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Glite Dictionary
Isabella I of Castile

Isabella I of Castile

1 8.8
A queen of Castile who helped unite Spain and paid for Columbus's voyages
  • proper noun
: Isabel I de Castilla
  • The voyages of Columbus were sponsored by Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon.

Examples

  • Many historians credit Isabella I of Castile with helping to unify Spain during her reign.

  • Isabella I of Castile played a crucial role in the completion of the Reconquista.

  • Queen Isabella I of Castile was a powerful monarch.

  • Did Isabella I of Castile really support Columbus?

  • Isabella I of Castile unified Spain through her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon.

  • As a queen, Isabella I of Castile is known for establishing the Spanish Inquisition.

  • Isabella I of Castile was instrumental in supporting Columbus's expeditions to the New World.

Synonyms

Queen Isabella
vsIsabella I of Castile
2 6.2

Queen of Castile who married Ferdinand and paid for Columbus's voyage

is the same monarch but uses a specific historical name form
Isabella I
vsIsabella I of Castile
1 9.0

Queen of Castile who married Ferdinand, helped unite Spain, set up the Spanish Inquisition, and funded Columbus's 1492 voyage

is the same monarch but named in a more general form
Isabella the Catholic
vsIsabella I of Castile
8.7

Queen of Castile who helped unite Spain and paid for Columbus's voyages

is the same monarch but referred to without the epithet

Surface Forms

Isabella I of Castile main

Morphology

Isabella + I + of + Castile

A learner who knows 'Isabella' (a personal name), 'I' (the regnal numeral 'the First'), 'of' and 'Castile' (a region) can infer this refers to 'Isabella the First of Castile' and therefore likely a historical ruler; the regnal-number + of + place pattern is cross-linguistically recognizable. However, the specific historical facts about her reign and actions are encyclopedic and not derivable from the constituents, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Isabella I of Castile shows she was the 'first' Isabella to rule the kingdom of Castile. She married Ferdinand to join Castile and Aragon into what became Spain and paid for Columbus's ships, so her name is a quick way to talk about the 'queen' who helped unite Spain and start its overseas voyages.