Isabella 1 of spain biography

Isabella I () was queen of Castile from to She and her husband, Ferdinand V, founded the modern Spanish state.

Born in Madrigal on April 22, , Isabella was the daughter of John II of Castile by his second wife, Isabella of Portugal, and was the half sister of Henry IV, who succeeded to the Castilian throne in Henry had recognized Isabella as his heir over the claims of his daughter Juana, whose royal paternity was questioned by the King's opponents, but when Isabella married Ferdinand of Aragon in , Henry conferred the succession on Juana.

When Henry died in , Isabella immediately claimed the throne.

In the ensuing civil war Juana was supported by a cross section of the great nobles as well as by the Portuguese king, Alfonso V. Alfonso's army was defeated at the battle of Toro in , and he made peace with the Catholic Monarchs (as the pair were styled) in In that same year Ferdinand succeeded to the throne of Aragon, associating Isabella with his rule in With Juana