Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-10-26


was awarded first cash prize, three
dollars, offered by the local knights
of Columbus, for her essay on Ferdi-
nand and Isabella, submitted to the
committee Of awards on Columbus
4 day, October IL, The following is
Miss lnstone's essay
First Prize.
i In personal appearance. Prince Fer
dinand of Aragon was OF middle size.
with fresh complexion. bright eyes,
a small and finely formed nose and
mouth and white teeth his forehead
was lofty and his flowing hair was OF
a bright chestnut color
His education had been neglected,
owing to the troubled state of the
4 times, but he was early instructed in
generous pastimes and ehivalrous ex-
ercises. He did not care much for
any amusement with the exception of
hunting. He was very saving in his
personal expenses, too saving some
/ thought; but when he died he was so
poor that he left scarcely enough to
defray the expenses of his funeral.
He was very deyout and a great deal
of his money was spent in erecting
sacred edlfices.
Princess Isabella, Of CASTLE, his
consort, was of the middle height, and
well proportional. She had clear,
fresh complexion, with light blue
4 eyes and auburn hair which was a
style of beauty exceedingly rare in
Spain. Her features were regular
and showed remarkable sweetness
and intelligence of expression.
Her manners were very pleasing
and were marked by natural dignity
and modest reserve. She appeared in
arms at the head of her troops and en-
dured all the hardships of war with
them. She visited the nunneries
while the reforms were being intro
/ duced into religious houses and when
travelling in the provinces she attire1
herself in the costume of the country.
Thus she endeared herself to her tur-
bulent subjects.
Like Ferdinand she cared nothing
for dress. On public occasions she
would dress most royalty, but in pri-
vate she did not care for it and freely
gave away her clothes and jewels.
The most noted of her moral qualities
was her utter unselfshness. She was
very charitable and gave great deal
of money to erect hospitals, churches
and monasteries.
Before their marriage the petty
states of Aragon and CASTLE were con-
tinually fighting, but this united these
/ two factions. Their marriage was
publicly celebrated before multitude
of not less than two thousand. Such
was the poverty of the parties that
money had to be borrowed to pay the
expenses of the ceremony
During their reign the Modern In
QUESTION was established, the war of
Granada and the Italian wars fought,
the Jews and Moors expelled from
Spain, and navigation was greatly ad-
vanced
The queens character, her unset
fishness, and practical good sense
we're shown when she helped Column
bus. by every one else rejected and
laughed at, and sold her jewels to fit
out his little fleet.
Isabella died on November 20, 1904,
and as Peter Martyr said in letter
written to the Archbishop of Granada,
"The world has lost its noblest orna-
ment. loss to be deplored not only
in Spain, which she has so long car
ried along in the career of glory, but
by every nation in Christiandom; for
she was the mirror of every virtue,
the shield of the innocent, and an
avenging sword to the wicked.
Soon after Isabellas death Ferdi-
nand married Joanna of CASTLE. The
marriage was not very happy and from
that until the time of his death on
January %, 1916, the time was mainly
taken up by the Italian wars. His
death was deeply lamented by his ma
tive subjects, but the event was very
differently regarded by the Castilian
mobiles.
During their reign, classical learn
ing, science, romances of chivalry,
lyrical poetry, and the drama each
held a place in the literature, culture
and learning of the age.
Thus, with the conquering of the
Moors, the inventions, the explora-
tions, the culture and learning, and
the general tendency to come to the
front in everything, the reign of Fer
dinand and Isabella has been classed
as the most glorious in the annals of
their country.
Second Prize.
The second cash prize of 81 for es-
say on Ferdinand and Isabella offered
to High School pupils was awarded to
Miss Vannetta Wild. Her essay fol-
/ lows:
During the Joint rule of Ferdinand
and Isabella Spain flourished, and be-
came one of the greatest European
powers.
Isabella was horn April 90 1851, at