Elvira Ramírez
Encyclopedia
Elvira Ramírez was the daughter of King Ramiro II of León
by his second wife, Urraca Sánchez of Pamplona, and thus half-sister of Sancho I of León
, both grandchildren of Sancho I of Pamplona
and Toda Aznárez. Born about 935, she was made a nun by her father, who built the "wonderfully large" monastery of San Salvador in León. By the age of 11, and already a nun, she started to appear in court documents. Under her half-brother Ordoño III of León
she is seen holding documents important to a land dispute, suggesting, perhaps, that San Salvador had become a chancery
of sorts. When her brother Sancho I
died in 962, she become regent of León
for her nephew Ramiro III
.
In 968-69 the Vikings raided León and Elvira organised the defence of the country. Having sent envoys to Cordoba on a regular basis to pay tribute, in 974 she precipitated a crisis, apparently intentionally, when her ambassadors said to caliph al-Hakam II
something so offensive that they were expelled and the translator punished. García Fernández of Castile then took Deza from the Muslims, and the next year, 975, a Christian force bringing together García, Sancho II of Pamplona
, count Fernando Ansúrez
(king Ramiro's maternal uncle), and the Beni Gómez clan attacked Gormaz. The besieging troops were reinvigorated by the arrival of Elvira and her nephew Ramiro III, who then took overall control and led an attack on the city. This proved disastrous, its repulse allowing an army to emerge from Gormaz that then defeated the Cristian armies in the field, lifting the siege. As an apparent result of this military defeat, Elvira retired from the court, being replaced as regent by the Dowager Queen Teresa in 975. From this date she occasionally appeared in the royal diplomas of her nephew, but is no longer called queen (regina). During the rebellions of the reign of Bermudo II of León
, she is found executing documents in the company of several of the rebel families, suggesting perhaps that she harbored the hope of returning an heir of her nephew Ramiro III to the throne in Bermudo's place. Her view toward the new king's reign in seen in her last known document, dated 986, in which she makes grant of lands that the king had already given away, suggesting that she did not recognize his authority. The rebels apparently encouraged an attack by al-Mansur
, probably hoping for the same outcome as when Sancho I had been reinstated by Muslim armies. However, when Al-Mansur took León and forced Bermudo to flee into Galicia, the general did not install a new Leonese king in his place.
Opinion on Elvira's rule has been divided. Past authors have suggested that she was weak, ruling a divided nobility only with the help from her mother's Pamplona until this became untenable. However, Pick has recently presented a different view of her, ruling a kingdom that drew men seeking opportunity from across the realm and as far as Pamplona, and leading a Peninsula-wide rebellion, only losing her position as a consequence of a military fiasco.
Ramiro II of León
Ramiro II , son of Ordoño II, was King of León from 931 until his death. Initially titular king only of a lesser part of Asturias, he gained the crown of León after his brother Alfonso IV abdicated in 931...
by his second wife, Urraca Sánchez of Pamplona, and thus half-sister of Sancho I of León
Sancho I of León
Sancho I , called the Fat, was the son of King Ramiro II of León. He succeeded his half-brother Ordoño III in 956 and reigned until his death, except for a two year interruption from 958 to 960, when Ordoño the Wicked usurped the throne...
, both grandchildren of Sancho I of Pamplona
Sancho I of Pamplona
Sancho I Garcés was king of Pamplona from 905 to 925. He was a son of García Jiménez, who was king of "another part of the kingdom" of Pamplona and Dadildis de Pallars, his second wife...
and Toda Aznárez. Born about 935, she was made a nun by her father, who built the "wonderfully large" monastery of San Salvador in León. By the age of 11, and already a nun, she started to appear in court documents. Under her half-brother Ordoño III of León
Ordoño III of León
Ordoño III was the King of León from 951 to 956, son and successor of Ramiro II . He confronted Navarre and Castile, who supported his half-brother Sancho the Fat in disputing Ordoño's claim to the throne....
