The Year of Isabella I of Castile (2024)

The Year of Isabella I of Castile – The voyages of Christopher Columbus

On 3 August 1492, Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus departed on the first of four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean to seek out new lands. For years, Columbus had petitioned the nobles and royals of Europe to gain funding for his ventures, before finally receiving backing from Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II [read more]

isabel ferdinand
Isabella I of Castile

The Year of Isabella I of Castile – Ferdinand returns home to newly proclaimed Queen Isabella

On 2 January 1475, Isabella’s husband Ferdinand returned home after eight months on a military campaign. Much had changed since they had last seen each other – most notably, Isabella had succeeded her half-brother, King Henry IV, as Queen upon his death on 11 December 1474. She had ordered that the cities “raise flags for [read more]