'I am Isabella, Queen of Castile . . .' Isabella was the notorious warrior-queen who, along with her husband Ferdinand, transformed Spain forever. Popular belief has her as a religious fanatic persuaded into the horrific excesses of the Inquisition by her confessor, Torquemada; but C W Gortner paints a picture of her early life, showing us a headstrong, passionate girl who grew into the most powerful queen Spain ever knew and whose vision and imagination allowed Columbus to discover America. THE QUEEN'S VOW is a lavish and compelling novel which reimagines the early years of one of history's most notorious queens in all their passion, treachery and bloodshed.