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Isabella I of Castile Trivia Questions

How much do you really know about Isabella I of Castile? Below are 8 true or false statements. Click each one to reveal the answer and explanation.

1.

Isabella funded Columbus's voyages by pawning her personal jewelry.

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Easy
✗ FALSE

This is a romantic myth; the crown actually borrowed money from bankers, and Isabella’s jewels were not pawned for the first voyage.

2.

Isabella banned all non-Catholic religions in her kingdoms before the Alhambra Decree.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

The Alhambra Decree of 1492 expelled Jews; earlier, she allowed forced conversions but not outright bans on all non-Catholic faiths.

3.

Isabella I personally convinced Christopher Columbus to sail west after others rejected him.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

Actually, Queen Isabella was initially hesitant; Columbus's persistence and the promise of spreading Christianity finally won her support in 1492.

4.

Isabella personally led troops into battle during the War of the Castilian Succession.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

She was a brilliant strategist but never fought on the front lines; she organized logistics and rallied troops from the rear.

5.

Isabella was fluent in Latin, a rare skill for a medieval queen.

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Hard
✓ TRUE

She studied Latin diligently as an adult, surprising court scholars, and could read classical texts and legal documents unaided.

6.

Isabella I of Castile, along with her husband Ferdinand, completed the Reconquista by conquering Granada in 1492.

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Hard
✓ TRUE

The Catholic Monarchs captured the Emirate of Granada, the last Muslim state on the Iberian Peninsula, in January 1492, ending the centuries-long Reconquista.

7.

Isabella I of Castile created the first unified legal code for Castile, the Ordenamiento de Montalvo.

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Hard
✓ TRUE

She commissioned a comprehensive law code in 1484, streamlining Castile’s chaotic local laws and strengthening royal authority.

8.

Isabella and her husband Ferdinand were first cousins.

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Hard
✗ FALSE

They were second cousins, both great-grandchildren of John I of Castile. Their marriage required a papal dispensation due to consanguinity.

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