Spain Seeks Sainthood For Queen Isabella

[Jacqueline]

Spain seeks sainthood for Isabella
By Isambard Wilkinson in Madrid
(Filed: 23/04/2003)

Spain's Roman Catholic bishops are to petition the Pope to canonise Queen Isabella of Castile, one of history's most vilified monarchs.

Senior churchmen led by Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco, the Archbishop of Madrid, yesterday revived a campaign asking that Queen Isabella be beatified, the first step towards being made a saint.

They hope for her to be beatified next year to mark the 500th anniversary of her death.

During her tempestuous 15th century reign, Isabella conquered much of Latin America for the Vatican, ended the 700-year presence of Moors and Jews on the Iberian Peninsula and assured the hegemony of Castile and the Catholic Church in Spain.

"We have investigated every aspect of this controversial and fascinating woman and it appears to be the time to abandon intransigence and see her in the context of her time and environment," said Jose Delicado, the Archbishop of Vallodolid, at the launch of the campaign, which was attended by Latin American ambassadors to Madrid.

Earlier attempts to launch Isabella - or La Catolica as she became known - on the road to sainthood ended in ignominy.

Waves of protest accompanied a 1999 initiative, with her detractors accusing her of exiling Jews and Muslims from Spain, instigating genocide in Latin America and setting up the Inquisition, which tortured and burnt hundreds of her countrymen at the stake.

The dictator Gen Franco instigated a campaign for Isabella's canonisation in 1952, believing that she embodied the ideals of "national Catholicism" along with its connotations of religious and racial purity.

But her popularity with Franco tarnished her image and the Vatican put to one side the 217 volumes and 800,000 documents sent to them by the then archbishop of Vallodolid.

Article From: news.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Josefine]

`how did this go did she get sainthood?

 

[MoonlightRhapsody]

I don't think so, I've heard nothing about it.

Personally, I don't think she should be a saint. Yes, she did much to expand Catholicism, but her method for doing so is highly questionable. For me, being a saint means that a person died for his/her religion, defied oppression, and happily accepted death as a consequence of their beliefs.

 

[Australian]

Is this the same Isabella that sponsored Chrsitopher Columbus? if it is, she shouldnt be a saint because she cheated Columbus, she promised money and jewells for him and she never gave it to him when he completed the task she sent him to do. I could be wrong, maybe it wasnt her or it was her that wanted to give him the money but she dies and her successor refused to give columbus the money owed. Not sure.

 

[aj00192557]

I don't think so, I've heard nothing about it.

Personally, I don't think she should be a saint. Yes, she did much to expand Catholicism, but her method for doing so is highly questionable. For me, being a saint means that a person died for his/her religion, defied oppression, and happily accepted death as a consequence of their beliefs.

i totally agree. saints don't kill people. she did a lot for the wealth and power of the roman Catholic church but forgot its basic teachings. kindness and faith in your heart is more important than being a member of an institution made of gold and marble. Im not even sure if she's gone to heaven after everything shes done...

 

[iowabelle]

I'm probably going to cause a controversy here.

But you have to look at Isabella in the context of her time. She was a devout Catholic and looked at her actions in Spain as saving Christians from the infidels. This was a queen who even went to battle while pregnant! She sacrificed her children to make Spain wealthy and safe from external threats. Isabella was a magnificent sovereign.

And the subjugation of the native people of America and the stripping of its material wealth was part of the plan to save Spain. It also had the side benefit of allowing Christianity to be brought to the native people so that they too could share in Christ's mercy. (Yes, I know that many were killed or enslaved as a result of this policy.)

I'm not saying it was good or that Isabella deserves to be a saint, but you have to look at it in the context of the 1500s. You might even find some analogies between Spanish policy of the 1500s and current events.

 

[lula]

I'm probably going to cause a controversy here.

