García V of Navarre
Encyclopedia
García Sánchez III, sometimes García III, IV, V, or VI (also García of Nájera, from , 1016–1054), was king of Navarre from 1035 to 1054. He was the eldest legitimate son and heir of Sancho the Great
, born November 1016, and he succeeded his father to the crown of Navarre
, becoming feudal overlord over two of his brothers: Ramiro
, who was given lands that would serve as the basis for the kingdom of Aragón; and Gonzalo
, who received the counties of Sobrarbe
and Ribagorza. Likewise, he had some claim to suzerainty over brother Ferdinand, who under their father had served as Count of Castile, nominally subject to the Kingdom of León
but brought under the personal control of Sancho III.
In 1037, Ferdinand requested García's aid against his brother-in-law, Bermudo III of León
, at the Battle of Tamarón
near Pisuerga. The two brothers defeated Bermudo, who died in battle, the final king of the male line of Pedro de Cantabria
, and Ferdinand succeeded in León
.
By aiding Ferdinand, García received his brother's favour and, in a repartition of Castile, he expanded Navarre to the Bay of Santander
, incorporating the entire Basque Country
.
Soon he was confronted by his brother Ramiro at Tafalla
(1043) and defeated him, but this victory resulted in the effective independence of Ramiro.
García was one of the Christian kings to profit greatly from the weakened taifa
kingdoms that arose through the disintegration of central control by the Caliphate of Córdoba
. In 1045, he conquered Calahorra
.
Relations eventually soured with Ferdinand and war broke out between the fraternal kingdoms, García dying in the Battle of Atapuerca
, 15 September 1054.
His nickname comes from his foundation of the monastery of Santa María la Real of Najera.
He was married, in 1038, to Estefanía, daughter either of Bernard-Roger, Count of Bigorre or his brother-in-law Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona
(her dowry was the Cameros), and they produced eight children (four sons, four daughters):
He also had illegitimate issue:
After García's death, Estefanía is said to have remarried to Roger de Tosny, a Norman adventurer, although this marriage is not documented and seems unlikely since she does not mention such marriage when she executed her will in 1066, naming all her children and making several donations to the monastery founded by her late husband the king. Estefanía may have been a widow at the time of her marriage to García. The Chronica Naierensis
tells of the marriage of an illegitimate son of García (presumed to be Sancho) to his stepsister, a daughter of Estefanía by a former husband.
Sancho III of Navarre
Sancho III Garcés , called the Great , succeeded as a minor to the Kingdom of Navarre in 1004, and through conquest and political maneuvering increased his power, until at the time of his death in 1035 he controlled the majority of Christian Iberia, bearing the title of rex Hispaniarum...
, born November 1016, and he succeeded his father to the crown of Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, becoming feudal overlord over two of his brothers: Ramiro
Ramiro I of Aragon
Ramiro I was de facto the first King of Aragon from 1035 until his death. Apparently born before 1007, he was the illegitimate son of Sancho III of Navarre by his mistress Sancha de Aybar...
, who was given lands that would serve as the basis for the kingdom of Aragón; and Gonzalo
Gonzalo of Sobrarbe and Ribagorza
Gonzalo Sánchez was made Count of Sobrarbe and Ribagorza, two small Pyrenean counties, before 1035 by his father, Sancho III of Navarre. He succeeded to these domains after his father's death in that year and ruled them as vassal of his brother García Sánchez III until his death...
, who received the counties of Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe is one of the Comarcas of Aragon, Spain. It is located in the northern part of the province of Huesca, part of the autonomous community of Aragon in Spain...
and Ribagorza. Likewise, he had some claim to suzerainty over brother Ferdinand, who under their father had served as Count of Castile, nominally subject to the Kingdom 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...
but brought under the personal control of Sancho III.
In 1037, Ferdinand requested García's aid against his brother-in-law, Bermudo III of León
Bermudo III of León
Bermudo III , king of León , son of Alfonso V of León by his wife Elvira Mendes, was the last scion of Peter of Cantabria to rule in the Leonese kingdom...
, at the Battle of Tamarón
Battle of Tamarón
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...
near Pisuerga. The two brothers defeated Bermudo, who died in battle, the final king of the male line of Pedro de Cantabria
Peter of Cantabria
Peter was the Duke of Cantabria. While various writers have attempted to name his parentage, , early sources say nothing more specific than the chronicle of 'Pseudo-Alfonso': that he was "ex semine Leuvigildi et Reccaredi progenitus"...
, and Ferdinand succeeded in 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...
.
