Chapter 1- A Perfect Partnership

Question 0

What did Ferdinand state in his marriage concessions?

Answer 0

He would reside in Castile with Isabella and not leave without her “will and counsel”. Also he would not take her out of Castile without her consent.

Question 1

What year did F&I get married?

Answer 1

1469

Question 2

Why would F&I’s marriage benefit Castile and Isabella?

Answer 2

Castile- Isabella wanted it to become an internationally well-known state.
Isabella- to ensure her claim to the throne was strong.

Question 3

How would F&I’s marriage benefit Aragon?

Answer 3

It would protect Aragon from the French.

Question 4

Why did Ferdinand have to make the 24 concessions?

Answer 4

To reassure inhabitants of both states and politicians that he had no intention of trying to seize Isabella’s throne.

Question 5

Why did F&I’s marriage initially have problems?

Answer 5

Isabella had not consulted her brother Henry IV or the royal council.
F&I were cousins and had to wait until 1471 before they got the pope’s blessing.

Question 6

When was Isabella crowned?

Answer 6

1474. She was crowned quickly to avoid challenges from other claimants. Her supported was limited and not many high ranking individuals attended.

Question 7

Who was Isabella’s main rival for the throne?

Answer 7

Joanna of Castile, Henry IV’s daughter

Question 8

What helped to assert Isabella’s position as queen?

Answer 8

1. When she had cause to call the Cortes to plan for a battle at Toro in 1476.
2. By the birth of a son in 1478.
3. The failure of King Alfonso of Portugal to support he claim of Joanna.
4. In 1479 when Ferdinand became king of Aragon.
5. When Joanna became a nun ensuring she would not mount another challenge to the throne.

Question 9

Where had Aragon managed to to extend it’s authority?

Answer 9

Sicily, Sardinia, and it had also established a foothold in Southern Italy.

Question 10

What are the differences between Castile and Aragon?

Answer 10

1. Size- Castile larger, 5 million inhabitants. Aragon 1 million.
2. Authority- Castilian monarchs had more authority- needed Cortes to validate decisions. Arg ones monarchs could not make laws without the consent from the Cortes.
3. Castilian monarchs more peripatetic. Aragonese rarely saw their monarch.
4. Jews and Muslims more likely to have prominent positions in Aragon than Castile.
5. Farming and trade biggest industries in Aragon; sheep (wool) predominant business in Castile.

Question 11

What has the reign of F&I been seen as by some historians?

Answer 11

As a ‘fresh start’ for Spain.

Question 12

What does the fact that so many historians agree that significant progress was made during F&I’s reign suggest?

Answer 12

There was a definable change: ‘new monarchy’.

Question 13

Why is the term ‘new monarchy’ used less by historians nowadays?

Answer 13

The continuities as well as the differences are seen as significant. Nevertheless most historians do concede that F&I left Spain a much stronger country than they found it.

Question 14

What is absolutism?

Answer 14

A form of government were all power is vested in the monarchy and its appointed officers. Absolutism became particularly strong in 17th century Europe, E.g. The Stuarts in England and Louis XIV in France.

Question 15

Why do historians like Kamen doubt that F&I were absolute monarchs?

Answer 15

They suggest that F&I were supporters of strong authority, but we’re not impelled, or even able, in the first instance to exercise it. They had “no capital, no standing army, no bureaucracy, no reliable income and certainly no theory of absolutism.”

Question 16

What evidence is there of a strong centralised government in Castile?

Answer 16

Isabella used the phrase ‘absolute power’ seven times in her testament. Use of decrees (pragmaticas) rather than statute law. After 1480 there was a 20 year gap before the Cortes was summoned again. Even when summoned was not always representative, eg. One time only 18 towns represented by 36 men in Castilian Cortes. Also an increase in crown appointed officials to keep the peace such as the corregidores.

Question 17

How did the relationship between the ruler and the governed differ in Aragon to Castile?

Answer 17

Ferdinand had to swear to uphold the laws of the kingdom three times in Catalonia, Valencia and Aragon rather than the single occasion that Isabella did this. Often different laws in each Aragonese territory. Governor-generals or lieutenant- generals appointed to each territory. Isabella held some of these positions at one point. Ferdinand also used his illegitimate son, Alfonso, to stand in for him in Aragon for most of his reign.

Question 18

What evidence is there that F&I rules their territories separately?

Answer 18

They ruled through different institutions, although often following the same policies. Customs barriers remained. They never called themselves the monarchs of Spain. Any authority they had in each other’s kingdom was exercised with the agreement off their partner.

Question 19

What evidence of union was there?

