Isabella was born on April 22, 1451 in Madrigal de las Atl’al Torres in Spain . She was the daughter of King John II of Castile and Queen Isabella of Portugal . Her brother Henry was the first in line to be king. Then came Isabella, the only girl, and last was Alfonso. Unfortunately, when Isabella was three, her father died, which made her brother Henry the new king. Henry proved to be a terrible king by not managing the country’s money well and allowing crime, taxes, and rebellions to get out of control. Because Henry was afraid of losing the throne, he exiled Queen Isabella of Portugal , Alfonso, and Isabella to a city named Arevalo. This action changed the direction of Isabella’s life.

Because Isabella and her family were forced to move to Arevalo, she was not given a proper education. Since she was a girl, she was not expected to become queen, and that is why she was not given a royal education, which included going to court. Instead, clergymen would travel to give her a common education. She was taught to read, sew, embroider, and do household work. Also, she was known to be gifted in horsemanship.