Battle of Viadangos
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Viadangos or Fontedangos (Fonte de Angos) was fought in the autumn of 1111 between the forces of Alfonso I of Aragon and the Galician allies of his estranged wife, Urraca of León and Castile, at Villadangos
north of Luna, some twenty kilometres from León. Alfonso was victorious in a rout, but Urraca's son and co-ruler, Alfonso Raimúndez, escaped.
, where Alfonso and his ally, Henry, Count of Portugal
, had defeated the Castilian
troops of Urraca on 26 October, the queen sought to pull Henry away from his alliance with Alfonso. An agreement was reached between her representatives, led by Fernando Garciaz de Hita, and Henry at Sepúlveda
. The queen and her new ally then retreated to Palencia
, away from Alfonso's army, to finalise a partition of the realm which would have given Henry a greater share than Alfonso had offered. The fortified southern city of Zamora
and the royal castle at Ceia north of Sahagún
, both in León
, were offered to Henry on top of his Portuguese possessions, as were some territories in Castile.
Henry appears to have demanded more than his assistance to her cause could command, however, for Urraca soon entered into secret negotiations with her husband; before leaving she left orders with her men to surrender Palencia to him. The Crónicas anónimas de Sahagún
attribute this to the ambitions of Theresa, Urraca's half-sister, Henry's wife, who coveted a queenship and had joined her husband at Palencia. From there the trio split: Henry turned to Zamora to possess it, while Urraca and Theresa went first to Sahagún before the queen moved on to her capital, León. Alfonso moved rapidly to seize Palencia (as agreed with his wife) and he almost captured Theresa while taking Sahagún, before he moved on to León. Probably fearful of her husband's dominance Urraca retreated into the hills of Galicia, probably cut off from contact with her supporters, who were thus left unaware of the new situation.
and apostolic archbishop Diego Gelmírez
, ignorantly marched, with Urraca's young son from a previous marriage, Alfonso Raimúndez, in tow. It is possible that Diego and Pedro were intending to have Alfonso receive the homage of the magnates jointly with his mother at León. Eastern Galicia had been in Alfonso's hands since his campaign of 1110. Urraca's allies now recaptured Lugo
and, perhaps diminishing their numbers with a garrison in that place, moved in the direcetion of León. At Viadangos they were ambushed by Alfonso and his Aragonese. According to the Historia Compostelana
they possessed no more than 266 knight
s while Alfonso had 600 cavalry
men and 2,000 infantry
men with him. Pedro Froilaz was captured and the few who escaped captivity took refuge in Astorga. Among the dead was a certain Fernando, misidentified in the Historia Compostelana with the aforementioned count Fernando Garciaz.
Diego, when defeat was turning into a rout, took the young Alfonso and fled in forti Castello Orzilione (quod Castrum est in Castella) ("in the strong castle of Orzilio [which castle is in Castela]"), uniting the boy with his mother. The place where Urraca was staying and where Diego brought Alfonso was probably Orcellón in the diocese of Orense in a district known as Castela
, not in Castile, as the text seems to be saying. After delivering Alfonso to Urraca, Diego returned to Astorga to retrieve the wounded and others and lead them back to Santiago de Compostela
, from whence they had set out.
Villadangos del Páramo
Villadangos del Páramo is a municipality located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 1,018 inhabitants....
north of Luna, some twenty kilometres from León. Alfonso was victorious in a rout, but Urraca's son and co-ruler, Alfonso Raimúndez, escaped.
Background and preliminary manoeuvres
Shortly after the Battle of CandespinaBattle of Candespina
The Battle of Candespina was fought on 26 October 1111 between the forces of Alfonso I of Aragon and those of his estranged wife, Urraca of León and Castile, in the Campo de la Espina near Sepúlveda. Alfonso was victorious, as he would be again in a few weeks at the Battle of Viadangos.The battle...
, where Alfonso and his ally, Henry, Count of Portugal
Henry, Count of Portugal
Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal was Count of Portugal from 1093 to his death. He was brother of Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy, and Odo I, Duke of Burgundy, all sons of Henry, the heir of Robert I, Duke of Burgundy. His name is Henri in modern French, Henricus in Latin, Enrique in modern Spanish...
, had defeated the Castilian
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
troops of Urraca on 26 October, the queen sought to pull Henry away from his alliance with Alfonso. An agreement was reached between her representatives, led by Fernando Garciaz de Hita, and Henry at Sepúlveda
Sepulveda
Sepúlveda is a name of families of Spanish descent. Sepúlveda, Segovia is the name of a village in Spain.The Sepúlveda family was prominent in the early days of Los Angeles, California and Orange County...
