Gómez Núñez
Encyclopedia
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. There, according to a contemporary source, he had "a strong site, a fence of castles and a multitude of knights and infantry."
In the civil wars of the reign of Urraca (1109–26), he favoured her son, the future Alfonso VII (1126–57), and is counted among the Galician leaders of the latter's cause, with Diego Gelmírez
and Pedro Fróilaz de Traba
. In the early 1120s, after peace had been made between Urraca and Alfonso, he was an ally of Theresa, Countess of Portugal
, and her lover, Fernando Pérez. He initially supported Alfonso against Theresa's son, Afonso Henriques, but his last public act was to throw his support behind Afonso's incipient Kingdom of Portugal
. He died in exile.
, who was the eldest son of Nuño Velázquez and Fronilde Sánchez. In a charter of the monastery of Sahagún
dated 1104, however, Alfonso is named alongside his siblings Menendo, Elvira, and Sanch, with no mention of a Gómez. In other sources Gómez's brother is named Fernando. In a document of 1127 this Fernando names his father as Nuño Menéndez, probably a cousin of Nuño Velázquez. His and Gómez's mother would have been Sancha Viegas. Nuño Menéndez rebelled against García II of Galicia in 1071 and was defeated and killed.
Gómez married Elvira Pérez, daughter of Pedro Fróilaz and Mayor Rodríguez de Bárcena, by 1117 at the latest. His children were Fernando and María, who married Fernando Yáñez. This marriage alliance introduced Fernando into the highest circle of Spanish politics.
The first record of Gómez dates from March 1110, when he held the fortress of São Cristóvão on behalf of Henry, Count of Portugal
. He was still holding it the next year (1111). By April 1112 he held the office of majordomo, the highest at court, and he remained with Portuguese court even after Henry's death, until 1114. By November 1115 he held the rank of count
(comes), the highest title in the kingdom, and was back in Galicia. where he swore an oath to defend Diego Gelmírez's rights under a recent treaty with the queen. In 1116 Urraca launched an attack on Gómez's Galician lands, but it was repulsed with the aid of Pedro Fróilaz and Theresa, who besieged her in Sobroso.
In 1117 Gómez aided in the suppression of the revolt of the citizens of Santiago de Compostela
. In 1118 he was serving Alfonso, still in opposition to his mother, as alcalde
of Talavera de la Reina. That year he was with the army that he forced Alfonso the Battler
out of Castile
and subsequently declared Alfonso VII rex Hispaniae
("King of Spain") at Toledo
. In 1121 he rejoined the other defenders of Diego Gelmírez in Compostela to reaffirm the pact of 1115.
north of the Minho. In March 1126, after the Treaty of Ricobayo was signed between the Portugal rulers and the new Leonese king, Alfonso VII, Gómez and his son-in-law, along with most of the Galician nobility swore an oath of fealty to Alfonso at Zamora
. It is unknown if Gómez was present at Ricobayo for the negotiations with the Portuguese, but by the resultant treaty Theresa and Fernando lost control of Tui, Ourense, and other districts north of the Minho. Later that spring, there was a rebellion in Galicia under Arias Pérez
, and Gómez Núñez and Diego Gelmírez were charged with putting it down. They besieged Lobeira and Arias' other castles, and forced his surrender.
When Gómez's uncle, a certain Count Fernando died sometime before 1126, half of the monastery of San Salvador de Budiño (Botinio), which had belonged to their family since its foundation at an unknown date, escheat
ed to the crown in accordance with a judicial ruling. In 1126, shortly after his succession and after Gómez's displays of loyalty, Alfonso VII donated his half of the monastery to Gómez and his brother Fernando. On 26 July the brothers—with Gómez owning three quarters—donated the whole monastery, with all the churches and lands it possessed, to the Benedictine
Abbey of Cluny, a longtime ally of the Leonese monarchy. Although the charter by which Alfonso restored half of the monastery to the Núñez brothers is lost, the king confirmed the donation by a royal privilege of August 1142, at the request of Peter the Venerable
, the Cluniac abbot then visiting Spain. This surviving charter records that the boundaries of the monastery's estate were surveyed by royal order at the insistence of Gómez in 1126.
