latristereina: On this day in history (26 November 1504) Isabella I of Castile best known as Isabell

latristereina:On this day in history (26 November 1504) Isabella I of Castile best known as Isabella The Catholic passed away at Medina del Campo.The death of prince Juan, princessIsabella and prince Miguel made Joanna and Philip The Handsome newheirs to the throne. However, the attitude of both – Joanna’s dueto her exaggerated submission to her husband – and Philip’sdue to his predilection for the French that was very unfriendlytowards the Catholic Kings – caused many doubts. Fears have become bigger since Joannaand Philip’s trip to Spain in 1502. The fact Philip before Christmas of the same year, acting disrespectfully, had returned to Flanders, leavingpregnant Joanna behind, made the situation more complicated, causing aconflict between Isabella and her daughter. Ill Isabella had to get up from her bed and in spiteof the fever she had been suffering from, she travelled from Segovia, in order to soothe herdaughter who wanted to come back to Flanders. Joanna’s recklessbehavior caused the Queen’s sadness. What was going to happen with herkingdom, her efforts that she had put into achieving her politicalgoals when the whole power will pass over to such weak hands? The newsthat had been coming to Spain from Flanders during the year 1504 madethe whole picture looking worse. Philip was cheating on his wife andJoanna reacted very recklessly towards her rivals which had made her husband cold in attitude who even started locking the princess away in herchambers.In these circumstances The Queen,physically weak and sad, couldn’t cope with fever attacks that had occurred in 1504. Onthe top of it all, Ferdinand fell ill as well. The king overcame theillness but the physicians decided that it was necessary to separatethe spouses which touched upon Isabella immensely. Not being able to see her husband, notreceiving his visits and having sufferred so many tragedies, shethought some kind of terrible truth was being hidden from her.Although she had so much faith and courage in regards to greatmatters of state, it wasn’t the case when it comes to her private lifewhich led her to a breakdown.At the beginning of October she dictated her testament, knowing the end was coming soon. She wanted to calmdown, and leave all the matters settled before the death would take her away.She kept asking herself: what wouldhappen after her passing? What would happen with Castile when thecrown passed over to her unstable daughter and son-in-law who wasagainst all the ambitious plans of Ferdinand and Isabella? Being somuch worried – as a Catholic who was waiting for the Last Judgementand as a stateswoman with duties towards the country she had beenruling for many years – Isabella dictated her last will on 12thOctober 1504. ..Saint John Evangelist is my specialadvocate in this current life and I hope to have him as such in thehour of my death……in the hour of my death and of thatscary judgement and severe trial, more scary for wealthy ones, whenmy soul is put in front of the royal throne of the Highest Judge,most fair and objective who will judge all of us according to ourservices……Saint Jacob Apostle, special and themost dignified father and patron of these kingdoms of mine……Sain Hieronim, Francis and Dominicwho like night stars shone in the western parts of these realms ofmine……because it’s so certain we have todie and we aren’t sure when and where we will die, therefore we shalllive and be prepared as if we are to die at every moment……let see all of these who will seethis letter of my testament that I, Isabella, by the Grace of God,the Queen of Castile, León, Aragon……being physically ill due to theillnes that was sent upon me by the will of God and mentally healthyand conscious……irrefutably beliving and confessingeverything that the Saint Roman Catholic Church believes, confessesand teaches……in which faith that I was providedwith to die for it…and declaring it, I am dictating this legacy ofthe testament and the last will… wanting to emulate the noble kingEzechiel who desired to administrate in his house as he was toabandon it…Isabella thanked God for all the favorsfor all the humanity:…I know that I am not ableto talk about them all and that I don’t have enough strength as toshow my gratitude for receiving them…Terrified because of The Last Judgementthat was awaiting her, she begged God for mercy:..I ask that He don’t judge Hisservant but do with me as he pleases according to His Godly mercy……nobody can be excused before Him,much less we, who are to report all the matters of the great kingdoms…The Queen was terrified by theperspective of ending up in hell hence she asked Michael theArchangel:…so he would like to receive andprotect my soul from that cruel beast, the former snake who wouldlike to devour me…The Queen said she would like to beburied in Granada and she added that if death  hadnsurprised herelsewhere, her remains should have been transported there immediately: …which transfer I confide in myfamily, that they would do so, as soon as possible…She also gave the best proof of thegreat love she had always had for her husband, Isabella ordered that ifthe king had wanted to be buried elsewhere, in another church, monastery orcity, her body should have been moved there:…so the unity we had while living and that our souls, I believe in the God’s mercy, will have in heaven, was represented by our bodies on the floor…The Queen wanted to have a modestfuneral and all the money which was to be saved this way, should be spent on clothes forthe poor ones.