Isabella and Ferdinand Marriage

Arguments FOR their marraige out of affection

• Isabella made a daring and risky marriage alliance with Ferdinand
• Monarch's heads appeared jointly on coins and they dispensed justice together
• Motto of, "Tanto monta, monta tanto" emphasized equally balanced soverigns
• April 1475: Isabella granted full power to Ferdinand to act without her in Castille, as though she were there
• Isabella's chronicler Hernando del Pulgar: "though necessity separated persons, love held thier wills together. 
• At time of marriage, they were so poor they had to borrow to cover marriage expenses.

Arguments AGAINST their marriage out of affection

• Contrasting characters: Isabella was devout and chaste while Ferdinand was worldly and unfaithful
• MArriages of Aragon to Castille held together fragile truces
• Negotiations were carried out in secret particularly by the great Enriquez noble family.
• Only met four days before wedding in October 1469
• The 2 royal families had married and intermarried unitl papal dispensatin was needed for almost every peninsular wedding
• John II of Aragon faced expansionist threats from Louis XI and revolution, his best hope was Castillian assistance

Arguments FOR Isabella marrying Ferdinand to further her image as an ideal ruler

• Castille was 4x the size of Aragon and far richer - did she need this kingdom?
  
• Concord of Segovia - Ferdinand's rule over Castille was limited:Probable that Isabella was personally involved in the drafting the marriage treaty. Shown as Ferdinand would supply Aragonease soldiers and resources to fight Castillain causes
  • All appointments/acts were to be in accordance iwht the Queen's wishes
  • All public decisions to be signed by both
  • All recorded decisions were made in full agreement
• Foreign policies and resources came together for common aims
• The union strengthened Isabella's position in Castille

Arguments AGAINST Isabella marrying Ferdinand to further her image as an ideal ruler

• Aragon maintained it's laws against a female succession
• The 2 kingdoms remained remarkably dissimilar and unequal
• The marriage horrified France, Louis XI tried hard to have the marriage annuled. Henry IV threatened to arrest Isabella
• Many of the Castillian grandees were bitterly opposed to the marriage
• Strong muual antipathy between Aragin and Castille made the prospect of a union unattractive to both
• Archbishop Toledo and John II of Aragon bribed Castillian nobles to support Ferdinand