Movers, Shakers and Stabilizers
FERDINAND&ISABELLA Spain

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The Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, were second cousins from the House of Trastamara and, under papal dispensation related to the issue of consanguinity, were married in 1469 to cause unification of Spain. In 1480, the two monarchs created the Holy Office of the Inquisition which had an original intent of insuring the orthodoxy of those who had converted from Judaism and Islam. To better “manage” their efforts on behalf of Catholicism, Ferdinand and Isabella ordered sequestration of non-Christians into ghettos and increased taxes and imposed social restrictions on them.

In 1492, they ordered expulsion of all non-converted Jews and Muslims from the country with severest penalties for those that continued to practice religion other than Catholicism.

The pair did authorize the expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492 which ultimately resulted in acquisition of great wealth for Spain.

The Monarchs' joint motto was "Tanto monta, monta tanto" (It is One and the Same), referring to the equality of the two monarchs. Their symbol appears on the reverse of the 2 Escudos which bears their images on the obverse.