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The

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Catholic Monarchs The Union of Two Dynasties

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At the end of the 15th century, the two most powerful kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula

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were Castilla and Aragon. Isabel, Princess of Castilla, and Fernando, heir to the throne

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of Aragon, celebrated their marriage on 19 October 1469. This unified the two kingdoms

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and was the foundation of the Spanish state as we know it today.

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Although the two dynasties formed an alliance, both Castilla and Aragon maintained their

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own laws, parliaments, and currencies.

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An Authoritarian Monarchy

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The Catholic Monarchs were a powerful authoritarian monarchy. They formed a strong and modern

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army and an efficient government. This helped them to control their kingdoms. They were

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passionate defenders of Christian faith in Spain. They took control of the Muslim kingdom

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of Granada in 1492, completing the Reconquista. That same year, they expelled the Jews, ending

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years of cultural coexistence in Spain.

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Territorial Expansion

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The Catholic Monarchs expanded their kingdom. They established new European territories.

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Their children married the heirs of powerful European monarchies, consolidating their power

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on the continent.

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They financed the expedition of Christopher Columbus, who discovered a new continent,

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America.