But you have to look at Isabella in the context of her time. She was a devout Catholic and looked at her actions in Spain as saving Christians from the infidels. This was a queen who even went to battle while pregnant! She sacrificed her children to make Spain wealthy and safe from external threats. Isabella was a magnificent sovereign.

And the subjugation of the native people of America and the stripping of its material wealth was part of the plan to save Spain. It also had the side benefit of allowing Christianity to be brought to the native people so that they too could share in Christ's mercy. (Yes, I know that many were killed or enslaved as a result of this policy.)

I'm not saying it was good or that Isabella deserves to be a saint, but you have to look at it in the context of the 1500s. You might even find some analogies between Spanish policy of the 1500s and current events.

I agree with you. The history is never objective completely. During great part of the 20th century the history of Spain was studied by foreign historians while Spain was a dictatorship, in many aspects it did not give a very objective vision of the history.
In the last years many studies have been done on the Queen Isabel. According to the documents she was asking to that they were travelling to America that they were treating well the native ones, nevertheless the things not always were like that. It is very easy to judge the history from our current vision. But many of the spanish who travelled to America married with native, and there were half-caste many. The local elites were marrying the Spanish. And some of the Spanish monks who travelled there helped to preserve the local cultures.
Today in day they continue existing native in the countries of latinoamerica and support part of their culture and someone of their languages.
On the expulsion of the Arabs of Spain, it is necessary to bear in mind that Spain was a Christian kingdom that the Arabs invaded.

There is curious the cirtica that is done to prominent figures as the Queen Isabel, while others are not judged of the same way. Probably it is because Spain is a smaller country, and because during great part of the XXth century he lived isolated by a dictatorship, and i lost all its power in the century XVIII. Now they send others.
What did happen with the english and the United States? Where are native Americans? And with Australia? That happened with the english and French and Canada? And the Asian colonies, and the African ones... And all settlings were in the later centuries, and some of them have been kept until recent years. Probably it would be necessary to think more about it, and not to judge a personage who lived her time ... and besides being a woman.
And Napoleon? He invaded several European countries and it was the XIXth century.
I feel if I bother someone with my reflection, but it seems to me to be unjust to judge a personage of the XVth century, when there were prominent figures of the XIXth century, of the XXth and there are prominent figures of the XXIst century, who in a more advanced world have done worse enough things.
That happens today in day with the illegal immigrants? Do not Europe or The United States close their borders to the foreigners? There continue no being wars? Does not death sentence exist in many countries even in most developed?
We judge the past and commit the same mistakes in the present or worse, because we live in a world more advanced that it had to learn of the mistakes of the past.
Not if she is going to be holy or not, and it does not matter for me. But if I believe that a personage has been ill-treated historically. An interesting personage who would have to be studied with major historical rigor, because for many people it was also one of big statesmen of her time ... being a woman. Today in day in the majority of the world men continue governing, you imaginais what should have been for her to govern 5 centuries ago?

 

[agm]

From www.corbis.com

Queen Isabella

-Portrait of Isabella, Queen of Castile by Circle of Juan de Flandes
-Illustration of Christopher Columbus Departing on His First Voyage
-The Moorish Kings of Granada Paying a Tribute to the Catholic Kings of Spain
-Coronation of Isabella the Catholic in the Plaza Mayor in Segovia
-The Surrender of the Moorish Kingdom of Granada

 

[agm]

From www.cover.es
REYES CATOLICOS FERNANDO II DE ARAGON E ISABEL I DE CASTILLA SEPULCRO EN LA CAPILLA REAL DE GRANADA OBRA ESCULTORICA DE DOMENICO FANCELLI

 

[Regina]

Thanks iowabelle and lula for your comments. The history of Spain is a very complex matter. Of course everyone here is against war but we can't jugde her, because in her time things were completely different from now. She was a very strong woman, and a wonderful Queen for Spain.
If she deserves to be Saint or not, God will decide.

I don't want to start discussion here but it was mention in last posts the African colonies. Portugal had colonies in Africa, and Brazil was our centuries ago, I have to defend that we made what we can call "an examplar colonialism", specially in Africa.

