With a personal union established between the Kingdoms of Castile and France, the position of Castile in Europe became almost rock-solid. Castile itself was still a weaker nation than France in many ways: its economy was inferior, its army was forced to wear rags instead of uniforms (unless you consider those rags to be the uniforms of course). Nevertheless and perhaps unsurprisingly, the money flow towards the Crown remained in the green. However, the civil war had cost the Crown lots of resources, and being led by less than average rulers meant that the nation as a whole had fallen behind other powers in Europe. Enrique IV had somewhat ensured Castile’s position in Europe by allying with Portugal and Austria. The Renaissance had still not found any solid roots in Castilian society, meaning Castile could as well still be in the Dark Ages when it came to technology.
Due to the Reconquista and the Castilian Civil War, Castile had drafted an army that had reached its limits. 33 000 men were under arms, slightly more than the French army, but combined it was probably the largest force in Europe at the time. Castilian society had been somewhat militarized ever since the Reconquista started 700 years earlier and it influenced Castilian society to its core. The nobility had a strong grip on the court and could easily pursue their own interests with the weak kings. The civil war had tempered them, but did not eliminate them. However, with the current heir to the throne showing some early signs of greatness, for some reason he consistently threw sixes when playing dice games. Castile’s future was looking bright. However, he also showed some signs of having a malevolent nature, distrusting others and especially foreigners. Some at the court feared this might upset the king’s French subjects in the future.
During his brief rule, King Enrique IV had always been a careful man, but his lack of any administrative or military skills (or any skill that didn’t involve talking his way out of a situation) had left his country behind in comparison to other European nations. Enrique IV was aware of his own weaknesses and decided to hold a court meeting. Gathering his son, Juan, his wife, Maria Theresia von Habsburg, and his three most trusted advisors, Gutierre de Castilla, Gutierre de Aguirre and Enrique Colón, the King explained his vision for Castile. Castile needed a strong King, invested in further improving the administrative and military institutions of the country. Seeing Juan was clearly better at handling those things, Enrique IV shared his wish to abdicate in favor of his son. His abdication was perhaps his biggest accomplishment. And so on the 6th of April 1481, Juan III de Trastamara (3/6/6) was crowned King of Castile and France.
Damn it Tom, I hope this is the first and last time you abdicate a weak ruler just because the heir has better stats. How are we going to explain this to the readers?
Readers? What readers? This is just me teaching you how to get good at the game. Lesson n°1: if your king is bad and your heir is good, abdicate abdicate abdicate!
Fine! Let’s just get on with the story.
Juan III de Trastamara, King of Castile and France.
As King, Juan III was still an unmarried man, unusual for people of nobility at his age. In December of 1481, Juan III allied himself to the very influential Villahermosa family, based in Madrid, by marrying Isabel de Villahermosa. It is said that the marriage between Juan and Isabel was a marriage of love rather than a marriage of politics and historians often point to the birth of their son just 8 instead of 9 months after their marriage. Indeed, in 1482 Tomas de Trastamara (4/3/3) was born. Much of Castile was celebrating the arrival of the new heir, but the life of Tomas would prove to be one filled with sadness and tragedy.
Juan III’s first real challenge as King arrived in July of 1482. One of his advisors, Guiterre de Aguirre, was involved in scandalous affairs. Recent investigations had revealed that much of Castile’s well-built trade network was built on bribes, smuggling and other dubious activities. It was very likely that de Aguirre was personally involved, but it did strengthen Castile’s trade power in the region. The King decided to ignore the investigation and keep de Aguirre as his advisor. His actions would inspire many later politicians to ignore similar acts of what they called ‘patriotic corruption’.
In August of 1486, tensions between Castile and England escalated once again. French merchants had been expelled from several ports in English Normandy, angering the local elite who suddenly ran out of wine and cheese. Juan III decided to support the French claims and went to war over Alençon. While Brittany joined England’s side of the war, France naturally joined Castile’s side. The situation was in favor of Castile from the get-go. England’s only footholds on the mainland were Normandy and Calais, but Normandy was quickly occupied by French and Castilian troops. The front was quickly moved towards Brittany to prevent an English landing there. By the end of 1486, the Breton army was completely destroyed, mainly after the battle of Finistère.
The year 1487 saw some important victories for the Franco-Castilians, but also some major defeats. In March, the English landed in Calais with 17 000 men ready to retake Normandy. 10 000 French soldiers, just about to take the strategic port, were taken by surprise and defeated. The English army traveled south, in order to take back Normandy, but was met by the Castilian army in Valois. What followed was the first real victory of the Castilians against the English. 21 000 Castilians defeated the weathered down English army.
