Rodrigo Pérez de Traba
Encyclopedia
Rodrigo Pérez de Traba called el Velloso ("the Hairy"), was a Galician
magnate whose career corresponds to the entire period from the coronation of Alfonso VII as co-ruler of León
(1111) until his death (1157). He served Alfonso at court in his early years, but was given increased responsibility in Galicia after the death of Alfonso's mother, Queen Urraca (1126). After about 1132 he became increasingly involved in the politics of Portugal
, whose invasion of Galicia he supported in 1137. Even after León and Portugal made peace in 1141 Rodrigo was largely excluded from Leonese politics, with the notable exception of the military campaigns of 1147, until 1152. Thereafter until his death he was the dominant lay figure in Galicia.
and his second wife, Mayor Rodríguez. He is first mentioned in the Historia compostellana in connexion with the coronation of the young Alfonso VII on 17 September 1111 in Compostela
. He took part in the ceremonies as the honorary alférez
(armiger), alongside his father as steward
. In the words of the Historia "the most esteemed count Pedro was royal steward and his son Rodrigo, as armiger, carried the sword of the king, the shield, and the lance." On 26 September 1119 he was still serving as alférez to Alfonso, then co-ruling with his mother, Queen Urraca. The post of alférez was typically reserved for younger nobleman in anticipation of higher office. In April 1126, after Urraca's death, Rodrigo travelled with his father and the other magnates of Galicia to Zamora
to swear oaths to Alfonso as sole king. In the context of this episode the Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris refers to "the sons of Count Pedro Fróilaz, among whom [was] Rodrigo, who was later named count by the king." He was raised to the rank of count
, the highest rank in the kingdom, on 2 April 1127, for he confirmed a royal donation to the Benedictine
monastery at Sahagún
that day as Comes dominus Rudericus Petriz in eadem die electus. Rodrigo's elevation to comital status probably took place before a gathering of the entire court in León. On 3 August 1132 Rodrigo and his brother Martín granted a family estate at Palacios
to Pedro and Arias Díaz.
Among the Galician castle
s (castra) which the Historia compostellana names Rodrigo as holding are San Jorge, Traba (from which his family took its name), and Ferreira
(Ferraria). These three castra are elsewhere called castellis by Alfonso VII in a donation to the Cathedral of Santiago
in 1127, where they also appear clumped together. In the charter of donation Rodrigo is twice named "Count Rodrigo de Traba" (Comes Rudericus de Traua), a name used again in a similar royal donation in 1131. These are the only instances in contemporary documents of Rodrigo using "Traba" as part of his name. Sometime before 5 December 1135 Rodrigo was granted the tenencia (fief) of the Limia
in Galicia, which he continued to govern down to at least 13 March 1156, possibly until his death. By 31 January 1155 he had also received the important Galician tenencia of Monterroso
, where he can be seen ruling as late as 1 June 1157, and probably until his death. In one of Alfonso VII's last donations to the Cathedral of Santiago, in 1155, Rodrigo styled himself "Count Rodrigo Pérez of Galicia", the last apparent use of the title "Count of Galicia". One document dated 13 February 1147, but corrected to 1148, refers to his holding Salamanca
, an important Leonese city, jointly with Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera
, but this is the only citation of such a holding.
, which his half-brothers Vermudo and Fernando Pérez were de facto ruling through the latter's adulterous liaison with Countess Theresa
. He regularly visited their court from 1128 onwards, even after the Battle of São Mamede liquidated his relatives' power. On 28 September 1132 as a reward for loyalty and service he received the vill
of Burral from Afonso Henriques, Theresa's son and successor. At least between August 1132 and 26 February 1135 he held the lordship of Porto
, and in 1137 he and Gómez Núñez
aided the Portuguese when they invaded Galicia. At the time of the invasion the Chronica notes that Rodrigo "had fortifications in Limia and other commissions from the Emperor." From at least November 1140 until as late as 1 February 1141 he was the dapifer (majordomo) of the new royal household of Portugal after Afonso declared himself king in 1139. In September 1141 Afonso Henriques and Alfonso VII finally came to terms, and both Rodrigo and Gómez "paid a severe political price as a result." According to the Chronica, they "proved themselves disloyal to their lord, Alfonso. They handed their castles and commissions over to the King of Portugal [who fortified them and returned to his country]. These acts of treason resulted in their own ruin, for indeed they were what most prejudiced these Counts for the rest of their lives."
