Rodrigo Díaz de los Cameros
Encyclopedia
Rodrigo Díaz de los Cameros (fl.
1212–1221) was a Castilian
magnate and one of the earliest Galician-Portuguese troubadours. He was the son of Diego Ximénez of La Rioja
, the lord of Cameros, and Guiomar Rodríguez. He attained the highest noble rank (count
), like his maternal grandparents, Rodrigo Pérez de Traba
(el Velloso) and Fronilde Fernández.
Rodrigo led a column of men at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa
in 1212. He commanded in the centre, among the forces of Alfonso VIII of Castile
, either immediately aft of or flanking the main vanguard
under Diego López II de Haro
. His troops were mainly from the Asturias
, Biscay
, and Old Castile
. He was third in the hierarchy of command after Diego and Gonzalo Núñez de Lara. Alongside Rodrigo leading his battalion were his brother Alvar Díaz and Juan González.
In 1217, on the death of Henry I of Castile
, Rodrigo and a band of eight nobles challenged the right of Berenguela
, Henry's elder sister, to succeed, on the basis that she was not his eldest sister (that was Blanche
, then queen-consort of France). In 1220–21, Rodrigo and his noble allies were in rebellion against Berenguela's successor, Ferdinand III
; they even offered the throne to Blanche's son, the future Louis VIII of France
. Rodrigo had mortgaged some properties to the king in exchange for money to finance a Crusade to the Holy Land
. He had refused, however, to answer a summons to the curia regis
, and had retained his tenencias illegally. Gonzalo Pérez de Lara led a simultaneous rebellion. Before this time the lords of Cameros had appeared as allies of the kings against the House of Lara
.
In the course of his rebellion Rodrigo lost most of his castle
s and tenencias. In December 1221, though they were subjects of the Castilian crown, Rodrigo and Alvar did homage to Sancho VII of Navarre
for the castle of Los Fayos
on the Moncayo
.
Rodrigo's poetic activity is known only from the Tavola Colocciana, which lists three songs of his, none surviving. He is the only Galician-Portuguese poet known to have attended the court of Alfonso VIII. Rodrigo also spent time at the court of Diego López de Haro, who patronised many Occitan troubadour
s as well as the Castilian minstrel
Gonzalo Ruiz de Azagra, all of whom probably influenced Rodrigo, especially Elias Cairel
and Guillem Magret
. Rodrigo eventually married Diego's daughter Aldonza. He was the father of at least one son, Simón Royz, active in the reign of Alfonso X
from at least 1246 to 1277.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1212–1221) was a 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...
magnate and one of the earliest Galician-Portuguese troubadours. He was the son of Diego Ximénez of La Rioja
La Rioja (Spain)
La Rioja is an autonomous community and a province of northern Spain. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Nájera.-History:...
, the lord of Cameros, and Guiomar Rodríguez. He attained the highest noble rank (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...
), like his maternal grandparents, 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...
(el Velloso) and Fronilde Fernández.
Rodrigo led a column of men at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa
Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa
The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, known in Arab history as the Battle of Al-Uqab , took place on 16 July 1212 and was an important turning point in the Reconquista and in the medieval history of Spain...
in 1212. He commanded in the centre, among the forces of Alfonso VIII of Castile
Alfonso VIII of Castile
Alfonso VIII , called the Noble or el de las Navas, was the King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. He is most remembered for his part in the Reconquista and the downfall of the Almohad Caliphate...
, either immediately aft of or flanking the main vanguard
Vanguard (military tactics)
The vanguard is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.- Medieval origins :...
under Diego López II de Haro
Diego López II de Haro
Diego López II de Haro called the Good or the Bad . Son of Lope Diaz I de Haro, count of Nájera and of countess Aldonza. He was a first rank magnate in the kingdom of Castile under King Alfonso VIII...
. His troops were mainly from 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...
, Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
, and Old Castile
Old Castile
Old Castile is a historic region of Spain, which included territory that later corresponded to the provinces of Santander , Burgos, Logroño , Soria, Segovia, Ávila, Valladolid, Palencia....
