The Kings

The Catholic monarchs also known as the Catholic kings were Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Their marriage in 1469 led to the unification of medieval Spain. Both Ferdinand and Isabella were wanting the crown of Castile, so they figured why not get married in which they would both come out winning. However, Ferdinand and Isabella were first cousins so they had to get a Papal dispense by the Pope. The Pope denied it so they were forced to falsify a papal bull on their own. With their marriage Ferdinand and Isabella created the biggest Empire the world had ever seen during the Golden Age. Although, at first they both ruled their kingdoms separately they eventually united them. Peace and order through the reduction of aristocratic power and concentration of political authority in their hands. The support of the Parliament, the body that represented not only the nobility but also the church. The conquest of the kingdom of Granada (the last Muslim community in the peninsula), and religious uniformity. The fact that these national goals were achieved says a lot about the organizational skills, intelligence and maturity of Ferdinand and Isabella. For the general public, the best known of these goals is the conquest of Granada in 1492, followed by the expulsion of those Jews and Muslims who refused to convert to Christianity. However not everything about their reign was great. During their reign also came the Spanish Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition started because of all the Jews who would not convert to Catholicism or faked converting. The punishments were absolutely brutal and ended in the deaths of many. An added bonus to the fame of the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs, a title given on Ferdinand and Isabella by the Pope Alexander VI in 1494) was the achievement of Christopher Columbus, a Genoese sailor who set out from the south of Spain for India and found America, or Las Indias as they called it. There were several reasons why King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella supported the voyage of Columbus. There was a belief that a shorter route to Asia existed. Spain had a strong interest in trading with Asia. If they could discover a shorter route to Asia, it would give Spain an advantage in trading with Asia.There also was the possibility the Columbus might discover places that were rich in minerals and resources. Also another factor was the spreading of Christianity. The more places and people they converted the more powerful they became. The Catholic Kings had many major accomplishments for Spain and changed the world as we know it because of the discovery of the New world.