Isabel of Spain

Isabel of Castile was only 23 years old when in 1474 she inherited the Kingdom of Castile from her impotent half brother Enrique, who left her with a land in chaos. Robbers on the roads made travel impossible, footpads roaming the streets made everyday life a dangerous adventure. Nobles fought wars among themselves for control of land and the country exploded into civil war shortly after her coronation. Over the next thirty years by adeptly using the skills of a politician, diplomat, and warrior Isabel forged an alliance with Aragon and created a new country, Spain, that within a half century of her death became the greatest power Europe had ever seen. This novel which departs very little from fact opens a window into the mind and heart of one of the most ingenious women who ever walked across the pages of European history.