Answer 19

Ferdinand made Isabella ‘Co-Regent, Governor and Administrator General in the kingdoms of the Crown of Aragon in our presence and absence alike’. This suggest some political unification or centralisation but there is little evidence that Isabella made independent actions in Aragon. Armesto argues that the government in Castile was similarly joint and that each of them took differing roles. However when Isabella died in 1504, Ferdinand did not become king.

Question 20

What was royal progress?

Answer 20

When F&I moved around their territories with their ministers and officials as they had no fixed place from which to direct operations. In this way they exercised a very personal, authoritative, and traditional style of monarchy, clearly demonstrating their authority to their subjects. Spain was a large country and direct intervention by the Monarchs was important.

Question 21

Why was direct intervention (royal progress) important?

Answer 21

• demonstrated monarchs authority to subjects
• showed support for and solidarity with nobles, landowners and churchmen.
• country was large
• nobles were ambitious, fought almost continuous wars and neede to be held in check.
• taxes had to be collected
• religious deviation had to be suppressed
• laws of land had to be enforced

Question 22

What were the negatives of royal progress?

Answer 22

Very demanding as monarchs were constantly travelling and dispatching business as they went. They didn’t manage to visit all of their realm and where they did visit they didn’t stay for long.

Question 23

Why was enforcing order a problem for F&I?

Answer 23

Despite close attention to their subjects through the the royal progress, towns were often places of unrest e.g. In Salamanca in 1493 when noble factions threatened to take control. Enforcing order was a slow process, complicated by politics, finance and religion among other factors. Problem till end and after reign of F&I.

Question 24

What moved F&I’s government into a more ‘modern’ form?

Answer 24

• some structures were inherited and continued to develop over their reign
• aim of establishing a clear system that gave monarchs effective control over the country was always the driving force.
• ways which monarchs set up and used their councils and those who manned them.

Question 25

What was the royal council?

Answer 25

• aka the ‘consejo real’
• not a new body, reorganised by monarchs
• hub of government, met daily, main duty to advise monarchs and deal with matters that dealt with Spain as a whole.
• also considered individual issues relating to specific localities.
• it’s decisions or rulings were written up as ‘royal provisions’.

Question 26

What did the catholic monarchs change about the royal council?

Answer 26

In its earlier form, all bishops, grandees and the heads of the military orders had the right to attend council. This was no longer allowed by the catholic monarchs.

Question 27

What were grandees?

Answer 27

The nobleman of the highest rank

Question 28

What were the four main officers of the Royal Council?

Answer 28

Grand Chancellor, Admiral, President and Constable

Question 29

What was the Royal Council aided by?

Answer 29

Letrados (lawyers) who had 10 years in practise and were therefore considered experienced and able to make appropriate judgements. Eventually all councillors were letrados.

Question 30

Who stood in for F&I when they were travelling after 1489?

Answer 30

A president

Question 31

What other role did the Royal Council play?

Answer 31

The highest court of justice. Sat twice a week to hear cases. F&I were personally present and made judicial decisions but as heir responsibilities increase, trained judges took over and professional courts of appeal (audiencias) were established.

Question 32

What were the departments of the Royal Council?

Answer 32

Suprema (inquisition), military orders, Supreme Court of justice (with the court of appeal), finance, foreign affairs, Santa Hermandad, Aragon (added in 1494).

Question 33

What evidence is here that the monarchy continued to establish effective judicial processes across Spain?

Answer 33

A court of appeal was set up on Valladolid in 1489. Also there were provincial courts in Santiago and Seville.

Question 34

What did the Cortes usually have a mixture of?

Answer 34

Aristocracy, the clergy and some representatives of the towns.

Question 35

Why was town representation in the Spanish Cortes particularly noteworthy?

Answer 35

Many other early modern parliaments in other states generally ignored the lower classes.

Question 36

How often was the Cortes summoned?

Answer 36

Not regularly. Nevertheless, they were summoned more times in the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella than any later rulers of Spain.

Question 37

What were the functions of the Cortes?

Answer 37

– Vote money for the monarch’s use
– Agree royal legislation
– Give advice when requested to do so
– Express the grievances of their constituents.

Question 38

What conflict of interest meant that no Cortes was summoned between 1483 and 1497?

Answer 38

The monarchs thought it important to show that they were consulting rather than making decisions without reference to the representatives of the people. This, however, clashed with their need to raise money. The Cortes, however, wanted to be able to express their grievances before granting money and thereby gain some influence.

Question 39

Why were relations between the monarchy and the Cortes poor in Castile?

Answer 39

When a Cortes was summoned, Isabella selected the individuals to be summoned. Hunt describes one meeting when Isabella called only the town representatives of a select group of towns. On occasion, the Cortes might consist of less than 40 representatives.

