Queen+Isabella+1

Queen Isabella I was born April 22, 1451 in the town of Madrigal de las Altas Torres. Her father was John II, king of Castile and his second wife, Isabella of Portugal. In 1469, she married Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Aragon. This began the 35 year joint rule of a unified Spain. The Pope gave them the title of "the Catholic Monarchs" when they ended the 8 century rule of the Moors. They ruled equally and had the motto, "Tanto mont a, mont a tanto--Isabel como Fernando" (As much as the one is worth so much is the other--Isabella as Ferdinand).

Isabella and Ferdinand were devoted to the Catholic church and religion. In 1478, they established the Spanish Inquisition, which searched out any non-Catholics. She is most famous for supporting Christopher Columbus in his attempt to find a new western route to India. He returned with treasures and natives from the New World. This began the Golden Age in Spain.

Isabella and Ferdinand had five children, Isabella, John, Joan, Maria and Catherine. Isabell became Queen of Portugal. Catherine married Arthur, Prince of Wales, but he died soon after, so she married his brother, King Henry VIII of England. Joanna, called "Juana la Loca," was mentally unstable. However, Joanna's son, Charles, became Holy Roman Emperor. Queen Isabella I died a little before noon, November 26, 1504 in the castle of La Mota in Medina del Campo. In her will, she asked that her successors protect and treat the people of the Americas the same as they would the Spanish people.

Amadó, Ramón Ruiz. "Isabella I." //The Catholic Encyclopedia//. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. Web. 23 May 2012. 

//MedievalQueens.com//. Terra Communications Book Marketing, 2009. Web. 23 May 2012. .

Filiziani, Melanie. "Queen Isabella I of Spain." //Prof. Pavlac's Women's History Site//, 31 May 2008. Web. 25 May 2012. .