War of the Three Sanchos
Encyclopedia
The War of the Three Sanchos was a brief military conflict between three Spanish kingdoms in 1065–1067. The kingdoms were all ruled by kings who were first cousins: Sancho II the Strong
, King of Castile; Sancho IV Garcés
, King of Navarre; and Sancho Ramírez, King of Aragon, all grandsons of Sancho the Great. The primary source for the war is the thirteenth-century Primera crónica general.
The brief war was ignited in part by the strife left over from the division of the kingdom of Sancho the Great in 1035. That division had left Navarre with a supremacy over the "petty kingdoms" (regula) of Castile and Aragon, but by 1065 Navarre was a vassal
of Castile (now joined with the Kingdom of León). In 1065 Ferdinand the Great
, the Castilian monarch died and his kingdom was divided between his sons, with the eldest, Sancho, taking Castile. Sancho of Castile was covetous of the lands of Bureba and Alta Rioja. Ferdinand had helped reconquer them from the Caliphate
, but then had ceded them to his elder brother García Sánchez III of Navarre, the father of Sancho IV.
After an initial series of frontier raids, Sancho IV of Navarre asked for an alliance from Sancho Ramírez of Aragon. Most of the war took place in the region of Burgos
and La Rioja. The war was also fought over Castile's ability to take part in the Reconquista
, a capacity which had been diminished by the division of Ferdinand's kingdom in 1065. Sancho of Castile did try to extend his influence over the Muslim taifa
of Zaragoza
, which owed him parias
. According to the twelfth-century Crónica Najerense, a battle was fought during which campaign his alférez
, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, defeated his Navarrese counterpart, Jimeno Garcés, and gained the nickname campi doctor or "master of the field [of battle]", later to become famous in Spanish literature
as el Campeador.
Between August and September 1067 Sancho Ramírez led a counterattack against Castile. Tradition is divided over who had the victory, the Chronicle of San Juan de la Peña
attributes a rout to the Navarrese and Aragonese at Viana
, while the Primera crónica attributes victory to Sancho of Castile. Ramón Menéndez Pidal
and Bernard F. Reilly accept the latter tradition, Reilly citing a donation of December 1167 to the monastery of Oña
by a Flaino Oriolez dominator Tetelie, a landholder in the Trespaderna district of the upper Ebro Valley. The participation of a Castilian magnate from the Navarrese border in an act by which Sancho formally defined the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Oca (the only bishopric in Castile) strongly suggests that Sancho was in a strong position. The chronicler of San Juan de la Peña, a Navarrese source, wrote that Sancho of Castile was force to raise the siege of Viana and flee on a horse bedecked only in its halter
; that he subsequently convinced Abd ar-Rahman of Huesca
to go to war with Aragon; and that Sancho Ramírez eventually made peace with him anyway.
Castile retook Álava
, the Montes de Oca
, and Pancorvo, as well as Bureba and Alta Rioja, but the conflict ended in a stalemate 1067 when the death of Sancha of León
, Ferdinand's widow, opened the way to war between Ferdinand's sons. The central issue in the conflict, the possession of the border territories, was resolved in 1076 when Sancho IV was assassinated by his own brother and his kingdom partitioned between Sancho Ramírez, who became king of Navarre, and Alfonso VI of León and Castile, who received the disputed lands.
Sancho II of Castile
Sancho II , called the Strong, or in Spanish, el Fuerte, was King of Castile and León .He was the eldest son of Ferdinand I of Castile and Sancha of León, the eventual heiress to the Leonese crown...
, King of Castile; Sancho IV Garcés
Sancho IV of Navarre
Sancho 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; and Sancho Ramírez, King of Aragon, all grandsons of Sancho the Great. The primary source for the war is the thirteenth-century Primera crónica general.
The brief war was ignited in part by the strife left over from the division of the kingdom of Sancho the Great in 1035. That division had left Navarre with a supremacy over the "petty kingdoms" (regula) of Castile and Aragon, but by 1065 Navarre was a 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...
of Castile (now joined with the Kingdom of León). In 1065 Ferdinand the Great
Ferdinand I of León
Ferdinand I , called the Great , was the Count of Castile from his uncle's death in 1029 and the King of León after defeating his brother-in-law in 1037. According to tradition, he was the first to have himself crowned Emperor of Spain , and his heirs carried on the tradition...
