Campaign to secure the throne by 1479

Question 1

Points for the essay

Answer 1

1) Diplomacy: confirming rights to those who had pledged support - nobles
2) Military Strength - Battle of Toro 1476 + Ferdinand’s importance, role
3) Weakness of Opposition and Strength of Isabella
4) Propaganda and patronage

Question 2

Propaganda and patronage

Answer 2

Properganda Campaign:
Repeated the Accusations of Illegitimacy against Joanna (Henry IV aka Henry the impotent)
Claimed throne of Portugal
Criticised Alfonso V’s motives for marrying Joanna
She was a minor // could not exercise political power of her own)
→ Pointed out their own marriage agreement stated the Primacy of Castile,
Eg. all appointments and decisions were to be accordance with Isabella’s wishes
+ that no guarantee that Portuguese influence would be limited after the marriage
Criticised her opponents alliance with France → Alfonso had negotiated a treaty with the French so that they would be attacked from the north too

1478 = negotiated a treaty with the French // ending threat from the north → Louis XI was more interested in conquering Burgundy

Weaknesses 
1475 = Isabella granted Ferdinand power to act without her in Castile, as though she was present 
// Ferdinand could still be seen as an invading force

Question 3

Diplomacy

Answer 3

Grandees
= Spanish nobleman of highest rank eg. Mendoza family - one of the most powerful families in Spain
Offered them
Amnesty
New Grants of Land
Reaffirming their right to collect financial grants awarded by the crown since 1464

Towns
Confirmed privileges of towns - But used force when necessary eg. Cordoba
→ But not as important as Nobility

Weaknesses
Personal Rivalries between nobles meant they fought personal wars - if one noble pledged his support for Isabella, a rival would side with Joanna
→ eg. 1473 Cardenal Mendoza agreed to support Isabella BUT in response his bitter personal rival Archbishop Carillo abandoned Isabella + pledged resources to Joanna

Question 4

Military Strength

Answer 4

Ferdiand’s Role
Personally influenced a number of Castilian grandees to whom he was related to support Isabella
Fortified strategic points + concluded an alliance with the Moors of Granada to protect Castile’s southern Flank
Lead Isabella’s Army to win the Battle of Toro (1476)

Crowned King of Aragon 1479 // able to use the military resources of that country to support wife

Question 5

Weakness of Opposition

• Strength of Isabella
• Weakness of Joanna

Answer 5

Immediately upon Henry’s death → I seized the royal treasury + declared herself Queen of Castile Dec 1474
// showed herself as autonomous - did not tell Ferdinand of her intentions and willing to take control - opposite to her half brother

1478 = Gave birth to a son // established clear line of succession
Sign that God favoured their rule
CONTRAST: Pope refused to sanctify the marriage between Alfonso + Joanna
// all this confirmed the validity of her claim