El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-13
Isabella, A Story of Myth
Spanish Queen Did Not Sacrifice
Her Jewels to Aid
Columbus.
Nv Madison, q
= BY Madison e. Pete

ISABELLA, daughter Of the second
king of CASTLE. was born April %.
\ 1851, and was married to Ferdinand
OF ArragOn October IS. 1459. After the
death or her brother. Henry w. in
14l4s she assembled the throne of Cas-
tile TO the exclusion OF her elder sister,
Joanna, who had the rightful claim to
the crown Isabella having during the
lifetime OF her brother gained the IA
vor of a majority OF the estates of the
kingdom. and on his death they de-
elaTed Tor her, while those which held
out We're Won over by the victorious
arms of her husband. in the battle of
TOroa IN 1446. Thence forward their
fortunes were inseparably blended.
Isabella was a woman of clear intel
lect reSOlute energy and unselfiSh pa
triOtism and to her Spain owed much
Of the greatness among the nations of
Europe IN her time The moral infiu-
ence of her personal character over
the CaStllian court was incalculably
great. The sincerity of her piety led
her into great errors of state policy
which have never since been repaired
Her Introduction of the inquisition and
the land OF their birth, because they
refused to be converted to Christianity
are evidences of her bigOtry. 1t must be
said IN eXOneratlOn of the queen that
in her time, and chiefly in her coun-
try, heresy was considered the greatest
OF crimes, and that the burning of
heretics was as legitimate then as
capital punishment for murder in our
"
ways empty would show that she was
not avaricious and that the money
which came to her by the inquisition
was used in undertakings of general
benefit for her kingdom
Jewel Story n Myth.
Isabella is known to history as the
friend Of Columbus. although it is now
known to specialists in Spanish-Jewish
history that not the Jewels of Isabella,
but the money of the Jews was the
real financial basis of the expectation
of Christobal Colon, as the Snariards
called him. Louis de Santangel. an
great friend of Ferdinand. if not at
Ferdinand's request, at least with his
consent aDDealed TO the queen for
Colon, representing to her that the
enterprise was comparatively small and
that the remUnera ton which the ex-
plorer demanded for such discoverie~
as he MIGHT make should not occasion
much hesitation The queens Jewels
were not demanded as security. THOUGH
she stood ready TO pawn them. il
able jewels were ALREADY pledged to
carry on the wars then devastating
her country and Santangel. to Ohliee
the crown. advanced money out of his
own pocket as is shown by archives
Still preserved in Seville.
NapoleOn's definition of history. "a
jewel mvth-a story invented to gIorifv
/ the queen. owing to SantangePs un-
selhshness Ferdinand remained his
loyal friend and bestowed .uDon him
many distinguished tokens OF gratitude
for his services to the state. On Nav
20. 1893. Ferdinand ordered his trea-
surer- zen eral to nav 10000 forms in
Cold TO his beloved counsellor. Louis
de Santangel a sum including the re-
0'a ip1or of his loon Ferdinand was
both fh0 DiSraali OF statesrea rshin and
the ROthschild Of f~9uCe in hig conn
frv and firup Ferdinand made San.
/ tangel executor Of his viii.