Ferdinand II of Aragon was a significant monarch in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Born in 1452, he became King of Aragon in 1479 and is best known for uniting Spain through his marriage to Isabella I of Castile. Together, they completed the Reconquista by capturing Granada in 1492, marking the end of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula. Ferdinand and Isabella also sponsored Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492, leading to the discovery of the Americas. Their reign laid the foundation for the rise of the Spanish Empire, influencing European politics and exploration for centuries to come.