On only seven or eight occasions did Rodrigo pay a visit to the royal court between September 1141 and March 1152. During this period he continued to visit the Portuguese royal court also. Later, according to the Chronica, in a not unusual display of mercy, Alfonso invited the disgraced count to court and regaled him with gifts of gold and silver as he customarily did his regular courtiers, thus reconciling him to himself. In 1147 Rodrigo joined the royal army that marched to re-conquer
Almería
from the Muslims, but like many of the Galicians initially present he left in midsummer after taking part in the Siege of Oreja
(at least until 25 July).
, and Deza
, Rodrigo had married Fronilde Fernández, daughter of Fernando Núñez and Mayor, daughter of Rodrigo Muñoz
. She was thus a niece of Gómez Núñez. She gave Rodrigo a daughter, Guiomar, and a son, variously given as Álvar or Rodrigo. Guiomar married first Fernando Ponce de Cabrera el Mayor
and secondly Diego Ximénez, by whom she was mother of Rodrigo Díaz de los Cameros
. Fronilde was a generous benefactress of the Cistercians in Spain, making donations to their foundations at Armenteira, Ferreira de Pallares, Meira
, and Melón
. In 1175 she made a donation to San Martiño de Fóra and helped found a convent at Ferreira de Pantón, which she placed in dependency on Meira.
While his wife's religious devotion favoured the Cistercians, Rodrigo's patronage lay solidly behind the Benedictines and the Praemonstratensians. On 20 December 1127 Alfonso VII donated some churches to the Benedictine monastery of Cines in Galicia "for the love of our most faithful count Don Rodrigo Pérez." The surviving charter recording this grant of largesse has been challenged as a forgery by at least one historian, but its authenticity has been defended by another. It contains the date 1133, but the list of witnesses suggests it more probably belongs to 1127. It names Rodrigo Martínez
as a count, but he cannot be shown to have attained that rank before late 1128. On 28 October 1155 Rodrigo confirmed a royal donation of property to the abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos
. On 15 December he made donations to the Praemonstratensian monasteries of Retuerta
and San Leonardo
.
According to the Historia compostellana, in 1130 some of Rodrigo's knights unlawfully imprisoned Arias Muñiz, the archdeacon of Trastámara
in the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela
. When the archbishop Diego Gelmírez
threatened to excommunicate Rodrigo, the count swore on the Gospels that he had no part in his knights' actions, that he would confiscate the fiefs he had bestowed on those knights, and that he would arrest and hand over to the diocese any peasants who had taken part in the outrage. The purpose of the public humiliation imposed by Diego was, according to the Historia, to instill fear in Rodrigo's fellow magnates, so that they would not dare commit such acts again. For the remission of his sins, Rodrigo made a donation to the archdiocese of his castle at Faro
. Alfonso VII's gift of the tenencia of the Limia towards 1135 was probably motivated by Rodrigo's good relations with Diego. The Historia also describes how Alfonso VII granted the castle of San Jorge and its dependencies to the archdiocese, but allowed Rodrigo to retain its lordship as a vassal of the archbishop.
Rodrigo also donated to the Cathedral of Braga on 28 October 1133. On 1 March 1143 and again twelve years later, on 20 March 1155, he made donations to the Benedictines of Sobrado dos Monxes, which had been founded by his half-brothers. His last recorded act of piety was a donation to the Benedictine establishment at Toxos Outos on 9 October 1157. According to one source he is last mentioned on 28 August 1158 in a document of the tumbo (cartulary) of the monastery of Castañeda
, but another cites a document in the archive of Sobrado dated 24 December 1165, placing his death in early 1166.
