The Castilian nobles had been constantly increasing their power through out their rule and had taken advantage of weak kings like Henry II and John II. Defeated at Olmedo the Castilians wanted to obtain the crown for the baby Isabella, not taking any notice of the king’s daughter, Joan who was older. Throughout the rule of the Castilians they had cheated and lied and eventually stripped the crown of all its value. Isabella at a young age showed how great she was, when she did not accept the crown offered to her. When she denied the crown she also vowed that she would never accept the title of queen as long as her brother was alive. Soon though the king did something that no one could believe, he recognized Isabella as his immediate heiress to the throne, thus excluding Joan.

In 1460 Henry offered Isabella’s hand to Don Carlos, prince of Vienna and also to the

Isabella died in 1504 leaving behind a great legacy, never to be outdone. Throughout her rule she brought the prosperity of Spain to its peak. Her government started the manufacture of cloths and silks, and also glass and steel weapons, and the production of leather and silverware. Agriculture prospered, and navigation and commerce rose to an unpredictable high. Isabella of Spain had given monarchy in Castile a completely new basis of power and laid the foundations of Spain's political greatness in the 16th century. She was a great woman and a great Catholic.

king of Aragon, who wanted her to wed his younger son, Ferdinand. Many disputes and negotiations took place for Isabella’s hand in marriage. The negotiations ended with the death of the prince of Vienna. Nine years later, in 1469, Isabella was married to Ferdinand in the palace of Juan de Vivero.

The inquisition was created to discover and punish converted Jews who were insincere. However, soon no Spaniard could feel safe from it and eventually even St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Theresa of Avila were investigated for heresy. The Spanish Inquisition was much harsher, more highly organized, and far freer with the death penalty than the medieval Inquisition. The Spanish government tried to establish the Inquisition in all its regions but in the

Some topics in this essay:
Native Americans, Ferdinand Isabella's, Joan Throughout, Spanish Netherlands, Columbus Isabella, Santa Fe, Isabella Catholic, La Beltraneja, Don Carlos, Isabella Spain, la beltraneja, la beltraneja rightful, rightful heiress, isabella’s hand, christopher columbus, beltraneja rightful, henry iv, throughout rule, john ii, prince vienna, beltraneja rightful heiress,