The document discusses the rise of the Catholic Monarchs in 15th century Spain. It describes how Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon unified their kingdoms through marriage and war, establishing control over the Iberian Peninsula and homogenizing the population under Catholicism. Their effective centralized administration, taxation system, and permanent military allowed them to pursue an aggressive foreign policy, including expanding into Africa by conquering the Canary Islands and establishing control over territories along the coast. Their greatest achievement was sponsoring Christopher Columbus' voyage in 1492, which led to the discovery of the Americas and the beginning of the Spanish Empire.

1. Catholic Monarchs
The birth of a Modern State
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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2. Catholic Kings
 The fight for the power
 Internal policy
- Control of the kingdom
- Religious homogenization
 Foreign policy
- African policy
- European policy
- The Discovery of America
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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3. Catholic Monarchs
 Check your knowledge
-- Catholic Monarchs are considered one of the most important kings of the Spanish
History, ¿Do you know why?
-- ¿Do you know how was the situation of Spain at the end of the XV century?
-- Socially, the society was divided in ….
-- Politically, the Iberian Peninsula was divided in ….
-- Economically, the situation was …
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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4. Society
 Society was divided in three
categories (peasants, nobles and
clergy)
 Nevertheless, at the end of the
Middle Ages, a new class will appear:
…
 In the particular case of the Iberian
Peninsula, there were three cultures
living together: Christians, Muslims
and Jews.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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5. Politics
 There were four Christian kingdoms
(Castille, Aragon, Navarre and
Portugal) and one Muslim kingdom
(Granade)
 Christian kingdoms are in a good
period after the Muslim hegemony.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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6. Economy
 The economic situation was not
especially good in Castilla and
Aragon because of the Black Death
(XIV century)
 Castilla was focus on wool trade and
Aragon in the Mediterranean trade
(all type of goods)
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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7. Game of Thrones
The fight for the power in Castilla
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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8. In this situation, in the middle of XV century,
there was a new King in Castilla: Enrique IV
 Enrique IV was a weak King, so he
was controlled by aristocracy
 This King had a daughter: Juana “la
Beltraneja”, but the nobility did not
want to recognize her as a heir.
 As a symbol of power, the nobility
make Enrique IV recognize as a heir
the half sister of Juana: Isabel, in the
“Pactos de los Toros de Guisando”
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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9. Enrique IV and Juana la Beltraneja
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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10. But, why did the nobility prefer Isabel
instead of Juana la Beltraneja?
 They believe Isabel will be very easy
to manipulate:
-- She was 17 years old
-- She was a woman
-- She will be in debt with the nobility
because they gave her the throne
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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11. Nevertheless, Isabel had other plans
 The first she did was getting married secretly with Fernando of
Aragon in order to improve her situation and obtain more power.
 Enrique IV was very upset for this because Aragon was a enemy
Kingdom, so he change his testament in favor of Juana (his
daughter) and after this, he died.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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12. Castilian Civil War (1474 – 1479)
 There are two persons for the Throne
of Castilla, so it was produced a Civil
War between Isabel and Juana
supporters.
 Isabel counts on the support of
Aragon, and Juana counts on the
support of Portugal, France and
England.
 The Portuguese King offers marriage
to Juana if she is able to win.
¿Why do you think Portugal was
supporting Juana?
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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13. The destiny of Castilla was at the stake
VS.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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14. Castilian Civil War
 Portugal lose the conflict, and it make an agreement
with Aragon (Alcaçovas Treaty)
 - Portugal accepts the union of Castilla and Aragon
and the colonization of Canary Islands
 - In exchange, the new Hispanic kingdom accepts
the exploration of the African coast by the
Portuguese.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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15. Dynastic Union. What kind of union?
 The Dynastic Union is the union of
the Kingdom of Aragon with the
Kingdom of Castilla
 However, they are different
kingdoms, with different languages
and different laws.
 They have in common the religion,
the capital (Toledo) and the foreign
policy.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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16. The born of a new state
 The policy of Isabel and Fernando will make Castilla and Aragon the most powerful
kingdoms of the world, creating the first modern State. This policy will be based on:
 - Effective control of the territories
 - Cultural homogenization
 - Aggressive foreign policy
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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17. What is a modern State?
 What are the powers of a State today:
- Power to recollect taxes
- Power to use the force (monopoly of violence)
- Power to establish rules in the territory
- Power to develop new projects (money, laws and security)
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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18. SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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19. In the medieval times, it was not so easy.
 The use of the force...
- In modern times, if a country wants to
declare war to other State, what does
this state do?
- In medieval times kings called for his
knights, and his knights brought
soldiers
- What would you do in order to be
more powerful / effective?
- Creation of a permanent Army, but...
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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20. This brings a problem: money. Fiscal policy
 Catholic Monarchs will raise taxes and special
contributions
 They will create a modern body of civil servants who
recollect taxes
 Traditionally, in MA, people who were working for the
nobility were in this position because they were
“trustworthy” people (i.e relatives). Catholic Kings will
change the process to make it more effective:
 They will work with people who know reading and
writing, with some knowledge of Maths (Jews were very
important for the new organization), so the organization
will be much better (modern bureaucracy)
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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21. And last, but not least…
 They will establish a “modern system” of control:
 They created “modern mayors” who were paid by the
Crown (they acted as spies of the Queen)
 They will create a rural police (Santa Hermandad)
 Inquisition: It was the only common institution in both
Kingdoms. In theory, it persecuted those who were
against Christian faith, in practice …
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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22. Internal policy. Cultural homogenization
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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23. The end of the “Spain of the three
cultures”
 Catholic Kings believe the best way
to unify the country is through an
unique religion.
