Description:

King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella of Spain
Tortosa, Spain, February 12, 1496
Ferdinand & Isabella Procure Arms in Preparation for the Italian Wars
LS

Letter signed, one page, 8.375" x 11.625"; Tortosa, [Spain]; February 12, 1496. Ferdinand and Isabella send orders to Doctor Alonso Ramyrez de Villaescusa, Royal Magistrate of Valladolid. The letter acknowledges his report and directs that the terms for purchasing arms be extended until the Feast of St. John's (June 24). Signed, "Yo el Rey" and "Yo la Reyna" at the conclusion. Address panel and filing dockets on verso. Bright paper, with professional restoration along the top horizontal fold affecting a few words.

English translation:

"The King and the Queen

Doctor Alonso Ramírez de Villaescusa, our magistrate in the noble town of Valladolid: we have seen your letter and the memorandum that came with it, and we hold in great service what you wrote to us therein, both the good diligence and provision that you have applied in the matters which we commanded you to carry out, and in the other matters in which you say that we ought to order provision to be made, and thus you must always continue to do so, for in this you will serve us greatly. And as concerns Don Diego de Azevedo, we have ordered those of our council to be instructed to provide for it according as they shall see to be fitting for our service, and concerning the matter of the arms, we have ordered the term within which they are to be purchased to be extended until Saint John's Day, as you will see from the provisions which we have ordered to be issued thereon.

Given in the city of Tortosa, on the twelfth day of the month of February, in the year ninety-six."

Issued from Tortosa, the letter reflects the monarchs' practice of governance, as they traveled throughout their realms rather than ruling from a fixed capital. Their presence in Tortosa (a key city in the Crown of Aragon) underscores the broader geopolitical context, as Spain was actively engaged in the Italian Wars. By extending the timeframe for arms procurement, the Crown ensured adequate preparation while reinforcing centralized control over local officials and wartime logistics.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 11.625" x 8.375"
  • Medium: LS

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