Elvira of Castile, Queen of León

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For other people of the same name, see Elvira of Castile.
Elvira García of Castile
Born c. 978
Died 1017
Spouse Bermudo II of León
Father García Fernández of Castile
Mother Ava of Ribagorza

Elvira García (c. 978–1017), daughter of García Fernández, count of Castile, and his wife Ava of Ribagorza, Queen Consort of Leon as the wife of King Bermudo II, and co-regent, after her husband's death, jointly with Count Menendo González, during the minority of her son Infante Alfonso, future King Alfonso V.

Biographical sketch

Although the year of her birth is not documented, she must have been born shortly before or after 978 since she does not appear with her older sisters, Urraca and Toda, in the foundational charter of the Infantado of Covarrubias in November 24 of that year.[1] Her husband, Bermudo II of León was her first cousin,[2] if Bermudo's debated filiation as the son of Queen Urraca Fernández is correct.[lower-alpha 1]

The marriage was celebrated near the end of November 991[3] and both appear together confirming royal charters as of 992. The marriage, which took place after Bermudo repudiated his first wife, Velasquita Ramírez between 988 and 991, sealed an alliance between the Kingdom of León and the County of Castile which significantly strengthened the Leonese crown.[2]

Pantheon of the Kings at the Basilica de San Isidoro.

Bermudo II died in September 999. He was succeeded by his son, Infante Alfonso, a minor, annointed king by October 13 of that year, under the tutorship of his mother, Queen Elvira.[4] The document where Alfonso appears for the first time as King, was confirmed by his mother, followed by count Menendus Gundisaluis comes (Count Menendo González), Santius, dux, Garsea prolis (Sancho, duke, son of García, i.e., Sancho García, Elvira's brother, in addition to several bishops and magnates of the realm.[5] In 1004, Count Sancho García, with the support of his sister Queen Elvira, challenged Count Menendo's tutorship of his nephew, the young King Alfonso. To avoid an armed conflict, both sought the arbitration of the Córdoban hajib al-Muzaffar whose deputy, the qadi of the Mozarabic community of Córdoba, Asbag bin Abd Allah bin Nabil, ruled in favour of Menendo who continued to be the king's tutor until his death in October 1008, after which Alfonso ruled on his own.[6]

The good relations between Alfonso and his maternal uncle, Count Sancho García, were broken in 1014 when a member of the Banu Gómez clan named Munio Fernández, who seemed to count with King Sancho's support, rebelled against the king. "This rupture coincided or rather gave rise to Queen Elvira's retirement in Oviedo where she died in the autumn of 1017".[7] Elvira's presence is recorded for the last time on August 18, 1017 with her son making a donation to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.[8] She was buried at the Pantheon of the Kings at the Basilica of San Isidoro in León.[9]

Descendants

Elvira and Bermudo II had three children:

  • Alfonso V of León;
  • Sancha Bermúdez, who lived in Galicia;[10]
  • Teresa Bermúdez (died on April 25, 1039).[10] According to Bishop Pelagius of Oviedo, after her father's death, her brother Alfonso gave her in marriage to Almanzor.[10]The Arab Muslim historiographer and historian Ibn Khaldun wrote that in 993, King Bermudo sent his daughter Teresa to Almanzor who made her his slave , freed her later and then married her.[10] Hence, according to both of these sources, Teresa was given by her father or her brother to Almanzor and after being freed, she returned to the Kingdom of León where she became a nun at the Monastery of San Pelayo in Oviedo.[11] Modern historians question the veracity of these events and believe that Teresa is confused with one of the daughters of King Sancho II of Pamplona, called Urraca or Abda, who was given by her father to Almanzor in 983 since Teresa was not born until after 991, the year of her parent's wedding.[12]

Family tree

Family tree of Elvira of León
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16. Fernándo González
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8. Gonzalo Fernández, Count of Castile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17. Gutina
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4. Fernán González, Count of Castile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9. Muniadona
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. García Fernández, Count of Castile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20. García Jiménez of Pamplona
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10. Sancho I of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21. Dadildis of Pallars (sister of 24)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5. Sancha of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22. Aznar Sánchez, Lord of Larraun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11. Toda Aznárez
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 23. Onneca Fortúnez
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. Elvira of Castile, Queen of León
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24. Raymond I, Count of Pallars and Ribagorza
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12. Bernard I Raimúndez, Count of Ribagorza
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6. Raymond II, Count of Ribagorza
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26. Galindo Aznárez II, Count of Aragon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13. Tota Galíndez
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 27. Acibella Garcés (daughter of 28 & 29)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3. Ava of Ribagorza
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28. García II Sánchez, Duke of Gascony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14. William Garcés, Count of Fézensac
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 29. Amuna
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7. Garsinda of Fézensac
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Notes

  1. ↑ If Bermudo was the son of Urraca Fernández, both were grandchildren of Count Fernán González.

References

  1. ↑ Martínez Diez 2005, p. 553.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Martínez Diez 2005, p. 554.
  3. ↑ Martínez Diez 2005, pp. 524,554.
  4. ↑ Martínez Diez 2005, p. 562.
  5. ↑ Martínez Diez 2005, pp. 563, 592.
  6. ↑ Martínez Diez 2005, pp. 592–593, 650.
  7. ↑ Martínez Diez 2007, pp. 74–75.
  8. ↑ Martínez Diez 2005, p. 652.
  9. ↑ Arco y Garay 1954, pp. 158–160.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Fernández del Pozo 1999, p. 30.
  11. ↑ Torres Sevilla 1999, p. 64.
  12. ↑ Fernández del Pozo 1999, p. 33.

Bibliography

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