The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile (58 page)

It is important to remember that like all of us, Isabella was a fallible human being, both a product of, and an exception to, her times. She ignored convention yet adhered to it; choosing her own husband in an era when few princesses dared and believing in a God who would personally punish her for failing to do his will are examples of her dichotomy. Neither saint nor victim, she did what she thought was best for her realm, though some of her actions, viewed in hindsight from more enlightened times, are reprehensible. In her defense, she cannot have known Columbus’s discoveries would end up destroying a rich and vibrant civilization, nor that her successors would pillage the very countries they’d conquered. Isabella left in her testament provision for the indigenous peoples of those far lands she never saw; she wanted them “treated gently” and converted to Christianity, not condemned to slavery. Her behest was ignored.

The expulsion of the Jews in 1492 is an equally calamitous act that has darkened her name. Hundreds of years later it is impossible to ascertain the queen’s private feelings about the immense tragedy caused by her decree. That she was unaware of the consequences seems unlikely; nevertheless, nothing in the extant documentation indicates that she nursed a vendetta against the Jews, several of whom, such as Rabbi Señeor, had served her faithfully at court. That she did not believe in the rights of any faith besides the Catholic one is certain; no European monarch of her era did. We also have historical indications that she faced a myriad of external pressures, including violent uprisings against Jews throughout Castile, which compelled her to act after the conquest of Granada. Of particular interest is the opinion that Fernando urged her to order the expulsion for his own reasons. Isabella may indeed have hoped that with the edict she would achieve mass conversion rather than exile for her Jewish subjects; if so, she gravely underestimated the resiliency of a people who had for centuries survived while cleaving to their own beloved faith. Nevertheless, it is doubtful she planned on banishment from the start, as her most vehement critics claim, using
the Jews for their wealth and biding her time until she saw the way clear to expel them. Most likely, she resisted the idea at first and was only gradually convinced of its inevitability. Once she made the decision, however, as in everything else she undertook, Isabella was implacable.

Her establishment of the Spanish Inquisition is another aspect of her character that has stymied even her most ardent admirers and fueled her detractors. In this novel, I depict one possible interpretation of how she reached this momentous decision, relying on intensive research into her personality and the ways in which she viewed her world. While I offer no apology for her actions, her aversion to cruelty is well documented. She did, in fact, abhor bullfighting and forbade that corridas be held in her honor, though her order was often ignored. I also found no evidence that she ever personally attended an auto-da-fé where heretics were burned. I also think it important to note that the Inquisition had existed in a weakened form for centuries before her. What made her particular Inquisition unique was that she narrowed its focus to so-called false conversos—those suspected of secretly practicing Judaism while outwardly feigning obedience to Christianity. Of course the Holy Office cast a far wider net of terror than she could have foreseen, but given Isabella’s general disposition, it is safe to assume she did not take lightly the persecution of her subjects, though evidently she felt that the ends justified the means. This is once again an example of her contradictory nature, one which we may find difficult to reconcile with her humanity. It bears reminding that for Isabella and many others of her time, faith was a matter of survival of the soul and the precepts she embodied were not simply the result of extreme piety. Her fellow sovereigns shared her adherence to Catholicism and usually forbade, by law and other means, any deviation from sanctioned doctrine. Ironically, these very prohibitions paved the road to the Protestant Reformation.

It is impossible to confine a life as complex as Isabella’s within a finite number of words. While I’ve strived to depict her as accurately as possible and remain true to historical fact, I admit to taking certain liberties with dates and events in order to facilitate this fictional interpretation. Among these liberties is Isabella’s first meeting with Fernando. Tradition dictates that she and her future husband did not
actually see each other in person until the night before their wedding. Nevertheless, as I felt it was important to establish Fernando as a character integral to Isabella’s formation earlier in the novel, I set the scene in Segovia shortly after she arrives at court. I also changed Joanna la Beltraneja’s birth year (she was born in 1462, not ’64) to coincide with Isabella’s summons to court, truncated the ten-year crusade to conquer Granada, and altered the death of Isabel’s first husband in Portugal (he died after the fire in the encampment). Likewise, I shifted the date of the papal entitlement of Isabella and Fernando as “Catholic” monarchs, which actually took place in 1494, and streamlined other minor events to facilitate narrative flow. Inés is the sole fictional person in the novel. While Isabella did have an attendant of this name among her ladies, there is no evidence that the queen developed a relationship with her. Likewise, while Isabella’s favored mount’s name has been lost to us, I dubbed him Canela, in honor of a brave Arabian horse I rode in Spain in my youth.

Lastly, I have employed later terms for addressing royalty—i.e., “Majesty” for the monarch, “Highness” for princess or prince. In reality, the use of
“Majestad”
in Spain began under Isabella’s grandson Charles V, who deemed “Highness” inadequate for his rank.

Readers interested in finding out what happens after this book may wish to read my first novel,
The Last Queen
, which tells the story of Isabella’s daughter Juana. For those who wish to learn more about Isabella and her times, I recommend the following select bibliography. Please note that not all of these books are in print or available in English:

A Special Note from C. W.

Every year, thousands of Spanish greyhounds known as
galgos
are abandoned, maimed, or killed after a brief hunting season. Many dedicated rescue groups and individuals, both in Spain and abroad, are fighting to end the abuse of the
galgo
, one of Spain’s most enduring symbols of nobility. To find out more, please visit
www.galgorescue.org
and
www.baasgalgo.com
. Thank you for caring.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

M
y heartfelt appreciation goes first and foremost to my partner, Erik, who never ceases to encourage me, as well as our beloved corgi, Paris. My agent, Jennifer Weltz of the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, Inc., is ally, friend, and warrior, without whom I’d be lost. She and her colleagues—Tara, Laura, Jessica, Elizabeth, and Alice—are the best representatives an author could hope for. I’m very fortunate in my editor, Susanna Porter, for her ongoing belief in me, as well as my assistant editor, Priyanka Krishnan; their careful insight has enriched this novel. Likewise, I owe a debt of gratitude to my copy editor, Kate Norris, for her meticulous attention to detail, and to the marvelous creative team at Ballantine. In the United Kingdom, at Hodder & Stoughton, I’m equally lucky to have my editor, Suzie Dooré, and assistant editor, Francine Toon.

I can’t speak highly enough of the many bloggers who’ve been part of my virtual tours, especially Lizzy Johnson of Historically Obsessed. I’m also grateful to my tireless virtual tour guides, Cheryl Malandrinos of Pump Up Your Book Promotion, and Amy Bruno of Historical Fiction Virtual Tours. Marketing is always fun with these ladies at my side.

Book groups have honored me with invitations to chat in person, over the phone, and via Skype. I enjoy chatting with readers from around the world and sharing perspectives on these fascinating historical characters. In the Bay Area, I’m especially grateful to the many clubs who have hosted me with wine, laughter, and continuing support. I’d also like to thank the staff at Bookshop West Portal for keeping my books front and center.

Last, but never least, I thank you, my reader. Your feedback and
messages often enliven the long hours at my desk. I hope to entertain you for many years to come.

To learn more about my work, please visit me at
www.cwgortner.com
.

ALSO BY C. W. GORTNER

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici

The Last Queen

The Tudor Secret