madeleine92posts:On this day in history (October 19th 1469) Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II o

madeleine92posts:On this day in history (October 19th 1469) Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon (parents to Katherine of Aragon and Joanna I of Castile) got married at Vivero Palace in Valladolid. After her younger brother’s death in 1468, Isabella decided to fight for her rights to the Castilian throne with Henry IV of Castile, the current king and her half-brother with whom she shared a father. The infanta had a support of some powerful nobles who hadn’t been satisfied with Henry’s reign or rather with the fact they had lost the king’s favor - and following the path paved by her younger brother Alfonso who had been proclaimed the king of Castile in 1465 during the event known as Farce of Ávila by some discontent nobles, she wanted to secure her position in line of the Castilian succession, trying to put aside her niece, Juana La Beltraneja (who had been rumoured to be a daughter of king Henry’s favorite, Beltran de La Cueva, given the said king’s virility problems). In 1468 Isabella and her faction had achieved their goal as she got the title of the Princess of Asturias according to the famous Treaty of Guisando, instead of her niece, Juana de Trastámara. She promised the king  to not act against his will and respect him as her king until his ultimate death and also that she wouldn’t get married without his permission but in exchange for that, he wouldn’t force her into any marriage she wouldn’t approve. However, Isabella wasn’t sworn the heiress by Castilian courts like it was customary thus her new position wasn’t official by any means and Henry didn’t seem to take her ambitions seriously. The king wanted to marry her off abroad hence isolating her from her homeland and paving a path for his daughter so she could ascend the throne after his death. Isabella and her advisors were perfectly aware of possible traps that might have been set up by Henry and his faction, so she had to act very carefully if she wanted to achieve her goals in future. After her younger brother’s death, Isabella’s political role had been becoming more and more significant and suddenly she became one of the best matches of the time. There were many marriage proposals coming from reigning European houses. We can list three, the most serious offers that had been taken into consideration by Henry IV and the Infanta respectively: Alfonso V of Portugal, Isabella’s first cousin once removed (approved by her brother, the king), Charles of Valois, younger son of Charles VII of France (also approved by the king) and Ferdinand of Aragon, Isabella’s second cousin with whom she shared the same house, language and blood ties. It was Ferdinand’s father, John II of Aragon who made the proposal in the first place. John II had been coping with rebellions of his subjects for many years and by marrying his son to the heiress of Castilian throne, he wanted so secure his position in Europe. He was so determined to win Isabella’s favor that he showered Cárdenas and Chacón, her closest advisors with gifts and multiple favors. He even sent one of his best diplomats Pierres de Peralta to Castile in order to negotiate with the marriage proposal with the princess. Besides being one of the Spanish princes and Isabella’s second cousin, Ferdinand was vigorious, good-looking, shrewd, clever, young, a few months her minor and experienced as far as warfare was concerned. He was the perfect candidate considering the fact Isabella would have to fight in order to get the crown. However, after the meeting in Gusiando where she had been proclaimed the heiress, the infanta went with her brother to Ocaña where she was given under the custody of Marquis de Villena, Henry’s right hand. Her moves were totally blocked. She had spent in Ocaña a couple of months, waiting for her opportunity to escape. Before the said opportunity appeared in spring of the 1469, Isabella had made a decision about marrying Ferdinand II of Aragon. King Henry and his advisor, Marquis de Villena left Ocaña, going to Andalusia and precisely then Isabella took the opportunity and started acting. The first anniversary of her younger brother’s death was coming soon and the infanta decided to use it as an excuse to set herself free from her house arrest. As a sister she had to go to Ávila in order to supervise over preparations for a mass that was to be held in Alfonso’s honor. She even suggested all the ladies that had been imposed on her by Marquis de Villena could go with her but only a few decided to take the risk, considering a trip of this kind was rather dangerous. Isabella, indeed, went to Ávila, keeping her promise and taking part in the ceremony but she never came back. From Ávila she had gone to Madrigal asking one of her powerful supporters, namely, Alfonso Carrillo de Acuña for his help to which he responded, escorting her to Valladolid where she was to marry Ferdinand a couple of months later. Henry