After a struggle to claim the throne, Isabella reorganized the governmental system, brought the crime rate down, and unburdened the kingdom of the debt, which her half-brother King Henry IV had left behind. Isabella's marriage to Ferdinand in 1469 created the basis of the de facto unification of Spain. Her reforms and those she made with her husband had an influence that extended well beyond the borders of their united kingdoms.[4]
Isabella was born in Madrigal de las Altas Torres to King John II of Castile and his second wife, Isabella of Portugal, on 22 April 1451.[6] At the time of Isabella's birth, she was second in line to the throne after her older half-brother Henry.[5] Henry was 26 at that time and married, but childless. Isabella's younger brother Alfonso was born two years later on 17 November 1453, demoting her position to third in line.[7] When her father died in 1454, her half-brother ascended to the throne as King Henry IV. Isabella and her brother Alfonso were left in King Henry's care.[8] Isabella, her mother, and Alfonso then moved to Arévalo.[5][9]
These were times of turmoil for Isabella. The living conditions at their castle in Arévalo were poor, and they suffered from a shortage of money. Although her father arranged in his will for his children to be financially well taken care of, King Henry did not comply with their father's wishes, either from a desire to keep his half-siblings restricted or from ineptitude.[8] Even though her living conditions were difficult, Isabella was instructed in lessons of practical piety and in a deep reverence for religion under the supervision of her mother.[9]
When the king's wife, Joan of Portugal, was about to give birth to their daughter Joanna, Isabella and her brother Alfonso were summoned to court in Segovia to come under the direct supervision of the king and to finish their education.[5] Alfonso was placed in the care of a tutor while Isabella became part of the queen's household.[10]
Isabella in the Rimado de la Conquista de Granada, from 1482, by Pedro Marcuello
Some of Isabella's living conditions improved in Segovia. She always had food and clothing and lived in a castle that was adorned with gold and silver. Isabella's basic education consisted of reading, spelling, writing, grammar, history, arithmetic, art, chess, dancing, embroidery, music, and religious instruction. She and her ladies-in-waiting entertained themselves with art, embroidery, and music. She lived a relaxed lifestyle, but she rarely left Segovia since King Henry forbade this. Her half-brother was keeping her from the political turmoil going on in the kingdom, though Isabella had full knowledge of what was going on and of her role in the feuds.[11][better source needed]
After a rumor spread that Joanna was not actually the daughter of King Henry but rather of a royal favorite, Beltrán de la Cueva, noblemen confronted King Henry and demanded that the king's younger half-brother Alfonso be named his successor. They even went so far as to ask Alfonso to seize the throne. The nobles, now in control of Alfonso and claiming that he was the true heir, clashed with King Henry's forces at the Second Battle of Olmedo in 1467. The battle was a draw. King Henry agreed to recognize Alfonso as his heir presumptive, provided that he would marry his daughter, Princess Joanna.[5][12] Soon after he was named Prince of Asturias, he died at the age of fourteen in July 1468. The nobles who had supported him suspected poisoning. As she had been named in her brother's will as his successor, the nobles asked Isabella to take his place as champion of the rebellion.[5] However, support for the rebels had begun to wane, and Isabella preferred a negotiated settlement to continuing the war.[13] She met with her elder half-brother Henry at Toros de Guisando and they reached a compromise: the war would stop, King Henry would name Isabella his heir presumptive instead of his daughter Joanna, and Isabella would not marry without her half-brother's consent, but he would not be able to force her to marry against her will.[5][14] Isabella's side came out with most of what the nobles desired, though they did not go so far as to officially depose King Henry; they were not powerful enough to do so, and Isabella did not want to jeopardize the principle of fair inherited succession, since it was upon this idea that she had based her argument for legitimacy as heir-presumptive.
The question of Isabella's marriage was not a new one. She had, at the age of six, a betrothal to Ferdinand, the younger son of John II of Navarre (whose family was a cadet branch of the House of Trastámara). At that time, the two kings, Henry and John, were eager to show their mutual love and confidence and they believed that this alliance would make their eternal friendship obvious to the world.[15] This arrangement, however, did not last long.
