The Spain of the Catholic Monarchs, 1474-1520

The Spain of the Catholic Monarchs is a comprehensive history of the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the first to be published in English since that of William Prescott in 1837. It provides full coverage of political, military, economic, social, cultural and religious life in Spain during this period. The book opens with an examination of the origins and upbringing of the two rulers before moving on to look at the difficulties surrounding Isabella’s accession in Castile, and the consolidation of the new regime. The origins and work of the new Spanish Inquisition are analyzed, as is the war against the Muslim kingdom of Granada. The author looks in detail at economic life, including overseas trade and maritime discovery, foreign policy, including the Italian wars, and religion in Spain, including the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, the treatment of Muslims before and after that date, and the religious and economic life of the Church, together with efforts to reform it. The chapter on culture discusses achievements in literature, art, architecture, music and drama, and assesses the influence on Spain of Humanism and the Renaissance. The book concludes with an evaluation of the achievements of the Catholic Monarchs, and their legacy to Charles V.John Edwards’ book takes into account all the latest scholarship and research from Spain and provides a valuable introduction to this key period in Spanish history.