As one of their first acts after the War of the Castilian Succession in 1475 to 1479, Ferdinand and Isabella "brought peace by the brilliant strategy of organizing rather than eliminating violence;" they established a centrally organized and efficient Holy Hermandad ("Santa Hermandad") with themselves at its head. They adapted the existing form of the "hermandad" to the purpose of creating a general police force under the direction of officials appointed by themselves, and endowed with large powers of summary jurisdiction, even in capital cases. The rough and ready justice of the "Santas Hermandades" became famous for brutality. The original "hermandades" continued to serve as modest local police units until their final suppression in 1835.