26 NOVEMBER 1504: THE DEATH OF Queen Isabel I of Castile (22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also known as Isabel the Catholic, was queen of Castile and León (Crown of Castile). She and her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon, brought stability to the kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. After a struggle to claim her right to the throne, she reorganized the governmental system, brought the crime rate to the lowest it had been in years, and pulled the kingdom out of the enormous debt her brother had left behind. Her reforms and those she made with her husband had an influence that extended well beyond the borders of their united kingdoms. Isabella and Ferdinand are known for completing the Reconquista, ordering conversion or exile of their Muslim and Jewish subjects and financing Christopher Columbus 1492 voyage that led to the opening of the New World. Isabella was granted the title Servant of God by the Catholic Church in 1974. Isabel was mother to Queen Catherine of Aragon, first wife to King Henry VIII of England. As such, she was grandmother to the first Queen regnant of England, Mary I. Her descendants are numerous due to the offspring of her daughters, Queen Juana of Castile and Queen consort Maria of Portugal. For more on Isabels descendants see: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descendants_of_Isabella_I_of_Castile_and_Ferdinand_II_of_Aragon You would think how could Isabel possibly be related to Queen Catherine Parr? Well shes actually a 2nd cousin, thrice removed and a 3rd cousin, twice removed of Queen Catherine. Parrs great-grandmother, Lady Alice Neville, was a 2nd cousin and 2nd cousin, once removed of Queen Isabel via their common ancestor Prince John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Titular King of Castile.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 20:39:26 +0000
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