Isabel of SpainIsabel of Spain was a strong and determined woman. He was born on April 22, 1451 in the city of Madrigal de las Altas Torres in Old Castile. She was the daughter of John II, King of Castile and his second wife, Isabella of Portugal. Her family was very Catholic and she was born and raised Catholic. She was married to Ferdinand who was king of Aragon. She took control and protected her country by taking on the responsibility of being a wife and mother of five children. Isabella and Ferdinand jointly ruled both the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. Isabella of Spain's most important ideas were starting the Spanish Inquisition, ruling as a woman, gaining power, and expanding an empire that would be known everywhere. The Muslims and Jews of Spain at that time did not believe in Christianity. This became a conflict for Isabella uniting Spain. Out of fear, many Muslims and Jews had converted to Christianity but were suspected of secretly practicing their faith. Isabel felt betrayed and this sparked the start of the Spanish Inquisition. “…establishing an Inquisition, expelling the Jews, converting or expelling the Muslims of Granada and Castile, and sanctioning the continued presence of Muslims in Aragon” (Myerson, 11). Isabella and Ferdinand continued with their plans to unify all of Spain by continuing efforts to expel the Moors, also known as Muslims, who held parts of Spain. In 1492, the Muslim kingdom of Granada fell to Isabella and Ferdinand. Furthermore, all Spanish Jews who refused to convert to Christianity were expelled. Isabel felt that her religion was the only true one and if she did not free them from her country Spain would be ruined. Isabel was Europe's first female monarch. During...... middle of paper ......or the discovery of America. The New World brought great wealth to Spain and aided the Spanish government, economy, and society. In conclusion, Isabella of Spain was a great, confident and determined ruler. She proved that women could rule and were not weak. She didn't get power, she earned it herself and did everything she could to make Spain as powerful as possible. Isabel left a great impact on the new country of Spain. Works Cited Lehfeldt, Elizabeth A. “Ruling Sexuality: The Political Legitimacy of Isabel of Castile.” Renaissance Quarterly 53.1 (2000): 31-56. JSTOR. Network. 23 April 2014 Meyerson, Mark D. The Muslims of Valencia in the age of Fernando and Isabel: between coexistence and crusade. Berkeley: University of California, 1991. Web.Stuart, Nancy Rubin. Isabella of Castile: the first queen of the Renaissance. New York: S. Martino, 1991.