Spain: Political History and Notable Figures

1479 - 1555 - House of Tratsamara (All Facts)

• House which founded the unified Kingdom of Spain and laid the foundations for the Spanish Empire

1479 - 1504 - Isabella of Castile (All Facts)

• First Queen (Ruler) and Founder of the Kingdom of Spain of the House of Tratsamara

  • She was initially the Queen of Castile, succeeding to the throne after her brother Henry IV died

  • She married Ferdinand of Aragon in order to unify the multiple kingdoms of Spain

    • This was effectively a federation, creating a powerful force via their alliance of thrones

  • She was intelligent, pious, and possessed a great sense of royal dignity

• She and Ferdinand

  • established the Spanish Inquisition

    • This denounced the Jews as blasphemers and usurers, and encouraged every form of intolerance towards them

  • defeated the Afonso V and the Portuguese during and after the War of the Castilian Succession

  • sponsored Christopher Columbus’s expedition to the West Indies (Americas) after being persuaded by him

  • took possession of Malaga, which up until their rule had been an independent Muslim principality

  • took possession of Granada, the last Muslim kingdom in Spain, thus ending the Reconquista

  • allowed Andalusian (Spanish) Muslims

    • to emigrate freely

    • to keep all arms except firearms

    • to continue to maintain their religion free from interference

    • to continue to enjoy their own communal life

    • to continue to be able to maintain their own judicial system and local officials

  • issued the Alhambra Decree

    • This was a royal edict decreeing the expulsion of all Jews from Spain

    • 150,000 Jews had just four months to leave Spain after years of growing anti-Jewish feelings

  • signed the “Treaty of Barcelona” with King Charles VIII of France

    • This allowed Spain to regain Cerdagne and Roussillon, which were previously pledged to King Louis XI of France by King John of Aragon

  • signed the “Treaty of Tordesillas” with King John II of Portugal

    • This treaty drew an imaginary demarcation line down the Western Atlantic, which (in hindsight) slightly favored Spain since the treaty allowed Spain to retain discovered land west of the demarcation line

  • have a son named John who they had married to Margaret, the daughter of Maximilian of the Holy Roman Empire

    • He later died while they were still ruling

• However, she was the dominant partner in their co-rulership

  • Ferdinand had to live in Castile and was not able to leave without his namesake wife’s permission

  • Ferdinand could not wage war without his namesake wife’s advice and consent

  • Only Castilians were appointed to the council, not Aragonese

1479 - 1516 - Ferdinand of Aragon (All Facts)

• First King (Ruler) and Founder of the Kingdom of Spain of the House of Tratsamara

  • He was initially the King of Aragon, succeeding to the throne after his father John II died

  • He married Isabella of Castile in order to unify the multiple kingdoms of Spain

    • This was effectively a federation, creating a powerful force via their alliance of thrones

  • He was fond of women, and of gold and jewels which he not only wore but with which he adorned the trappings of his horses

  • He showed great personal courage and endurance in recent civil war struggles in Spain

• He and Isabella

  • established the Spanish Inquisition

    • This denounced the Jews as blasphemers and usurers, and encouraged every form of intolerance towards them

  • defeated the Afonso V and the Portuguese during and after the War of the Castilian Succession

  • sponsored Christopher Columbus’s expedition to the West Indies (Americas) after being persuaded by him

  • took possession of Malaga, which up until their rule had been an independent Muslim principality

  • took possession of Granada, the last Muslim kingdom in Spain, thus ending the Reconquista

  • allowed Andalusian (Spanish) Muslims

    • to emigrate freely

    • to keep all arms except firearms

    • to continue to maintain their religion free from interference

    • to continue to enjoy their own communal life

    • to continue to be able to maintain their own judicial system and local officials

  • issued the Alhambra Decree

    • This was a royal edict decreeing the expulsion of all Jews from Spain

    • 150,000 Jews had just four months to leave Spain after years of growing anti-Jewish feelings

  • signed the “Treaty of Barcelona” with King Charles VIII of France

    • This allowed Spain to regain Cerdagne and Roussillon, which were previously pledged to King Louis XI of France by King John of Aragon, the namesake’s father and predecessor

  • signed the “Treaty of Tordesillas” with King John II of Portugal

    • This treaty drew an imaginary demarcation line down the Western Atlantic, which (in hindsight) slightly favored Spain since the treaty allowed Spain to retain discovered land west of the demarcation line

  • have a son named John who they had married to Margaret, the daughter of Maximilian of the Holy Roman Empire

    • He later died while they were still ruling

• However, he was the weaker partner in their co-rulership

  • He had to live in Castile and was not able to leave without Isabella’s permission

  • He could not wage war without Isabella’s advice and consent

  • Aragonese could not be appointed to the council, only Castilians

1504 - 1555 - Joanna (All Facts)

• 2nd Queen and Co-Ruler of Spain

  • She was nicknamed “The Mad”

  • She was the daughter of her predecessors

  • She married Philip IV in order to strengthen ties between the House of Habsburg and the House of Tratsamara, laying the foundations for Habsburg rule of Spain

1506 - Philip IV (All Facts)

• 2nd Co-Ruler of Spain

  • He was nicknamed “The Fair” / “The Handsome”

  • He was the husband of Joanna, daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabela of Spain

  • His marriage to Joanna strengthened ties between the House of Habsburg and the House of Tratsamara, laying the foundations for his successor to rule over Spain