Ferdinand and Isabella

• S= hierarchial
• nobs not manual labour
• weak feudal ties nobs and king
• power fams- .e.g Mendoza (related F, large land N C, support IS crown 1474, power wealth sheep farm, BUT exlcuded any position in gov, benefit 1505 entail pass estate s1 heir)
• lesser nobs make figure 60+ power fams
• Salamanca- 63% land & 60% pop nobs control
• A relations king & nobs= less stable C, but fewer- less 20
• nobs= wealth, land, influence= threat king
• tax exemptions, right control sheep walks used Mesta, tolls go to nobs not king
• vassals- work on land, draft into armies
• Valesco fam- Constable of C, control 250+ towns/ vills 
• masterships of Military Orders gain power, but by 1501 held by F
• dominant in Cortes, high profile town councils
• firm grip countryside- high rents + feudal services
• central gov= limited success, grant entails 1505 prevent conflict and disputes
• nobs= only area gov sympathy lower classes

KAMEN= nobs serious threat king, only saved by rivarly between themselves

MCCLIVE: nobs 'power grown strongly during the 14th century'

MCCLIVE= 'F never succeeded on supressing the nobs, nor did he recieve any significant cooperation'

• Oct 1469- F&I secret marriage
• I= 'plain face' 'nose was... irregular'
• concessions- F 'reside and be in them (C) with Her Highness... I will not leave them without her will and counsel, & I will not remove her from them w/o her consent & will' 
• I= want C international well
• F want A protect French
• F= 24 concessions not steal throne I
• I not tell bro HIV, or RC
• Spain not united- Gran & Port outside control
• F&I= cousins, blessing Pope 1474
• I crowned death HIV 1474- quick, avoid challenges e.g Jo Mad

• I support= lim, no high-ranking people coronation (Sergovia)
• Assembly (parlia) of C accept I queen
• 5 yr struggle acceptance, ended Battle of Toro 1476- allow I summon Cortes defined ruling as monarch
• AB Toledo= main opponent, large # troops, castles & support. Surrender 1478
• towns N & S C resist

MCCLIVE= Is= 'determined and resourceful'

• son born 1478- dynasty, heir throne
• King Alfonso support Jo Mad- failed
• support F
• 1479 I= secure throne- Jo= nun
• 1479 F= King A = united Spain
• F inherit G, Valencia, Catalonia
• Cat= unsuccesful attempts be independent
• Port- still sep til 1580
• C&A= large nob threat, large land, wealth, peasants controlled

Differences:

• size
• C= bigger, pop & geog
• 5 mill people in C, 1 mill A
• C seve cities 50,000 A fewer cities 20,000
• C= more unified, gov acknowledged throughout 1 repr body Cortes
• A= 3 Cortes- Catalonia, Valencia & Granada (less power king)
• C cortes 3 houses, A= 4. Each state A committee act when Cortes not in session
• justicia challenge privilidges (fueros)
• C= 1 lang & coin
• C develop commerce, wool trade, Burgos= trade city
• A towns compete against not work together
• A= farm & trade, C= wool/sheep
• C more autho, need Cortes validate decisions, A= not new laws w/o Cortes consent
• A rarely saw king/ queen, C= more peripatetic

ELLIOT- C= 'transformed and invigorated' by wool trade, monarchs 'established strong personal rule'

HUNT- A 'aim was to restore royal authority' F main target= nobs but 'anxious bring under control'

KAMEN= 'far reaching changes.... political economic and social life'

PRESCOTT, 1837- 'most glorious epoch in the annals of Spain'

• F&I unite C&A
• new possibs- remove Turk threat, rid Moors
• most hists= F&I left S stronger 'absolute' rulers
• no restraints autho, dismiss councillors and ministers, parlia never summoned, all aspects ofd gov monarchs commands

KAMEN: doubts, F&I supporters strong auth but not able exercise it- CERTINALY NO THEORY OF ABSOLUTISM

• I use 'absolutely power'
• use decrees, not statute law in C
• after 1480