![King's Christmas speech focuses heavily on Constitutional rights](https://cdn.thinkwebcontent.com/articles/33658/4x3/33658-1703454277--TYDTOa-Kingsspeech2023-EFE.jpg)
KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve speech once again included a covert appeal to secessionist politicians, as well as raising concerns about young adults' struggle to afford housing and violence against women.
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Isabel -daughter of Juan II of Castile and Isabel of Portugal- and Fernando -son of Juan II of Aragón and Juana Enriquez- married in Valladolid on the 19th October 1469 despite fierce resistance from many quarters. Isabel claimed for herself the throne of Castile in 1474 following the death of her brother, Enrique IV. The succession was disputed by Enrique's daughter, Juana, who many claimed was the illegitimate bastard of D. Beltrán de la Cueva. Juana's claim was supported by her husband, Alfonso V of Portugal, and resulted in his defeat at the battles of Toro and Albuera, after which Isabel's succession was officially recognised by the Madrigal Courts.
Fernando was named heir to his father's throne after the death of his brother Carlos. He inherited the throne of Sicily in 1468, and that of Aragón itself in 1479 upon the death of his father. Fernando supported his wife in her battle for succession, and the kingdoms of Castile and Aragón were united following the death of Fernando's father under the terms of the Segovia Treaty of 1475.
The marriage of the Catholic Monarchs, as they came to be known, is considered by many to be the catalyst for the unification and aggrandizement of Spain. Their first priority was to re-establish royal authority by creating the powerful Holy Brotherhood in 1476, which was a kind of judicial police force. They also created the Royal Council to replace the Courts, and named chief magistrates (corregidores) to control the towns and cities.
The success of the Moorish campaign and growing pressure from the queen's religious advisers led to the decision to expel from Spain all Jews, and Moors from the newly reconquered territories, who refused to convert to Christianity. Instrumental in this process was the Holy Inquisition, which was created in 1478 to identify and correct any new converts to the Catholic faith that had subsequently been tempted to return to their former religious beliefs.
KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve speech once again included a covert appeal to secessionist politicians, as well as raising concerns about young adults' struggle to afford housing and violence against women.
'BRAVE' servicemen and women who will spend Christmas overseas are 'making Spain proud', president Pedro Sánchez assured them during his annual festive message via video-call.
NEWLY sworn-in national president Pedro Sánchez is now starting the challenging task of building his cabinet among a very divided coalition, although several names from his previous tenure are tipped to be returning to...
A NEW and limited-edition €2 coin will be in circulation in Spain until the end of this year to mark the country's Council of Europe presidency 'shift', the Royal mint has revealed.