, the Castilian monarch died and his kingdom was divided between his sons, with the eldest, Sancho, taking Castile. Sancho of Castile was covetous of the lands of Bureba and Alta Rioja. Ferdinand had helped reconquer them from the Caliphate
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...
, but then had ceded them to his elder brother García Sánchez III of Navarre, the father of Sancho IV.
After an initial series of frontier raids, Sancho IV of Navarre asked for an alliance from Sancho Ramírez of Aragon. Most of the war took place in 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...
and La Rioja. The war was also fought over Castile's ability to take part in the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
, a capacity which had been diminished by the division of Ferdinand's kingdom in 1065. Sancho of Castile did try to extend his influence over the Muslim 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...
of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, which owed him parias
Parias
In medieval Spain, parias were a form of tribute paid by the taifas of al-Andalus to the Christian kingdoms of the north...
. According to the twelfth-century Crónica Najerense, a battle was fought during which campaign his alférez
Alférez
Alférez is a junior officer rank also used in Spain, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. The variant Alferes is used in Portugal and was formerly also used in Brazil. A naval variant, Frigate Alférez, is used in Spain, Dominican Republic and Peru. "Alférez" is often translated as ensign...
, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, defeated his Navarrese counterpart, Jimeno Garcés, and gained the nickname campi doctor or "master of the field [of battle]", later to become famous in Spanish literature
Spanish literature
Spanish literature generally refers to literature written in the Spanish language within the territory that presently constitutes the state of Spain...
as el Campeador.
Between August and September 1067 Sancho Ramírez led a counterattack against Castile. Tradition is divided over who had the victory, the Chronicle of San Juan de la Peña
Chronicle of San Juan de la Peña
The Chronicle of San Juan de la Peña is an Aragonese chronicle written in Latin around 1370 in the monastery of San Juan de la Peña at the behest of Peter IV of Aragon...
attributes a rout to the Navarrese and Aragonese at Viana
Viana
Viana is the name of some places:*Viana do Bolo, Galicia, Spain*Viana do Castelo, Portugal*Viana, Navarre, Spain*Viana, Maranhão, Brazil*Viana, Espírito Santo, Brazil*Viana, Angolaorganization...
, while the Primera crónica attributes victory to Sancho of Castile. Ramón Menéndez Pidal
Ramón Menéndez Pidal
Ramón Menéndez Pidal was a Spanish philologist and historian. He worked extensively on the history of the Spanish language and Spanish folklore and folk poetry. One of his main topics was the history and legend of The Cid....
and Bernard F. Reilly accept the latter tradition, Reilly citing a donation of December 1167 to the monastery of Oña
Oña
Oña is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2009 census , the municipality has a population of 1,256 inhabitants.It is home to the monastery of San Salvador de Oña....
by a Flaino Oriolez dominator Tetelie, a landholder in the Trespaderna district of the upper Ebro Valley. The participation of a Castilian magnate from the Navarrese border in an act by which Sancho formally defined the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Oca (the only bishopric in Castile) strongly suggests that Sancho was in a strong position. The chronicler of San Juan de la Peña, a Navarrese source, wrote that Sancho of Castile was force to raise the siege of Viana and flee on a horse bedecked only in its halter
Halter
A halter, headcollar, or, less often, headstall, is headgear that is used to lead or tie up livestock and, occasionally, other animals; it fits behind the ears , and around the muzzle. To handle the animal, usually a lead rope or lead shank is attached...
; that he subsequently convinced Abd ar-Rahman of Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
to go to war with Aragon; and that Sancho Ramírez eventually made peace with him anyway.
Castile retook Álava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
, the Montes de Oca
Montes de Oca
-Places:* Montes de Oca Canton, Costa Rica* Montes de Oca , in Burgos province, Spain, in Belgrano department, Santa Fe province, Argentina* La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca, in Guerrero state, Mexico* Villafranca Montes de Oca, in Burgos province, Spain...
, and Pancorvo, as well as Bureba and Alta Rioja, but the conflict ended in a stalemate 1067 when the death of Sancha of León
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...
, Ferdinand's widow, opened the way to war between Ferdinand's sons. The central issue in the conflict, the possession of the border territories, was resolved in 1076 when Sancho IV was assassinated by his own brother and his kingdom partitioned between Sancho Ramírez, who became king of Navarre, and Alfonso VI of León and Castile, who received the disputed lands.