The Reign of the Catholic Monarchs
Who were the Catholic Monarchs?
Isabel I of Castilla and Fernando II of Aragón
By the end of the Middle Ages, what was the only kingdom still under Muslim control?
The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada
Why did Europeans need to find new routes to Asia in the mid-15th Century?
When the Byzantine Empire was invaded by the Ottomans in 1453, the trade routes that linked Europe and Asia were closed
Of the 3 Pre-Columbian civilizations we discussed (the Maya, Aztec, and Inca), which is the oldest?
The Maya (their civilization began around 1800 BCE)
What was the person who represented the monarchs in each of their kingdoms in their absence called?
Viceroy
What was the Inquisition? When did it begin? Who did it affect?
A religious court that persecuted those who committed crimes against the faith and false converts, led by a general inquisitor
Began in 1478
Jews and Muslims
Who were Moriscos?
The Mudéjar (Muslims living in Christian territories) who converted to Christianity; however, they were still persecuted by the Inquisition
Name 2 technological advances that made the expeditions of the 15th Century possible.
Compass, astrolabe, sextant, portolan charts, new ships (carracks, naos, and caravels), cannons, arquebuses, muskets
Who was Quetzalcoatl (also known as Kukulkan)?
Mesoamerican feathered serpent god
Known as Quetzalcoatl to the Aztecs and Kukulkan to the Mayans
What were the groups of indigenous Americans and territories assigned to colonists called?
Encomiendas
What were 2 of the Catholic Monarchs' main objectives during their reign?
Who were the Guanches?
The native people of the Canary Islands
What were the Capitulations of Santa Fé?
An agreement signed by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492 under which 10% of the riches obtained would go to Columbus and the rest to the crown
What was the form of writing the Mayans used called?
Hieroglyphs
Name 1 person who protested the treatment of indigenous Americans.
Friar Antonio de Montesinos and Bartolomé de las Casas
Name 2 domestic reforms that the Catholic Monarchs implemented in order to weaken the power of the nobility.
A permanent army was formed with professional soldiers; the royal treasury was given greater power; councils of experts were appointed to advise the monarchs; the judicial system was restructured through audiencias; a militia Santa Hermandad was created
What is primogeniture and why did the Catholic Monarchs decide to officially recognize it?
Primogeniture is the right for all family assets to be inherited by the first born child - they could not be bought or sold
To compensate the nobility for their loss of political power
This resulted in very powerful families
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
A papal bull signed in 1494 that divided the world into two zones for exploration and conquest, one for Portugal and one for Spain
Who was Pachacuti?
The 9th Ruler of the Kingdom of Cusco who united the Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu)
Name 3 European cities that grew after the new Atlantic trade routes were established.
Lisbon, Cádiz, Amsterdam, London, Antwerp, and Sevilla
Name 3 key accomplishments of the Catholic Monarchs' reign.
They established the present-day territory of the Spanish state, completed the Reconquest (and, in turn, the Pope named them the "Catholic Monarchs"), ended the religious diversity of medieval Spain, financed Christopher Columbus's expedition, converted the Hispanic Monarchy into a great power in Europe and the Americas
Who was Juan Luis Vives and what did he propose?
The most important humanist of the time, a converted Jew who went into exile to escape the Inquisition (spent the rest of his life in Flanders and England)
He was a follower of Erasmus of Rotterdam and proposed the creation of social services for the poor and educational reforms
Which explorer crossed the Isthmus of Panama in 1513?
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
What was Popol Vuh?
The sacred book of the Maya explaining their history and mythology
Who conquered the Inca Empire and why was it so fast?
Francisco Pizarro
There was a dynastic crisis in the empire