 

[iowabelle]

I have to admit to having some bias toward Isabella. After all, she was the mother of one of my favorite queens, Catherine of Aragon.

 

[Harry's polo shirt]

She kicked out the Jews, banned the Muslims, provoked genocide in Latin America and set the Inquisition loose on her countrymen. You can read more here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,661242,00.html

In my opinion she didn't spread the religion in the way of a saint. She forced the religion onto people. She doesn't seem like a very kind person to me, I am trying to look at it in the context as to which she was queen --I like what you had to say iowabelle-- I can't get my head around excusing the murders of innocent people and sacraficing her own children in order to make Spain wealthy.

What exactly did she do to deserve to be a saint...Don't saints have to have performed a miracle?

wonderful photos by the way!!

 

[Panther2000]

Frankly, I don't think should be sainted or whatever. When, you break it down. THe actions of all back in the day of the THEN Superpowers were what he call in this day & age TERRORIST.


If you were to stop & think about. All wars were fought back then in the name of Religion. Those who did not conform were murdered & enslaved & so on & so on. Nothing going today can compare what was done to Original people of certain lands. Or the religious slauters. The Romans & christians, The English & the Aborigianl People Aust., The Native Americans & the Puritians Lets not forget Slavery.

Doing any of the above does not excuse one in the name of religion. & Do I have to mention that the Church itself was a Grand Wizard when it came to MURDER. The Biggest Terrorist of all. Murder in the Name of God. Does this sound familar.

Please Note: The post is not a bash on Catholic Church so much. But, Killing in the name of Religion, FORCING ones faith on others, Yeah how saintly

yeah, we can look back with 20/20 vision. But. that is what it is about isn't it. If someone was to mention tha Osma be nominated for somekind of Whatever the public out cray throughout the non arab world would make everyone flipout. I see no difference really. The cover ont he book is different but, it is almost the same old story.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

Queen Isabella gave something to her country and to the world. She enforced what she believed to be the one true faith and as a catholic, I applaud her intentions. Her methods may have been a little unsavoury but things were different then. I believe she should be made a Saint and I hope the Holy Father will canonize her.

 

[Harry's polo shirt]

Queen Isabella gave something to her country and to the world. She enforced what she believed to be the one true faith and as a catholic, I applaud her intentions. Her methods may have been a little unsavoury but things were different then. I believe she should be made a Saint and I hope the Holy Father will canonize her.

In her day, her actions were considers barbaric. People fleed the country to keep from being killed. No one said "oh well, lets convert because the queen said so." they ran for there lives because they wanted freedom. One thing has not changed over time and that is peoples longing for freedom whether it is through expression or religion.

How can it be said that killing people because they have different beliefs than you is ok...even if it was many years ago-it still happened to actual living breathing people, not fictional people?

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

No one said "oh well, lets convert because the queen said so." they ran for there lives because they wanted freedom.

I believe they ran for their lives because they wanted to stay alive not because they wanted freedom. Isabella is just one of those great figures of history that we learn from and we take bits and pieces from. It isn't fair to say that she was a monster etc - we can learn from her reign and take certain parts of her reign as being brilliant skills and methods of leadership and others as being not so good in the modern age. I think this applies to most historical figures.

 

[Mapple]

I believe they ran for their lives because they wanted to stay alive not because they wanted freedom. Isabella is just one of those great figures of history that we learn from and we take bits and pieces from. It isn't fair to say that she was a monster etc - we can learn from her reign and take certain parts of her reign as being brilliant skills and methods of leadership and others as being not so good in the modern age. I think this applies to most historical figures.

Certainly, but we're talking about her canonisation. In my opinion, the right time for Queen Isabella to be declared saint has passed; today it will cause problems to the Holy See and trigger another round of Ratzinger-bashing. No one would have objected if Pius IX had canoonised her some time in the 1850s...

