Parents: Juan II, king of Castile & León, and Isabella of Portugal
Date of Birth: 22 April 1451
House: Trastamara
Spouse(s): Ferdinand II, king of Aragón, son of Juan II, king of Aragón, and Juana Enriquez
Predecessor: Henry IV
Reign: 1474 – 1504
Brief: The first undisputed female ruler of the largest kingdom in Spain, Isabella ruled during a time of change. During her youth, she fought to establish her right to rule, which was only confirmed when her half-brother, Alfonso, died suddenly. She was jostled between various betrothals and proposed marriages for many years before finally settling with Ferdinand, the heir to Aragón. Isabella became queen in 1474 and almost immediately went to war with Portugal, which claimed a daughter of King Henry IV was the true heir to Castile. The war continued for many years, and Isabella took direct control over her government, traveling throughout Castile to suppress rebellions and revolts. At home, Isabella reformed the criminal code, rebuilt the finances of her realm, and pushed strongly for administrative reform within the government. In 1492, Castile dissolved the Emirate of Granada once and for all, ending the Muslim presence in Spain. Later that year, she personally financed an expedition by Christopher Columbus to seek a route to the East via the Atlantic Ocean. He returned the next year and she secured from the pope exclusive privilege to the New World for Spain with the exception of Brasil. For her participation in the crusades and for evangelizing abroad, Isabella and Ferdinand received the moniker "Catholic Monarch" from the pope, a title unique to Spain. Isabella finally retired in 1504 and died later that year, leaving the government in the hands of her daughter, Juana, and her son-in-law, Felipe I of Austria.
Brief: The first undisputed female ruler of the largest kingdom in Spain, Isabella ruled during a time of change. During her youth, she fought to establish her right to rule, which was only confirmed when her half-brother, Alfonso, died suddenly. She was jostled between various betrothals and proposed marriages for many years before finally settling with Ferdinand, the heir to Aragón. Isabella became queen in 1474 and almost immediately went to war with Portugal, which claimed a daughter of King Henry IV was the true heir to Castile. The war continued for many years, and Isabella took direct control over her government, traveling throughout Castile to suppress rebellions and revolts. At home, Isabella reformed the criminal code, rebuilt the finances of her realm, and pushed strongly for administrative reform within the government. In 1492, Castile dissolved the Emirate of Granada once and for all, ending the Muslim presence in Spain. Later that year, she personally financed an expedition by Christopher Columbus to seek a route to the East via the Atlantic Ocean. He returned the next year and she secured from the pope exclusive privilege to the New World for Spain with the exception of Brasil. For her participation in the crusades and for evangelizing abroad, Isabella and Ferdinand received the moniker "Catholic Monarch" from the pope, a title unique to Spain. Isabella finally retired in 1504 and died later that year, leaving the government in the hands of her daughter, Juana, and her son-in-law, Felipe I of Austria.
Date of Death: 26 November 1504
Successor: Juana
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
Successor: Juana
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Siricius, pope of Rome (399)
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