King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I are known as the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. They were officially given the title of “Catholic King and Queen” by Pope Alexander VI during his papacy from 1492-1503. In 1469 the marriage of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II brought together Queen Isabella I’s kingdom of Castille and King Ferdinand II’s kingdom of Aragon. This combination created the template for Queen Isabella I’s and King Ferdinand II’s descendants to create modern-day Spain. This was done by the strategic planning of Queen Isabella I in marrying off her five daughters to other monarchs and kings. Queen Isabella I’s reign was for 35 years from 1469 to her death in 1504. King Ferdinand reigned for 37 years from 1479 to his death in 1516.
The Catholic Monarchs were responsible for the Alhambra decree, which expelled the Jewish peoples from Spain. They also permitted Christopher Columbus’s voyage in which he “discovered” the Americas in 1492. Also in 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand made Abu ‘abd Allah Muhammad XII surrender. This surrender was significant because it brought an end to the Reconquista of Iberia and essentially created a Roman Catholic nation that was united across most of what is modern-day Spain.
The Catholic Monarchs were responsible for the Alhambra decree, which expelled the Jewish peoples from Spain. They also permitted Christopher Columbus’s voyage in which he “discovered” the Americas in 1492. Also in 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand made Abu ‘abd Allah Muhammad XII surrender. This surrender was significant because it brought an end to the Reconquista of Iberia and essentially created a Roman Catholic nation that was united across most of what is modern-day Spain.
“Catholic Monarchs.” Wikipedia. 5 Febrary 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_and_Isabella.