Isabella Queen

Now, most people remember and connect the name of Isabella I of Castile was none other than the Queen who financed Christopher Columbus' journey across the Atlantic. No more than that. In fact, there is another aspect that is more important: he was a capable ruler and a large enthusiastic. Series of decisions that make matters complicated and full of difference,
which took effect in and far for Spain and Latin America for centuries and indirect consequences for millions of people today.

Since most of his wisdom decided after agree with her husband Ferdinand of Aragon, who are both able and courageous, and because they make decisions together that trailer-holding hands, they considered it's worth was listed as one combined in this book. However, Isabella's name mentioned more than once in unison, because proposals are usually accepted his proposal at the decision-important and decisive.

Isabella was born in 1451 in the town of Madrigal in the kingdom of Castile (now part of Spain). As a teenager he received a strict religious education and became a devout Catholic. His stepbrother, Henry IV, became king of Castile from 1454 until his death in 1474. At that time there was no Kingdom of Spain. Regional Spanish now split apart into four kingdoms: Castile the largest, Aragon in the north of Spain today, Granada in the south and north of Navarre.

At the end of the year of 1469, Isabella who may be heir to the crown of Castile - the heir to the richest in Europe - a inceran various princes. His half-brother Henry IV, he wanted to marry the king of Portugal. However, in the year 1469, when the age of eighteen years, he will ignore it but to marry the heir to the Kingdom of Aragon Ferdinand. Isabella's indignation due to disobedience, Henry pointed to his daughter, Yuana, replace it. But when Henry died in 1474, Isabella of Castile Kingdom crown demands. Yuana advocates can not agree to this until civil war broke out. By the month of February 1479 Isabella forces gained the victory. King John II and Aragon died in that year and climbed the throne of Ferdinand of Aragon. After that Isabella and Ferdinand ruled most of Spain jointly.

In theory, the two kingdoms of Aragon and Castile were kept apart, so did government. But in practice Ferdinand and Isabella to take decisions together and act as ruler of the best combination in all of Spain. For twenty years the combination of government, their political base is to build a united kingdom of Spain, ruled by a royal institute strong. One of his first projects was the conquest of Granada, the only part of the Iberian peninsula, which is still under the control of Muslims. The battle began in 1481 and ended in 1492 with a landslide victory in the Ferdinand and Isabella.

With the conquest of Granada, Spain area almost as large with the current Spanish regions. (Small kingdom of Navarre inserted into the turf by Ferdinand in 1512 after Isabella's death).

In moments of beginning his reign, Ferdinand and Isabella established Spanish court. The court is a forum ecclesiastical courts, a combination of judge, jury, prosecutor and police investigators. This Court either because terkenai cruelty and injustice of the ruling on his ways. The defendants little hope and no chance at all to defend themselves against the charges imposed on him. They were not informed at all sound the charge, even the names of the accusers. Defendant who denies the charges until dipermak been admitted. According to the approximate length, at least 2000 people were burned during the first twenty years of application of the Spanish court, but the subsequent news that the number of waning.

Spanish court was led by a priest very fanatical, Tomas de Torquemada, the priest who used to receive personal recognition Isabella. Although the courts have given the abundance of authority by the Pope, in practice he was under the supervision of the kings of Spain. Inquisition courts was partly intended to ensure uniformity of religion, and some referred to bully those who oppose the king. In England, the feudal princes can always maintain enough power to oversee the reign of King. Spanish feudal prince someday have the authority, but the kings of Spain could use as a weapon of inquisition tribunal against the feudal princes who would not just dicucuk nose, so they are also able to build a centralized monarchy and absolute. They also use it to have greater control of the Spanish priests.

However, the main purpose of the inquisition courts are those suspected of apostasy from religion, specifically Judaism and Islam that has moved at least be Catholic but secretly still perform religious origin.

At first, inkuisi court is not directed against Jews. However, in the year 1492, under pressure from the fanatic Torquemada, Ferdinand and Isabella signed a decree ordering all of the contents of which Spanish Jews to Christianity or leave Spain tinggaikan within four months, with no possessions can bring a piece though. Create a Spanish Jew who numbered about 200,000 people, the expulsion order is really a disaster, and many breathed his last before the foot had touched the safe harbor. For Spain, this meant the expulsion of large numbers of people losing the most diligent and most skilled in the carpentry trade and causing great economic setback.

