**This episode contains sexually explicit language**
In an age when powerful female rulers were few and far between, Isabel of Castile rose against the odds to become one of Europe's most formidable monarchs. Crowned ruler of a chaotic, divided kingdom in 1474, Isabel transformed Castile into a powerhouse and helped forge the foundation of modern Spain. But was she a visionary queen and unifier of a fractured land or a zealot whose decisions cast long shadows? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Isabel's biographer Giles Tremlett to explore her rise to power and her forging of a strategic alliance with Ferdinand of Aragon.
MORE:
Christopher Columbus
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5irll7mMs6rpkFvQR3L5VR
Velazquez & the Spanish Court
https://open.spotify.com/episode/68UKq5ABg5mPJTAwk8vqLr
Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
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