The wedding portrait of Ferdinand and Isabella, c. 1469
Ferdinand's uncle Alfonso V of Aragon died in 1458. All of Alfonso's Spanish territories, as well as the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, were left to his brother John II. John now had a stronger position than ever before and no longer needed the security of Henry's friendship. Henry was now in need of a new alliance. He saw the chance for this much-needed new friendship in Charles of Viana, John's elder son.[16] Charles was constantly at odds with his father, and because of this, he secretly entered into an alliance with Henry IV of Castile. A major part of the alliance was that a marriage was to be arranged between Charles and Isabella. When John II learned of this arranged marriage, he was outraged. Isabella had been intended for his favorite younger son, Ferdinand, and in his eyes, this alliance was still valid. John II had his son Charles thrown in prison on charges of plotting against his father's life. Charles died in 1461.[17]
In 1465, an attempt was made to marry Isabella to Afonso V of Portugal, Henry's brother-in-law.[5] Through the medium of the queen and Count of Ledesma, a Portuguese alliance was made.[18] Isabella, however, was wary of the marriage and refused to consent.[19]
A civil war broke out in Castile over King Henry's inability to act as sovereign. Henry now needed a quick way to please the rebels of the kingdom. As part of an agreement to restore peace, Isabella was then to be betrothed to Pedro Girón Acuña Pacheco, Master of the Order of Calatrava and brother to the king's favorite, Juan Pacheco.[18] In return, Don Pedro would pay into the royal treasury an enormous sum of money. Seeing no alternative, Henry agreed to the marriage. Isabella was aghast and prayed to God that the marriage would not come to pass. Her prayers were answered when Don Pedro suddenly fell ill and died while on his way to meet his fiancée.[18][20]
When Henry had recognized Isabella as his heir-presumptive on 19 September 1468, he had also promised that his half-sister should not be compelled to marry against her will, while she in return had agreed to obtain his consent.[5][14] It seemed that the years of failed attempts at political marriages were finally over. There was talk of a marriage to Edward IV of England or to one of his brothers, probably Richard, Duke of Gloucester,[21] but this alliance was never seriously considered.[14] Once again in 1468, a marriage proposal arrived from Afonso V of Portugal. Going against his promises made in September 1468, Henry tried to make the marriage a reality. If Isabella married Afonso, Henry's daughter Joanna would marry Afonso's son John II and thus, after the death of the old king, John and Joanna could inherit Portugal and Castile.[22] Isabella refused and made a secret promise to marry her cousin and very first betrothed, Ferdinand of Aragon.[5]
After this failed attempt, Henry once again went against his promises and tried to marry Isabella to Louis XI's brother Charles, Duke of Berry.[23] In Henry's eyes, this alliance would cement the friendship of Castile and France as well as remove Isabella from Castilian affairs. However, Isabella once again refused the proposal. Meanwhile, John II of Aragon negotiated in secret with Isabella a wedding to his son Ferdinand.[24] After her marriage to Ferdinand, several anonymous journal entries claim the queen was unfaithful and plotted against the king.
On 18 October 1469, the formal betrothal took place.[25] Because Isabella and Ferdinand were second cousins, they stood within the prohibited degrees of consanguinity and the marriage would not be legal unless a dispensation from the Pope was obtained.[26] With the help of the Valencian Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia (later Pope Alexander VI), Isabella and Ferdinand were presented with a supposed papal bull by Pope Pius II (who had actually died in 1464), authorizing Ferdinand to marry within the third degree of consanguinity, making their marriage legal.[25] Afraid of opposition, Isabella eloped from the court of Henry with the excuse of visiting her brother Alfonso's tomb in Ávila. Ferdinand, on the other hand, crossed Castile in secret disguised as a servant.[5] They married immediately upon reuniting on 19 October 1469 in the Palacio de los Vivero in the city of Valladolid.[27]
On 12 December 1474, news of King Henry IV's death in Madrid (which had happened on 11 December[28][better source needed]) reached Segovia. This prompted Isabella to take refuge within the walls of the Alcázar of Segovia, where she received the support of Andres de Cabrera and Segovia's council. The next day, Isabella was proclaimed Queen of Castile and León.