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...
magnate whose career corresponds to the entire period from the coronation of Alfonso VII as co-ruler 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...
(1111) until his death (1157). He served Alfonso at court in his early years, but was given increased responsibility in Galicia after the death of Alfonso's mother, Queen Urraca (1126). After about 1132 he became increasingly involved in the politics of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, whose invasion of Galicia he supported in 1137. Even after León and Portugal made peace in 1141 Rodrigo was largely excluded from Leonese politics, with the notable exception of the military campaigns of 1147, until 1152. Thereafter until his death he was the dominant lay figure in Galicia.
Feudal affairs
Rodrigo was a younger son of Pedro Fróilaz de TrabaPedro 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 his second wife, Mayor Rodríguez. He is first mentioned in the Historia compostellana in connexion with the coronation of the young Alfonso VII on 17 September 1111 in 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...
. He took part in the ceremonies as the honorary 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...
(armiger), alongside his father as steward
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
. In the words of the Historia "the most esteemed count Pedro was royal steward and his son Rodrigo, as armiger, carried the sword of the king, the shield, and the lance." On 26 September 1119 he was still serving as alférez to Alfonso, then co-ruling with his mother, Queen Urraca. The post of alférez was typically reserved for younger nobleman in anticipation of higher office. In April 1126, after Urraca's death, Rodrigo travelled with his father and the other magnates of Galicia 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...
to swear oaths to Alfonso as sole king. In the context of this episode the Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris refers to "the sons of Count Pedro Fróilaz, among whom [was] Rodrigo, who was later named count by the king." He 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...
, the highest rank in the kingdom, on 2 April 1127, for he confirmed a royal donation 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...
monastery at 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...
that day as Comes dominus Rudericus Petriz in eadem die electus. Rodrigo's elevation to comital status probably took place before a gathering of the entire court in León. On 3 August 1132 Rodrigo and his brother Martín granted a family estate at Palacios
Palacios
- People :* Miguel Asin Y Palacios, a Spanish scholar and Roman Catholic priest who published Islam and the Divine Comedy in 1919* Alfredo Palacios, an Argentine politician* Antonio Palacios, a Spanish architect* Odón Betanzos Palacios, Spanish writer...
to Pedro and Arias Díaz.
Among the Galician 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 (castra) which the Historia compostellana names Rodrigo as holding are San Jorge, Traba (from which his family took its name), and Ferreira
Ferreira
Ferreira is a Portuguese and Galician languages surname of toponymical origin, meaning Iron smith. It can also be spelled as Fereira, Ferera and Ferarya, if Sephardic Jewish in origin.It may refer to:-General:...
(Ferraria). These three castra are elsewhere called castellis by Alfonso VII in a donation to the Cathedral of Santiago
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. It is the destination of the Way of St...
in 1127, where they also appear clumped together. In the charter of donation Rodrigo is twice named "Count Rodrigo de Traba" (Comes Rudericus de Traua), a name used again in a similar royal donation in 1131. These are the only instances in contemporary documents of Rodrigo using "Traba" as part of his name. Sometime before 5 December 1135 Rodrigo was granted the tenencia (fief) of the Limia
A Limia
A Limia is a comarca in the Galician Province of Ourense. The overall population of this local region is 24,266 .-Municipalities:Baltar, Os Blancos, Calvos de Randín, Porqueira, Rairiz de Veiga, Sandiás, Sarreaus, Trasmiras, Vilar de Barrio, Vilar de Santos and Xinzo de Limia....
in Galicia, which he continued to govern down to at least 13 March 1156, possibly until his death. By 31 January 1155 he had also received the important Galician tenencia of 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...
, where he can be seen ruling as late as 1 June 1157, and probably until his death. In one of Alfonso VII's last donations to the Cathedral of Santiago, in 1155, Rodrigo styled himself "Count Rodrigo Pérez of Galicia", the last apparent use of the title "Count of Galicia". One document dated 13 February 1147, but corrected to 1148, refers to his holding Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
, an important Leonese city, jointly with Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera
Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera
Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera , called Ponç Guerau in Catalan, was a Catalan nobleman who came to León in the entourage of Berenguela, daughter of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, when she married Alfonso VII of León and Castile at Saldaña in November 1127. Immediately after his arrival, Ponce...