BTW, I'm an agnostic, and I think that the old Bavarian in the Apostolic Palace can canonise whoever he likes to.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

The old Bavarian?

I hope he follows his heart and canonises Isabella.

 

[tiaraprin]

While Queen Isabella did achieve remarkable things in her life, I do not think she should be canonized. She supported the Inquisition and many died because their beliefs were not of Catholicism. How can someone be canonized for being intolerant and prejudiced? She doesn't hold a candle to Mother Teresa.

 

[Queen Mary I]

I don't think so, I've heard nothing about it.

Personally, I don't think she should be a saint. Yes, she did much to expand Catholicism, but her method for doing so is highly questionable. For me, being a saint means that a person died for his/her religion, defied oppression, and happily accepted death as a consequence of their beliefs.

I'm Catholic and I definitely don't think Isabella I should be made a saint. Her beliefs were shaped by her times but she was no Joan Of Ark or Francis Of Asisi. She was a warring Queen who banished Jews from her lands. I imagine the Holy Family would have to have been included if they had lived in her time. And she burned 'heretics'. And the Native Indians of the Americas are none to fond of her or her husband.

I tried to find out the latest on the possible Sainthood of Isabella from the Vatican site but it's hard to follow-well for me it is but then I'm slow. :

http://www.vatican.va/

I have asked Mother Teresa to pray for me. As I have asked my deceased loved ones if they can hear me. I could never ever talk to Isabella that way. She is just not saint material for me. There were people of her time who tried to be peaceful, and loving-of course they did not have her power to order deaths. The parables do mention something about it being easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle or something than for a rich man to get into Heaven. People abused there power then and they do so now. I wonder if our descendants hundreds of years from now will say 'well Hitler was a product of his time'. It's chilling really.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Without veering majorly off-topic, Hitler was following his beliefs just the same as Isabella was. If there was such a thing as a Nazi Church and they wanted to canonise him then I'd have no objection because I'm not a follower of that church and so if they want to pray to Adolf let them. I feel it's the same with Isabella. Yes, she had very strange and unorthodox ways of handling religious beliefs in her Kingdom but she did what she thought was right and she just wanted to spread Catholicism - and I think that most Catholics would say thats an applaudable goal. I say canonize her. She was doing what she thought was right and she was trying to promote her faith. And as its my faith she was promoting - I'm on her side. Then again, if I were a heretic she'd burned at the stake, I wouldn't be such a supporter.

 

[Queen Mary I]

Without veering majorly off-topic, Hitler was following his beliefs just the same as Isabella was. If there was such a thing as a Nazi Church and they wanted to canonise him then I'd have no objection because I'm not a follower of that church and so if they want to pray to Adolf let them. I feel it's the same with Isabella. Yes, she had very strange and unorthodox ways of handling religious beliefs in her Kingdom but she did what she thought was right and she just wanted to spread Catholicism - and I think that most Catholics would say thats an applaudable goal. I say canonize her. She was doing what she thought was right and she was trying to promote her faith. And as its my faith she was promoting - I'm on her side. Then again, if I were a heretic she'd burned at the stake, I wouldn't be such a supporter.

Well there must be proof I think of at least three miracles attributed to her before she can be canonized. And the Church does investigate claims of miracles vigorously before proceeding. Personally I don't see any forthcoming.

Hitler was an evil man. I do not mean to compare him to Isabella who I believe was in general a good woman, and a fiercely devout Catholic. But there are some undeniable similarities.

Posterity will probably note that even in Hitler's and Isabella's time many of their contemporaries recognized that what they were doing was very wrong.

Edited to add that Isabella still remains one of my favorite Queens. She was an amazing woman for her time and a poster noted she went to war while pregnant. Like her granddaughter Mary I she had great courage in a man's world.

 

[Toledo]

I almost fell of the chair, Queen Isabel I a saint?!?!?!
Where are her three miracles? Unless you count as one the trail of foreign blood they left behind a miracle for the medioeval Church. If Genghis Khan was a catholic and commited all his atrocities in the name of the Church, would he be canonized too?

