Isabella of Castile Flashcards
1
Q
- When was Isabella born? (1)
A
1451
2
Q
- Who were Isabella’s parents?
A
John II of Castile; Isabella of Portugal
3
Q
- What happened when Isabella’s father died?
A
- There was a period of instability in Castile (1)
- The throne passed between her brothers (1) Henry and Alfonso (2)
4
Q
- When did Isabella become Queen? (1)
A
- 11th December 1474
5
Q
- When did Isabella marry Ferdinand of Aragon? (1)
A
1469
6
Q
- What were some of the consequences of the marriage between Isabella and Ferdinand? (3)
A
- It united two powerful areas – Castile and Aragon (1)
- They bore seven children (two of whom did not survive) (1)
- One was Catherine of Aragon (1)
7
Q
- When was Catherine of Aragon born? (1)
A
- 16th December, 1485
8
Q
- List some of Isabella’s foreign policy (6)
A
- Catherine of Aragon married Prince Arthur (1) and then Henry VIII (1)
- Prince John married the Archduchess of Austria (1)
- Princess Joanna married Philip the Handsome (1)
- Princess Maria married Manuel of Portugal (1)
- She funded Christopher Columbus’ exploration of the New World. (1)
9
Q
- When did Isabella fund Christopher Columbus’ journey? (1)
A
- 1492
10
Q
- What was the consequence of Columbus’ journey? (3)
A
- He made landfall in the Caribbean. (1)
- It laid the foundations of the Spanish Empire. (1)
- Spain exploited its conquered territories and became rich. (1)
11
Q
- How did Isabella reform domestic policy? (7)
A
- She revived the La Santana Hermandad, (the Holy Brotherhood), who acted as a local police force (1)
- Accountable to the Queen, the Hermandad had a 100% success rate in its arrests. (1)
- She oversaw the appointment of judges (1)
- the judicial system grew more efficient due to regular checks and officials being held to account. (1)
- She took control of currency production and restored the value of the Castilian coin (1)
- She increased the size of the treasury (1)
- She eradicated the dominance of the nobility in the royal council (1)
12
Q
- Who was in the royal council under Isabella? (2)
A
- nine lawyers (1) and only three nobles (3)
13
Q
- How did Isabella stay connected with the people of her queendom? (2)
A
- She recognised the importance of personal contact with her subjects (1), there was ample opportunity for people to air their grievances in her presence. (1)
14
Q
- How religious was Isabella? (4)
A
- Strict Catholic (1)
- She promised she would uphold the Catholic Church that was the cornerstone of her world. (1)
- She believed that she had been appointed by God and God alone. (1)
- She thought religious unity would stabilise her rule (1)
15
Q
- What was the Spanish inquisition? (1)
A
- an investigation into the religious state of her kingdom
16
Q
- When was the Spanish Inquisition launched? (1)
A
- By royal decree, in January 1480
17
Q
- What was the goal of the Spanish Inquisition (3)
A
- To ensure a Catholic hegemony (domination) in Spain. (1)
- To convert all Muslims and Jews to Catholicism. (1)
- Any heretics, those who did not practise Catholicism or refused to convert, were punished. (1)
18
Q
- What was the Reconquista? (1)
A
- the conquering of centuries old Muslim territories in Spain
19
Q
- Where was the last Muslim stronghold in Spain and when was it defeated? (2)
A
- Granada (1), January 1492 (1)
20
Q
- For how long had Jews been living in the territory we know as Spain? (1)
A
- 1,500 years.
21
Q
- What was the name of people who were forced to convert to Catholicism? (1)
A
- conversos.
22
Q
- What alarmed Isabella during the Inquisition? (2)
A
- the threat of false converts (1), who practised Catholicism in public, but continued to practise Judaism in private. (1)
23
Q
- How were Jews and Muslims punished for heresy? (2)
A
- Initially they could be arrested. (1)
- they could then be tortured in brutal, violent and traumatic ways. (1)
24
Q
- Who was the Grand Inquisitor and what was his role? (2)
A
- Torquemada (1)
- He carried out the inquisition. (1)
25
Q
- What did Isabella do at the request of Torquemada? (2)
A
- She issued an edict (1), giving Spanish Jews the choice of forced conversion, or exile. (1)
26
Q
- When was this edict issued? (1)
A
- 31st March, 1492
27
Q
- How many Jews were expelled from Spain? (1)
A
- 160,000
28
Q
- Who was in charge of the suppression of Muslims? (1)
A
- Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros
29
Q
- Why was the Spanish Inquisition popular in Spain? (2)
A
- Long harbouring resentment of Muslims and Jews in the region. (1)
- it united a region ripped apart by civil war (1)
30
Q
- What did the Pope think about the Inquisition? (2)
A
- It had been given initial blessing by the Pope (1), though the papacy later condemned its violence. (1)
31
Q
- What were Isabella’s reign dates?
A
- Queen of Castile (1474–1504)
- Queen of Aragon (1479–1504)
