Elkholi
Noor Elkholi
M4-01
Mrs. Karp
2/21/08
Essay: The Unification of Spain under the Rule of Isabella and Ferdinand
In the 1400s, no one in Spain would have thought that the unity of two would unite two kingdoms, and thus lay the foundation of their country. With a desire to be as devout a catholic she could be, Isabella also had another dream—to unify Spain. It was very important to Isabella and Ferdinand to acquire power from the rebellious grandees, and they attempted to do so in various ways. They established their power on the Iberian Peninsula using both Catholic religion and political alliances to fulfill their desire to unify Spain. Isabella used the political power she had established to make political changes, which led up to the unity of the nation. 1492 was a very important year for Spain because so many important attempts and events took place during that year. For example, Isabella and Ferdinand’s desire to further conquer Grenada from the Muslims set off political sparks between them. It took a while before they could get Boabdil (the sultan of Grenada) to surrender, but he did. Another very important event that took place in 1492 was Columbus’s voyage, which was sponsored greatly by Isabella, giving her a huge political image. Also, in 1492, a treaty called the edict of expulsion was formed to rid Spain of Muslims and Jews or anyone who wasn’t a limpieza de sangre (an old Christian with pure blood). This edict said that the Muslims and Jews had two choices, either to convert to Christianity. With Spain free of Jews and Muslims, it became easier for Isabella to gain more power from her own people because their beliefs were common now. Even though there were people among the Spaniards who disagreed with Isabella’s plans, they did not dare speak up.