Between February 1129 and March 1131 Gómez was entrusted with the tenencia (fief) of Toroño in Galicia. While the Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris (book I, §74) reports that he joined Rodrigo Pérez de Traba
in revolt against Alfonso in 1136, in support of the Portuguese and Navarrese
, who contrived to invade León–Castile simultaneously from both sides. This is probably a mistake, conflating Gómez's actual participation in Rodrigo's revolt of c.1140 with an earlier revolt in which Rodrigo played a part.
In 1138 Gómez held the government of Tui, also in Galicia. He is called comes Tudensis (Count of Tui) in contemporary documents of Alfonso VII, although his countship was jurisdictional only. It is not clear how long it lasted. A document of 1151 reports a failed attempt to establish a Benedictine monastery at Barrantes in the region Tui and how the lay patrons of the new foundation were supported by the lord of the region (dominus terrae), Gómez at the time. Also in 1138 Gómez made a donation to Celanova
, a large and influential Benedictine house in Galicia, and his wealth and power at the time are indicated by the presence of three clerici (clerics) at his court, serving as chaplains and secretaries.
Gómez had been a loyal supporter, though only an occasional courtier, of Alfonso VII from 1126, but sometime between 1138 and 1140 he changed his allegiance to Afonso Henriques, the son of Henry of Portugal. In 1141 Gómez supported the Portuguese invasion of Galicia and was forced into exile, taking refuge in Cluny. A partiality for Benedictine monasticism seems evident, although in 1128 Gómez had made a donation to the Knights Templar
, whose rule and organisation was based on that of the Cistercians.
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...
and Portuguese political 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...
. His power lay in the valley of the Minho, mainly on the north side, bounded by the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
on the west and corresponding approximately with the Diocese of Tui. There, according to a contemporary source, he had "a strong site, a fence of castles and a multitude of knights and infantry."
In the civil wars of the reign of Urraca (1109–26), he favoured her son, the future Alfonso VII (1126–57), and is counted among the Galician leaders of the latter's cause, with 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...
and 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 .....
. In the early 1120s, after peace had been made between Urraca and Alfonso, he was an ally of Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Theresa of Portugal was the first ruler of independent Portugal...
, and her lover, Fernando Pérez. He initially supported Alfonso against Theresa's son, Afonso Henriques, but his last public act was to throw his support behind Afonso's incipient Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
. He died in exile.
Civil wars of Urraca's reign
Portuguese historians have usually considered Gómez a brother of Alfonso NúñezAlfonso Núñez
Alfonso Núñez was a Galician nobleman and military leader.He was the eldest son of Nuño Velázquez and Fronilde Sánchez. From at least 28 January 1090 Nuño's power lay in the region of Limia. His children—Alfonso, Menendo, Sancho, and Elvira—appear beside him in a donation to the monastery of...
, who was the eldest son of Nuño Velázquez and Fronilde Sánchez. In a charter of the monastery 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...
dated 1104, however, Alfonso is named alongside his siblings Menendo, Elvira, and Sanch, with no mention of a Gómez. In other sources Gómez's brother is named Fernando. In a document of 1127 this Fernando names his father as Nuño Menéndez, probably a cousin of Nuño Velázquez. His and Gómez's mother would have been Sancha Viegas. Nuño Menéndez rebelled against García II of Galicia in 1071 and was defeated and killed.
Gómez married Elvira Pérez, daughter of Pedro Fróilaz and Mayor Rodríguez de Bárcena, by 1117 at the latest. His children were Fernando and María, who married Fernando Yáñez. This marriage alliance introduced Fernando into the highest circle of Spanish politics.
The first record of Gómez dates from March 1110, when he held the fortress of São Cristóvão on behalf of 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...
. He was still holding it the next year (1111). By April 1112 he held the office of majordomo, the highest at court, and he remained with Portuguese court even after Henry's death, until 1114. By November 1115 he held 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...
(comes), the highest title in the kingdom, and was back in Galicia. where he swore an oath to defend Diego Gelmírez's rights under a recent treaty with the queen. In 1116 Urraca launched an attack on Gómez's Galician lands, but it was repulsed with the aid of Pedro Fróilaz and Theresa, who besieged her in Sobroso.
In 1117 Gómez aided in the suppression of the revolt of the citizens of 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...
