Ferdinand II, also called Ferdinand the Catholic, was King of Aragon and Sardinia from 1479, King of Sicily from 1469, King of Naples (as Ferdinand III) from 1504 and King of Navarre (as Ferdinand I) from 1512 until his death in 1516. He was King of Castile and León (as Ferdinand V) from 1475 to 1504, alongside his wife Queen Isabella I. From 1506 to 1516, he was the Regent of the Crown of Castile, making him the effective ruler of Castile. From 1511 to 1516, he styled himself as Imperator totius Africa (Emperor of All Africa) after having conquered Tlemcen and making the Zayyanid Sultan, Abu Abdallah V, his vassal. He was also the Grandmaster of the Spanish Military Orders of Santiago (1499-1516), Calatrava (1487-1516), Alcantara (1492-1516) and Montesa (1499-1516), after he permanently annexed them into the Spanish Crown. He reigned jointly with Isabella over a dynastically unified Spain; together they are known as the Catholic Monarchs. Ferdinand is considered the de facto first King of Spain, and was described as such during his reign .
The Crown of Aragon that Ferdinand inherited in 1479 included the kingdoms of Aragon, Valencia, Majorca, Sardinia, and Sicily, as well as the principality of Catalonia. His marriage to Queen Isabella I of Castile is regarded as the "cornerstone in the foundation of the Spanish monarchy". Ferdinand played a major role in the European colonization of the Americas, from drawing up the Capitulations of Santa Fe (anticipating a rogue Columbus) to having his personal accountant, Luis de Santangel, undertake more than half the cost (2 million maravedis of the total 3 million) of sponsoring Christopher Columbus' first voyage in 1492 (ensuring the Crown was virtually risk-free in this great gamble) to prudently negotiating the terms with John II of Portugal for the Treaty of Tordesillas. That same year, the couple defeated Granada, the last Muslim state in Western Europe, thus completing the centuries-long Reconquista.
Ferdinand was King of the Crown of Castile until Isabella's death in 1504, when their daughter Joanna became Queen. That year, after a war with France, Ferdinand conquered the Kingdom of Naples. In 1506 he became Regent of Castile (as Rey Señor de Castilla) on behalf of his mentally unstable daughter Joanna. In 1505, as part of a treaty with France, Ferdinand married Germaine of Foix, niece of King Louis XII of France and sister of Gaston of Foix (the Thunderbolt of Italy). Ferdinand and Germaine's only child, John, died shortly after his birth. In 1512 Ferdinand conquered the Kingdom of Navarre, ruling all the territories comprising modern-day Spain until his death in 1516. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving child, Joanna, and his grandson Charles. Ferdinand's great-grandson Phillip II of Spain, while staring at a portrait of him, is recorded to have said "We owe everything to him". Modern historian Sir John H. Elliott concluded "in so far as it [the establishment of the Spanish Empire] can be attributed to any particular set of policies and actions, they were those of King Ferdinand and Cardinal Cisneros."
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Some of their strengths
Ferdinand II of Aragon has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intelligent, Imaginative, Loyal, Intense, Caring, Charming, and Energetic.
Soulful and Understanding
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Ferdinand II of Aragon is someone who is a soulful, understanding, and conscious person, who combines smarts with a deep talent for creativity and imagination. A person who is ambitious and motivated.
Strong and Resilient
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Ferdinand II of Aragon well know them as someone who can be strong, expansive, and stable like a big tree.
Productive and Perseverent
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Ferdinand II of Aragon as someone who is productive, persevering, deliberate, and direct.
A person who is creative, has good luck with work and money, good listening skills, good relationships with people at work, is a good teacher or counselor, and who is good at organizing groups, teams, or causes.
Realistic and Skillful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Ferdinand II of Aragon is someone who is able to separate emotions from reality, see the world in terms of right or wrong, and who is very good at getting things done.
They are also someone who is creative, expressive, and insightful, and who has a pioneering spirit with self-determination and natural artistic expression.
Creative and Imaginative
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Ferdinand II of Aragon tends to be someone who is sensitive, imaginative, creative, and somewhat of a dreamer. Who is intuitive and compassionate, and who has a friendly, easygoing, calming and relaxing effect on people and for whom friends and family mean the world.
Some of Ferdinand II of Aragon's challenges
While Ferdinand II of Aragon has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Ferdinand II of Aragon can be Emotional, Hypocritical, Stubborn, Indecisive, Unrealistic, Standoffish, and Self-centered.
Indecisive and Unrealistic
One of Ferdinand II of Aragon's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as indecisive and unrealistic.
Possessive and Stubborn
Ferdinand II of Aragon is someone who can be possessive, jealous, inflexible, and stubborn, can have a habit of being a frivolous spender, and who can feel insecure or cynical in romantic relationships and have difficulty forming productive personal and professional partnerships.
Lethargic and Unrealistic
Finally, Ferdinand II of Aragon also can be too soft, lazy and lethargic, and who can have difficulty finding others who share a similarly dreamy outlook on life.
