The Catholic Monarchs reconquered Hispania and expanded the boundaries of the known world.
Isabella of Trastámara, Isabella I of Castile, was the best and most just queen in history, the pride of the Spanish people, a just queen of all the citizens of the empire. She colonized a new continent, respecting its customs and culture, creating universities, and promoting the creation of grammar books for native languages. In her will, she established that all Native Americans were to be considered human beings with souls, free people, and had the same legal status as any Castilian. She fought against slavery and ordered the return of their lands.
"And since the Pope granted us the islands and mainland of the Ocean Sea, discovered and yet to be discovered [that is, America and its islands], and since it was my intention to procure, induce, and attract the people who populate them to the Catholic faith, and to send to the islands and mainland prelates, religious men, clerics, and other learned people... to instruct the inhabitants of those lands in the Catholic faith and teach them good customs. Furthermore, I most affectionately entreat the king, my lord, and I charge and command the princess, my daughter, and the prince, her husband, to do and fulfill this, and that this be their principal end and that they put great diligence into it, and that they do not consent or allow the Indians, neighbors and inhabitants of the Indies and mainland, won and yet to be won, to receive any harm in their persons or property, but rather that they be well and justly treated, and if they have received any harm, that they remedy it and provide that what was ordered and established in the apostolic letters of said concession is not exceeded in any way."
Extract from the will of Isabella I of Castile.
She was the first feminist in history, attracting cultured and intelligent women to the Court, such as Beatriz Galindo ("the Latina"), Beatriz de Bobadilla, Juana Contreras, and Juan de Nebrija, among others. She promoted education and respect for women, and was a benchmark for the feminine culture of the Renaissance.
A fighter, brave and strong like the strongest of kings, she knew how to endure adversity. She was also charitable, intelligent, pious, sincere and a skilled politician like no other Spain has ever had.
