A lot of people in the recent years are becoming aware of Columbus' many atrocities he committed in the Americas, and I welcome it wholeheartely, but he wouldn't have even discovered the Americas, let alone did what he did if it weren't for the full blessings of Queen Isabella I. of Spain, who sponsored his voyages, all of them, with each new voyage being funded more strongly after Columbus came back with more native slaves and their gold. And while her husband, King Ferdinant II. also sponsored his voyages, he did so without the intention of genocide and pillage, it was specified that he wanted Columbus to bring Glory and Riches via discovering faster sea routes for intercontinental trades. It was the Queen who was all in for claiming the Americas in the name of the Church, Ferdinant just wanted some sweet trading routes. She was also the one who allowed the Spanish Inquisition to be as widespread and effective as it was by supporting it fully by completing the Reconquista.
If Columbus was an abuser, Isabella I. was the Evil Stepmom who told him "its okay to be abusive as long as you don't get caught". Awareness should also be put towards her, and I even daresay prioritized.
Why is the AI personality for Spain, Isabella of Castille, portrayed as so hawt?
In legacy AOE3 she looked similar and was extremely flirty, bordering on sexually harassing the player when on the same team. She was portrayed as thin and concerned with her appearance in stark contrast to the old chunky Judi-Dench-esque portrayal of Elizabeth I.
AOE3DE continues the trend with new, but just as attractive artwork, that maintains the spirit of the original while maintaining all of her lines.
The question is why? There are two possible explanations and I imagine the first is the correct answer, but this important question must be addressed:
- The original ES developer were just like, "Bro, let's make Isabella hot". And Sandy Peterson said, "Nice, bruh, I dig it". Then the DE crowd just went with it.
- There is some historical precedence for her being sexy and flirtatious
However most of the images I find online (which I doubt were painted contemporaneously) depict her as rather plain looking. Additionally she was a strict Catholic who married young. At first glance, it would seem there is little basis in historical fact for her portrayal in AOE3.
Are there any Spanish history experts here who might shed more light on whether or not Isabella was stupid sexy in the 15th century or what could've possibly compelled the devs to make her a total babe in-game?
George has often credited Maurice Druon’s series the Accursed Kings, set in the 14th Century French court, as “the original Game of Thrones.” So, on that basis, I gave it a go.
I am glad I did! To say ACK was an ‘inspiration’ doesn’t really do it justice. There is so much in these books that the ‘game of thrones’ part of story set in KL (not so much the more magical or apocalyptic parts elsewhere) almost feels like AU Accursed Kings fanfic, albeit with a crossover event with the War of the Roses.
spoilers for the AK books (and 14th Century French/English history, to the extent there is any actual commonality)
The Accursed Kings books have everything from a cat-killing prince and a proto sky cell through a baby swap, from a hilarious & disastrous council meeting to an election won through false rumours and duplicity, a fatalistic prophecy, and lots and lots of poison, and more besides.
Amongst all that, there are also some very interesting thematic, plot and character similarities. One is Isabella/Mortimer and Cersei, and another is potentially Edward III and Tommen (or maybe Myrcella).
In the AK, Queen Isabella is the beautiful daughter of the Phillip the Fair of France. She is bargained away at a young age to marry the king of England, Edward II. Edward II is young and handsome, and at first Isabella rather likes him. She bears him several children, but the relationship sours. Edward II not only prefers men, but he has absolutely dreadful taste in them. His ‘favourites’, who he flaunts, are scheming and grasping and Edward II rewards them by giving them Isabella’s lands and property. She is utterly humiliated and grows to hate her husband. There are shades of Robert and his whores.
Isabella begins to conspire with a conniving and flamboyant French knight, and through their plotting she becomes involved in a plot to reveal that her brother's wives, the princesses, were having affairs. Partially through Isabella’s machinations the princesses are caught. Isabella then acts as one of the judges, treats them harshly and argues for no mercy. They are public ally shamed, have their heads shaved and are held as prisoners, with two of the three of them later being assassinated (the third is pardoned after establishing she was not directly involved). The nascent threads of Cersei’s crimes, trial and conspiracy against Margaery are all here.
Later, Isabella again travels to France, on the pretext of negotiating peace. Isabella tak
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Nowadays, we call out people such as Christopher Columbus, Robert E. Lee, and James Cook in order to denounce racism and white supremacy. However, why isn't Queen Isabella I of Castile receiving the same treatment?
Isabella I created a program to force Jews and Muslims living in Spain at that time to convert into Catholicism, and those who refused were either executed or exiled. All for creating "Catholic unity" within the kingdom and strengthening the power of the Spanish throne.
Yet, there are so many people who believe that she was a hero or a strong female role model (reality check: she's neither). Isabella I was a power-hungry racist, antisemite, and Islamophobe who was just as bad as Adolf Hitler or Leopold II of Belgium. She is not someone to be looked up to or praised, and now it's time we see her for the disgusting excuse of a human being she truly was.