she is seen holding documents important to a land dispute, suggesting, perhaps, that San Salvador had become a chancery
Chancery
Chancery may refer to:* Chancery , the building that houses a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy* Chancery , a medieval writing office* Chancery , in Ceredigion, Wales...
of sorts. When her brother Sancho I
Sancho I of León
Sancho I , called the Fat, was the son of King Ramiro II of León. He succeeded his half-brother Ordoño III in 956 and reigned until his death, except for a two year interruption from 958 to 960, when Ordoño the Wicked usurped the throne...
died in 962, she become regent of León
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
for her nephew Ramiro III
Ramiro III of León
Ramiro III , king of León , was the son of Sancho the Fat and his successor at the age of only five. During his minority, the regency was in the hands of two nuns: his aunt Elvira Ramírez of León, who took the title of queen during the minority, and his mother Teresa Ansúrez, who was put in a...
.
In 968-69 the Vikings raided León and Elvira organised the defence of the country. Having sent envoys to Cordoba on a regular basis to pay tribute, in 974 she precipitated a crisis, apparently intentionally, when her ambassadors said to caliph al-Hakam II
Al-Hakam II
Al-Hakam II was the second Caliph of Cordoba, in Al-Andalus , and son of Abd-ar-rahman III . He ruled from 961 to 976....
something so offensive that they were expelled and the translator punished. García Fernández of Castile then took Deza from the Muslims, and the next year, 975, a Christian force bringing together García, Sancho II of Pamplona
Sancho II of Pamplona
Sancho II Garcés Abarca was King of Pamplona from 970 until his death. He was the son of García Sánchez I and Andregota, daughter of Galindo Aznárez II, Count of Aragon...
, count Fernando Ansúrez
Fernando Ansúrez II
Fernando Ansúrez II was the Count of Monzón, Peñafiel, and Campos from 950 and one of the most powerful noblemen of his generation in the Kingdom of León. He was the eldest son of Ansur Fernández and namesake of his grandfather, Fernando Ansúrez I...
(king Ramiro's maternal uncle), and the Beni Gómez clan attacked Gormaz. The besieging troops were reinvigorated by the arrival of Elvira and her nephew Ramiro III, who then took overall control and led an attack on the city. This proved disastrous, its repulse allowing an army to emerge from Gormaz that then defeated the Cristian armies in the field, lifting the siege. As an apparent result of this military defeat, Elvira retired from the court, being replaced as regent by the Dowager Queen Teresa in 975. From this date she occasionally appeared in the royal diplomas of her nephew, but is no longer called queen (regina). During the rebellions of the reign of Bermudo II of León
Bermudo II of León
Bermudo II , called the Gouty , was the King of Galicia and León . His reign is summed up by Justo Pérez de Urbel's description of him as "el pobre rey atormentado en la vida por la espada de Almanzor y en muerte por la pluma vengadora de un obispo" Bermudo (or Vermudo) II (956–999), called the...
, she is found executing documents in the company of several of the rebel families, suggesting perhaps that she harbored the hope of returning an heir of her nephew Ramiro III to the throne in Bermudo's place. Her view toward the new king's reign in seen in her last known document, dated 986, in which she makes grant of lands that the king had already given away, suggesting that she did not recognize his authority. The rebels apparently encouraged an attack by al-Mansur
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur , better known as Almanzor, was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al-Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries. His rule marked the peak of power for Moorish Iberia.-Origins:He was born Muhammad Ibn Abi Aamir, into a noble Arab...
, probably hoping for the same outcome as when Sancho I had been reinstated by Muslim armies. However, when Al-Mansur took León and forced Bermudo to flee into Galicia, the general did not install a new Leonese king in his place.
Opinion on Elvira's rule has been divided. Past authors have suggested that she was weak, ruling a divided nobility only with the help from her mother's Pamplona until this became untenable. However, Pick has recently presented a different view of her, ruling a kingdom that drew men seeking opportunity from across the realm and as far as Pamplona, and leading a Peninsula-wide rebellion, only losing her position as a consequence of a military fiasco.