. He was third in the hierarchy of command after Diego and Gonzalo Núñez de Lara. Alongside Rodrigo leading his battalion were his brother Alvar Díaz and Juan González.
In 1217, on the death of Henry I of Castile
Henry I of Castile
Henry I of Castile was king of Castile. He was the son of Alfonso VIII of Castile and his wife Eleanor Plantagenet, ....
, Rodrigo and a band of eight nobles challenged the right of Berenguela
Berenguela of Castile
Berengaria was Queen regnant of Castile in 1217 and Queen consort of León from 1197 to 1204.-Family origins:...
, Henry's elder sister, to succeed, on the basis that she was not his eldest sister (that was Blanche
Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile , was a Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis VIII. She acted as regent twice during the reign of her son, Louis IX....
, then queen-consort of France). In 1220–21, Rodrigo and his noble allies were in rebellion against Berenguela's successor, Ferdinand III
Ferdinand III of Castile
Saint Ferdinand III, T.O.S.F., was the King of Castile from 1217 and León from 1230. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of Castile. Through his second marriage he was also Count of Aumale. He finished the work done by his maternal grandfather Alfonso VIII and consolidated the...
; they even offered the throne to Blanche's son, the future Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
. Rodrigo had mortgaged some properties to the king in exchange for money to finance a Crusade to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. He had refused, however, to answer a summons to the curia regis
Curia Regis
Curia regis is a Latin term meaning "royal council" or "king's court."- England :The Curia Regis, in the Kingdom of England, was a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics that advised the king of England on legislative matters...
, and had retained his tenencias illegally. Gonzalo Pérez de Lara led a simultaneous rebellion. Before this time the lords of Cameros had appeared as allies of the kings against the House of Lara
House of Lara
The House of Lara or Casa de Lara are a noble family, known from the medieval Kingdom of Castile.Two of its branches, those from the Duke of Nájera and from the Marquis of Aguilar de Campoo were considered Grandees of Spain...
.
In the course of his rebellion Rodrigo lost most of his castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s and tenencias. In December 1221, though they were subjects of the Castilian crown, Rodrigo and Alvar did homage to Sancho VII of Navarre
Sancho VII of Navarre
Sancho VII Sánchez , called the Strong or the Prudent, was the King of Navarre from 1194 to his death...
for the castle of Los Fayos
Los Fayos
Los Fayos is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2010 census the municipality has a population of 153 inhabitants. Its postal code is 50513.The town is built below a red cliff.-External links:*...
on the Moncayo
Moncayo
Moncayo may refer to:*Moncayo, a mountain massif of the Sistema Ibérico*Monkayo, Compostela Valley, a municipality in the Philippines-People:*Oswaldo Moncayo, a painter from Ecuador*José Pablo Moncayo, a Mexican composer*Pedro Moncayo, a canton in Ecuador...
.
Rodrigo's poetic activity is known only from the Tavola Colocciana, which lists three songs of his, none surviving. He is the only Galician-Portuguese poet known to have attended the court of Alfonso VIII. Rodrigo also spent time at the court of Diego López de Haro, who patronised many Occitan troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
s as well as the Castilian minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
Gonzalo Ruiz de Azagra, all of whom probably influenced Rodrigo, especially Elias Cairel
Elias Cairel
Elias Cairel was a troubadour of international fame. Born in Sarlat in the Périgord, he first travelled with the Fourth Crusade and settled down in the Kingdom of Thessalonica at the court of Boniface of Montferrat before moving back to Western Europe, where he sojourned in both Spain...
and Guillem Magret
Guillem Magret
Guillem or Guilhem Magret was a troubadour and jongleur from the Viennois. He left behind eight poems, of which survive a sirventes and a canso with melodies....
. Rodrigo eventually married Diego's daughter Aldonza. He was the father of at least one son, Simón Royz, active in the reign of Alfonso X
Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death...
from at least 1246 to 1277.