Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1877)
"""-' liifl ISAIiKl.I,.V. u I.' rule; hut Isabella is remembered not only for her purity and modesty, hut also as being the noblest unci most illustrious per son til tit ever graced the Spanish throne. She came upon the stage of action, when tile world was just emerging from barbar ism. All Europe was a boiling seething mass. Tribes and classes of all sorts were roughly jostling each other in their des perate attempt to extend their boundaries and establish their governments In fact, it was the time when the foundations of all the great nations were being laid. The Spanish peninsula was even in a worse condition than other parts of Eu rope, for here the Moois had (irmly estub lished themselves, and had ruled the great er portion of Spain for several centuries, but now were giving way before superior numbers and a higher degree of civiliza tion. Uesidcs this trouble, there vas one of still greater moment. Not only were the dillercnt provinces at war with each other, but also each division was convulsed by internal strife. It could almost be said that every man's baud was against his neighbor's, or rather Dial noble was pitted against noble. Everything was in a state of chaos. Unity, without which a nation can do nothing, was nowhere to be found in the Spanish peninsula. Kings were no more than figureheads of their respect ive provinces, oft-times having less author, ity than many of tl.i.ir nobles. It was from such a state of things and from such a people that Isabella was compelled to draw forth the Spanish nation and place it on a firm foundation for her successors, and, we believe, had it not been for her Spain would never have gained oven the distinction she did. Prescott, in com par. ing her with Elizabeth, her illustrious namesake, well remarks, that when the Virgin Queen took hold of English af. fairs, she found the materials already sort ed and sifted, and a good foundation upon which to erect the Hritish government; whereas Isabella was compelled to select and gather together all the materials for I her structure from the haughtiest and most unmanageable) relics of the Feudal System, which required vastly more labor, a far milder and more winning dispo. si'ion, yet as determined u character as that of Elizabeth. From this heterogeneous and discord ant mass she, together with her illustrious husband Ferdinand, soon collected a re spectable army, and drove the Moor from one stronghold to another until he took refuge in the desert wastes of Africa, The armies of Spain, under the guiding' hand of Isabella, were everywhere victor, ions. The whole peninsula was recov. ered. Northern Africa and almost all Italy were, brought under Spanish rule. Isabella, while besieging the Moorish stronghold, Granada, by a personal sacri fice in pledging her jewels, raised the means wheichy the American continent was discovered, and from that day the wealth of the new world began to How into her coders. The Spanish nation ilm.i reached its zenith. Willi a treasury full to overliowing, a magnificent country, by the discovery of Coiumbus an outlet for her surplus population, and above all a guiding hand at the helm which scarcely ever erred, Spain was then in a more pros perous condition than any other nation of the world. Had the counsels of Isu bulla been fallowed, and had good rulers risen up, Spain to-day would probably be leading the world, instead of being con vulsnd by internal strife and scarcely able 10 maintain tier existence. Isabella was looked upon by all her subjects as almost divine. They would brave any danger, even wado through seas of blood, for the sake of their lovely ruler, and indeed she well deserved all the loyalty and resnect thev could lir. She was not, as most rulers, unable to place herself on a level with her subjects and yet be absolute mistress. Onn 1.m. she might be found encased in a coat of arms, riding boldly at the head of lmr troops, thus stimulating them to far great, er exertion than they would otherwise
