From: The Book of the Courtier by Baltassare Castiglione, Book III

Then saide the L. Julian: In case the people of Spaine, the Nobles, private persons,
both men and women, poore and rich, be not al agreed together to lye in her praise,
there hath not bine in our time in the world a more cleere example of true goodnesse,
stoutnesse of courage, wisdome, religion, honestie, courtesie, liberalitie, to be breef,
of all vertue, then Queene Isabel. And where the renoume of that Ladye in everie
place and with all Nations is verye great, they that lived with her and were present at
all her doinges, do all affirme this renoume to be spronge of her vertue and desertes.
And whoso will waye her actes, shall soone perceive the truth to be so. For leavinge
apart infinite thinges that make triall of this, and might be toulde, if it were our
pourpose, everye man knoweth that in the first beginninge of her reigne, she founde
the greatest part of Castilia possessed by great Astates: yet recovered she the wholl
again, so justly and in such sort that they dispossessed themselves continued in a great
good affection, and were willing to make surrender of that they had in possession. It is
also a most knowen thinge with what courage and wisedome she alwaies defended her
realmes from most puissant ennemies. And likewise to her alone may be geven the
honour of the glorious conquest of the kingdome of Granada, whiche in so longe and
sharpe a warr against stubborne ennemies, that fought for their livelode, for their lief,
for their law, and to their weening in Goddes quarrell, declared evermore with
counsell and with her owne person somuch vertue and prowesse, as perhappes in oure
time fewe Princis have had the stomake, not onelye to folowe her steppes, but to envie
her. Beeside this, all that knewe her, report that there was in her suche a divine maner
of government, that a man woulde have weened that her will onlye was almost
inoughe to make everye man without any more businesse, to do that he ought: so that
scase durst a man in his owne home and in secrete commit any thinge that he
suspected woulde displease her. And of this a great part was cause the wonderfull
judgement which she had in knowinge and chousinge ministers meete for the offices
she entended to place them in. And so well could she joigne the rigour of justice with
the mildenesse of mercye and liberalitie, that there was no good person in her dayes
that coulde complaine he had bine smallye rewarded, ne anye yll, to sore punisshed.
Wherfore emonge her people toward her, there sprange a verie great reverence dirived
of love and feare, which in all mens mindes remayneth still so settled, that a man
woulde thinke they looked that she should beehoulde them from heaven, and there
above eyther praise or dyspraise them. And therfore with her name, and with the
wayes which she ordeined, those Realmes are still ruled, in wise that albeit her lief
wanteth, yet her authoritie lyveth, like a whiele that longe swynged about with
violence, keepeth the same course a good while after of it self,
Ferdinando
Gonsalvo.
though no man move it anye more. Consider you beeside this (my L. Gaspar) that in
oure time all the great men of Spaine and renowmed in what ever thinge, have bine
made by Queene Isabel. And the great Capitain Gonsalve Ferdinande was more setbye
for it, then for all his famous victories and excellent and couragious actes, that in
peace and warr have made him so notable and famous, that in case fame be not
unkinde, she will for ever spred abrode to the worlde his immortall prayses, and make
proof that in oure age we have had fewe Kinges or great Princis, that by him have not
bine surmounted in noble courage, knowleage and all vertue. To retourn therfore to
Italye, I saye unto you that we have not wanted here also moste excellent Ladies. For
in Naples we have two Queenes, and not longe a go in Naples likewyse died the other
Queene of Hungarye, as excellent a Ladye as you knowe anye and to be compared
well inoughe to the mightye and glorious kinge Mathew Corvin her husbande.
Likewise the Dutchesse Isabell of Aragon most woorthie sister to kinge Ferdinande of
Naples, which as golde in the fire, so in the stormes of fortune hath
Queenes of she showed her vertue and prowesse. If you will come into Lumbardy,
Naples.
you shall marke the Ladye Isabell marquesse of Mantua, whose moste
Queen of excellent vertues shoulde receyve great wronge in speakinge of them so
Hungary. temperatelye, as whoso will speake of them in this place must be driven
to do. I am sorye moreover that you all knew not the Dutchesse Beatrice
Dut. Isabel of of Millane her sister, that you might never again wonder at a womans
Aragon.
wit. And the Dutches Elionor of Aragon Dutches of Ferrara, and mother
Isabel Marq. of to both these Ladies whom I have named, was such a one, that her moste
Mantua. excellent vertues gave a good triall to all the worlde, that she was not
onlye a woorthie daughter to a kinge, but also deserved to be a Queene
Dut. Beatrice of
Millane. over a farr greater State then all her auncestours possessed. And to tell
you of an other: Howe manie menne knowe you in the worlde, woulde
Dut. Elinor of abide the bitter strokes of fortune so pacientlye, as Queene Isabell of
Ferrara.
Naples hath done? Whiche for all the losse of her kingdome, banishment
and deathe of kinge Fridericke her husbande and two sonnes, and imprisonment of the
Duke of Calabria her eldest, yet still showeth her selfe a Queene:
Queene Isabel and so beareth out the myserable inconveniences of wretched povertie,
of Naples.
that every man maye see, thoughe she hath chaunged fortune, yet hathe
Pisanes. she not altered condicion. I omitt the naminge unto you of infinite other
great Ladies, and also women of low degree, as many Pisanes that in
defence of their countrey against Florentines, have declared that noble courage
without any feare of death, that the most invincible courages coulde doe that ever
were in the worlde: wherfore certein of them have bine renowmed by many noble
Poetes. I coulde tell you of certein most escellent in letters, in musicke, in peinctinge,
in carvinge, but I wil not any more go searching out emonge these examples, whiche
are most knowen to you all. It sufficeth that if in youre myndes ye thinke upon women
whom you youre selves knowe, it shall be no harde matter for you to understand, that
they are not most commonlye in prowesse or woorthinesse inferiour to their fathers,
brethren and husbandes: and that manye have bine occasion of goodnesse to menne,
and manie times broken them of manye of their vices. And where presentlye there are
not founde in the worlde those great Queenes that go to conquer farr Countreys, and
make great buildinges, Piramides and Cities, as Thomiris Queene of Scithia,
Artemisia, Zenobia, Semiramis, or Cloepatra, no more are there also men like unto
Cæsar, Alexander, Scipio, Lucullus, and the other noble Romane Capitanes.