After the death of Henry IV of Castile in 1474, a civil war known as the War of the Castilian Succession began. Isabel, the king’s half-sister, claimed the throne of Castile as the legitimate heir, while Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of Henry IV, also claimed the throne. Isabel received the support of the Castilian nobility and important figures, such as Cardinal Cisneros and Juana’s husband, Alfonso V of Portugal.

Isabel was a great promoter of exploration and sponsored several voyages, including those of Columbus and other navigators. Her financial and political support was fundamental for the beginning of the Age of Discovery, which expanded geographical knowledge and opened new trade routes for Spain.

One of the highlights of Isabel’s reign was the support she gave to the navigator Christopher Columbus for his famous voyage in search of a new route to the Indies. According to legend, when Columbus returned from his first voyage and met Isabel, she received him standing, as a sign of respect and recognition.

One of Isabel’s most outstanding achievements was the conquest of the last Muslim kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, Granada. After years of warfare, on January 2, 1492, the Catholic Monarchs took the city of Granada and put an end to Muslim rule in the region. This event marked the end of the Spanish Reconquest and consolidated the unified kingdom under the reign of Isabel and Fernando.