Isabella: The Warrior Queen

by Kirstin Downey

He was required to give away these garments to his household staff, for their use or resale, on a particular schedule. The queen became very angry when she learned that Prince Juan and Princess Juana hoarded their favorite items rather than passing them along to their attendants. She also required the children to distribute uneaten or excess food to the household staff so that nothing would go to waste. This could sometimes amount to a vast quantity of food because there were so many rituals surrounding mealtimes in the court.29 These gifts constituted part of the compensation received by courtiers for working in the royal household, so Isabella’s wrath reflected a profound sense of noblesse oblige, a core belief that those of superior rank had to be both generous and just.