7th Grade - Biographical Reports
2nd Place - Natalie R.
Queen Isabella
Queen Isabella of Spain was a wonderful queen. She had given Christopher Columbus her blessing and advice to endure his sailings on a long exploration. She was a very powerful queen. Isabella was born on April 22, 1451, in Madrigal de las Atlas Torres. Without Isabella, Columbus would of not had the correct way to go on his long journey.
Isabella spent most of her early years in a market town named Arevalo. Her mother had become depressed after Isabel was born, so she decided to lock herself up in a dark room away from Isabel, in her castle. When Isabel was three, her father passed away in 1454. This meant that her half-brother was going to be king. Isabel was taught "womanly duties," such as sewing and cooking. Isabel did things women at the time would never do. She would hunt and get muddy. One of Isabel's closest friends said of her, "the handsomest lady whom I have ever beheld" (Mann p. 17). When Isabella was ten, she and her brother were asked to go to court because a judge decided that she needed to be under more direct supervision of the king. She was taken by her mother to Arevalo, where her education was conducted.
Queen Isabella's marriage was a difficult time for her. Her brother tried to get Isabel married to many people. Unfortunately, we don't know who those people were. Finally, she found the lucky guy. His name was Ferdinand II, otherwise known as Ferdinand of Aragon: The Prince. Isabella and Ferdinand had many children. Their marriage was very important to history because Queen Isabella and Ferdinand's marriage united two of the most important Christian powerful kingdoms. In 1496, Isabella and Ferdinand had made an ornate dish for them in honor of their marriage.
Ferdinand and Isabella were often apart, but they stayed closely in touch via couriers. He sent Isabella funny, playful, and teasing letters. One of the letters said this, "Although messengers come and go between us, you do not write to me, not for lack of paper and for not knowing how to write but for insufficient love and haughtiness, and because you are in Toledo and I in the provinces ... but some day we shall return to our first love .... If you do not want me to kill myself, you should write and tell me who you are."
The message Ferdinand sent Isabella was sent along with Columbus on his second voyage in 1493 and was to be conveyed. The message is unmistakable: as long as the Indians obey Spanish authority, they will be treated well. If not there is a terrible fate: "You owe compliance as a duty to the King and we in his name will receive you with love and charity, respecting your freedom and that of your wives and sons and your rights of possession ... in exchange for which Their Highnesses bestow many privileges and exemptions upon you. Should you fail to comply, or belay maliciously in so doing, we assure you with the help of God we shall use force against you, declaring war upon you from all sides and with all possible means, and we shall bind you to the yoke of the Church and of their Highnesses; we shall seize and enslave your persons, wives and sons, sell you and dispose of you as the King sees fit; we shall seize your possessions and harm you as much as we can as disobedient and resisting vassals."
Isabella rejected the throne when her brother was sick and he thought he was ready to go to heaven. She didn't want to have all this stress on her while being queen. In 1474, Isabella decides to take action. After her brother's death she decided to become queen and have Ferdinand be her king. Queen Isabella was a tough ruler. She would fight back until she got her way of things, but people enjoyed her. In 1492, Christopher Columbus asked for Isabella's blessing and advice for his long journey. There are many statues of Isabella in the world today, representing that she is "Always there in Spain" (Rogers). Queen Isabella was a strong ruler.
Sadly, Queen Isabella passed away. She died in Medina del Campo, Spain on November 26, 1504. Isabella died from sickness and old age. Queen Isabella of Spain was an interesting person to study about in the medieval times. She left great importance in the world. Queen Isabella of Spain was an important person in modern history!
