The Rise of Spain: Dynastic Union, Navarre, and Global Sea Routes

The Foundations of Spanish Hegemony (15th Century)

The Catholic Monarchs took the first steps towards Spanish hegemony in Europe, a dominance later consolidated in the 16th century by Charles I and Philip II.

The Dynastic Union of Castile and Aragon

• 1469: Marriage of Isabel I of Castile and Fernando II of Aragon
  • Isabel proclaimed herself Queen of the Crown of Castile in 1474 upon the death of her brother, King Henry IV.
  • Her position was consolidated in 1479 with the Treaty of Alcáçovas. This treaty ended the war against Juana la Beltraneja (daughter of Henry IV) and resulted in a division of powers: Castile was secured for Isabel, while Portugal (whose King, Alfonso V, was Juana’s husband) maintained hegemony in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Fernando became King of the Crown of Aragon in 1479 upon the death of his father, Juan II.
• 1479: Dynastic Union of Castile and Aragon
  • The union was personal, not institutional. Each kingdom maintained its own institutions, laws, and currencies.
  • They shared only the monarchs and certain common aims.

The Kingdom of Navarre: History and Annexation

The history of Navarre was marked by internal divisions and external pressures, preventing its expansion during the Reconquest.

Key Events in Navarre's History

• 1035: Sancho III el Mayor (the Great) divided the kingdom among his sons. Due to this inheritance structure, Navarre was unable to expand during the Reconquest. It was ruled by the Kings of Aragon between 1076 and 1134.
• 13th Century: Navarre turned towards France, establishing close ties. In 1234, a French dynasty (Champagne) occupied the throne, bringing a series of French fiefdoms under Navarrese control.
• 15th Century: Blanca I (Evreux) inherited the throne, but her husband, Juan II of Aragon, was the real ruler. After Blanca's death, a civil war erupted between Juan II and his son, Carlos, Prince of Viana, the rightful heir. The prince was disinherited, and his sister became the heiress.
• 1512: Annexation. Fernando I of Aragon (son of Juan II and his second wife) invaded the territory and annexed Navarre to the Crown of Castile.

European Maritime Exploration in the 15th Century

Throughout history, groups of people had traded and migrated over long distances by sea. However, the European sailors of the 1400s initiated a dramatic new period of global exploration.

Motivations for Seeking New Sea Routes

Europeans had traded with Asians long before the 15th century. The Crusades introduced Europeans to luxury goods from Asia, carried via complex overland routes through the Mongol Empire (1200s and 1300s). However, the Black Death and the breakup of the Mongol Empire disrupted this trade.

By the 1400s, Europe’s population and its demand for trade goods were growing. The primary motivations for seeking new sea routes included:

1. Demand for Spices: The most valued items were spices, used to preserve food, add flavor to meat, and make medicines and perfumes. The chief source of spices was the Moluccas, an island chain in present-day Indonesia, which Europeans called the Spice Islands.
2. Bypassing Trade Monopolies: In the 1400s, Arab and Italian merchants controlled most trade between Asia and Europe. Muslim traders brought prized goods to eastern Mediterranean ports. Europeans outside Italy knew that gaining direct access to Asia would be far more profitable.
3. Renaissance Curiosity: Sailors and patrons were also driven by the Renaissance spirit of curiosity to seek new lands and knowledge.