Pedro Ansúrez
Encyclopedia
Pedro Ansúrez was a Castilian
count of Liébana
, Saldaña
and Carrión
in the closing decades of the eleventh century and the opening decades of the twelfth. He is considered the founder and first lord of Valladolid
.
Pedro was a descendant of the Beni Gómez family of Castilian nobility, the son of Ansur Díaz and Justa Fernández. His grandfather, Diego Muñoz, was a count of Saldaña and Carrión. He married twice. His first wife was Elo Alfonso (or Eylo), daughter of Count Alfonso Muñoz and Aldonza González of Trigueros. They were married by 17 June 1084. She was dead by 17 September 1114, when Pedro made a donation for the good of her soul to the canons of the cathedral of Valladolid
. He and his second wife, Elvira Sánchez, were married by the next day, if not long before. Pedro had five children: Alfonso, Fernando (Ferdinand), María (Mary), Mayor and Urraca. Alfonso died young and his sarcophagus, commissioned by Pedro, can still be seen in the museum of Sahagún. Pedro and Elo's children were raised in the household of a lesser nobleman: that of Citi Álvarez and his wife Froilo, who were duely rewarded for their services with a grant of land.
Pedro was one of the nobles closest to Alfonso VI of León and Castile, although the later claim that he was Alfonso's tutor or guardian during his youth must be dismissed, since the king and Pedro were of roughly the same age. During 24 July–3 September 1067 Pedro served as the majordomo of Alfonso's court. He was raised by the king to the rank of count perhaps as early as 22 November 1068, certainly before 1 November 1070, after which time he always signs charters using the title. In 1072, he accompanied Alfonso into exile in Toledo
. Later, when Alfonso returned to inherit the kingdoms of León
and Castile
, Pedro and Eylo were charged with the repopulation
of Valladolid. This they did with men from their counties of Saldaña and Carrión. However, the city really began to grow when its lordship was given to Pedro some years later. He became a prolific builder, constructing a large palace for himself and his wife, which has not survived, and a hospital. He built a bridge over the Pisuerga and many religious edifices, like the church of Santa María la Antigua and the Colegiata de Santa María, which served as the site of the cathedral (the bishop's seat). The environs of Valladolid formed the outer limits of the Kingdom of Castile
at his time and Pedro was responsible for the repopulating of the region between Liébana and Cuéllar
. His massive frontier district included the historically significant city of Toledo
. In 1095, his lordship included Madrid
.
Around 1087, at the time of the marriage of Alfonso's eldest daughter and heiress apparent, Urraca
, to Raymond of Burgundy
, the king appointed Pedro to be her guardian (tutor), and she stayed at his court according to the later Primera Crónica General (late 13th century). This probably served to prevent the accumulation of too great influence in the hands of the French. Towards the end of the century, Pedro's power and influence were diminished by the extension of that of the Capetians
Raymond and Henry of Burgundy
.
When his daughter María was widowed by the Count of Urgel, Ermengol V, Pedro transferred the guardianship of her son, Ermengol VI
, to Raymond Berengar III of Barcelona. Between 1103 and 1108, Pedro was in exile in Urgel, having displeased Alfonso VI. He took an active part in the conquest of Balaguer
. Pedro brought with him to Urgell his armour-bearer (armiger), a knight by the name of Íñigo Pérez. Only the greater magnates could afford to employ officers like this. The armiger, or alférez
, was responsible for leading Pedro's mesnada (retinue
) into battle.
In 1114, out of fear of Hell
, Pedro Ansúrez donated some land at Fuensaldaña
to the church of Valladolid.
In 1143, Sancho Ansúrez, Pedro's grandson by his daughter Urraca, introduced the Premonstratensian Order into Spain when he became abbot of Fuentesclaras, moved to Retuerta
in 1146. Sancho had studied under Saint Norbert
at Prémontré
.
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...
count of Liébana
Liébana
Liébana is a comarca of Cantabria .It covers 570 square kilometers and is located in the southwest of Cantabria, bordering Asturias, León and Palencia...
, Saldaña
Saldaña
-Places:*Saldana Municipality*Saldaña, Palencia*Saldaña, Colombia*Saldaña de Burgos*Saldaña River...
and Carrión
Carrión de los Condes
Carrión de los Condes is a municipality in the province of Palencia, part of the Autonomous Community of Castile and León, Spain.It is 40 kilometers from Palencia, on the Way of Saint James.-History:...
in the closing decades of the eleventh century and the opening decades of the twelfth. He is considered the founder and first lord of Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
.
Pedro was a descendant of the Beni Gómez family of Castilian nobility, the son of Ansur Díaz and Justa Fernández. His grandfather, Diego Muñoz, was a count of Saldaña and Carrión. He married twice. His first wife was Elo Alfonso (or Eylo), daughter of Count Alfonso Muñoz and Aldonza González of Trigueros. They were married by 17 June 1084. She was dead by 17 September 1114, when Pedro made a donation for the good of her soul to the canons of the cathedral of Valladolid
Cathedral of Valladolid
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Assumption , better known as Valladolid Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Valladolid, Spain...
. He and his second wife, Elvira Sánchez, were married by the next day, if not long before. Pedro had five children: Alfonso, Fernando (Ferdinand), María (Mary), Mayor and Urraca. Alfonso died young and his sarcophagus, commissioned by Pedro, can still be seen in the museum of Sahagún. Pedro and Elo's children were raised in the household of a lesser nobleman: that of Citi Álvarez and his wife Froilo, who were duely rewarded for their services with a grant of land.