…I order that besides those poorpeople who are to be clothed for what will be saved on my funeral,200 other poor ones to be clothed as well so they particulalry prayfor me to God…Two millions of maravedis were to bespend on young ladies who wanted to get married and on the ones who intended to take the vows. The Queen also wanted to spend some money on those prisoners who weren’t able to pay to set themselves free:…Within the year of my death, I want200 poor prisoners to be repurchased. So our Lord granted me joy andan absolution of all my sins and faults……I want  20.000 masses formy soul, to be celebrated, where the said executioners of my will believe that they will be reverentially celebrated…Isabella, of course, mentions herfamily and friends. She couldn’t forget about her grandson,Ferdinand, the only one out of all Joanna’s children who had had achance to be raised by her side, she granted him „two sums ofmaravedis until the end of his upbringing.” The Queen also had some advice andinstructions for her successors, Joanna and Philip:…as the Catholic Pirnces they shouldcare about the matters of Godly worship and their saint faith becausefor her (faith) we are obliged to sacrifice persons, lives andpossessions everytime it’s necessary…and that they don’t stop theconquer of Africa and battle with the infidels for the sake of the faith…and that they always support thematters of the Saint Inquisition against the heretical iniquity…Because Joanna had some emotional issues and was dependent on her pro French husband thus incapable to rule properly which was confirmed by the Castillian Parliment that had gathered in Toledo in 1502, concluding their deliberations in Madrid and Alcalá de Henares in 1503 which made the Queen appoint her husband, Ferdinand, a regent during the absence of their daughter or in the case of her inability to govern:…and all they agreed, claiming that in all of the said situations the King, my Lord, should rule, lead and administer in the said kingdoms and dominions of mine for the said princess, my daughter……until infant Charles, my grandson, the first born son and heir of the said prince and princess comes of age, being at least 20 years old……I ask and commend very sincerely the said princess, my daughter and so she would get the blessing of God, the king and mine for that, and also the said prince, her husband, to be always very obedient to the King, my Lord… that everything which is due to His Highness (the king) shall be as if I was alive and present… because there is a great reason to serve His Highness, listen to him and to cherish him more than a father because he is the most dignified king and ruler gifted with great and multiple virtues and as well as that he had been working very hard and made by his royal person in taking over the said kingdoms of mine…Isabella determined the order of succession: after Joanna the heir was her eldest son, Charles, then the younger one, Ferdinand and her daughters: Eleanor and Isabella and other children that Joanna and Philip would have in the future. The next in line were the other daughters of The Catholic Monarchs: Maria, Katherine and their descendants respectively. She commanded to have all the debts paid off, to give alms to the churches and to complete the task in regards to dowries of her daughters. The Queen left instructions in regards to the burial places of her two deceased children: Infanta Isabel was to be buried at the monastery of Santa Isabel at the Alhambra and as far as the prince Juan was concerned she commanded to make an alabaster sepulcher at the monastery of Santo Thomas nearby the city of Avila where Juan had been put to rest. And of course, she added the famous clause concerning native inhabitants of the Indias:…to not agree and cause so the Indians, inhabitants of the said Indias and of the mainland, the already discovered ones and these which will be discovered, suffered any damage as far as their persons and properties are concerned…Ferdinand was by her side in her last days, she passed away at noon on 26th day of November 1504.“…pain due to what I lost and what did lose all in those kingddoms, losing her penetrates me to the depths…Ferdinand The CatholicSource:Isabel La Católica by Manuel Fernández Álvarez -- source link
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