 

[crisiñaki]

The Vatican entity that makes the process of the sainthood is the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (remember Stigmata?, Father Andrew worked for that ) and there are some requisits for the study which should be presented by a bishop or a cardinal in order to be considered:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/csaints/documents/rc_con_csaints_doc_07021983_norme_en.html
I don't think Isabella deserves sainthood, she didn't heal anybody, she didn't save anyone, her body got rotten like everybody's and to be honest no monarch or ruler (PM, presidents, etc) in the story of the Earth should ever be canonized, the power corrupts everyone

 

[Toledo]

Amen to that.

 

[Kotroman]

My opinion about Isabella I is very complex. I admire her personal strength and determination to reign over kingdoms she inherited herself in the time when heiresses were expected to cede power to their husbands. I admire her bravery and monarchical abilities.

I admit that her role in creating Spain as we know it today is important. But that's the point where Isabella the Catholic becomes Isabella the Monster in my eyes. The way she succeeded in uniting Spain is simply horrifying. Promising freedom of religion to people who surrendered and then breaking that promise* is not something a saint would do. We all know what happened later: mass expulsions, forced conversions, enslavement of Moor children*, etc.

My conclusion: she is an important person in Spanish history, but not really a saint material. I consider her the brightest and the most shameful spot in Spanish history at the same time.

* Erna Paris, The End of Days (1995)
* William Hickling Prescott, History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic, of Spain (1854)

 

[scooter]

Back in the day, both Christianity and Islam were spread by the sword. Think of all the Crusades 'to free CHrist's tomb from the infidel'. I also don't think the present pope, a member of Hitler Youth, is likely to hold the Inquisition against her. After all he led it himself not to long ago. Only now it has the un-sexy name of Prefect for The Doctrine of Faith, not the Inquisition any longer.

 

[Camilo2002]

Queen Isabella has no grounds to become a Saint; she was nothing but one of the most remarkable and strongest rulers in world history. Isabella's strength, will and sense of duty ranks amongst the most extraordinary this world has ever seen.

Following I quote part of the book "Queens of old Spain" by Martin Hume, in my opinion the most qualified expert regarding Queen Isabella's life and personality:

“Isabel the Catholic was a great queen and a good woman, because her aims were high. She was not tender, or gentle, or what we should now call womanly. If she had been, she would not have made Castile one of the greatest powers in Europe in her reign of thirty years. She was not scrupulous, or she would not have been so easily persuaded to displace her niece the Beltraneja, She was not tender hearted, or she would not have looted unmoved upon the massacre or expulsion, in circumstances of atrocious inhumanity, of Jews and Moors, to whom she broke her solemn oath upon a weak pretext. She was none of these pleasant things; nor was she the sweet, saintly housewife she is usually represented. If she had been, she would not have been Isabel the Catholic one of the strongest personalities, and probably the greatest woman ruler the world ever saw: a woman whose virtue slander itself never dared to attack; whose saintly devotion to her faith blinded her eyes to human things, and whose anxiety to please the God of mercy made her merciless to those she thought His enemies.”

 

[chuchu]

I do not know about her being canonized as a saint. But Isabella certainly changed the world.

 

[Camilo2002]

In fact Chuchu, Queen Isabella achieved in her life what none of her noble and powerful ancestors did in theirs. Isabella's genius not only created Spain, which would become the most powerful empire for over 2 centuries, but also was instrumental in the discovery of America, so changing the world. Isabella's descendants founded dynasties and ruled over most of Europe and expanded western culture over a large part of the world.

There are a few monarchs who became Saints without the merits to get that distinction; being pious, just and good are not qualities enough to become a Saint. Saints and good monarchs belong to different categories. Isabella was a great monarch and great monarchs do not make Saints, as well as Saints do not have the qualities to become great monarchs.