Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/288

144 144 ACCESSION OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. PART of Spain and the archbishop of Toledo, who, after — '■ — . careful examination, established by undoubted pre- cedent, that the exclusion of females from the suc- cession did not obtain in Castile and Leon, as was the case in Aragon ; ^ that Isabella was consequent- ly sole heir of these dominions ; and that whatever authority Ferdinand might possess, could only be derived through her. A settlement was then made on the basis of the original marriage contract.^ All municipal appointments, and collation to ecclesias- tical benefices, were to be made in the name of both with the advice and consent of the queen. All fiscal nominations, and issues from the treasury, were to be subject to her order. The commanders of the fortified places were to render homage to her alone. Justice was to be administered by both conjointly, when residing in the same place, and by each independently, when separate. Proclamations and letters patent were to be subscribed with the signatures of both ; their images were to be stamp- ed on the public coin, and the united arms of Cas- tile and Aragon emblazoned on a common seal.^° 8 A precedent for female inherit- bella II. will put this much vexed ance, in the latter kinpfdom, was question at rest for ever, subsequently furnished by the un- 9 See Part I. Chap. 3. — Ferdi- disputed succession and long reign nand's powers are not so narrowly of Joanna, daughter of Ferdinand limited, at least not so carefull) andlsabella, and mother of Charles defined, in this settlement, as in V. The introduction of the Salic the marriage articles. Indeed, the law, under the Bourbon dynasty, instrument is much more concise opposed a new barrier, indeed ; but and general in its whole import, this has been since swept away by ^0 Salazar de Mendoza, Cr6n. the decree of the late monarch, del GranCardenal,lib. I,cap.40.— Ferdinand VII., and the paramount L. Marineo, Cosas Memorables, fol. authority of the cortcs ; and we 155, 15G. — Zurita, Analcs, torn, may hope, that the successful as- iv. fol. 222-224. — Pulgar, Reyes sertion of lier lawful rights by Isa- Cat61icos, pp. 35, 36. — See the I