Fernando Ansúrez I
Encyclopedia
Fernando Ansúrez I was the Count of Castile in 929 and the earliest known member of the Beni Ansúrez family; his father, Ansur, is known only through his patronymic
. He was also count of the Tierra de Campos
, which was later formed into the County of Monzón
for his son.
A certain Fernando is first mentioned in a charter
to the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña dated 13 November 917 as "count of Castile", possibly Fernando Ansúrez. According to Sampiro
, Fernando ("Fredenandi Ansuri filius") was one of the counts of the region of Burgos
, the chief city of Castile—the others being Nuño Fernández, Abolmondar Albo, and Diego Rodríguez—who were captured by Ordoño II on the river Carrión
in the place called Tebulare or Tegulare ("Tejar" or "Tejares" in Spanish, as yet unidentified) and imprisoned them in León. This event is known as the Episodio de Tebular (Episode of Tebular) and it took place probably no earlier than the autumn of 921. The later chronicler Pelagius of Oviedo
interpolated into Sampiro's account the words et erant ei rebelles ("and they were rebels") in order to explain Ordoño's action, but this is conjecture, as is the modern suggestion that it is related to the defeat at the Battle of Valdejunquera
. Two charters from Cardeña preserve the latest record of Fernando and the only (certain) record of him under the title Count of Castile; they date to 1 October and 24 November 929.
In the spring of 932 the head of the Banu Ansúrez allied with the Banu Gómez in rebellion against Ramiro II
and in favour of his abdicated brother Alfonso IV
, who had come out of retirement to challenge for the throne. The title count is given to the leader of this rebellion by Ibn Hayyan
a century later, and it may have been either Fernando or his son Ansur. Alfonso IV and his allies were defeated in the ensuing civil war, and Ramiro bestowed Castile on his partisan, Fernán González. As Fernando Ansúrez does not appear in the record thereafter, he was perhaps killed in combat.
Fernando married a certain Muniadomna sometime after January 914. She is last mentioned in a document of 919 and was certainly deceased by 929. She was perhaps the widow of García I of León
and thus a daughter of the Castilian count Nuño Muñoz. She gave Fernando one known child, a son, Ansur
. The earliest reference to Ansur is found in a document dated 4 March 921, wherein he is named with his parents in a donation to Cardeña in the vicinity of Burgos.
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
. He was also count 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...
, which was later formed into the County of Monzón
County of Monzón
The County of Monzón was a marcher county of the Kingdom of León in the tenth and eleventh centuries, during a period of renewed external threat and disintegration of royal authority. The county was created by Ramiro II for Ansur Fernández in 943 and was ruled by his descendants, the Banu Ansúrez,...
for his son.
A certain Fernando is first mentioned in a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
to the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña dated 13 November 917 as "count of Castile", possibly Fernando Ansúrez. According to Sampiro
Sampiro
Sampiro was a Leonese cleric, politician, and intellectual, one of the earliest chroniclers of post-conquest Spain known by name. He was also the Bishop of Astorga from 1034 or 1035 until his death....
, Fernando ("Fredenandi Ansuri filius") was one of the counts of the region 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...
, the chief city of Castile—the others being Nuño Fernández, Abolmondar Albo, and Diego Rodríguez—who were captured by Ordoño II on the river Carrión
Carrión River
The Carrión is a river in northern Spain. Its source is in the mountain range called Fuentes Carrionas, and it is a tributary of the river Pisuerga. The entire course of the river is within the province of Palencia....
in the place called Tebulare or Tegulare ("Tejar" or "Tejares" in Spanish, as yet unidentified) and imprisoned them in León. This event is known as the Episodio de Tebular (Episode of Tebular) and it took place probably no earlier than the autumn of 921. The later chronicler 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...
interpolated into Sampiro's account the words et erant ei rebelles ("and they were rebels") in order to explain Ordoño's action, but this is conjecture, as is the modern suggestion that it is related to the defeat at the Battle of Valdejunquera
Battle of Valdejunquera
The Battle of Valdejunquera was a victory for the Islamic Emirate of Córdoba over the Christian armies of the kingdoms of León and Navarre that took place in a valley called Iuncaria in 920 as part of the Córdoban "Campaign of Muez" , which was directed primarily against the southern line of...
. Two charters from Cardeña preserve the latest record of Fernando and the only (certain) record of him under the title Count of Castile; they date to 1 October and 24 November 929.
In the spring of 932 the head of the Banu Ansúrez allied with the Banu Gómez in rebellion against Ramiro II
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...
and in favour of his abdicated brother Alfonso IV
Alfonso IV of León
Alfonso IV , called the Monk, was King of León from 925 and King of Galicia from 929, until he abdicated in 931....
, who had come out of retirement to challenge for the throne. The title count is given to the leader of this rebellion by Ibn Hayyan
Ibn Hayyan
Abu Marwán Hayyán Ibn Khalaf Ibn Hayyan al-Qurtubi , usually known as Ibn Hayyan, was a Muslim historian from Al-Andalus.Born at Córdoba, he was an important official at the court of the Andalusian ruler al-Mansur and published several works on history which have only survived in part...
a century later, and it may have been either Fernando or his son Ansur. Alfonso IV and his allies were defeated in the ensuing civil war, and Ramiro bestowed Castile on his partisan, Fernán González. As Fernando Ansúrez does not appear in the record thereafter, he was perhaps killed in combat.
Fernando married a certain Muniadomna sometime after January 914. She is last mentioned in a document of 919 and was certainly deceased by 929. She was perhaps the widow of García I of León
García I of León
García I was the King of León from 910 until his death and eldest of three succeeding sons of Alfonso III the Great by his wife Jimena....
and thus a daughter of the Castilian count Nuño Muñoz. She gave Fernando one known child, a son, Ansur
Ansur Fernández
Ansur, Assur, or Asur Fernández was a powerful Castilian nobleman and military leader in the Kingdom of León during the reign of Ramiro II. He was the first Count of Monzón, probably from before 939, certainly by 943, and he was Count of Castile in 943–45 in opposition to the deposed Fernán González...
. The earliest reference to Ansur is found in a document dated 4 March 921, wherein he is named with his parents in a donation to Cardeña in the vicinity of Burgos.