Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
By the early 15th century the political
structure of the Iberian Peninsula has been
consolidated into three major kingdoms:
Castile, Aragon, and Portugal. After a 700-
year struggle (the Reconquest), the once
powerful Muslim invaders have been driven
back into the region around Granada. Cas-
tile and Portugal have already begun prob-
ing out into the Atlantic, disputing control
of such islands as Madeira, the Azores, and
the Canaries. Aragon, concentrating on the
Mediterranean, has taken control of the
Balearics and established a dynastic pres-
ence in southern Italy.
church that give them power over the
appointment of prelates and the use of
the Inquisition as an instrument of ide-
ological control.
1482
Portugal, continuing its exploration of the
African coast, establishes a trading post at
Mina on the Gold Coast (Ghana).
1484-85
King John II of Portugal (1481-95) intensi-
fies the pace of exploration. Diogo Cão
reaches the mouth of the Congo River.
1469
Marriage of Isabella, heiress of Castile, to
Ferdinand, heir of Aragon, marking the
first step in the creation of a unified Span-
ish nation-state.
1488
Bartolomeu Dias rounds the southern tip of
Africa (Cape of Good Hope) and sails
some distance up the continent's east
coast, proving that India is accessible by a
water route.
1474
Death of Enrique IV of Castile. His half sis-
ter, Isabella, takes the throne, declaring
Enrique's daughter, Joanna, to be ille-
gitimate. Isabella is supported by most of
the Castilian nobles. Afonso V of Portu-
gal, who has married Joanna, invades
Castile to assert her claim but is defeated
at the Battle of Toro.
1492
Fall of Granada, last stronghold of the Moors
in Spain. Isabella, aided by the Inquisi-
tion, begins a program of religious “puri-
fication”: All Jews in her kingdom
(between 150,000 and 200,000) are or-
dered to convert to Christianity or leave.
The same order is imposed upon Muslims
in 1502. For the time being these policies
are not enforced in Aragon.
1479
Ferdinand succeeds to the throne of Ara-
gon. Now sovereign in their respective
kingdoms, he and Isabella begin the
next stage in the creation of the Spanish
state. Their policies include strengthen-
ing of the towns at the expense of the
feudal aristocracy, creating a bureau-
cracy for the management of finance,
establishment of armed forces at their
disposal, and arrangements with the
1492-93
Christopher Columbus, sailing under au-
thority from Castile, crosses the Atlantic,
seeking an all-water route to Asia that
will rival the Portuguese. He “discovers”
America, touching at the island he names
Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the
Dominican Republic). On three subse-
quent voyages he will reach other islands
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