Battle of Tamarón
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Tamarón took place on 4 September 1037 between Ferdinand, Count of Castile, and Vermudo III, King of León. Ferdinand, who had married Vermudo's sister Sancha
, defeated and killed his brother-in-law near Tamarón
after a brief war. As a result, Ferdinand succeeded Vermudo on the throne.
Ferdinand's father, Sancho the Great, who was jure uxoris
Count of Castile, had entrusted his son with the county as early as 1029. In 1034 he had conquered the imperial city of León and forced Vermudo to take refuge in remote Galicia. After Sancho's death in 1035 Vermudo returned to León and launched a war for control of the Tierra de Campos
, the territory between the Cea
and Pisuerga rivers, long disputed with Castile (which was nominally a Leonese vassal
). The dispute dated back to the tenth century. Under Sancho the Great the region had been united to Castile, and Ferdinand considered it as his wife's dowry
. Recently, Gonzalo Martínez Díez has disputed this thesis, first enunciated by the Historia silense
in the 1110s. He finds no evidence for any discord between Castile and León in the years 1035–7, and the lands between the Cea and Pisuerga, controlled by his father, do not seem to have been controlled by Ferdinand.
What is certain is that the war in which he lost his life was initiated by Vermudo. Ferdinand, who also had a claim to be the heirless Vermudo's successor through his wife, was forced to call on his brother García Sánchez III of Navarre, because the Leonese forces greatly outnumbered his own. In the ensuing battle, Vermudo fell from his horse, Pelayueol, and was surrounded and killed while trying to approach Ferdinand. Seven of his knights died with him. Autopsies performed in the twentieth century showed that he had received forty lance
wounds, many in the lower abdomen, typical for dismounted knights. After the death of Vermudo his army probably evaporated; there is no further discussion of the battle in the sources: the king's body is said to have been carried off the field. After his victory Ferdinand took possession of León after a brief siege and was accepted as Vermudo's successor, though he was not crowned in León until 22 June 1038. Vermudo was buried in the Panteón de los Reyes in the Basilica of San Isidoro
in his capital.
According to the Historia silense, Chronica naierensis
, and Chronicon mundi, Vermudo "crossed the Cantabria
n border" (transiecto Cantabriensium limite), i.e., the Pisuerga, and engaged Ferdinand super vallem Tamaron. This is Tamarón, a suburb of Burgos
in the valley of the Sambol. The location of the battle in Támara de Campos
was first made in the thirteenth century by Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada
. Támara has never been called Tamarón, nor is it in a valley, though Rodrigo placed the battle near the river Carrión probably out of a confusion between the two.
The earliest source to explicitly date the battle is Pelagius of Oviedo
, who writes that Vermudo died in his tenth year (which he incorrectly makes 1032, though it was in fact 1037). The last document in which Vermudo appears is a donation to the Monastery of Celanova on 9 June 1037. A document of 9 January 1038 refers to the reign of Ferdinand. These dates represent the termini post quem and ante quem
of the battle (Vermudo's death). A certain psalter
that once belonged to Ferdinand preserves the obituary Ovitum Veremudi regis in bello pugnator fortis die IV feria mensis septembris era TLXXV ("Vermudo, king of Oviedo, in war a strong fighter, the fourth day of the month of September in the Era 1075").
Sancha of León
Sancha of León was a daughter of Alfonso V of León by Elvira Mendes and Queen consort of León and Castile. In 1029, a political marriage was arranged between her and count García Sánchez of Castile. However, having traveled to León for the marriage, García was assassinated by a group of...
, defeated and killed his brother-in-law near Tamarón
Tamarón
Tamarón is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 46.-External links:...
after a brief war. As a result, Ferdinand succeeded Vermudo on the throne.
Ferdinand's father, Sancho the Great, who was jure uxoris
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
Count of Castile, had entrusted his son with the county as early as 1029. In 1034 he had conquered the imperial city of León and forced Vermudo to take refuge in remote Galicia. After Sancho's death in 1035 Vermudo returned to León and launched a war for control of the Tierra de Campos
Tierra de Campos
Tierra de Campos is a large historical region or greater comarca that straddles the provinces of León, Zamora, Valladolid and Palencia, in Castile and León, Spain...