Isabella's reign got off to a rocky start. King Henry IV had named Isabella as his successor, so when she ascended to the throne in 1474, there were already several plots against her. Diego Pacheco, the Marquis of Villena, and his followers maintained that Joanna la Beltraneja, Henry's daughter, was the rightful queen.[29] Shortly after the Marquis made his claim, the Archbishop of Toledo—his great-uncle and a longtime supporter of Isabella—left court to plot with him. They made plans to have Joanna marry her uncle King Afonso V of Portugal and invade Castile to claim the throne for themselves.[30]
Western Europe in 1470
In May 1475, King Afonso and his army crossed into Spain and advanced to Plasencia. Here he married the young Joanna.[31] A long and bloody war for the Castilian succession then took place. The war went back and forth for almost a year, until the Battle of Toro on 1 March 1476, in which both sides claimed[32][33] and celebrated[33][34] victory: the troops of King Afonso V were beaten[35][36] by the Castilian centre-left commanded by the Duke of Alba and Cardinal Mendoza while the forces led by John of Portugal defeated[37][38][39][40] the Castilian right wing and remained in possession[41][42] of the battlefield.
But despite its uncertain[43][44] outcome, the Battle of Toro represented a great political victory[45][46][47][48] for the Catholic Monarchs, assuring them the throne since the supporters of Joanna la Beltraneja disbanded and the Portuguese army, without allies, left Castile. As summarized by the historian Justo L. González:
Both armies faced each other at the camps of Toro resulting in an indecisive battle. But while the Portuguese King reorganized his troops, Ferdinand sent news to all the cities of Castile and to several foreign kingdoms informing them about a huge victory where the Portuguese were crushed. Faced with these news, the party of "la Beltraneja" [Joanna] was dissolved and the Portuguese were forced to return to their kingdom.[49]
With great political vision, Isabella took advantage of the moment and convoked courts at Madrigal-Segovia (April–October 1476)[50] where her eldest child and daughter Isabella was first sworn as heiress to Castile's crown. That was equivalent to legitimizing Isabella's own throne.
In August of the same year, Isabella proved her abilities as a powerful ruler on her own. A rebellion broke out in Segovia, and Isabella rode out to suppress it, as her husband Ferdinand was off fighting at the time. Going against the advice of her male advisors, Isabella rode by herself into the city to negotiate with the rebels. She was successful and the rebellion was quickly brought to an end.[51] Two years later, Isabella further secured her place as ruler with the birth of her son John, Prince of Asturias, on 30 June 1478. To many, the presence of a male heir legitimized her place as ruler.
Meanwhile, the Castilian and Portuguese fleets fought for hegemony in the Atlantic Ocean and for the wealth of Guinea (gold and slaves), where the decisive naval Battle of Guinea was fought.[52][53]
The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: Real Orden de Isabel la Católica; Abbr.: OYC) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and the Order of Civil Merit (established in 1926). It recognizes extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations and cooperation with other nations, with a particular focus on the territories of the former Spanish Empire. By law, its Grand Master is the King of Spain, and its Grand Chancellor is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Order is open to both Spaniards and foreigners, particularly from the Spanish-speaking world.
The Order was created in 1815 by King Ferdinand VII in honor of Queen Isabella I as the Real y Americana Orden de Isabel la Católica ("Royal and American Order of Isabella the Catholic") with the intent of "rewarding the firm allegiance to Spain and the merits of Spanish citizens and foreigners in good standing with the Nation and especially in those exceptional services provided in pursuit of territories in America and overseas."[1] The Order was reorganized by royal decree on 26 July 1847, with the name "Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic", reflecting the secession of the mainland possessions in the Americas after the Spanish American wars of independence.