. In 1118 he was serving Alfonso, still in opposition to his mother, as alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
of Talavera de la Reina. That year he was with the army that he forced Alfonso the Battler
Alfonso the Battler
Alfonso I , called the Battler or the Warrior , was the king of Aragon and Navarre from 1104 until his death in 1134. He was the second son of King Sancho Ramírez and successor of his brother Peter I...
out of Castile
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...
and subsequently declared Alfonso VII rex Hispaniae
Imperator totius Hispaniae
Imperator totius Hispaniae is a Latin title meaning "Emperor of all Spain". In Spain in the Middle Ages, the title "emperor" was used under a variety of circumstances from the ninth century onwards, but its usage peaked, as a formal and practical title, between 1086 and 1157...
("King of Spain") at Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
. In 1121 he rejoined the other defenders of Diego Gelmírez in Compostela to reaffirm the pact of 1115.
Service to Alfonso VII
By April 1120 Gómez was at the Portuguese court again, where he remained until at least September 1125. During this period he enabled Theresa and Fernando to hold Tui and OurenseOurense
Ourense is a city in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of the same name in Galicia. Its population of 108,674 accounts for 30% of the population of the province and makes it the third largest city of Galicia.-Population:...
north of the Minho. In March 1126, after the Treaty of Ricobayo was signed between the Portugal rulers and the new Leonese king, Alfonso VII, Gómez and his son-in-law, along with most of the Galician nobility swore an oath of fealty to Alfonso at 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...
. It is unknown if Gómez was present at Ricobayo for the negotiations with the Portuguese, but by the resultant treaty Theresa and Fernando lost control of Tui, Ourense, and other districts north of the Minho. Later that spring, there was a rebellion in Galicia under 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...
, and Gómez Núñez and Diego Gelmírez were charged with putting it down. They besieged Lobeira and Arias' other castles, and forced his surrender.
When Gómez's uncle, a certain Count Fernando died sometime before 1126, half of the monastery of San Salvador de Budiño (Botinio), which had belonged to their family since its foundation at an unknown date, escheat
Escheat
Escheat is a common law doctrine which transfers the property of a person who dies without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in limbo without recognised ownership...
ed to the crown in accordance with a judicial ruling. In 1126, shortly after his succession and after Gómez's displays of loyalty, Alfonso VII donated his half of the monastery to Gómez and his brother Fernando. On 26 July the brothers—with Gómez owning three quarters—donated the whole monastery, with all the churches and lands it possessed, to 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...
Abbey of Cluny, a longtime ally of the Leonese monarchy. Although the charter by which Alfonso restored half of the monastery to the Núñez brothers is lost, the king confirmed the donation by a royal privilege of August 1142, at the request of Peter the Venerable
Peter the Venerable
Peter the Venerable , also known as Peter of Montboissier, abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Cluny, born to Blessed Raingarde in Auvergne, France. He has been honored as a saint but has never been formally canonized.-Life:Peter was "Dedicated to God" at birth and given to the monastery at...
, the Cluniac abbot then visiting Spain. This surviving charter records that the boundaries of the monastery's estate were surveyed by royal order at the insistence of Gómez in 1126.
Between February 1129 and March 1131 Gómez was entrusted with the tenencia (fief) of Toroño in Galicia. While the Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris (book I, §74) reports that he joined Rodrigo Pérez de Traba
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...
in revolt against Alfonso in 1136, in support of the Portuguese and Navarrese
Kingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
, who contrived to invade León–Castile simultaneously from both sides. This is probably a mistake, conflating Gómez's actual participation in Rodrigo's revolt of c.1140 with an earlier revolt in which Rodrigo played a part.
Final rebellion and exile
Celanova
Celanova is a village and municipality located in the province of Orense, Galicia, Northern Spain. Situated near the border with Portugal, the village is bordered by Ramirás, Cartelle, A Merca, A Bola, Verea and Quintela de Leirado....
, a large and influential Benedictine house in Galicia, and his wealth and power at the time are indicated by the presence of three clerici (clerics) at his court, serving as chaplains and secretaries.
Gómez had been a loyal supporter, though only an occasional courtier, of Alfonso VII from 1126, but sometime between 1138 and 1140 he changed his allegiance to Afonso Henriques, the son of Henry of Portugal. In 1141 Gómez supported the Portuguese invasion of Galicia and was forced into exile, taking refuge in Cluny. A partiality for Benedictine monasticism seems evident, although in 1128 Gómez had made a donation to the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
, whose rule and organisation was based on that of the Cistercians.
External links
- There is a brief genealogical notice at the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy's Medieval Lands Project website.