Profile of the Day: Isabella I of Castile

Posted October 19, 2017 by Amanda | No Comment
Profile of the Day: Isabella I of Castile

Isabella I of Castile

On this day in 1469, Isabella I of Castile married Ferdinand II of Aragon. Their marriage brought stability to the kingdoms and paved the way for the unification of Aragon and Castile into the single country of Spain.

Isabella was born on April 22, 1451 to John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal. Isabella and Ferdinand were second cousins, both descending from John I of Castile. Since they were both so closely related, their marriage required a papal dispensation in order to legally wed. During their marriage, the couple equally shared their power.

In 1492, Isabella agreed to sponsor Christopher Columbus’s expedition to reach the Indies by sailing west. When Columbus landed in the New World, he claimed the territory in the name of Spain, marking the beginning of Spain’s Golden Age of exploration and colonization.

Explore Isabella I of Castile’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re related to the Spanish monarch.

View Isabella I of Castile’s Geni Profile

 


Image: Wikimedia Commons

Post written by Amanda

Amanda is the Marketing Communications Manager at Geni. If you need any assistance, she will be happy to help!

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