Ferdinand and Isabella

  had a friend, of blessed memory, who was a Reform rabbi. He was pleased to visit the tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella and to cheerfully tell them, "You kicked the Jews out of Spain, but you're dead and we're still here!" (If you knew my friend's joie de vivre you'd recognize his humor.) Ferdinand II was King of Aragon from 1479 until his death in 1516. As the husband of Queen Isabella I of Castile, he was also King of Castile from 1475 to 1504 (as Ferdinand V). Thus, Ferdinand is the de facto first king of Spain. Ferdinand and Isabella's reign marks the beginning of Spain as a world power. The couple sponsored Christopher Columbus' voyage and began the Spanish colonization of the Americas. In the same year, 1492, they ordered Jews to be baptized and convert to Christianity or leave the country. They made the same order to Muslims. One of their children was Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII.  Ferdinand was born March 10, 1452.