Isabella & Ferdinand: The Spanish Monarchy Begins

Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon

Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married in 1469. Their marriage marked the beginning of the Hispanic Monarchy. This entity comprised the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, although each maintained its own institutions of government.

Castilian Supremacy

Castile was the most powerful territory; its institutions were similar throughout the kingdom. In the Crown of Aragon, the king's power was more limited. Castilian supremacy encouraged the dissemination of their customs, laws, and language throughout the rest of the territories.

Religious Uniformity and the Inquisition

The Catholic Monarchs secured from the papacy the right to have the Spanish Inquisition depend on the monarchy. They fashioned a policy of religious uniformity, overseen by the Supreme Council of the Inquisition. This was the only institution that had jurisdiction in both Castile and Aragon and depended directly on the monarchs. The religious uniformity focused on the expulsion of the Jews; some chose to convert to Christianity to remain in Spain. In this way, they aimed to achieve a more homogeneous and cohesive state through religious unity.

Foreign Policy Objectives

The foreign policy of the Kings was guided by three main objectives:

• Unification of the Iberian Peninsula: This involved the conquest of Granada, the annexation of Navarre, and finally, closer ties with Portugal through marriages.
• Continued expansion towards the Mediterranean and the Atlantic: The main objective was to prevent the conquest of Naples and to conquer North Africa, thereby stopping the Turkish advance in the Mediterranean. In the Atlantic, the policy aimed at completing the conquest of the Canary Islands in 1496.
• Establishment of a determined diplomacy: Focused on confronting France.

Political Structures and Reforms

The Catholic Monarchs did not unify the political structures of their kingdoms. They created an authoritarian monarchy, strong compared to other major powers. They wanted to make state administration more effective. This led to reforms of institutions in Castile:

• The Royal Council of Castile was reorganized.
• New positions were created, such as secretaries and viceroys.
• The role of the Courts of Castile was reduced.
• The position of magistrate (corregidor) was revitalized.
• The judicial system was reorganized.

In the Crown of Aragon, the reforms were less significant.