García III of Pamplona
Encyclopedia
García Sánchez I, sometimes García I, II, III or IV (c. 919 – 970) was the king of Pamplona from 931 until his death, 22 February 970.
He was the son of King Sancho I
and Toda Aznárez. Being just six years old at the time of his father's death, his uncle Jimeno Gárces
succeeded, and it was just in the last year of the latter's reign, in 930, that Garcia appears with the royal title, but this was probably just a courtesy. On Jimeno's death, it was his mother Toda who reigned on behalf of the 12-year-old García. This regency ended in 934, when his first cousin Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III
intervened on his behalf, and García began to rule as king.
With the support of his energetic and diplomatic mother, García, like his father, engaged in a number of conflicts with the Moors
. In particular, in 937, he allied himself with Ramiro II of León
and Muhammad ibn Hashim, governor of Zaragoza, resulting in a military campaign by Abd-ar-Rahman III via Calatayud and Zaragoza into García'a lands. García married his first cousin, Andregota Galíndez
, daughter and coheiress of Galindo Aznárez II, Count of Aragon
, having one son and heir, Sancho. He had divorced her by 940, when he reached and agreement to marry the daughter of Sunyer, Count of Barcelona, but the forced submission of Sunyer to Abd-ar-Rahman included the abandonment of this plan. García then married Teresa, daughter of his ally Ramiro II.
Following the death of Ramiro II and his successor Ordoño III of León
, the Pamplona kingdom threw support behind the deceased king's younger brother, Sancho I of León
, who was García's nephew. When García's brother-in-law and ally Fernán González of Castile switched his support and installed his own son-in-law Ordoño IV of León
in place of Sancho, Fernán's relationship with García became strained and the death of Fernán's wife, García's sister Sancha the next year led to a break. García directly intervened in León, capturing Fernán and restoring Sancho. Fernán was forced to make territorial concessions to García to gain his release, and their alliance wasn't fully restored until 954, when Fernán remarried, this time to García's daughter Urraca.
García was succeeded by his son Sancho II Garcés, nicknamed Abarca. His younger son Ramiro Garcés
, the eldest by Teresa, was called "king" of lands centered at Viguera. By Teresa he also had son Jimeno (also called "king" in documents), who was a hostage in Córdoba. García had two daughters, Toda, who appears in a 991 document with brother Sancho, and Urraca who married successively Fernán González of Castile and William II Sánchez of Gascony
.
He was the son of King Sancho I
Sancho I of Pamplona
Sancho I Garcés was king of Pamplona from 905 to 925. He was a son of García Jiménez, who was king of "another part of the kingdom" of Pamplona and Dadildis de Pallars, his second wife...
and Toda Aznárez. Being just six years old at the time of his father's death, his uncle Jimeno Gárces
Jimeno II of Pamplona
Jimeno II Garcés was the brother of King Sancho I of Pamplona and son of García Jiménez by his second wife, Dadildis of Pallars. He reigned from 925 until his death . While sometimes said to have been regent for his nephew, García, at least one contemporary document in which both appear names...
succeeded, and it was just in the last year of the latter's reign, in 930, that Garcia appears with the royal title, but this was probably just a courtesy. On Jimeno's death, it was his mother Toda who reigned on behalf of the 12-year-old García. This regency ended in 934, when his first cousin Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir and Caliph of Córdoba of the Ummayad dynasty in al-Andalus. Called al-Nasir li-Din Allah , he ascended the throne in his early 20s, and reigned for half a century as the most powerful prince of Iberia...
intervened on his behalf, and García began to rule as king.
With the support of his energetic and diplomatic mother, García, like his father, engaged in a number of conflicts with the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
. In particular, in 937, he allied himself with Ramiro II of León
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...
and Muhammad ibn Hashim, governor of Zaragoza, resulting in a military campaign by Abd-ar-Rahman III via Calatayud and Zaragoza into García'a lands. García married his first cousin, Andregota Galíndez
Andregota Galíndez
Andregoto Galíndez was daughter of Count Galindo II Aznárez Count of Aragon from 922, being by his second wife, Sancha Garcés of Pamplona...
, daughter and coheiress of Galindo Aznárez II, Count of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, having one son and heir, Sancho. He had divorced her by 940, when he reached and agreement to marry the daughter of Sunyer, Count of Barcelona, but the forced submission of Sunyer to Abd-ar-Rahman included the abandonment of this plan. García then married Teresa, daughter of his ally Ramiro II.
Following the death of Ramiro II and his successor Ordoño III of León
Ordoño III of León
Ordoño III was the King of León from 951 to 956, son and successor of Ramiro II . He confronted Navarre and Castile, who supported his half-brother Sancho the Fat in disputing Ordoño's claim to the throne....
, the Pamplona kingdom threw support behind the deceased king's younger brother, Sancho I of León
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...
, who was García's nephew. When García's brother-in-law and ally Fernán González of Castile switched his support and installed his own son-in-law Ordoño IV of León
Ordoño IV of León
Ordoño IV, called the Wicked or the Bad , son of Alfonso IV of León and nephew of Ramiro II, was the king of León from 958 until 960, interrupting the reign of Sancho the Fat for a two year period...
in place of Sancho, Fernán's relationship with García became strained and the death of Fernán's wife, García's sister Sancha the next year led to a break. García directly intervened in León, capturing Fernán and restoring Sancho. Fernán was forced to make territorial concessions to García to gain his release, and their alliance wasn't fully restored until 954, when Fernán remarried, this time to García's daughter Urraca.
García was succeeded by his son Sancho II Garcés, nicknamed Abarca. His younger son Ramiro Garcés
Ramiro Garcés of Viguera
Ramiro Garcés was the King of Viguera from 970 to his death. He was the son of García Sánchez I of Pamplona by his second wife, Theresa of León...
, the eldest by Teresa, was called "king" of lands centered at Viguera. By Teresa he also had son Jimeno (also called "king" in documents), who was a hostage in Córdoba. García had two daughters, Toda, who appears in a 991 document with brother Sancho, and Urraca who married successively Fernán González of Castile and William II Sánchez of Gascony
William II Sánchez of Gascony
William II Sánchez , Duke of Gascony from circa 961 at least until 996, was the younger illegitimate son of duke Sancho IV and successor, around 961, of his childless elder brother, duke Sancho V. He united the County of Bordeaux with the Gascony...
.