Gutierre Vermúdez
Encyclopedia
Gutierre Vermúdez (died 1130) was a nobleman of the Kingdom of León
, with interests primarily in Galicia
, mainly in the northeast, around Lugo
. He was a strong and loyal supporter of both Queen Urraca (1109–26) and the Emperor Alfonso VII (1126–57).
Gutierre was a son of Vermudo Ovéquiz, a son of Count Oveco Vermúdez. His mother was Jimena Peláez, daughter of Pelayo Fróilaz and Aldonza Ordóñez. (At that time it was customary for children to to have a given name and a patronymic
; Ovéquiz is son or daughter of Oveco, Peláez of Pelayo, Pérez of Pedro, etc.) Gutierre was a relative of the Vela family and a brother of Suero Vermúdez
. He married Toda Pérez, daughter of Pedro Fróilaz de Traba
and Mayor Rodríguez de Bárcena, some time before 18 January 1117. In 1125 she made a donation to the monastery of Carboeiro
. After her husband's death, on 1 March 1143 she joined her brother Rodrigo Pérez
and her son Vela Gutiérrez in making a donation to Sobrado dos Monxes, which had been founded by her other brothers, Fernando and Vermudo in 1118. The trio did the same again on 20 March 1155, the last time Toda is recorded alive.
Gutierre is first recorded in a document of 18 January 1086. In the time of Alfonso VI, Gutierre got in a dispute with the Benedictine
monks of San Juan de Corias over the payment of tolls (portazgo) on the movement of goods through the lordship of Laciana
. The king exempted the abbey from tolls in Laciana. In May 1112 Gutierre was raised to the rank of Count
(Latin comes) and granted the tenencias (fiefs) of Montenegro
(which he retained until at least 1115 and perhaps until the end of Urraca's reign) and Monterroso
. In 1117 he and his wife purchased land in Vigo
. In 1122 he made endowments to the regular clergy
of San Juan de Caabeiro and to San Juan de Corias. In 1126 he made peace with the new king, Alfonso VII, immediately, while he was still in Galicia. He later came to Zamora
in April to make the oath of fealty, according to the Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris. Later that spring Arias Pérez
led a rebellion in Galicia. According to the Historia compostellana, Alfonso charged a certain "Count G" and the prelate Diego Gelmírez
per litteras suas (i.e. in writing) with putting it down. This anonymous count may have been Gutierre or perhaps Gómez Núñez
. Sometime between 1127 and 1129 he made a further donation to the Benedictines of Lourenzá
, and in 1128 to the military order
of the Templars. In February 1129 Gutierre exchanged all his estates in the Asturias
with his brother Suero for all of the latter's lands in Galicia.
By a charter dated 30 October 1130, his last known public act, Gutierre made a donation of the monastery of San Salvador de Villafrío to the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Lugo, then under construction under the master builder Raimundo de Monforte. There is a discrepancy, however, between this and a diploma dated to 23 September that same year by which his wife made a donation to Lourenzá for the good of her late husband's soul; one of the documents is dated incorrectly. Toda made a donation to Lourenzá again in May 1131. Gutierre was buried at Lourenzá, although it was located in western Galicia, a zone dominated by the House of Traba. Gutierre's son Vela never attained the same rank as his father; he served as a knight (miles) in the military household of Alfonso VII and was rewarded with the vill of Nogales
in May 1149. Vela's son, Ponce Vélaz, may have become a monk.
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...
, with interests primarily in Galicia
Kingdom of Galicia
The Kingdom of Galicia was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Founded by Suebic king Hermeric in the year 409, the Galician capital was established in Braga, being the first kingdom which...
, mainly in the northeast, around 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:...
. He was a strong and loyal supporter of both Queen Urraca (1109–26) and the Emperor Alfonso VII (1126–57).
Gutierre was a son of Vermudo Ovéquiz, a son of Count Oveco Vermúdez. His mother was Jimena Peláez, daughter of Pelayo Fróilaz and Aldonza Ordóñez. (At that time it was customary for children to to have a given name and a patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
; Ovéquiz is son or daughter of Oveco, Peláez of Pelayo, Pérez of Pedro, etc.) Gutierre was a relative of the Vela family and a brother of Suero Vermúdez
Suero Vermúdez
Suero Vermúdez was an Asturian nobleman, extensive landowner, patron of churches, territorial governor, and military leader...
. He married Toda Pérez, daughter of Pedro Fróilaz de Traba
Pedro 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 Mayor Rodríguez de Bárcena, some time before 18 January 1117. In 1125 she made a donation to the monastery of Carboeiro
Monastery of Carboeiro
The Monastery of San Lourenzo de Carboeiro is one of the architectural works of the late Romanesque, the transition to the Gothic, most outstanding of Galicia....
