1. IBWH Reference: Isabella Warrior Queen by Kirstin Downey
The Rise of Isabella

2. Why is Queen Isabella Fascinating?
1. First woman to rule the combined kingdoms of Castile and Leon – the largest realm in the Iberian peninsula at 23!
2. Fought against her step- brother for power
3. Made her husband sign an agreement when they married giving him little control
4. Smart, strong, Risk taker, determined leader
5. Complex world view regarding religion, politics, and power

3. Prince Enrique was 26 when Isabel was born
Early Years- Isabella
Born in 1451
Parents: King Juan II of Castile and Isabel of Portugal
Birth not celebrated because King already had male heir from previous wife
Prince Enrique was 26 when Isabel was born

4. Early Years- Isabella Baby was named after mother and grandmother
Nobody documented when/where Isabella was baptized 
No one cared
Prince Alfonso was born 2 years later
He received attention -“heir to spare”

5. Death of King Juan II of Castile
Died in 1453 at age 49
Queen Isabel became a widow at 25 with 2 babies
She became depressed
Isabel and Alfonso grew up together “virtually parentless”

6. Line of Succession
Isabella’s half bother Enrique became King of Castile when she was 3
King Enrique IV gained control over Isabella, Alfonso, and their mother’s lives
Tense family relationship

7. King Enrique IV, According to sources,
“worked actively to deny Isabella her inheritance”
He also was disrespectful to her mother who was three years younger than him
For obvious reasons, he disliked Alfonso

8. Isabella’s Childhood
Her greatest source of stability & comfort was the Catholic Church
She also became obsessed with the history of the Iberian peninsula
Was an avid reader

9. Developing an Identity
Isabella saw herself as a descendent of the Visigoths
Specifically King Pelayo (founder of Christian kingdoms in the north)
She also became obsessed with Joan of Arc 

10. Isabella’s worldview
was shaped by her perception of historical events and how this affected or impacted “her people”
And political instability of the time
As a child she raised and donated money to the church to help fight Muslims and re-conquer Granada

11. Marriage Negotiations
When Isabella was 6, her brother King Enrique IV negotiated her marriage to Ferdinand (her second cousin)
He was about her age

12. Marriage Negotiations
Then King Enrique changed his mind
When Isabella was 10, he decided she should marry Ferdinand’s older brother Carlos
WHO WAS 40 AT THE TIME!!!!
He changed his mind again and offered her hand in marriage to an English heir to the throne a few years later

13. King Enrique Then Ordered
Isabella (10) and Alfonso (8) to live at King’s court
The kids did not want to leave their mother or home
Isabella disliked life at court and thought nobles “lacked morals”

14. Nobody Liked King Enrique IV
He was seen as indecisive
Was not perceived as a strong leader
Rumor had it his daughter was not his (was seen as a sign of weakness)
Inherited a long list of issues

15. June 5, 1465
A group of rebels planned to overthrow King Enrique and place Prince Alfonso to the throne
They dethroned an effigy of Enrique and
Placed a crown on 12 year old Alfonso
The actor that played Alfonso in a t.v. series in Spain

16. Isabella was Imprisoned
“for her safety”, but really Enrique also saw her as a threat
A rebel promised Enrique he would “bring Alfonso” to him if he let his brother marry 15 year old Isabella!!!

17. Isabella was Outraged
The man was beneath her lineage, he was old, had a horrible reputation
Chroniclers wrote that she “turned to God for guidance and help” spent 2 days in prayer
Then the suitor “dropped dead”
A miracle?

