Isabel of Castile, the august queen that united a fractured, war-ridden land into a unified country under a single religion and language after seven hundred years of war and domination, is the same sovereign who made it possible for discoveries as prodigious as the Americas; the matchless regent whose rule led to the ushering in of the Renaissance into Spain. And yet, her journey to the throne was far from likely. Torn away from her childhood home, the pious and observant young Isabel is brought to the debauched Court of her brother, King Enrique. But when political strife leads to civil war between her two brothers, the young princess must defy the tyrannical control of the king, escape manipulative noblemen, and save herself from being used as a pawn in an arranged marriage, in order to protect the future of her kingdom and marry the man she believes she is destined for. In Isabel of Castile: Making of a Monarch, the woman that would be hailed by the Vatican as "the Catholic Queen" maneuvers her way through the social, political and cultural milieu of patriarchal 15th century Spain, and establishes an era of justice, faith, and unity. "A remarkable novel based on an intimacy with historical context, Nichole Christakes Dapelo offers a dazzling fictional account of Isabel's long journey to womanhood and queenship."-Dr. Teofilo Ruiz, Chair and distinguished professor of UCLA's Department of Spanish and Portuguese History "Isabel of Castile: Making of a Monarch is a well-written historical novel based on the adolescence and coming of age of one of the leading figures of the Spanish Renaissance. The author captures the essence and uncertainties of this turbulent transitional period in time, and recreates the key events and figures of this pivotal moment in Spanish history." -Fernando Dameto Zaforteza, Director and Professor of Humanities at Instituto de Empresa, Madrid