Question 40

Why were relations between the monarchy and the Cortes poor in Aragon?

Answer 40

They were irregular despite fact that monarchs hands were tied without it.

Question 41

Why did the Cortes of Castile have more limited authority?

Answer 41

Because it was not essential that they should agree to new laws.

Question 42

Where did most of the money needed to run Ferdinand and Isabella’s governments come from?

Answer 42

The Castilian Cortes rather than the Aragonese Cortes. This was achieved by voting special taxes and, from 1474, tax revenue increased exponentially. This made the Castilian Cortes seem quite weak in comparison to the Aragonese Cortes. However, despite this, Isabella continued to ensure that laws were always legitimised by the Cortes whilst also maintaining that her power was absolute.

Question 43

What were other sources of money?

Answer 43

– The military orders
– The Hermandad 
- Grants from the papacy 
– loans (juros)
- the proceeds from customs duties

Question 44

What was a further restriction on Ferdinand’s power in Aragon?

Answer 44

The Justicia, who he was unable to remove and who headed the legal system.

Question 45

What else could Ferdinand not do in Aragon?

Answer 45

Pass laws, raise taxation, create an army

Question 46

Who were letrados?

Answer 46

Lawyers with 10 years experience. By 1493, it was expected that all members of the Royal Council were letrados. Their role was not new in purpose, but there were many more of them at work under F&I.

Question 47

Who were corregidores?

Answer 47

Their role was to work in the field, usually in towns and mostly in Castile.role was originally created by Henry IV in the 1460s, but they seemed to disappear when Civil War broke out in 1464. However, by 1500, they had re-emerged with wide ranging responsibilities. They usually came from different localities to the one in which they worked, so that they could not be pressurised.

Question 48

What were the responsibilities of the corregidores?

Answer 48

– Ensure public order
– Maintain the authority of the local government
– Administer justice based on the laws of Castile
– Ensure all citizens maintained loyalty to the crown
– Ensure there was sufficient food for the community
– Ensure that town halls were built
– Maintain detailed public records.

Question 49

What other jobs did the corregidores have?

Answer 49

They acted as tax collectors and were expected to ensure that the wishes of the Monarchs were put into effect. This also involved settling disputes. They presented regular reports about issues arising in their area, and often to make sure that the nobles or members of the church were not obstructing the government in any way.

Question 50

Why did the corregidores face opposition?

Answer 50

Towns had to pay their salaries. Toledo was one of the towns that openly and successfully refused to accept a corregidor.

Question 51

Who else also helped to ensure peace?

Answer 51

The monarchs- sometimes the Monarchs intervened themselves to ensure peace. This was not always welcome, but Isabella persisted and, over time there was greater acceptance of such central control.
The Hermandad- they were also employed to enforce order. It was a kind of brotherhood, or association of individuals that came together freely to work for law and order, and continued to do so until the turn of century.

Question 52

What word can describe Spanish society?

Answer 52

Hierarchical. Spanish nobles not expected to do any manual work at all.

Question 53

How had noble power increased during the 14th century?

Answer 53

Across C&A the nobility and the clergy owned 90% of the land,suggesting that feudal ties between the Monarchs and and subjects were already weakened. This made it difficult for the crown to control them.

Question 54

How many noble families were there?

Answer 54

15 powerful noble families, eg. The Mendozas in Castile. Lesser nobles brought the figure to over 60.

Question 55

Who were the Mendoza family?

Answer 55

Had large amounts of land in north of Castile. Related to Ferdinand and were prepared to help him gain support for Isabella’s claim to the throne. Power came from their wealth, mostly drawn from the proceeds of sheep farming. They benefitted from the law of entail. They were however excluded from holding any important position in government.

Question 56

What was the law of entail?

Answer 56

It was a law that indicated to whom a landed estate could be bequeathed to,usually the eldest son. Confirmed by law in 1505. Introduced by F&I. Ensured noble support and limited conflict between siblings.

Question 57

What was the relationship between he crown and the nobles in Aragon?

Answer 57

Less stable than that in Castile, even though there were fewer nobles, possibly 20 in Aragon, which was a much smaller state than Castile.

Question 58

In what other ways were the nobility a threat to the crown?

Answer 58

They were exempt from taxation and they had the rights to and control of the sheep walks used by the Mesta. The latter also enabled them to collects tolls that belonged to the crown. Also had vassals that could work on land or be drafted into armies.

Question 59

Which family held the position of Constable of Castile?

Answer 59

The Velasco family

Question 60

Were F&I successful in controlling the nobles?

Answer 60

Recognised threat. Ferdinand never fully succeeded in suppressing nobles or reaching any significant level of cooperation from them.