18. August 1467
Alfonso (who was 13!) and his rebel army clashed with King Enrique’s forces
Isabella had to choose which brother to ally herself with
She chose Alfonso 
A civil war ensued

19. July 5th, 1458 Suddenly, Alfonso died a year after the coup!
Plague? Poisoned? Historians’ opinion differs
Isabella was now on her own
And had to fight her step-brother Enrique for the throne and for survival

20. Isabella Agreed to Meet with King Enrique and Negotiate
They had an amiable dinner
But he did not keep any of his promises

21. King Enrique Threatened Isabella
Without her consent, King Enrique tried again to offer her hand in marriage to King Afonso of Portugal
If she refused, she and her supporters would be declared “outlaws” and punished

22. Isabella Instead Negotiated …
A secret marriage contract with Ferdinand ( whom she was originally betrothed to at age 6)
Marriage contract finalized March, 1469

23. Isabella’s Defiance They wed October 19, 1469
she then informed King Enrique of her marriage
He couldn’t do anything because she got permission from the Pope!

24. Wedding Scene from the Spanish T.V. Series “ISABEL”

25. Isabella & Ferdinand It is said Isabella fell in love with him
He was described as “intelligent, charming, and passionate”
He also already had 2 illegitimate children!
He was also heir to two kingdoms
She got pregnant 3 months into the marriage
Had a girl, Isabel

26. Royal Symbols adopted by the Couple

27. Isabella & Ferdinand’s Rocky Marriage
Between , Ferdinand had 2 other children outside of marriage!!
He frequently wrote about his eldest illegitimate son to his father, but seldom mentioned baby Isabel 

28. Political Alliances
Isabella then focused on creating political alliances with nobles and high ranking church officials
Then on December 11, 1474 King Enrique IV died!

29. The Queen’s Coronation
Isabella attended her half brother Enrique’s funeral
A few hours later, she returned to the same church and crowned herself Queen of Castile & Leon
Her coronation had been planned months ahead
She was 23

30. The Queen Emerges -Scene from the Spanish T.V. Series “ISABEL”

31. The Queen’s Coronation
Isabella proclaimed her 4 year old daughter Isabel as the next heiress to the throne during her coronation
Created an image for herself: serene, calm, holy, and ordained by God to rule

32. Controversial Reign Begins
Ferdinand found out about the coronation several days after!!
He was not happy
When he arrived, Isabella’s men greeted him and asked him
“Do you agree to reign as husband of the Queen?”
He agreed.

33. Creating a Royal Image
Isabella promoted an impression that theirs was a happy marriage
“two people working together for the betterment of the nation”
Reality: sometimes they lived together, other times apart

34. Children of Isabella & Ferdinand
2. Juan
3. Juana “la loca”
4. Maria
5. Catalina (Catherine of Aragon was married off to King Henry VIII of England)

35. 1. Isabel & Marriage Alliance
Married off to Prince Afonso of Portugal In 1490
Grandson of King Afonso V of Portugal
He died a year later in 1491
He was thrown off horse 

36. According to an Eyewitness,
Prince Afonso, "...running at a great speed, the Prince's horse fell, dragging (the prince) under him, where he remained, seemingly dead, without speaking and having lost his senses."

37. 1. Isabel & Marriage Alliance
Isabel told her parents that she did not want ever marry again
Asked to be sent to Convent…
But her parents had other plans…

38. 1. Isabel & Marriage Allliance
6 yrs after her 1st husband’s death
She was married off to Manuel I of Portugal
Alfonso’s Brother !!!
Isabel died in childbirth in 1498

39. 2. Prince Juan
Born in 1478
A marriage was arranged between him and Maximilian of Austria’s ( who ruled German territories) daughter, Margaret of Austria
Married in Spring 1497

40. 2. Prince Juan Prince Juan died in October 1497 Tuberculosis?
His young bride gave birth to a still born daughter December 1497
Princess Isabel and Prince Juan died young!

41. 3. Princess Juana “La Loca”
Heir to throne of Castile
Was Engaged to
Felipe “el Hermoso”, (Phillip “the handsome”)
Ages: 16, 18
Love at first sight?
Were married in 1496 had 2 weddings!

