Isabella of Castile: The Queen Who United Spain

This episode of The Story of Spain: Empire, Gold, and Global Power shifts focus from the familiar narratives of conquest and inquisition to the woman who made much of it possible: Isabella I of Castile. We explore her rise to power amidst the chaos of the Castilian civil war, her strategic marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon, and the reforms that centralized authority and funded Columbus's voyage. Learn about the Santa Hermandad, the creation of a professional royal army, the role of her confessor Hernando de Talavera, and the complex legacy of a queen who expelled the Jews while patronizing humanist scholarship. We also discuss her children, including Juana la Loca, and the dynastic webs that tied Spain to the rest of Europe. This is Isabella not as a static icon but as a shrewd, ruthless, and devout politician who forged a nation. #IsabellaOfCastile #CatholicMonarchs #FerdinandOfAragon #SantaHermandad #HernandoDeTalavera #JuanaLaLoca #GranadaWar #Columbus #AlhambraDecree #Castile #Aragon #SpanishHistory #15thCentury #ReyesCatolicos #FemaleLeadership #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #SpainHistory #Reconquista Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo