The Catholic Monarchs: Unification of Spain (1469-1516)

The Dynastic Union of Castile and Aragon

The marriage in 1469 of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon gave birth to a new Hispanic political entity. This was a dynastic union in which each kingdom continued to be governed by its own laws and institutions. It was a plural and non-unitary state, composed of Castile, Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia, having in common only a single monarchy.

Currency, laws, institutions, and courts of each kingdom remained distinct. Furthermore, the boundaries between the different territories necessitated the payment of tariffs on goods. All laws were signed by both monarchs.

Completing Territorial Unification

United under the Catholic Monarchs (RRCC), the two crowns sought to complete the territorial unification of the Hispanic kingdoms to build a strong state. This process began with the annexation of the Kingdom of Granada in 1492.

Ferdinand, after the death of Isabella I, incorporated Navarre into Castile in 1515, though Navarre retained its autonomy and its institutions.

Foreign Policy and Mediterranean Expansion

Castile's interests focused on the Atlantic, while Aragon's focused on the Mediterranean. Initially, the monarchs conducted an intense politics of marriage:

• With the German Empire (Juana married Philip, son of Maximilian I).
• With England (Catherine married Henry VIII).
• With Portugal (Maria and Isabella both married the King of Portugal).

Ferdinand recovered the territory of Roussillon and Sardinia (Treaty of Barcelona, 1493). Subsequently, he organized a powerful army that defeated the French and helped consolidate the rule of the Crown of Aragon over Naples.

Finally, starting in 1505, and to limit Muslim expansion in the Mediterranean, they conquered parts of the African coast:

• The Rock of Vélez de la Gomera
• Tripoli
• Béjaïa

These territories joined Melilla (conquered in 1497). In 1496, the Crown achieved full control of Tenerife.

Religious Unification and Intolerance

The monarchy of the Catholic Monarchs initially contained significant religious pluralism, where Jews, Christians, and Muslims co-existed with difficulty. The monarchs viewed the imposition of the Catholic faith as the unifying mechanism for all inhabitants of their kingdoms. They sought to preserve and disseminate Catholicism, leading to the persecution of other faiths.

The Spanish Inquisition

To achieve religious uniformity, they created the Court of the Holy Inquisition to persecute heretics (especially converts) and those accused of witchcraft.

The Expulsion of the Jews (1492)

The monarchs first decided to expel the Jews who refused to convert. Jews, who often served as royal administrators and bankers, were forced to live in segregated areas (Jewish quarters). While restrictions began in 1482, the general expulsion was approved on March 31, 1492. Few chose baptism over exile.

The Conquest of Granada and the Mudejars

The Catholic Monarchs framed the conquest of Granada as a war against infidels. Initially, they assured the Mudejars (Muslims living in Christian lands) the maintenance of their customs, property, law, and religion.

However, after the forced baptisms promoted by Cardinal Cisneros starting in 1499, conversion became mandatory in 1502, forcing all Mudejars in Castile to choose between baptism or exile. Finally, in 1518, they were forbidden the use of their language and cultural habits.