Territorial Unification and the Reign of Charles V
The Territorial Unification: Union of Marriage, Not Kingdoms
The Catholic Monarchs discussed the attempt to incorporate Granada, Navarra, and conquer Portugal. The conquest of Granada began in 1483, ending with the Capitulations of Santa Fe (1492) that guaranteed Muslims the use of their language, customs, and religion, thus concluding the Christian conquest.
Navarra
A strategic location between the Hispanic monarchy kingdoms, and thanks to a skillful policy by Fernando, in 1512 Navarra was incorporated, keeping its own institutions.
Portugal
The political marriage failed to incorporate Portugal.
Political Action: Strengthening of Political Power
- A government by councils
- An increase in bureaucracy
- Control of cities with the mayor in municipalities
- Justice with hearings and chancery
- The Court of the Inquisition (1478)
- Holy Brotherhood (1476) = militia to control the people
- Control of the nobility (1480) – Court of Toledo
Territorial Expansion
Aragon
Expansion to the Mediterranean and Southern Italy, isolating France.
Castile
Atlantic expansion, including islands, territories in America, and North Africa.
Religious Unity
The monarchs tried to control the appointment of senior church offices through the presentation of potential candidates to the Pope (Royal Patronage). Christians, Jews, and Muslims had coexisted throughout the Middle Ages in a weak ethnic and religious tolerance. As a result, the Tribunal of the Holy Office (Inquisition) was created in 1478 for all realms.
- The Jews were expelled in 1492.
- The forced conversion of Muslims occurred in 1502.
- The creation of a “Maestrazgo” (military order) controlled by the King.
The Idea of Empire of Charles V
The possession of many vast territories encouraged the idea of Emperor Charles V to try to raise all Christians under the flag of the Emperor, the highest feudal hierarchy, and extending the Catholic religion against the infidels. This concept was supported by a minority of intellectuals. Time demonstrated that the project was impossible to realize. The Empire failed to be a centralized state or monarchy; it was only a unit with little legal and material cohesion and with heavy spiritual clashes in Europe. The creation of national states in the Peninsula and the religious burst between Catholics and Protestants, and the constant threat of the Ottoman Empire, were other obstacles to the triumph of the proposed rule.
Foreign Policy of Charles V
It is renowned for the break with the traditional policy of the Catholic Monarchs and for the conservation of territorial domains. The Crown became an Empire. It had three main objectives:
- Confrontation with France for European hegemony.
- Defense of Christianity from the Turks.
- Defense of Christian orthodoxy from Protestant Europeans.
Charles always looked for a good neighborhood with Portugal and the alliance of England. He married the Portuguese princess Isabel in 1526. The war between Charles V and Francis I of France involved more than 25 battlefields: Navarra, Burgundy, and Italian domains. France failed in its attempt to annex Navarra, which was annexed to the Spanish crown. The Duchy of Milan was desired, and finally, Francis I was defeated in the Battle of Pavia. In the Peace of Cambrai, Charles ensured mastery of the Duchy of Milan and Burgundy. The confrontation with the Turks was a failure. The appearance of Protestantism led to coping with Christian orthodoxy. In 1556, Charles abdicated in favor of Philip II.