The year is 1470. Isabella of Castile is named heir to the throne of Castile after the Pacts of Guisando. However, she knows that her half-brother, King Henry IV, was displeased by Isabella’s marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon because they had not asked for Henry’s consent. In response he revokes the validity of these pacts and instead names his daughter Juana (nicknamed La Beltraneja) as heir. Now it’s Isabella’s turn to respond, stating the case for her marriage to Fernando II of Aragon and accusing her half-brother of perjury. Civil war looms — a fight for the throne of Castile between the supporters of Isabella and those of Juana. Isabella can count on the support of the Kingdom of Aragon while Juana is backed by Portugal.

This civil war for Castile takes center stage on the first turn of the game. The Spanish player is the one who leads the Castilian faction of Isabella with their permanent allies the Kingdom of Aragon, led by Ferdinand II. Once victorious against the Beltranejos, the Spanish player needs to look further afield. Castile has plans to conquer the Canary Islands – a strategic archipelago that can serve as a solid base for future voyages west in search of a new route to the Orient.

The player who leads these Catholic Kings (and their kingdoms of Castile and Aragon) also has to confront the enemies that Aragon has made over the years. For Aragon has been in a continuous struggle with France — fighting both for the border territory of Roussillon (just north of the Pyrenees) and for dominion over the city states of the Italian Peninsula. Just like his wife, Ferdinand also finds himself in a delicate position when the game begins, at home as well as abroad. For years the Crown of Aragon has waged a civil war for control of Catalan where the oligarchy had been in open rebellion against the power of the monarch. These oligarchs, calling themselves the Principality of Catalonia, enlist the support of the French king, who sends his nobleman René, Duke of Anjou. If the Spanish player can meet this threat, then the Aragonese forces can turn their attention on the fields of Italy. Historically their renowned military leader, the Great Captain, squared off against France for control of southern Italy. This situation is likely to develop in the game early in Turn 5, just after the minor power of Naples disappears due to the death of the Neapolitan king Ferrante (which in game terms distributes the Naples minor power home spaces between France and Aragon).  

Closer to home, the Reconquest of Granada is another objective for the Catholic Kings. Starting on Turn 5, you lose 1 VP each turn that the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada remains on the map. Adding to your incentives to finish off the Nasrids are the extra VP you earn for their elimination (and this conquest also makes all their original home spaces turn into Spanish ones).

What other considerations are important to a Spanish player?

• Remember that although 4 of your cards per turn are a constant (received from Castile), the other cards come from successful die rolls based on the possession of territories of interest to Aragon. Fighting to capture Barcelona and maintaining control of key spaces on Sardinia and Sicily is therefore of paramount importance.
• Sometime during Turn 5 Isabella dies reducing the cards gained from Castile to only 2 (until they can establish a regency with Cardinal Cisneros that boosts you to 3 until the end of the game).
• During turns 4-7 you will be able to marry off your children to gain some extra VP. If you manage to have your children married into the royal families of England, Portugal, and Austria simultaneously you gain 1 extra VP each turn this state lasts. 
• Finally, take advantage of the possibilities offered by the Exploration Map to create overseas settlements. These colonies and trading posts should provide you with resources that can grant VP, units and bonus CPs to extend impulses. The Spanish fleet of naos is the second best and most numerous in the game after Portugal’s. Christopher Columbus’ dedicated fleet gives you the opportunity to discover the New World much more easily, especially if you control five or more islands in the Canaries.

That’s a lot to accomplish. So how is it done? Well the fact that you receive three very powerful Spanish Home Cards each turn is a big help. The eponymous Home Card Tanto Monta, Monta Tanto is the most powerful home card in the game, allowing you to retrieve a card from the discard pile (among other options). Even if you choose to play it for operations instead of the event it grants 6 CPs and it is very versatile since those CP can be spent in any combination between Castile and Aragon. Planning out how to play your hand each turn is a challenge but certainly a key to replicating the historical rise of Ferdinand and Isabella!

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