The restoration of royal authority; royal government; unity and…

The idea

Ferdinand and Isabella restored royal authority by subduing rebellious nobles through the use of the Santa Hermandad (a crown-controlled police force) and reclaiming alienated crown lands at the Cortes of Toledo (1480). Royal government was reformed by relying on letrados (university-educated lawyers) in the royal councils, bypassing the traditional aristocracy. Despite their marriage, unity was limited to a dynastic confederation; Castile and Aragon retained their distinct laws, customs, and taxation systems, meaning true political unification was never achieved. In foreign policy, they expanded their influence through strategic matrimonial alliances with England and the Habsburgs, aiming to encircle their primary rival, France, while securing their borders and Mediterranean interests.

What earns the marks

• Explain the mechanisms used to restore royal authority, such as the Santa Hermandad and the Act of Resumption (1480).
• Analyze the restructuring of royal government, particularly the professionalisation of the Royal Council using letrados.
• Evaluate the nature of the union between Castile and Aragon as a dynastic confederation rather than a unified, centralized state.
• Assess the strategic goals of their foreign policy, focusing on anti-French alliances and the use of dynastic marriages.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Claiming Ferdinand and Isabella created a fully unified Spanish nation.

  Put it right by explaining they operated a dual monarchy where each kingdom kept its own laws and institutions.

• Stating that the nobility lost all their power.

  Put it right by noting that while their political power in government was reduced, their social and economic dominance remained intact.

• Viewing foreign policy as solely focused on the New World.

  Put it right by emphasizing that European relations, particularly containing France and securing Italy, were their primary diplomatic concerns.

Exam tips

• Use specific examples of government machinery, such as the corregidores and the letrados, to demonstrate knowledge of royal government.
• When discussing unity, explicitly contrast the theoretical concept of a united Spain with the practical reality of a confederation of distinct realms.
• Link foreign policy directly to dynastic security, showing how the marriages of their children were used as diplomatic weapons against France.