Explain the emergence of Spain as a unified and strong kingdom focused on Christianity under the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella
What will be an ideal response?
The process of the Reconquista occurred slowly over several hundred years, but with the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella and the unification of the seven kingdoms, there was a realignment within Spain toward one religion: Catholicism. The reclaiming of the Spanish lands from Muslim and Jewish inhabitants was a slow one. Initially, Spain's noble families protested the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella because the consolidation of territory was empowering and a frightening buildup that challenged the authority of the nobility. Within ten years, Ferdinand and Isabella had unified Spain and brought the nobility to heel. The accumulation of power by the royal couple was a gradual process in which they worked to respect the distinct differences of the kingdoms within Spain. In Aragon, for example, Ferdinand's power was limited by the nobility to being that of a constitutional monarchy. In Castile, however, it was easier to impose a stronger rule and make the nobility dependent on royal favor. By 1492, there was no question that the region was under the authority of Ferdinand and Isabella; it had a strong, centralist monarchy; had a dependent nobility; and was entirely Catholic after the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from the state.
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