Isabella was born in 1451, into a world in which women fought for every shred of political power. But from an early age, Isabella was viewed by her father John II of Castile as a means of expanding Castilian territory in pursuit of the elusive goal of uniting Spain. She was first betrothed to an Aragonese prince at age six — her future husband Ferd... See more

The marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile is one of the most masterful pieces of political theater in history. It was far from a love-story — while, by all accounts, Ferdinand and Isabella were a cordial and possibly even happy couple, their union was the accumulation of hundreds of years of Spanish history, forged by war and... See more