The great prestige that the Order of Isabella the Catholic enjoys in Spain and abroad is due to several reasons. First, it has become a powerful instrument of international relations, with awardees inducted from all over the world.[2] Second, it is a highly selective and rare honour – since its creation in 1815, only 72,398 people have received the Order of Isabella the Catholic[3] (in comparison, the also prestigious French Legion of Honour has been awarded to over 1,000,000 people over the same period of time,[4] and the Order of the British Empire has over 100,000 living members[5]). Third, it is the only Spanish civil honour that confers personal nobility, with the right to an individual coat of arms (with heraldic mantle and pavilion), an official style of address (The Most Illustrious Sir / Ilustrísimo Señor), and full membership in nobiliary corporations (e.g., the Real Asociación de Hidalgos).[6]
The Order of Isabel the Catholic was instituted by King Ferdinand VII on 14 March 1815. The original statutes of the Order were approved by Royal Decree of 24 March, with membership made in three classes: Grand Cross, and Knights of First and Second Class. Ferdinand VII was declared the Order's Founder, Head, and Sovereign. On 7 October 1816, at the suggestion of the Chapter of the Order, the Knights of the first class were renamed Commanders and the second class were renamed Knights.
By royal decree of 26 July 1847, Isabella II reorganised the four royal orders in Spain: the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Langues of Aragon and Castile of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, the Order of Charles III, and the Order of Isabella the Catholic. The latter was reserved to reward exclusively the services rendered in the Overseas territories. The classes of the order became Knight, Commander, Commander by Number, and Grand Cross. The concession and tests of nobility was suppressed in all the Royal Orders. By royal decree of 28 October 1851, no concessions of Grand Cross of any orders were to be made without the proposal of the Council of Ministers and concessions for the lower classes with the proposal of the Secretary of State.
After the establishment of the First Republic, the Order was declared to be extinguished by Decree of 29 March 1873 as deemed to be incompatible with the republican government. Use of the various insignias was allowed to those who possessed them. When King Alfonso XII ascended to the throne, the Order was reestablished by Decree of 7 January 1875.
Coat of arms of Alfonso XIII, with collar and heraldic mantle of the Order.
During the minority of Alfonso XIII, his mother and Regent, Maria Cristina, signed the royal decrees of 15 April 1889 and 25 October 1900. Among other things, they sought to impose entry into the Order by the category of Knight, to prohibit the use of decorations until the corresponding title was obtained, and to ratify the obligation that the Grand Cross be awarded with the agreement of the Council of Ministers and for conferees to be published in the Official Gazette. By Royal Decree of 14 March 1903, the Silver Cross of the Order was created, and by Royal Decree of 15 April 1907, the Silver and Bronze Medals.
In Royal Decree 1118, of 22 June 1927, the superior grade of Knights of the Collar was created, to be awarded to prominent personalities of extraordinary merit. It also provides that women can also be decorated with either the lazo or banda.
The Provisional Government of the Republic, by decree of 24 July 1931, abolished all orders under the Ministry of State, except for the Order of Isabella the Catholic. The regulations approved by decree of 10 October 1931 introduced a new degree: Officer (Oficial). By decree of 8 August 1935, it was established that the first degree in the Order of Isabella the Catholic was that of the Grand Cross, the Collar being reserved exclusively for very exceptional cases.
In 1938, Franco, by decree of 15 June, restored the Order in its traditional meaning: to reward meritorious services rendered to the country by nationals and foreigners. The order's regulations were approved by Decree of 29 September 1938. According to the 1938 regulations, the order consisted of the following grades: Knight of the Collar, Knight Grand Cross, Commander by Number, Commander, Knight, and Silver Cross. Decree 1353/1971, of 5 June, re-incorporated the rank of Officer, placing it between the grades of Knight and Commander. Thus, the Order consisted of the following grades: Knight of the Collar, Knight of the Grand Cross, Banda de Dama (denomination of the Grand Cross when granted to ladies), Commander by Number, Commander, Officer, Knight, Lazo de Dama (the degree of Knight when it is granted to ladies), and Cruz de Plata.
The order's current regulations date from 1998 as approved by Royal Decree 2395/1998, of 6 November. Among its provisions, the categories of Banda de Dama, Cruz de Caballero and Lazo de Dama were repealed to avoid possible interpretations of there being gender discrimination. Notwithstanding this, for aesthetic and functional reasons, the ladies who are decorated use reduced versions of the insignia of each degree of the Order.