. The queen and her new ally then retreated to Palencia
Palencia
Palencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon...
, away from Alfonso's army, to finalise a partition of the realm which would have given Henry a greater share than Alfonso had offered. The fortified southern city of Zamora
Zamora, Spain
Zamora is a city in Castile and León, Spain, the capital of the province of Zamora. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest, near the frontier with Portugal and crossed by the Duero river, which is some 50 km downstream as it reaches the Portuguese frontier...
and the royal castle at Ceia north of Sahagún
Sahagún
Sahagún can refer to:*Sahagún, Spain, a town and monastery in Léon, Spain. Cradle of the Mudéjar architecture*Sahagún, Córdoba, the second town in population in Córdoba Department, Colombia, also called "The Cultural City of Cordoba"People...
, both 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...
, were offered to Henry on top of his Portuguese possessions, as were some territories in Castile.
Henry appears to have demanded more than his assistance to her cause could command, however, for Urraca soon entered into secret negotiations with her husband; before leaving she left orders with her men to surrender Palencia to him. The Crónicas anónimas de Sahagún
Crónicas anónimas de Sahagún
The Crónicas anónimas de Sahagún are two short chronicles composed by the monks of Sahagún two centuries apart. They survive only in sixteenth-century Spanish translations....
attribute this to the ambitions of Theresa, Urraca's half-sister, Henry's wife, who coveted a queenship and had joined her husband at Palencia. From there the trio split: Henry turned to Zamora to possess it, while Urraca and Theresa went first to Sahagún before the queen moved on to her capital, León. Alfonso moved rapidly to seize Palencia (as agreed with his wife) and he almost captured Theresa while taking Sahagún, before he moved on to León. Probably fearful of her husband's dominance Urraca retreated into the hills of Galicia, probably cut off from contact with her supporters, who were thus left unaware of the new situation.
Battle and aftermath
It was into this new situation that an army organised by Urraca's allies, the count Pedro Froilaz de TrabaPedro Fróilaz de Traba
Pedro Fróilaz de Traba was the most powerful secular magnate in the Kingdom of Galicia during the first quarter of the twelfth century. According to the Historia compostelana, he was "spirited ... warlike ... of great power .....
and apostolic archbishop Diego Gelmírez
Diego Gelmírez
Diego Gelmírez was the second bishop and first archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. He is a prominent figure in the history of Galicia and an important historiographer of the Spain of his day...
, ignorantly marched, with Urraca's young son from a previous marriage, Alfonso Raimúndez, in tow. It is possible that Diego and Pedro were intending to have Alfonso receive the homage of the magnates jointly with his mother at León. Eastern Galicia had been in Alfonso's hands since his campaign of 1110. Urraca's allies now recaptured Lugo
Lugo
Lugo is a city in northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is the capital of the province of Lugo. The municipality had a population of 97,635 in 2010, which makes is the fourth most populated city in Galicia.-Population:...
and, perhaps diminishing their numbers with a garrison in that place, moved in the direcetion of León. At Viadangos they were ambushed by Alfonso and his Aragonese. According to the Historia Compostelana
Historia Compostelana
The anonymous Historia Compostelana is based on the relation of events by a writer in the immediate circle of Diego Gelmírez, second bishop then first archbishop of Compostela, one of the major figures of the Middle Ages in Galicia...
they possessed no more than 266 knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s while Alfonso had 600 cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
men and 2,000 infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
men with him. Pedro Froilaz was captured and the few who escaped captivity took refuge in Astorga. Among the dead was a certain Fernando, misidentified in the Historia Compostelana with the aforementioned count Fernando Garciaz.
Diego, when defeat was turning into a rout, took the young Alfonso and fled in forti Castello Orzilione (quod Castrum est in Castella) ("in the strong castle of Orzilio [which castle is in Castela]"), uniting the boy with his mother. The place where Urraca was staying and where Diego brought Alfonso was probably Orcellón in the diocese of Orense in a district known as Castela
Castela
Castela is a genus of thorny shrubs and small trees in the family Simaroubaceae. Members of the genus are native to the Americas, especially the tropical regions. The generic name honours the French naturalist René Richard Louis Castel.-Selected species:...
, not in Castile, as the text seems to be saying. After delivering Alfonso to Urraca, Diego returned to Astorga to retrieve the wounded and others and lead them back to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
, from whence they had set out.