42. The Marriage of Phillip the Handsome and Joanna of Castile

43. Felipe el Hermoso/ Phillip the Handsome

44. Felipe el Hermoso/ Phillip the Handsome

45. 3. Princess Juana “La Loca”
Juana : was described as “insanely” jealous
Moody, outspoken
Often depressed
Felipe: charming,
Irresponsible, flirtatious

46. When Queen Isabella died in 1504,
Juana became heir to the throne of Castile
However, her husband Felipe had grown tired of her
Felipe (her husband) and her Father King Ferdinand plotted against her

47. Was Juana Truly “INSANE”?
Husband provided examples of her “insanity”
Father used this as evidence that she was “unfit to rule”

48. Felipe el Hermoso Died Suddenly!
Age 28, 1506
Possibly poisoned by his Father in Law, King Ferdinand?
Juana became depressed Funeral procession lasted 3 months

49. The Betrayal of Juana “La Loca”
In 1507 her Father King Ferdinand
Took her to court to prove she was insane and unfit to rule
Punishment: he Imprisoned her in a tower in
Tordesillas Castle
She Died in 1555

50. Juana and Felipe’s Children
Lost their father
Lost their mother
Were raised by their Grandfather, King Ferdinand
1 grew up to become Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and inherited ALL the families’ territories including the new world

51. 4. Catalina or “ Catherine”
Was married off to Prince Arthur of England
Arthur died within 6 months of marriage
So her parents decided to marry her off to his brother

52. 4. Catalina or “ Catherine”
2nd Husband: Henry VIII (1509) of England
Married for 20 years
Had 1 child: Mary I
But Henry wanted a divorce! No sons!
Pope’s Response: NO
He broke away from the Catholic church in order to get divorce
He was married 5 more times

53. From the Other Boleyn Girl
Catherine of Argon confronts Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII’s 2nd wife)

54. The Trial of Queen Catherine of Aragon, 1909 by F. Salisbury

55. July 21, 1529 Catherine of Aragon’s Speech to KING Henry VII of England
“Sir, I beseech you for all the love that hath been between us, and for the love of God, let me have justice. Take of me some pity and compassion, for I am a poor woman, and a stranger born out of your dominion. I have here no assured friends, and much less impartial counsel…
Alas! Sir, wherein have I offended you, or what occasion of displeasure have I deserved?… I have been to you a true, humble and obedient wife, ever comfortable to your will and pleasure, that never said or did any thing to the contrary thereof, being always well pleased and contented with all things wherein you had any delight or dalliance, whether it were in little or much. I never grudged in word or countenance, or showed a visage or spark of discontent. I loved all those whom ye loved, only for your sake, whether I had cause or no, and whether they were my friends or enemies. This twenty years or more I have been your true wife and by me ye have had divers children, although it hath pleased God to call them out of this world, which hath been no default in me…
When ye had me at first, I take God to my judge, I was a true maid, without touch of man. And whether it be true or no, I put it to your conscience. If there be any just cause by the law that ye can allege against me either of dishonesty or any other impediment to banish and put me from you, I am well content to depart to my great shame and dishonour. And if there be none, then here, I most lowly beseech you, let me remain in my former estate… Therefore, I most humbly require you, in the way of charity and for the love of God – who is the just judge – to spare me the extremity of this new court, until I may be advised what way and order my friends in Spain will advise me to take. And if ye will not extend to me so much impartial favour, your pleasure then be fulfilled, and to God I commit my cause!”

56. 5. Maria Second to last child born to Isabella and Ferdinand
Her twin sibling died at birth
“ Maria’s childhood drew little notice. With three older siblings, she somehow got lost in the crowd and did as she was told.”

57. 5. Maria She was married to Manuel I of Portugal
Yes. Her older sister Isabel’s 2nd husband.
They married in years after her sister’s death
She died in 1517

58. Critical Thinking Questions
1. For monarchs in the 15th century, what was the purpose of marriage?
2. What do the lives of Princess Isabel, Princess Catherine, and Princess Juana of Spain tell us about the expectations of royal females?
3. Where does Queen Isabella of Castile fit in as far as gender norms and traditional marriage practices of 15th century royals?
4. Queen Isabella chose who to marry why do you think she did not offer her daughters the same option?