Page 30 - All About History - Issue 38-16

Isabella of Castile’s Spanish Inquisition

Isabella’s Ring towards her older brother, negotiating expertly There were those, however, who did not think
Collection to achieve what she wanted. Honing the control that the conversos were entirely sincere. They
and determination that had been instilled in her
had taken advantage of their new position, it was
An attractive prospect on the marriage market, during her early years, Isabella bided her time, argued, and indeed many reached positions of
Isabella was not lacking in potential suitors waiting for the moment she would be called to power and wealth within the kingdom, further
14 5 7 bring her kingdom back to order. fuelling rumours and jealousies. These false
1457
Isabella attracted several suitors over the years,
Ferdinand of Aragon but the one who held her lasting attention was converts, guilty of judaising – practicing their old
religion while professing the new – were a threat
Reason: A negotiation between Henry of Castile
and John II of Navarre to show their united front. Ferdinand, the second son of John, king of the to the security of the realm and the very souls of
Outcome: The arrangement was as fickle as the neighbouring kingdom of Aragon. Similar in those who lived there.
friendship, and was broken off four years later.
age to her, fit, athletic, handsome and witty, the Although clever in their deception, there were
match had first been mooted when Isabella was ways to tell if a convert was still secretly holding
1461
14 6 1 only six years old. Now, some 12 years later, she to Jewish ways. Food, for one, played a big part in
Charles of Viana negotiated her own marriage under the very nose determining if someone’s conversion was sincere.
Reason: The Castilian king turned to Ferdinand’s of her brother, and in flagrant defiance of the king, Not eating pork, rabbit, and birds that had been
40-year-old brother to cement an alliance. married Ferdinand in 1469. strangled was a give away, as was frying meat
Outcome: John II had his son imprisoned, and the
betrothal became moot as Charles died that year. With his kingdom in tatters, Henry died in 1474. in olive oil instead of lard. Cleansing of meat in
Finally Isabella got what she had fought for: She general, the cutting off of fat and cooking meat in
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1464 took the throne as queen of Castile and Leon on 11 advance so as not to cook on a Saturday was also
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December 1474. Although heralded by many as the used as evidence against supposedly converted
Edward IV of England saviour of the kingdom, the early years of her reign ‘new’ Christians. Avoiding baptising their children
Reason: Another alliance attempt; with the added
benefit of removing Isabella from Castile. were far from smooth, rife with rebellions and and denying that Jesus had been the Messiah were
Outcome: Edward IV had already fallen in love plots to overthrow her. Although she had not been among other ways of identifying a secret Jew.
with, and secretly married, Elizabeth Woodville.
trained to rule, and was lacking in Latin and other The matter was further complicated as there
accomplishments deemed necessary for the task, were varying degrees of non-adherence. Some
14 6 5 Isabella did not falter; she had been appointed by conversos were deeply against the tenets of the
1465
Afonso V of Portugal God, and by God she would rule. Only she could Catholic Church, maintaining as many elements of
Reason: Another strategic attempt to remove bring religious unity to the divided kingdom. Her their old faith as they could get away with. Others
Isabella from the line of succession. entire life she had been waiting for this moment. adopted a mixed approach, mingling Jewish
Outcome: Diplomatic relations broke down, much
to the relief of the less than impressed Isabella. She would not fail. practice with Christian in a hybrid religion that
There had been Jews in Spain for more than differed from family to family.
One thing was certain, it would no longer be
14 6 6 1,500 years, and in Isabella’s time the population tolerated. Heresy was not something the new
1466
stood at about 80,000 Jews to 6 million
Pedro Giron Pachero Christians. The question of the Jewish faith had queen could afford to ignore: not only the souls of
Reason: Master of the Order of Calatrava – he held long been a delicate issue throughout Europe. her people but also her own would be in peril, and
her brother hostage until the betrothal was agreed.
Outcome: The horrified princess prayed to be Expelled from England in 1290 and France just must be saved at all costs.
delivered; Pedro died on his way to claim her. under a century later, the kingdoms of Castile and It is often said that a visit to Seville in 1477 first
Aragon had not followed suit, although there had stirred Isabella’s interest in adopting an inquisition
1468
14 6 8 been forced conversions to Christianity twice in – or investigation – into the religious state of her
Richard of York quite recent history. Those who converted became kingdom. Receiving first-hand reports of false
Reason: The second most powerful man in known as ‘conversos’. converts within the city would have alarmed the
England, he was a worthy husband for a princess.
Outcome: An alliance with England was no longer
on the cards as relations broke down.
1468
14 6 8 The Atlantic FRANCE
Ocean
Unification
Charles Duke of Berry of Spain
Reason: A move towards setting aside the historic Until the 15th century, the rulers Pyrenees
bad feeling between Spain and France. of Castile and Aragon governed NAVARRE
Outcome: The habitual conflict between the two a series of separate distinct
countries soon meant the alliance was set aside. kingdoms within the Iberian
Peninsula. The marriage of
Isabella of Castile to Ferdinand ARAGON
1469 of Aragon in 1469, however, CASTILE
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Afonso V of Portugal began the gradual process of PORTUGAL LEON
unification that would lead to
Reason: A final attempt to prevent Isabella from the eventual creation of the
inheriting the throne in Castile. Spain we know today.
Outcome: The match was thwarted by Isabella’s
own actions.
United by Ferdinand
and Isabella – 1479
1469 Conquered by Spain
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Ferdinand of Aragon – 1492
Reason: Isabella never forgot her first betrothal, and GRANADA
entered negotiations on her own behalf. Acquired by Spain – 1524
Outcome: After finally meeting, the smitten Isabella
declared she would have no one but Ferdinand.
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