Dynastic Union of Castile and Aragon: Conquest of Granada and Navarre

Dynastic Union of Castile and Aragon

The marriage of Isabel I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon laid the foundation for a dynastic union between the two Crowns, which became a jointly governed union. The different peninsular realms were completed when Ferdinand, after the death of Queen Isabel, conquered the Kingdom of Navarre, which was bound to the Crown of Castile.

Characteristics of the Dynastic Union

This was only a dynastic union, meaning it did not imply the political unification of the various kingdoms. These kingdoms retained their own laws, privileges, institutions, and customs, sharing only the figure of the king. This union stressed the primacy of Castile (which was a single kingdom, while Aragon was formed by three kingdoms with different interests) for two reasons: its higher demographic and economic weight, and its political system.

Completion of the Peninsular Union

The union of different kingdoms in the peninsula was completed when Ferdinand conquered the Kingdom of Navarre. Political unity was produced under the reign of the Catholic Monarchs in the form of a mere personal union. In fact, when Queen Isabel died, Ferdinand was just the King of Aragon, and he governed Castile as regent. During the monarchy of the Catholic Monarchs, far-reaching events occurred, such as the discovery of America, the completion of the Reconquista, the creation of an authoritarian monarchy, and a vigorous foreign policy. The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabel of Castile joined both crowns. The conquest of Granada and the incorporation of Navarre completed the peninsular domains of the Catholic Monarchs. The kingdoms of Castile and Aragon continued to exist without a bond between the people, only through the sovereigns and the Inquisition.

Conquest of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada and the Kingdom of Navarre

Conquest of Granada

During the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, the last Muslim stronghold on the peninsula, which was Granada, was conquered. The war against the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada was initiated following many border incidents, but it was motivated by several factors:

• Infighting among the noble clans of Granada facilitated a quick victory.
• The dynastic union allowed the mobilization of all kingdoms to conduct the war.
• The Catholic Monarchs hoped to compensate the nobility with conquered lands, as they had lost their political weight.

The treatment of the vanquished was different depending on the circumstances. Where there was resistance, as in Malaga, the inhabitants were enslaved and lost everything. But where there was an agreed surrender, capitulations were signed, and the monarchs committed to respecting the properties, laws, and religion of the defeated. Finally, Boabdil, the last Emir of Granada, agreed to surrender the city, thus ending the war. The Kingdom of Granada was annexed to Castile, although it retained a large Mudejar population.

Incorporation of Navarre

Navarre had remained an independent kingdom. It was ruled by dynasties and protected by vassal kings of France. Castile and Aragon did not want, under any circumstances, a state controlled by France on the peninsula. The King of France tried to marry his daughter, the heir of Navarre, to Ferdinand II. Under the pretext that there was a secret alliance between the Albret family and France, which included a secret plan for a Franco-Navarrese invasion of Castile, Ferdinand sent an army under the Duke of Alba. The kingdom was occupied without difficulty. The Kingdom of Navarre was allowed to retain its own customs.