Ansur Fernández
Encyclopedia
Ansur, Assur, or Asur Fernández (died 947/50) 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. His family was known as the Banu Ansúrez (Assuriz).
The earliest reference to Ansur is found in a document dated 4 March 921, wherein he is named with his parents Fernando Ansúrez
and Muniadonna in a donation in the vicinity of Burgos
to San Pedro de Cardeña. His father is not mentioned after 929, but the date of his death is unknown. The leader of the Banu Ansúrez who allied with the Banu Gómez in rebellion against Ramiro in favour of his abdicated brother Alfonso IV
in the spring of 932 may have already been Ansur. If so, he was already a count by that time. According to the Anales castellanos primeros
, he participated in the Battle of Simancas
in 939, where he is one of only two participating counts named, the other being Fernán González of Castile. This indication of his importance and his high rank may also indicate that by then the county of Monzón had already been created by Ramiro II for him. In July 941 Ramiro associated the counts of the Banu Ansúrez and Gómez families as well as Fernán González and Sancho Garcés II of Pamplona with him in a peace treaty signed with the Caliphate of Córdoba
.
Despite that Ansur bore the title "count" as early as 939, the earliest direct reference to the county of Monzón is from a diploma of 26 December 943, which reads regnante Ranimiro in Obeto et in Legione et comite Assur Fredinandiz in Montson (Ramiro reigning in Oviedo and León and Count Ansur Fernández in Monzón). By this act Ansur, his wife Guntroda, and their children—Fernando, Oveco, Muño, Nuño, Gutierre, Gonzalo, and Teresa—donated the village of Fuente Adrada near Sacramenia
to the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña. The gift was confirmed by a "Domna Toda", who signs right after the king. This may have been Toda of Navarre
. A charter dated 1 August 937 refers to Assuri dominans Menduniae (Ansur ruling "Mendunia", a corruption of Monzón), but there appears to be an error in the dating clause; the correct date is probably 1 March 947.
After Ramiro deposed Fernán González in Castile, he appointed his own son, the future Sancho I
, as count with Ansur acting as his "regent
". By May 944 Sancho was in Burgos. There are four surviving charter
s from Ansur's brief reign in Castile; the earliest from November 943. The latest is dated to 1 December 945, though according to other sources Fernán González was reinstated in Castile on 22 April that year. Nonetheless, the reinstated Fernán signed royal documents below Ansur, indicating a reversal of rank.
Ansur's only known daughter, Teresa, married Ramiro II's son Sancho I and was the mother of Ramiro III
. She inherited, and her son through her, the county of Monzón after the death of Ansur's eldest son and successor, Fernando
, in 978. In 976 Fernando boasted that his father had remained always faithful to his monarch and had served him with valour in a thousand battles.
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
nobleman and military leader in 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...
during the reign of 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...
. 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. His family was known as the Banu Ansúrez (Assuriz).
The earliest reference to Ansur is found in a document dated 4 March 921, wherein he is named with his parents Fernando Ansúrez
Fernando Ansúrez I
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...
and Muniadonna in a donation in the vicinity 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...
to San Pedro de Cardeña. His father is not mentioned after 929, but the date of his death is unknown. The leader of the Banu Ansúrez who allied with the Banu Gómez in rebellion against Ramiro 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....
in the spring of 932 may have already been Ansur. If so, he was already a count by that time. According to the Anales castellanos primeros
Anales castellanos primeros
The Anales castellanos primeros , formerly called the Cronicón de San Isidoro de León after the Basilica of San Isidoro in León where they were found on the first folio of a manuscript The Anales castellanos primeros ("First Castilian Annals"), formerly called the Cronicón de San Isidoro (or...
, he participated in the Battle of Simancas
Battle of Simancas
The Battle of Simancas was a military battle that started on July 19, 939, in the Iberian Peninsula between the troops of the Christian king Ramiro II of León and Muslim caliph Abd al-Rahman III near the walls of the city of Simancas...
in 939, where he is one of only two participating counts named, the other being Fernán González of Castile. This indication of his importance and his high rank may also indicate that by then the county of Monzón had already been created by Ramiro II for him. In July 941 Ramiro associated the counts of the Banu Ansúrez and Gómez families as well as Fernán González and Sancho Garcés II of Pamplona with him in a peace treaty signed with 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...
.
Despite that Ansur bore the title "count" as early as 939, the earliest direct reference to the county of Monzón is from a diploma of 26 December 943, which reads regnante Ranimiro in Obeto et in Legione et comite Assur Fredinandiz in Montson (Ramiro reigning in Oviedo and León and Count Ansur Fernández in Monzón). By this act Ansur, his wife Guntroda, and their children—Fernando, Oveco, Muño, Nuño, Gutierre, Gonzalo, and Teresa—donated the village of Fuente Adrada near Sacramenia
Sacramenia
Sacramenia is a municipality located in the province of Segovia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 540 inhabitants....
to the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña. The gift was confirmed by a "Domna Toda", who signs right after the king. This may have been Toda of Navarre
Toda of Navarre
Toda Aznárez, also Teuda de Larraun or Tota , was the queen-consort of Pamplona through her marriage to Sancho I, who reigned 905–925, and was regent of Pamplona, 931–934...
. A charter dated 1 August 937 refers to Assuri dominans Menduniae (Ansur ruling "Mendunia", a corruption of Monzón), but there appears to be an error in the dating clause; the correct date is probably 1 March 947.
After Ramiro deposed Fernán González in Castile, he appointed his own son, the future 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...
, as count with Ansur acting as his "regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
". By May 944 Sancho was in Burgos. There are four surviving 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...
s from Ansur's brief reign in Castile; the earliest from November 943. The latest is dated to 1 December 945, though according to other sources Fernán González was reinstated in Castile on 22 April that year. Nonetheless, the reinstated Fernán signed royal documents below Ansur, indicating a reversal of rank.
Ansur's only known daughter, Teresa, married Ramiro II's son Sancho I and was the mother of 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...
. She inherited, and her son through her, the county of Monzón after the death of Ansur's eldest son and successor, Fernando
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...
, in 978. In 976 Fernando boasted that his father had remained always faithful to his monarch and had served him with valour in a thousand battles.
Further reading
- Sánchez-Albornoz, Claudio. Estampas de la vida en León durante el siglo X. Madrid: 1934.
- An account of daily life in the city of León in the tenth century (translated Simon Doubleday as "Daily Life in the Spanish Reconquest: Scenes from Tenth-Century León", 1999, partially available at LIBRO) in which Assur Fernández plays a role.