. After her husband's death, on 1 March 1143 she joined her brother Rodrigo Pérez
Rodrigo Pérez de Traba
Rodrigo Pérez de Traba , called el Velloso , was a Galician magnate whose career corresponds to the entire period from the coronation of Alfonso VII as co-ruler of León until his death...
and her son Vela Gutiérrez in making a donation to Sobrado dos Monxes, which had been founded by her other brothers, Fernando and Vermudo in 1118. The trio did the same again on 20 March 1155, the last time Toda is recorded alive.
Gutierre is first recorded in a document of 18 January 1086. In the time of Alfonso VI, Gutierre got in a dispute with the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks of San Juan de Corias over the payment of tolls (portazgo) on the movement of goods through the lordship of Laciana
Laciana
Laciana, Tsaciana in Leonese language, is a comarca in the province of León, Spain. It had 11,904 inhabitants in 2005. The rivers of this comarca flow towards the Atlantic Ocean. Local people speak a certain variant of the Leonese language known as Patsuezo.Many areas in Laciana were degraded in...
. The king exempted the abbey from tolls in Laciana. In May 1112 Gutierre was raised to the rank of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
(Latin comes) and granted the tenencias (fiefs) of Montenegro
Montenegro, Spain
Montenegro is located at in Andalucía, Spain; and currently has only 5 adult inhabitants. It is part of the municipality of Alpujarra de la Sierra.It is on the old GR 7 trading route that runs from Algeciras to Greece....
(which he retained until at least 1115 and perhaps until the end of Urraca's reign) and Monterroso
Monterroso
Monterroso is a municipality in Lugo province in Galicia in north-west Spain.-History:Monterroso was the seat of an important tenencia in medieval Galicia...
. In 1117 he and his wife purchased land in Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
. In 1122 he made endowments to the regular clergy
Regular clergy
Regular clergy, or just regulars, is applied in the Roman Catholic Church to clerics who follow a "rule" in their life. Strictly, it means those members of religious orders who have made solemn profession. It contrasts with secular clergy.-Terminology and history:The observance of the Rule of St...
of San Juan de Caabeiro and to San Juan de Corias. In 1126 he made peace with the new king, Alfonso VII, immediately, while he was still in Galicia. He later came to 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...
in April to make the oath of fealty, according to the Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris. Later that spring Arias Pérez
Arias Pérez
Arias Pérez or Peres was a Galician knight and military leader in the Kingdom of León. According to modern scholar Richard Fletcher, he was "active, resourceful, spirited and persuasive", and the contemporary Historia compostellana says that he was "so eloquent that he could turn black into white...
led a rebellion in Galicia. According to the Historia compostellana, Alfonso charged a certain "Count G" and the prelate 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...
per litteras suas (i.e. in writing) with putting it down. This anonymous count may have been Gutierre or perhaps Gómez Núñez
Gómez Núñez
Gómez Núñez was a Galician and Portuguese political and military leader in the Kingdom of León. His power lay in the valley of the Minho, mainly on the north side, bounded by the Atlantic on the west and corresponding approximately with the Diocese of Tui...
. Sometime between 1127 and 1129 he made a further donation to the Benedictines of Lourenzá
Lourenzá
Lourenzá is a municipality in Lugo province in Galicia in northwest Spain....
, and in 1128 to the military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
of the Templars. In February 1129 Gutierre exchanged all his estates in the Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
with his brother Suero for all of the latter's lands in Galicia.
By a charter dated 30 October 1130, his last known public act, Gutierre made a donation of the monastery of San Salvador de Villafrío to the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Lugo, then under construction under the master builder Raimundo de Monforte. There is a discrepancy, however, between this and a diploma dated to 23 September that same year by which his wife made a donation to Lourenzá for the good of her late husband's soul; one of the documents is dated incorrectly. Toda made a donation to Lourenzá again in May 1131. Gutierre was buried at Lourenzá, although it was located in western Galicia, a zone dominated by the House of Traba. Gutierre's son Vela never attained the same rank as his father; he served as a knight (miles) in the military household of Alfonso VII and was rewarded with the vill of Nogales
Nogales
Nogales is a Spanish word meaning "walnut trees".As a geographical name, it is shared by several places:*Chile**Nogales, Chile*Mexico**Nogales, Chihuahua**Nogales, Durango**Nogales, Sonora**Nogales, Tamaulipas**Nogales, Veracruz*Spain...
in May 1149. Vela's son, Ponce Vélaz, may have become a monk.