The king of Spain (currently Felipe VI) is grand master.[7] The grand chancellor is the minister of foreign affairs.[8] All deeds granting decorations of the Order must bear the signatures of both.[9] Members of the order at the rank of Cross and above enjoy personal nobility and have the privilege of adding a golden heraldic mantle to their coat of arms. Knights at the rank of Grand Cross and Knight of the Collar receive the official style of "His or Her most Excellent Lord".[10] Knights at the rank of Commander by number receive the style of "His or Her Most Illustrious Lord".[10] There are currently the following grades:
First Class
Knight of the Collar (CoYC) (Caballeros del Collar)
Samuel Morse wearing the knight's cross (fourth from left) and the commander cross of the order (bottom), 1866.
The original statutes of the order of 24 March 1815 established the order in three classes. The structure of the order has varied several times since then. The following is a summary of the history of the various grades and medals of the order:
Knights of the Collar (Caballeros del Collar) – Established 22 June 1927.
Knights Grand Cross (Caballeros Gran Cruz) – Established 24 March 1815.
Knight First Class (Caballeros de Primera Clase) – Established 24 March 1815, retitled Commander (Comdador) on 24 July 1815.
Officer (Oficial) – Established 10 October 1931, abolished 15 June 1938 and restored 5 June 1971.
Knight Second Class (Caballeros de Segunda Clase) – Established 24 March 1815, retitled Knight (Caballeros) on 24 July 1815.
Silver Cross (Cruz de Plata) – Established 16 March 1903 to reward civil and palace officials.
Gold Medal with Laureate (Medal de Oro pero Laureada) – Established on 24 July 1815 for award to European sergeants and enlisted men. Subsequently abolished.
Gold Medal (Medal de Oro) – Established on 24 July 1815 for award to non-European 'natives'. Subsequently abolished.
Silver Medal (Medal de Plata) – Established 15 April 1907 to reward non-commissioned officers and junior civil officials.
Bronze Medal (Medal de Bronce) – Established 15 April 1907 to reward non-commissioned officers and junior civil officials.[12]
Women appointed to an applicable grade are not called Knights (Caballeros). Women are instead appointed as Dames of the Collar (Damas del Collar), Dames Grand Cross (Damas Gran Cruz) or Dame's Cross (Cruz de Damas).[11]
The decoration is a red-enameled cross, with a golden frame. The outer peaks are fitted with small gold balls. The center of the medallion contains the inscription "A La Lealtad Acrisolada" (To Proven Loyalty) and "Por Isabel la Católica" (By Isabella the Catholic) on white enamel. Above the cross is a green enameled laurel wreath with the band ring.
The ribbon is yellow with a white central stripe,[13] except the "Collar", the wearing of which can be replaced by a gold-yellow sash with white stripes on the edges.
History. The Order of Isabel the Catholic was instituted by King Ferdinand VII on 14 March 1815. The original statutes of the Order were approved by Royal ...
The order was established on March 14, 1815 by the Spanish King Ferdinand VII in honor of the Queen of Castile Isabella I with the original name "Royal ...
2 oct 2021 — It was created on March 14, 1815 by King Ferdinand VII in honor of Queen Isabella I with the intent of “remembering the firm allegiance to ...
25 may 2023 — ... Isabella the Catholic. This recognition is a distinction of the Spanish State, instituted by King Ferdinand VII on March 14, 1815, with the ...
Cuál fue el objetivo político que trazó Perón para la gira por Europa y su estrategia ante la invitación de Franco. La sorpresa del efecto Evita y el fusilamiento que logró evitar. Las chicanas de la Iglesia.
El viaje de Eva Perón a Europa, en 1947, tuvo suma importancia. En realidad, su origen se produjo cuando Juan Domingo Perón asume el 4 de junio de 1946 y empieza a desarrollar una política exterior independiente de acuerdo con su concepción de la denominada “Tercera Posición”, es decir, de no estar atado al capitalismo ni al comunismo.