By aiding Ferdinand, García received his brother's favour and, in a repartition of Castile, he expanded Navarre to the Bay of Santander
Bay of Santander
The Bay of Santander is both a comarca of Cantabria and the largest estuary on the North coast of Spain, with an extension of 22.42 km² 9km long and 5 km wide...
, incorporating the entire Basque Country
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
.
Soon he was confronted by his brother Ramiro at Tafalla
Battle of Tafalla
At the Battle of Tafalla, García Sánchez III of Navarre defeated his brother, Ramiro I of Aragon, who was invading his kingdom, near Tafalla. Allied with García was his brother Ferdinand I of Castile, and Ramiro brought with him his Moorish allies, the kings of the taifas of Zaragoza, Tudela, and...
(1043) and defeated him, but this victory resulted in the effective independence of Ramiro.
García was one of the Christian kings to profit greatly from the weakened taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
kingdoms that arose through the disintegration of central control by the Caliphate of Córdoba
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
. In 1045, he conquered Calahorra
Calahorra
Calahorra, , La Rioja, Spain is a municipality in the comarca of Rioja Baja, near the border with Navarre on the right bank of the Ebro. During ancient Roman times, Calahorra was a municipium known as Calagurris.-Location:...
.
Relations eventually soured with Ferdinand and war broke out between the fraternal kingdoms, García dying in the Battle of Atapuerca
Battle of Atapuerca
The Battle of Atapuerca was fought in 1 September 1054 at the site of Piedrahita in the valley of Atapuerca between brothers King García Sánchez III, El de Nájera, of Navarre and King Ferdinand I, the Great, of Castile and León....
, 15 September 1054.
His nickname comes from his foundation of the monastery of Santa María la Real of Najera.
Family
He was married, in 1038, to Estefanía, daughter either of Bernard-Roger, Count of Bigorre or his brother-in-law Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona
Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona
Raymond Borrel , was count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 992. Son of Borrell II of Barcelona and Letgarda de Rouergue. He was associated with his father from 988....
(her dowry was the Cameros), and they produced eight children (four sons, four daughters):
- Sancho "El de Peñalén"Sancho IV of NavarreSancho IV Garcés , called Sancho of Peñalén or Sancho the Noble, was King of Navarre from 1054 to 1076. He was the eldest son and heir of García Sánchez III and Estefanía....
, king of Navarre, married Placencia - RamiroRamiro Garcés, Lord of CalahorraRamiro Garcés was the second son of king García Sánchez III of Navarre and queen Stephania. He was a powerful nobleman in the region around Nájera and Calahorra and a major figure at the courts of both Navarre and Castile...
(d.1083), lord of Calahorra - Ferdinand Garcés, lord of Bucesta
- Raymond Garcés "the Fratricide" (Ramón el Fratricida), lord of Murillo and Cameros
- Ermesinda Garcés, married Fortún SánchezFortún SánchezFortún Sánchez , called Bono Patre , was a Navarrese nobleman and courtier . He had the same wet nurse as King Sancho Garcés III, and was a regular presence at his court from the start of his majority in 1011 until his death in 1035...
de Yarnoz - Mayor Garcés
- Urraca Garcés (d.1108), married Castilian count García OrdóñezGarcía OrdóñezGarcía Ordóñez , called de Nájera or de Cabra and in the epic literature Crispus or el Crespo de Grañón, was a Castilian magnate who ruled the Rioja from Nájera from 1080 until his death. He is famous in literature as the rival of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the Cid, whose high position at court he...
- Jimena
He also had illegitimate issue:
- Sancho Garcés, lord of Uncastillo and Sangüesa, jure uxoris-by right of his wife, Constanza. He was grandfather of García Ramírez, king of Navarre
- Mencia Garcés (d.1106), wife of Fortún OchoizFortún OchoizFortún Ochoiz was a Navarrese nobleman, diplomat, and statesman. Throughout his known career he held the tenencia of La Rioja, an important marcher lordship, the rump of the Kingdom of Viguera, and the foundation for the Lordship of Los Cameros...
After García's death, Estefanía is said to have remarried to Roger de Tosny, a Norman adventurer, although this marriage is not documented and seems unlikely since she does not mention such marriage when she executed her will in 1066, naming all her children and making several donations to the monastery founded by her late husband the king. Estefanía may have been a widow at the time of her marriage to García. The 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...
tells of the marriage of an illegitimate son of García (presumed to be Sancho) to his stepsister, a daughter of Estefanía by a former husband.
Ancestry
Sources
- Salazar y Acha, Jaime de (1992). "Reflexiones sobre la posible historicidad de un episodio de la Crónica Najarense". Príncipe de Viana, Anejo 14:537-564.