Pedro was one of the nobles closest to Alfonso VI of León and Castile, although the later claim that he was Alfonso's tutor or guardian during his youth must be dismissed, since the king and Pedro were of roughly the same age. During 24 July–3 September 1067 Pedro served as the majordomo of Alfonso's court. He was raised by the king to the rank of count perhaps as early as 22 November 1068, certainly before 1 November 1070, after which time he always signs charters using the title. In 1072, he accompanied Alfonso into exile in 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:...
. Later, when Alfonso returned to inherit the kingdoms 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...
and 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...
, Pedro and Eylo were charged with the repopulation
Repoblación
The Repoblación was the ninth-century repopulating of a large region between the River Duero and the Cantabrian Cordillera which had been depopulated in the early years of the Reconquista....
of Valladolid. This they did with men from their counties of Saldaña and Carrión. However, the city really began to grow when its lordship was given to Pedro some years later. He became a prolific builder, constructing a large palace for himself and his wife, which has not survived, and a hospital. He built a bridge over the Pisuerga and many religious edifices, like the church of Santa María la Antigua and the Colegiata de Santa María, which served as the site of the cathedral (the bishop's seat). The environs of Valladolid formed the outer limits of the Kingdom 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...
at his time and Pedro was responsible for the repopulating of the region between Liébana and Cuéllar
Cuéllar
Cuéllar is a large town and local government district in the autonomous community of Castile and León, in Spain. It had a population of 9,841 in 2008....
. His massive frontier district included the historically significant city of 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 1095, his lordship included Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
Around 1087, at the time of the marriage of Alfonso's eldest daughter and heiress apparent, Urraca
Urraca of Castile
Urraca was Queen regnant of León, Castile, and Galicia, and claimed the imperial title as suo jure Empress of All the Spains from 1109 until her death in childbirth, as well as Empress of All Galicia.- Childhood :...
, to Raymond of Burgundy
Raymond of Burgundy
Raymond of Burgundy was the fourth son of William I, Count of Burgundy, and was Count of Amous. He came to the Iberian Peninsula for the first time during the period 1086–1087 with Odo I, Duke of Burgundy...
, the king appointed Pedro to be her guardian (tutor), and she stayed at his court according to the later Primera Crónica General (late 13th century). This probably served to prevent the accumulation of too great influence in the hands of the French. Towards the end of the century, Pedro's power and influence were diminished by the extension of that of the Capetians
Capetian dynasty
The Capetian dynasty , also known as the House of France, is the largest and oldest European royal house, consisting of the descendants of King Hugh Capet of France in the male line. Hugh Capet himself was a cognatic descendant of the Carolingians and the Merovingians, earlier rulers of France...
Raymond and Henry of Burgundy
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...
.
When his daughter María was widowed by the Count of Urgel, Ermengol V, Pedro transferred the guardianship of her son, Ermengol VI
Ermengol VI of Urgell
Ermengol VI , called el de Castilla, was the Count of Urgell from 1102 to his death. He was the son and successor of Ermengol V and María Ansúrez.He was born in Valladolid, whence his nickname comes...
, to Raymond Berengar III of Barcelona. Between 1103 and 1108, Pedro was in exile in Urgel, having displeased Alfonso VI. He took an active part in the conquest of Balaguer
Balaguer
Balaguer is the capital of the comarca of Noguera, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.It is located by the river Segre, a tributary to the Ebre....
. Pedro brought with him to Urgell his armour-bearer (armiger), a knight by the name of Íñigo Pérez. Only the greater magnates could afford to employ officers like this. The armiger, or alférez
Alférez
Alférez is a junior officer rank also used in Spain, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. The variant Alferes is used in Portugal and was formerly also used in Brazil. A naval variant, Frigate Alférez, is used in Spain, Dominican Republic and Peru. "Alférez" is often translated as ensign...
, was responsible for leading Pedro's mesnada (retinue
Retinue
A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble or royal personage, a suite of "retainers".-Etymology:...
) into battle.
In 1114, out of fear of Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, Pedro Ansúrez donated some land at Fuensaldaña
Fuensaldaña
Fuensaldaña is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 1,149 inhabitants....
to the church of Valladolid.
In 1143, Sancho Ansúrez, Pedro's grandson by his daughter Urraca, introduced the Premonstratensian Order into Spain when he became abbot of Fuentesclaras, moved to Retuerta
Retuerta
Retuerta is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 65 inhabitants....
in 1146. Sancho had studied under Saint Norbert
Norbert of Xanten
Saint Norbert of Xanten was a Christian saint and founder of the Norbertine or Premonstratensian order of canons regular.- Life and work :...
at Prémontré
Prémontré
Prémontré is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The remains of Prémontré Abbey, the mother house of the Premonstratensian Order, are located in Prémontré.-References:*...
.
Sources
- Barton, Simon F. The Aristocracy in Twelfth-century León and Castile. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
- Reilly, Bernard F. The Kingdom of León-Castilla under Queen Urraca 1109–1126. Princeton University Press: Princeton, 1982.
- Reilly, Bernard F. The Kingdom of León-Castilla under King Alfonso VI 1065–1109. Princeton University Press: Princeton, 1988.
- Rodríguez Fernández, J. Pedro Ansúrez. León: 1966.