, the territory between the Cea
Cea
-People:* Eusebio Rodolfo Cordón Cea , Salvadoran politician* José Pedro Cea , Uruguayan footballer* José Roberto Cea , Salvadoran novelist and poet-Places:* Cea River, Spain...
and Pisuerga rivers, long disputed with Castile (which was nominally a Leonese vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
). The dispute dated back to the tenth century. Under Sancho the Great the region had been united to Castile, and Ferdinand considered it as his wife's dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
. Recently, Gonzalo Martínez Díez has disputed this thesis, first enunciated by the Historia silense
Historia silense
The Historia silense, also called the Chronica silense or Historia seminense, is a medieval Latin narrative history of the Iberian Peninsula from the time of the Visigoths to the first years of the reign of Alfonso VI of León and Castile...
in the 1110s. He finds no evidence for any discord between Castile and León in the years 1035–7, and the lands between the Cea and Pisuerga, controlled by his father, do not seem to have been controlled by Ferdinand.
What is certain is that the war in which he lost his life was initiated by Vermudo. Ferdinand, who also had a claim to be the heirless Vermudo's successor through his wife, was forced to call on his brother García Sánchez III of Navarre, because the Leonese forces greatly outnumbered his own. In the ensuing battle, Vermudo fell from his horse, Pelayueol, and was surrounded and killed while trying to approach Ferdinand. Seven of his knights died with him. Autopsies performed in the twentieth century showed that he had received forty lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
wounds, many in the lower abdomen, typical for dismounted knights. After the death of Vermudo his army probably evaporated; there is no further discussion of the battle in the sources: the king's body is said to have been carried off the field. After his victory Ferdinand took possession of León after a brief siege and was accepted as Vermudo's successor, though he was not crowned in León until 22 June 1038. Vermudo was buried in the Panteón de los Reyes in the Basilica of San Isidoro
Basilica of San Isidoro
The Basilica of San Isidoro is a church in León, Spain, located on the site of an ancient Roman temple. Its Christian roots can be traced back to the early 10th century when a monastery for Saint John the Baptist was erected on the grounds....
in his capital.
According to the Historia silense, Chronica naierensis
Chronica Naierensis
The Chronica Naierensis or Crónica najerense was a late twelfth-century chronicle of universal history composed at the Benedictine monastery of Santa María la Real in Nájera...
, and Chronicon mundi, Vermudo "crossed the Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
n border" (transiecto Cantabriensium limite), i.e., the Pisuerga, and engaged Ferdinand super vallem Tamaron. This is Tamarón, a suburb of Burgos
Burgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
in the valley of the Sambol. The location of the battle in Támara de Campos
Támara de Campos
Támara de Campos is a municipality located in the province of Palencia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 93....
was first made in the thirteenth century by Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada
Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada
Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada was a Navarrese-born Castilian Roman Catholic bishop and historian....
. Támara has never been called Tamarón, nor is it in a valley, though Rodrigo placed the battle near the river Carrión probably out of a confusion between the two.
The earliest source to explicitly date the battle is Pelagius of Oviedo
Pelagius of Oviedo
Pelagius of Oviedo was a medieval ecclesiastic, historian, and forger who served the Diocese of Oviedo as an auxiliary bishop from 1098 and as bishop from 1102 until his deposition in 1130 and again from 1142 to 1143. He was an active and independent-minded prelate, who zealously defended the...
, who writes that Vermudo died in his tenth year (which he incorrectly makes 1032, though it was in fact 1037). The last document in which Vermudo appears is a donation to the Monastery of Celanova on 9 June 1037. A document of 9 January 1038 refers to the reign of Ferdinand. These dates represent the termini post quem and ante quem
Terminus post quem
Terminus post quem and terminus ante quem specify approximate dates for events...
of the battle (Vermudo's death). A certain psalter
Psalter
A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the later medieval emergence of the book of hours, psalters were the books most widely owned by wealthy lay persons and were...
that once belonged to Ferdinand preserves the obituary Ovitum Veremudi regis in bello pugnator fortis die IV feria mensis septembris era TLXXV ("Vermudo, king of Oviedo, in war a strong fighter, the fourth day of the month of September in the Era 1075").