IV had found out about Isabella and Ferdinand’s plans and had his guards watching over all main border crossings to make it impossible for Ferdinand to get to Castile in order to marry his half-sister. Ferdinand and his father had to resort to a subterfuge: they publicly refused to receive an envoy that had been sent to Zaragoza by Isabella, announcing that Ferdinand had been summoned to Catalonia in order to accompany his father on a war. Meanwhile dangerous, uncertain and secret trip was being prepared; Ferdinand was to go to Castile through a forgotten border crossing in the Montalvo mountains. In early autumn Ferdinand left Aragon, travelling by day and night dressed up as a muleteer who was accompanying a group of merchants to avoid any suspicions. However there was a serious obstacle: They both were members of the house of Trastámara thus had common ancestors: John I of Castile (Isabella’s paternal grandfather) and Ferdinand I of Aragon (Ferdinand’s paternal grandfather) were blood brothers and the princes couldn’t get married without a papal dispensation that would allow them to do so. At the time Paul II was the head of the Catholic Church and obviously, John II of Aragon had asked for the permission but the pope didn’t give his consent. Henry IV of Castile had been on particularly good terms with pope Paul and he obtained an analogical dispensation for his sister so she could marry Alfonso V of Portugal so the pope refused to grant one for Ferdinand and Isabella. The couple was determined to get married as soon as possible, considering they didn’t have time to lose; they needed to fake the said dispensation. We don’t know who came up with the idea, it could be Archbishop Carillo, Ferdinand or Isabella but it’s a fact that the bull was forged and read out before the ceremony. (Pope Paul II had died in 1471 and his successor Sixtus IV granted the authentic disnepsation, legalising the marriage of the princes.) It was clear the bull was a forgery: Pius II who had allegedly granted the said dispensation died in 1464 and the bull was dated a few months back before his ultimate demise. We know there weren’t any serious plans in regards to that particular marriage as soon as in 1464 and the next pope clearly didn’t give his consent.On 12th day of October Ferdinand drove into Valladolid where he was to be presented to the princess. At the time Isabella had been at the palace of Juan Vivero, where Ferdinand had been received by Archbishop Carrillo and presented to Isabella. On 18th day of October the ceremony had begun, the false dispensation was read out and Ferdinand swore to respect all the laws and customs of the kingdom of Castile. The next day, on Thursday, the wedding was celebrated followed by the wedding reception. On that night the neewly - weds consummated the marriage which could be easily confirmed by courtiers that had been waiting in front of the chamber. Henry IV before getting married to Joanna of Portugal abolished the custom of public consumption considering his sad experience he had had with his first wife, Blanche of Navarre (Ferdinand’s half-sister) but this time people wanted to know how it would be with the new couple. Thus the antechamber had been filled with courtiers and even though they didn’t see anything, they heard enough and later on they were able to see the sheets stained with Isabella’s blood - the strongest proof she wasn’t a virgin anymore. There were a few witnesses standing at the door of the chamber outstretching the sheets that used to be shown on occasions of this kind… …and when they were pulling them out, trumpets, drums and pipes could be heard……and the sheets were showed off to all these who were waiting in the room that was full of people…Chronicle of Diego de Valera Ferdinand and Isabella had five children who survived to adulthood (miscarriages and stillborns aside):Isabella of Aragon (1470-1498) - queen consort of Portugal as first wife of Manuel IJohn of Aragon (1478-1497) - the heir to the thrones of Castile and Aragon, husband of Margaret of AustriaJoanna I of Castile (1479-1555) - the ultimate heiress, wife of Philip of Burgundy “The Handsome”Maria of Aragon - she had a twin sibling that was born stillborn (1482-1517) - queen consort of Portugal as second wife of Manuel IKatherine of Aragon (1485-1536) - queen consort of England as first wife of Henry VIIISources: Isabel La Católica, Manuel Fernández ÁlvarezIsabel La Católica vida y reinado, Tarsicio de Azcona linkThey weren’t sweet, they weren’t perfect either as a couple or as individuals. Both had their issues; he happened to be taking mistresses, she wasn’t always loyal to him, they had clashes and disagreements but they grew to love each other and supported one another, they managed to make it all work, laying grounds for the Spanish Empire of Charles V and Philip II of Spain, their grandson and great grandson respectively. They were a fascinating and remarkable couple. -- source link

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