Woman Ruler Woman Rule |
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I was born on the 22nd day of April in the year of our Lord 1451. My father the King died when I was three… My half brother Enrique succeeded my father to the throne. My mother closed herself into darkness, condemned herself to silence and allowed herself to be so dominated by her depression that it degenerated into madness. My grandmother, a woman of great counsel, was a great help and consolation to my mother. I, Isabel, was named for them both. On Thursday the 19th of October A.D. 1469 [Fernando and I] were wed. We were so poor friends had to buy our wedding finery and pay the cost of the celebration. That night, in service to God, we consummated our marriage. Fernando brought our bloodstained sheet to the official witnesses waiting at the door of our bedchamber. They commanded that trumpets and drums and clarinets sound as they displayed the sheet to all those who waited to see. And then [Dec.14, 1474] in poverty and amongst turmoils we began our rule. In A.D. 1480 we appointed two inquisitors and sent them to Sevilla. Sadly, they found many judaizing conversos who remained obdurate. Outside the walls of the city they established a burning ground for the cleansing fires… Even though the punishment of the innocent create a scandal, it is the doctrine of Christ to punish, for it is better to enter Paradise with one eye than to suffer in Hell with two… O, Lord, Make me passionately virtuous in your image and zealous for the faith. 25th day of November, A.D. 1491. GRANADA IS OURS! What a war it was! There was not a lord present who was not enamored of some one of my ladies and did not sally forth carrying some favor of hers…An Italian said to me "What man is so vile, so lacking in spirit, that he would not have defeated every powerful foe…risking a thousand lives rather than return to his lady in shame? For which reason one can say that this war was won by love." I smiled but, in truth, God and hunger won that city for us. 31st day of March A.D. 1492… each day it is found that the Jews increasingly continue their evildoing… Thus, we, in consultation with the prelates, grandees, cavalleros and other knowledgeable persons in our realm, after much deliberation have agreed to order the Jews of our kingdoms to leave by the 31st day of July and never to return. Nor may they take from our kingdoms either gold or silver or money, nor arms nor horses. Christofo Colombo again came before us. Our advisors told us we would gain nothing, lose money, and lower royal authority if we granted his requests. Nevertheless for the exaltation of God's Church, for the glory of Spain, to penetrate the secrets of the universe and for riches beyond dreams we were persuaded, and on 17 April A.D. 1492 we made him our Admiral, entitled him Don Cristóbal Colón and ordered him to explore the Ocean Sea. We have decided that all Muslims in our realms must be must either convert or leave our kingdoms by the 20th day of April A.D. 1502. 12th day of October A.D. 1504 I await the hour of my death… Do not weep for me, nor waste your time in fruitless wishes for my recovery but pray rather for my soul. * * * * *
Of the Inquisition, which reached its worst excesses under her great-grandson Philip II, it should be said that Isabel was as much admired by the rest of Europe for it as she was for the expulsion of the Jews and the Moors. And it should be pointed out that France and England had expelled the Jews from their own kingdoms the century before. |
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