 At that moment, there were three
main religions in the IP
 Catholic Monarchs will establish
Inquisition in 1478.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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24. Jews
 Jews were more educated than the
average of Christian people ---- they
should read in order to understand
the Holy Book (Torah)
 Jews were very rich because they can
work in agriculture (they did not have
this right) so … they worked in the
banking system
 Many people hate them for that
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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25. Muslims
 Muslims were in the IP from 711 (8
centuries)
 They were very advanced regarding
Sciences, and they were get used to
live in Christian territories (unique
case in Europe)
 Toledo (the capital) was the perfect
example of a city of three cultures
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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26. This society of three cultures will disappear
because of:
 Creation of the “Holy Inquisition”
 Granade War
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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27. Creation of the Holy Inquisition
 In 1478, they created the “Holy
Inquisition” to research about the
honesty of the “New Converted
Christians” (neoconversos) and look
for the “purity of blood”
 Inquisition counted on an important
network of spies
 Inquisition worked to accuse political
enemies, so it will create a permanent
feeling of fear in the population
(more control)
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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28. The Conquest of Granade(1492)
 In 1492, CM conquered the last
Muslim territory (Granade)
 In the agreement, they accepted to
respect the goods, habitudes and
Muslim religion of the population of
Granade
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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29. Conquest of Granade
 Nevertheless, they will not respect
the deal
 In 1499, Inquisition obliged
Granadian population to a forced
conversion (otherwise, they should
abandon the kingdom)
 Those who accepted this “forced
conversion” will be called “moriscos”
(they will maintain Arabic language
and tradition)
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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30. Conquest of Granade
 After the conquest of Granade,
Catholic Monarchs order the
expulsion of all Jewish population
 Many Jews escaped to North Africa
(the so called “Judíos sefardíes”)
 The expulsion was negative for the
kingdom because Jews were rich and
literate population
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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31. Decreto de expulsión de los judíos
 DECRETO DE EXPULSIÓN DE LOS JUDÍOS
 “Don Fernando y Doña Isabel, por la gracia de Dios rey e reina de Castilla (…) acordamos de mandar
salir a todos los judíos de nuestros reinos, que jamás tornen; (…) que hasta el fin del mes de julio que
viene salgan todos con sus hijos, de cualquier edad que sean, y no osen tornar (…) bajo pena de
muerte.
 Y mandamos que nadie de nuestros reinos sea osado de recibir, acoger o defender pública o
secretamente a judío ni judía pasado el término de julio. . . So pena de confiscación de todos sus
bienes. Y porque los judíos puedan actuar como más les convenga en este plazo, les ponemos bajo
nuestra protección, para que puedan vender o cambiar sus bienes. Les autorizamos a sacar sus bienes
por tierra y mar, en tanto no sea oro ni plata, ni moneda ni las otras cosas vedadas.
 Mandamos a nuestros alcaldes, corregidores (...) que cumplan y hagan cumplir este nuestro
mandamiento. Y porque nadie pueda alegar ignorancia mandamos que esta Carta sea pregonada por
plazas e mercados...”
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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32. SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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33. The foreign policy of the C.M
 Therefore, the Spanish Monarchy will be stronger than other monarchies because
of:
- Permanent Army
- Efficient bureaucracy
- Spies network
- At the same time, they will develop an active foreign policy towards:
Africa / America / Europe
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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34. Africa
 The Kings used the system of “Capitulaciones”
-- A person submitted a project to the Kings. If the Kings
accepted and the person accomplished the mission, the
Kings received the new territory and the nobles received
lands (1/3) and money (10% of the earnings) Sometimes,
they received the right to name a new territory (i.e
Lanzarote)
-- The risk was not high for the Crown, because the nobles
took the risk, although the Crown could support the
expedition with sailors, soldiers or ships.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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35. Africa. The conquest of Canary Islands
 The conquest of Canary Islands
started in 1480 aprox., and it was
relatively easy.
 The Spanish exterminated the native
population (guanches) in 10 years.
 Canary Islands will be important
because of:
-- Sugar (luxury product)
-- Geographical situation (future)
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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36. Foreign policy. Navarre.
 Navarre was a small kingdom under
French influence.
 Castille conquered “peacefully”
Navarre in 1512. In Exchange, Castilla
promised to respect the special taxes
of this territory
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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37. Foreign policy. Europe
 CK will develop an ambitious policy of marriages
with the most important kings of Europe.
 His idea was creating an international alliance
against France (the most important enemy)
 Problem: All their sons die, with one exception:
Juana “The Crazy”, married with Felipe “The
Handsome”, son of the German emperor.
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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38. SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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39. American foreign policy
 Project
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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40. The discovery of America
SEK Les Alpes. Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez.
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