called New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Columbus’s expedition departed on August 3, 1492, and arrived in the ‘New World’ on October 12th. He returned the next year and presented his findings to Isabela I and Ferdinand. He brought natives and gold and received a hero’s welcome. Although Columbus was sponsored by Isabella I, treasury accounts show no payments to him until 1493.
The discovery of the so-called New World made Spain a global power, but Isabella I and Ferdinand undertook other big reforms. The Crusades happened during their reign. Isabella I was ahead of time. She was not in favor of enslaving the American natives. She stated that all people were subjects of the Crown of Castile and therefore could not be enslaved.
Big Events During Her Reign
There were two other big events in the reign of Isabella I. The Catholic Inquisition happened in Spain at the time of her reign, and the Catholic Monarchs pursued a policy of religious and national unity. Though Isabella opposed taking harsh measures against Jews on economic grounds, the Head of the Spanish Inquisition was able to convince Ferdinand. On March 31, 1492, the Alhambra Decree for the expulsion of the Jews was issued.
Isabella I and Ferdinand created an empire, and in later years, they were consumed with administration and politics; they cared about succession and worked to link the Spanish crown to the other rulers in Europe. They wanted to ensure the survival of the Spanish Empire, which they had built to a considerable degree. By early 1497, all the pieces seemed to be in place.
Conclusion
Isabella I of Spain was an impactful ruler, If you look at all of her accomplishments during her reign, you can get an appreciation for all she accomplished. The average citizen in Spain was doing much better near the end of her reign than before it. To her credit, she also helped to create the Spanish Empire. The Empire did not long survive her reign, so one can get a sense of how impactful she was. She was declared a Servant of God in March 1974.