Esta idea de Perón fue bastante difícil de manejar porque, para colmo, a los pocos meses le llegó una invitación de Francisco Franco, el caudillo fascista que permanece como dueño y señor de España, para que fuera a recorrer el país de donde procedían muchas familias argentinas.
Para Perón fue todo un problema porque una cosa era mantenerse independiente de Estados Unidos y Gran Bretaña y otra, aparecer junto a un fascista que venía de una guerra civil con cientos de miles de muertos.
La situación también era complicada para la Argentina, porque el país mantuvo la neutralidad durante casi toda la Segunda Guerra Mundial y recién definió su posición cuando el conflicto estaba por terminar. En aquel contexto, se planteaba que los aliados iban a hacer pagar muy caro a España y a la Argentina por su falta de apoyo durante la guerra.
Por eso, tampoco resultaba conveniente rechazar la propuesta de Franco, más allá de su ideología y su historia negra.
Entonces, Perón llamó al padre Hernán Benítez, que era su asesor en muchas cosas, y le dijo que viajara a España para proponer que la persona que iba a representar a la Argentina iba a ser Eva Perón, la esposa del presidente argentino.
La importancia de esta decisión quizás hoy no sea valorada en su real dimensión. Eva era una muchacha de 28 años que no conocía nada de cancillerías ni protocolos diplomáticos. No olvidemos que poco tiempo antes, ella estaba buscando trabajo en compañías de teatro tras haber salido de Junín con sólo 15 años.
Pero evidentemente, Perón había captado que Eva tenía el carácter y la capacidad suficientes para representar a la Argentina en aquel viaje.
Otra de las instrucciones que llevó el padre Benítez fue combinar la visita a España con otros destinos europeos. “Vaya a Francia, a Italia, al Vaticano”, para que el viaje no aparezca como una adhesión al fascismo español, fue la indicación de Perón.
Según me contó el propio padre Benítez, los preparativos de lo que ya se había convertido en una gira comenzaron durante los primeros meses de 1947. Lilian Lagomarsino de Guardo, que la acompañó, recordó que Evita sentía cierto temor ante el inminente viaje a Europa. En aquellos años sólo los ricos se permitían viajar en avión, a lo que se sumaba el hecho que ella era una joven mujer que iba acompañada únicamente por la esposa del diputado Ricardo Guardo.
Finalmente, Eva partió de Argentina el 7 de junio de 1947. Antes de ascender al avión, le escribió una carta a Perón en la que le ratificó su amor y la decisión de dar todo para cumplir su misión en Europa. También aprovechó la misma nota para comentarle que su secretario privado, Rodolfo Freude, era una mala persona ya que había mandado gente a Junín para investigar su pasado.
Ya en España, el 9 de junio la condecoraron con la Cruz de Isabel la Católica en una concentración que reunió a 300 mil personas. Para entender la presencia de esta multitud es importante recordar que España atravesaba una crisis tremenda y la Argentina le estaba enviando alimentos en medio de una política de Perón de intentar consolidar su gobierno en el campo internacional.
Además, aquella impresionante cantidad de gente se encontró con una muchacha que tenía a su favor haber sido actriz y tener cierto conocimiento de cómo expresarse en público. Como si fuera poco, Eva levantaba la bandera de la justicia social y, si bien sus palabras eran para todos los trabajadores, se dirigía especialmente a las mujeres y a las obreras de España.
“Mujeres españolas, no he venido a formar ejes sino a tender un arco iris de paz con todos los pueblos, como corresponde al espíritu de la mujer. Unamos nuestros esfuerzos”, afirmó Eva en un discurso que tuvo una gran resonancia en toda Europa, porque expresaba la posición de Argentina, de un gobierno nuevo sobre el que muchos dudaban después que Perón fuera calificado de fascista por parte de la oposición.
Más allá de cualquier consideración política, Eva se mantuvo al margen de todo protocolo desde el comienzo de su viaje. Así, si visitaba Madrid tenía que ir a los suburbios de la ciudad porque quería estar en contacto directo con los trabajadores. De esta manera, la llevaron a una corrida de toros y no tuvo reparos en decir que le parecía algo inhumano.
