Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile and Leon, Ferdinand (1452-1516) and Isabella (1451-1504) married in 1469. They were granted the title "the Catholic Monarchs" (Los Reyes Católicos) by Pope Alexander VI. Zealous Catholics, the year 1492 was a momentous one for them: They succeeded in expelling the Moors, who had ruled parts of the Iberian Peninsula for over 700 years; they drove out all Jews who would not convert to Catholicism; and they sponsored Christopher Columbus on an expedition to reach the Indies, a trip which would discover a New World for Europeans and lay the base of the Spanish Empire.
Extremely rare Manuscript Document Signed by Ferdinand as King ("Yo el Rey") and by Isabella as Queen ("Yo la Reina"), one page, 10¾ x 12 inches, Barcelona, October 18, 1493. Fine condition. Beautifully penned and boldly signed by both monarchs. Concerning the Armada of Vizcaya, a military escort which had been created to protect Columbus on his second trip to the New World.
In full: "Don Fernando and Dona Isabel, by the grace of God, King and Queen of Castile, of Leon, of Aragon, of Hispalia [Sevilla], of Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Galicia, of Mallorca, of Sicily, of Sardinia, of Cordoba, of Algarve, of Murcia, of Jaryna, of the Algarves, of Algecira, of Gibraltar, of the Canary Islands, Count and Countess of Barcelona, Lords of Viscaya [Biscay] and of Inolina, Counts of Rousillon and Cerdagne, Lords of Oristan and of Goacano.
To you, the councils, justices, ---s, 24's (city aldermen), knights, jurors, squires, craftsmen and good men of each and every city, villa, town and seaport of the province of Andalucia and to each and every one.
You to whom this letter of ours is shown, or its copy duly signed and sealed, know that from the captain-general our other captains and people of our
Armada of Viscaya, word has reached us that in all the said cities, villas and towns (or in some of them), certain duties have been demanded on the items purchased for the provisioning as well as the equipping and maintenance of our said Armada, duties not to be paid according to use and ancient custom followed and kept until now in similar Armadas, in which they (our captains) and our said Armadas are said to receive great insult and harm. And we were requested to give a ruling in this matter according to our grace. And we decided it was fitting to do so.
Therefore, if it is true that from times past until the present it has not been customary for such Armadas to pay the said duties in the said cities, villas and towns, by this our letter, or by its said copy duly signed,
we command you from this day forth not to demand or request payment of the said duties nor any (part) of them on the items purchased necessary for our said Armada. You are to cause to be kept and to keep entirely the said custom used and kept until now, of not paying the said duties, without making any innovation in this matter. This we command you to do and to comply, under pain of our grace (displeasure) and of ten thousand maravedis for our treasury, for each of you who contravenes our order. In addition, we order the man who shows you this our letter, or its said copy duly signed, to summon you to appear before Us in court, wherever we may be, to summon you until you hand over the first five thousand (or the full ten thousand) maravedis, on said pain, for which we command that whoever is called to testify to hand over to (the bearer of this letter) testimony signed with his sign, so that we may know how our orders are obeyed.
Given in the city of Barcelona at 18 days of the month of October, year of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand four hundred and ninety and three years. I the King. I the Queen."
Under the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460), Portugal had made innovations in navigational techniques which placed her at the forefront of maritime exploration. The primary goal of these explorations was to find a direct sea route to China and India to buy the spices and other luxuries to which Europeans had become accustomed. Portugal explored the west coast of Africa and jealously guarded her trade route there. In 1488, sailing for Portugal, Bartolomeu Dias rounded the tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope), a major step in establishing an eastern trade route. After Columbus returned in March 1493 from his first voyage, declaring that he had reached outlying islands of China or Japan, word reached the Catholic Monarchs that John II of Portugal was putting together ships to follow Columbus to the land that he had discovered. They enlisted the support of Spanish-born Pope Alexander VI to protect their new discoveries against claims by Portugal, but they also took action themselves, putting together the
Vizcaya Armada to accompany and protect Columbus on his second trip. Plans for the Vizcaya Armada had begun in September 1492 and went into high gear after Columbus' return. The show of force would also serve to put pressure on Portugal to agree to mediation regarding newly-discovered lands.
The Portuguese proved amenable to Pope Alexander's division of the Earth outside of Europe. In May 1493 he established an imaginary line in the mid Atlantic, 100 leagues (480km) from the Cape Verde islands. Spain could possess any unclaimed land to the west of the line and Portugal would own any land to the east. Feeling somewhat reassured, Ferdinand and Isabella sent a letter to Bishop Fonseca (their chaplain and newly-appointed colonial administrator of the Indies) on September 5, 1493, commanding him to urge Columbus to sail at once, which he did, leaving Cadiz on September 24, 1493. Instead of accompanying Columbus on his voyage, the Vizcaya Armada was commanded to sail for North Africa taking Boabdil, the Moorish King of Granada, whom they had defeated on January 2, 1492, and some 6,000 Moorish prisoners. The Armada left for the port of Adra, in Almeria, on October 3, 1493, and returned to Spain on February 3, 1494.
There was no further interference from the Portuguese, but once they realized that the Spanish had much more land than they did, they asked that the line established by Alexander VI be renogotiated, which it was in June of 1494. The Treaty of Tordesillas re-established the line at 370 leagues (1,770 km) west of the Cape Verde Islands. After the Treaty of Tordesillas was ratified, the Vizcaya Armada was sent to Sicily to join 20 other ships preparing to fight against the Turks.
References:
Miguel-Angel Ladero Quesada, "La 'Armada de Vizcaya' (1492-1493): Nuevos datos documentales,"
En la España Medieval, 2001, 24: 365-394.
Juan Pérez De Tudela, "La Armada de Vizcaya. Acerca de una razón de fuerza y otros argumentos en el acuerdo de Tordesillas,"
El Tratado de Tordesillas y su proyección, Valladolid, 1973. Vol. I, pp. 33-92.
Estimated Value $250,000 - 300,000
Royalty & Foreign Leaders