When Granada surrendered, the agreement provides the opportunity for peaceful Muslims in Spain should still be allowed to worship according to religion. In fact, the Spanish government soon after betrayed the agreement. Therefore Muslims rebelled, but can be suppressed. In 1502 all of the Muslims residing in Spain was forced to convert to Christianity or driven away, seiupa choice ever presented to the Jews ten years earlier.

Although Isabella was a devout Catholic convert, he was never allowed disturbing keortodoksannya Spanish nationalism. She and Ferdinand fought hard and managed to convince that the Catholic church in Spain is overseen by the Kingdom of Spain, not by the Pope. This is one reason why the Protestant reformers in the 16th century had a chance to earn the victory in Spain.

The very prominent in the reign of Isabella, of course, the discovery of new world by Christopher Columbus who also happened in the year 1492 a decisive and important. Columbus expedition sponsored by the kingdom of Castile. (However, the story that Isabella's jewels auctioned to cover the expedition is not true).

Isabella died in 1504. During her life she gave birth to a son and four daughters. His son died in 1497 Yuan. The most famous daughter is Yuana. Ferdinand and Isabella arranged for Yuana married Philip I (the handsome) son of the Hapsburg Emperor of Austria and the Kingdom of Burgundy also ahliwaris. Results from the marriage remarkable dynasty, the grandson of Isabella, King Charles V, leaving one of the largest empire in the history of Europe. He was also elected Holy Roman Emperor and was the richest and most powerful king in Europe at the time. Areas under their authority, including Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, mostly Italian, some French, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Honggaria, and Yugoslavia with the addition of most of South America.

Both Charles V and his son Philip II devout Catholic, who throughout his reign to use the wealth of South America to finance the war against European countries that embraced the Protestant North. So, marriage is arranged between the dynasty Ferdinand and Isabella influence the course of European history for nearly a century after their deaths.

Now I will conclude the great work and the influence of Ferdinand and Isabella. Thanks to the cooperation the two, they managed to build a united Spanish kingdom, which borders the area fairly steady, experienced no change for five centuries. They managed to form a unified monarchical government, centralized, and absolute in Spain. The rebellion of the Muslims and Jews have important consequences both for those who dispelled and for Spain itself. A firm adherence to their religion and the establishment of the inquisition courts have a profound effect on the overall future of Spain.

Last point of the results have been achieved open problems. In simple terms one can say, make inquisition courts obstacle to intellectual development of Spain. In the centuries after the year 1492, most of Western Europe has reached a level of excitement and scientific advancement of intellectual heights. This does not happen in Spain. In a society where each person has different opinions are always seized with the arrest by the court danger inquisition, not surprisingly, the community sort of personal loss at all. European countries allow for different options of opinion. In Spain, the Catholic Inquisition that only allow twenty-four carat. By the year 1700, Spain is a country that nursing is an intellectual compared to other Western European countries. Indeed, despite nearly five centuries after Ferdinand and Isabella for the first time the court established the Inquisition, and despite more than 140 years since the Inquisition finally cleared, Spain was still not recovered from its effects.

More than that, the support of the Columbus expedition confirms the fact that most Central and South America became colonies of Spain. This means that Spanish culture and customs - including the courts inkuisisinya - standing up straight most of the new continent. It is not surprising, because Spain is more intellectually retarded than most of Western Europe, with colony of Spain itself was more backward than the British colonies in North America.

In terms of considering where Isabella should be placed in a chronological list of this book, one factor to consider, is. perisitiwa-whether it could happen without Isabella. It is true, the jihad spirit was so strong in Spain, since during the 700 years of struggle involved jasirah reconquer Iberia from the Muslims. After the struggle that brought a successful outcome in the year 1492, Spain had a choice to decide which direction he wants to go. Ferdinand and Isabella is - especially. Isabella which determines the direction and purpose of religion keortodoksan uncompromising. Without his influence, it seems very likely Spain will still languishing as a pluralistic society.

Maybe commonplace compared with Queen Isabella Elizabeth I of England who is more famous. Elizabeth was at least equal berkemampuannya with Isabella. And because he's more or less have berprikemanusiaan and tolerance, he seemed more an admired ruler. However, Elizabeth is less than the levels Isabella inovatomya soul and not the slightest act of profound influence behavior as well as judicial inquisition Isabella formed. Although some political attitudes Isabella is too dirty and full of hatred, not a lot of kings in history who have influence so far as he's futures. Michael H. Hart,One hundred most influential figures in the history.