The Spanish Reconquista
The history of Spain is a tale of both the blending and the clashing of cultures. When Muslims, Jews, and Christians could maintain peace, Spanish culture would exceed that of all the rest of Europe. When persecution and strife broke out, wars that amounted to crusades were the result. Ultimately Spain was united as a nation under triumphant Christian monarchs whose exploits went beyond anything medieval Europeans could even imagine. The result was the foundation of another of the world’s great empires. Under Muslim rulers the ideas of ancient civilizations tutored the nascent Spanish nation. A new Abd-al-Rahman, the third, reigned from 912-961. Abd-al-Rahman III was the first Muslim ruler to completely unite …show more content…
Ferdinand and Isabella demanded tribute from Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain. The Moorish King of Granada replied in 1476 that, “The mints of Granada coined no longer gold, but steel!” The Catholic Monarchs began attacking in 1482, Ferdinand leading the armies and Isabella supplying them from the rear even though she was pregnant with her fourth child. A 50,000-man Spanish Christian army drove the Moorish King Mohammed XI out by 1492 along with all remaining Jews. Ferdinand and Isabella achieved Spanish national unity through enforced conformity—their army represented the first time Spaniards from every region had fought under one leader (or two). Moors were entirely expelled from all of Spain by …show more content…
When the Christian army marched into Granada on January 6, Cristobal Colon was standing in the crowd. Even though he was Italian and had tried Portugal, it was Isabella that gave Columbus his backing. She gave him the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Beyond the discovery of the Americas, Isabella was responsible for a mini-Renaissance in Spain. Books and scholars from all over were brought to educate her four daughters and son whom Ferdinand married off all over the royalty of Europe. Three of their children died, however, and one daughter went insane. The remaining daughter was Catherine of Aragon who married Henry VIII of England. Their marriage did not end happily ever after, though, but that is another
The history of Spain is a tale of both the blending and the clashing of cultures. When Muslims, Jews, and Christians could maintain peace, Spanish culture would exceed that of all the rest of Europe. When persecution and strife broke out, wars that amounted to crusades were the result. Ultimately Spain was united as a nation under triumphant Christian monarchs whose exploits went beyond anything medieval Europeans could even imagine. The result was the foundation of another of the world’s great empires. Under Muslim rulers the ideas of ancient civilizations tutored the nascent Spanish nation. A new Abd-al-Rahman, the third, reigned from 912-961. Abd-al-Rahman III was the first Muslim ruler to completely unite …show more content…
Ferdinand and Isabella demanded tribute from Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain. The Moorish King of Granada replied in 1476 that, “The mints of Granada coined no longer gold, but steel!” The Catholic Monarchs began attacking in 1482, Ferdinand leading the armies and Isabella supplying them from the rear even though she was pregnant with her fourth child. A 50,000-man Spanish Christian army drove the Moorish King Mohammed XI out by 1492 along with all remaining Jews. Ferdinand and Isabella achieved Spanish national unity through enforced conformity—their army represented the first time Spaniards from every region had fought under one leader (or two). Moors were entirely expelled from all of Spain by …show more content…
When the Christian army marched into Granada on January 6, Cristobal Colon was standing in the crowd. Even though he was Italian and had tried Portugal, it was Isabella that gave Columbus his backing. She gave him the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Beyond the discovery of the Americas, Isabella was responsible for a mini-Renaissance in Spain. Books and scholars from all over were brought to educate her four daughters and son whom Ferdinand married off all over the royalty of Europe. Three of their children died, however, and one daughter went insane. The remaining daughter was Catherine of Aragon who married Henry VIII of England. Their marriage did not end happily ever after, though, but that is another