Tomas de Andrade, the General who had led the Castilians into victory, felt overconfident and chased the English to Picardie. However, on the Burgundian coast, the English were joined by reinforcements from Calais. 22 000 Englishmen fought against Andrade’s 17 000 Castilians. Andrade held his ground, but in the end he had to retreat. Andrade dealt a considerable amount of damage to the English, leaving them with only 18 000 soldiers left.
With Brittany completely occupied, Juan III felt the time was right to make peace with them. On the 5th of November 1487, Brittany accepted peace on the following terms: for the next ten years 10% of Brittany’s income would go to Castile as war reparations and Brittany would annul all treaties with England. While Andrade’s army regrouped in southern France, the French troops engaged with England again. In the decisive Battle of Chartres, the French annihilated the English forces. Initially 17 000 Frenchmen faced 18 000 Englishmen, but the French soon came with 17 000 extra men, thus completely removing English military presence on the continent.
After the Battle of Chartres, in 1488, the English tried one last time to attack France and Castile in mainland Europe. A small landing party consisting of 5000 troops managed to land in Bordeaux and take the city. They were soon defeated however by Andrade’s 21 000 soldiers who had just recovered from their previous battle. After this battle, the Franco-Castilian forces had free range on the continent and waited until the English were tired of fighting the war. On the 26th of 1491, peace was made between England and Castile-France, resulting in the end of English rule in Normandy. Calais was the last remaining English stronghold on the European continent. The Conquest of Granada meant the end of hostile Muslim armies in Iberia, now the Conquest of Normandy meant the end of hostile English armies in France. By combining the strengths of Castile and France, both countries had dealt with their arch-enemies.
But the Muslim danger wasn’t gone from Europe, au contraire. In 1493 Constantinople was taken by Turkish barbarians. Not long after, a large delegation of Byzantine refugees arrived at Juan’s court, asking for residence in Castile. For a moment, the King thought about giving them enough supplies to sail across the sea to the newly discovered New World, but Juan quickly realized how dangerous such an expedition would be and didn’t want an exile Byzantine empire to be founded in these distant lands. After all, he didn’t want any rivals in the vast territories of the West Indies. The King instead chose to keep the refugees in Castile. Their knowledge of ancient Roman and Greek texts would come in handy to introduce the Renaissance in Castile.
I see what you did there Sib.
I did what?
Sneaking in a Third Odyssey reference.
Sometimes it’s stronger than myself.
In May of 1493, King Juan III traveled to Florence with his entourage. Impressed by the fine works of art produced in the city, the Castilian King considered taking the Florentine School under his protection. When he returned to Castile, he took several artists with him to bring Italian Renaissance art to Iberia. Not surprisingly, the Byzantine and Florentine influences in Iberia introduced the Renaissance in Castile by the end of December 1493. Cultural renewal would further stimulate the expansion in the Atlantic, as explorers sought to verify ancient texts and improve upon old maps.
But the Golden Age could not last forever. While Prince Tomas de Trastamara was nearing the age of 16, a terrible accident happened. On the 25th of October 1497, the young boy’s body was found in the fields. Many assumed his death was the result of a hunting accident, but future events led many to believe that it was more than an accident. The premature death of King Juan III in 1498, just a year later, made conspiracy theories even more popular. His nephew inherited the throne and was crowned Enrique V de Trastamara (1/1/2) King of Castile and France. Up until today, historians still argue whether or not Enrique V plotted the deaths of Tomas and Juan III to become king himself. Nevertheless, the reign of Enrique V would prove vital for the further expansion of Castile in both Europe and the West Indies, although maybe in an indirect way.
Great, another bad ruler. You better not abdicate him too, Tom.
I promise I won’t. There are other ways to get rid of people you don’t like.
Wait what do you mean by that?
You’ll see, Sib, you’ll see. (insert Tom maniacally laughing)
In Europe, change was on the horizon and new threats would soon emerge. Most prominently, in 1499 a rebellious priest proclaimed the Reformation in Stara Marka, northern Germany. It would grow into a challenge of the Catholic hegemony, one of which Castile was an important pillar. But elsewhere, across the vast expanse of the Atlantic ocean, the foundations were being laid for an Empire that would stand the test of time. Whatever divine tribulations God would throw at Castile, it would only serve to strengthen the Kingdom in the long term.
Map of the Castilian realm in 1500. France is under a personal union with Castile.