En una de esas concentraciones populares se le acercó un pibe y le entregó una carta que decía: “Señora Eva Perón, me han fusilado a mi padre y ahora van a fusilar a mi madre. Necesito que me ayude. Se llama Juana Doña, está en la cárcel de mujeres y Franco la quiere matar”. Conmovida, Eva planteó a Franco la situación de aquella militante comunista, por lo que se vieron obligados a levantar la sanción.
Durante el paso de Eva por España hubo varias manifestaciones populares que contaron con la presencia de Franco, quien por momentos evidenció un excesivo silencio y cierto desagrado por las cosas que decía ella. “Usted cuando quiera juntar gente, llámeme”, le sugirió Eva.
Naturalmente, durante su estadía en España la llevaron a recorrer los lugares más tradicionales, entre ellos el palacio de El Escorial. Allí, después de admirar la estructura monumental de la construcción, no pudo evitar decir: “Qué hermoso hospital se podría hacer aquí para el pueblo” (extraído de las Memorias de Lilian de Guardo).
Antes de partir el 26 de julio, provocó toda una serie de complicaciones. El padre Benítez fue el autor de unos de sus primeros discursos, que resultaron bastante fuertes incluso para el peronismo de la época. En virtud de ello, la cúpula de la Iglesia le llamó la atención al sacerdote y le ordenó que debía apartarse y no seguir acompañándola.
— “Padre, la clase rica está sacando a los chicos”, le dijeron en un llamado desde Buenos Aires.
— “Bueno, están sacando los chicos a la calle, me parece muy bien así aprenden un poco lo que es la calle”, fue el comentario del padre Benítez.
— “No, no, los están sacando de los colegios y es muy grave porque significa una pérdida de dinero muy grande para la Iglesia”, le contestaron.
Más allá de la clara distinción entre lo que era la religión y el negocio de la educación, terminaron sancionando al Padre Benítez para que no apareciera más junto a Evita.
Pero fue tarde. El sacerdote ya había realizado todas las gestiones para que el viaje de Eva se extendiera a Italia y Francia.
English: The Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: Orden de Isabel la Católica) is a Spanish civil order granted in recognition of services that benefit the country. The Order is not exclusive to Spaniards, and many foreigners have been awarded it. The Order was created on 14 March 1815 by King Ferdinand VII of Spain in honor of Queen Isabella I of Castile with the name of "Royal and American Order of Isabella the Catholic" with the intent of "rewarding the firm allegiance to Spain and the merits of Spanish citizens and foreigners in good standing with the Nation and especially in those exceptional services provided in pursuit of territories in America and overseas." The Order was reorganized by royal decree on 26 July 1847, as the modern "Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic" with a broader focus than the Americas.
Español: La Real Orden de Isabel la Católica es una condecoración del Reino de España creada por el rey Fernando VII de España el 14 de marzo de 1815, con el nombre de Real y Americana Orden de Isabel la Católica, con el fin de «premiar la lealtad acrisolada y los méritos contraídos en favor de la prosperidad de aquellos territorios», y mediante un Real Decreto del 26 de julio de 1847 la orden tomó el nombre de Real Orden de Isabel la Católica. El último reglamento fue aprobado por Real Decreto en 1998, siendo su función actual "premiar aquellos comportamientos extraordinarios de carácter civil, realizados por personas españolas y extranjeras, que redunden en beneficio de la Nación o que contribuyan, de modo relevante, a favorecer las relaciones de amistad y cooperación de la Nación Española con el resto de la Comunidad Internacional". En la actualidad depende del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de España. El gran maestre de la Orden es el rey de España, mientras que el gran canciller de la Orden es el ministro de Asuntos Exteriores. Todos los títulos de las condecoraciones de la Orden deben llevar las firmas de ambos.
Order of Isabella the Catholic
Spanish civil order granted in recognition of services that benefit the country
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The Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: Orden de Isabel la Católica) is a Spanish civil order in which membership is given to honor services that benefited the country.
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