, but this is the only citation of such a holding.
Military affairs
Rodrigo was politically closely aligned with the County of PortugalCounty of Portugal
The County of Portugal was the region around Braga and Porto, today corresponding to littoral northern Portugal, from the late ninth to the early twelfth century, during which it was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León.-History:...
, which his half-brothers Vermudo and Fernando Pérez were de facto ruling through the latter's adulterous liaison with Countess Theresa
Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Theresa of Portugal was the first ruler of independent Portugal...
. He regularly visited their court from 1128 onwards, even after the Battle of São Mamede liquidated his relatives' power. On 28 September 1132 as a reward for loyalty and service he received the vill
Vill
Vill is a term used in English history to describe a land unit which might otherwise be described as a parish, manor or tithing.The term is used in the period immediately after the Norman conquest and into the late medieval. Land units in Domesday are frequently referred to as vills, although the...
of Burral from Afonso Henriques, Theresa's son and successor. At least between August 1132 and 26 February 1135 he held the lordship of Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, and in 1137 he and 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...
aided the Portuguese when they invaded Galicia. At the time of the invasion the Chronica notes that Rodrigo "had fortifications in Limia and other commissions from the Emperor." From at least November 1140 until as late as 1 February 1141 he was the dapifer (majordomo) of the new royal household of Portugal after Afonso declared himself king in 1139. In September 1141 Afonso Henriques and Alfonso VII finally came to terms, and both Rodrigo and Gómez "paid a severe political price as a result." According to the Chronica, they "proved themselves disloyal to their lord, Alfonso. They handed their castles and commissions over to the King of Portugal [who fortified them and returned to his country]. These acts of treason resulted in their own ruin, for indeed they were what most prejudiced these Counts for the rest of their lives."
On only seven or eight occasions did Rodrigo pay a visit to the royal court between September 1141 and March 1152. During this period he continued to visit the Portuguese royal court also. Later, according to the Chronica, in a not unusual display of mercy, Alfonso invited the disgraced count to court and regaled him with gifts of gold and silver as he customarily did his regular courtiers, thus reconciling him to himself. In 1147 Rodrigo joined the royal army that marched to re-conquer
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
Almería
Almería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
from the Muslims, but like many of the Galicians initially present he left in midsummer after taking part in the Siege of Oreja
Siege of Oreja
The Siege of Oreja by the forces of Alfonso VII, Emperor of Spain, lasted from April to October 1139, when the Almoravid garrison surrendered. It was the first major victory of the renewed Reconquista that characterised the last two decades of Alfonso's reign.-Principal sources:The main source for...
(at least until 25 July).
Ecclesiastical relations
Sometime before 12 December 1155, at which time he was briefly governing Bubal, CastellaCastella
is a popular Japanese sponge cake made of sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup, very common at festivals and as a street food.Now a specialty of Nagasaki, the cake was brought by way of Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. The name is derived from Portuguese Pão de Castela, meaning "bread from...
, and Deza
Deza
Deza may refer to:* O Deza, a region in Spain* Deza, Soria, a municipality in Soria Province, Spain* Diego Deza, an inquisitor* Michel Deza, a Soviet and French mathematician...
, Rodrigo had married Fronilde Fernández, daughter of Fernando Núñez and Mayor, daughter of Rodrigo Muñoz
Rodrigo Muñoz
Rodrigo Martín Muñoz Salomón is a Uruguayan footballer currently playing for Club Nacional de Football.-Club career:Muñoz played for Cerro from 2002 to 2008, scoring 4 goals...
. She was thus a niece of Gómez Núñez. She gave Rodrigo a daughter, Guiomar, and a son, variously given as Álvar or Rodrigo. Guiomar married first Fernando Ponce de Cabrera el Mayor
Fernando Ponce de Cabrera el Mayor
Fernando Ponce de Cabrera , called el Mayor , was an important nobleman of the Kingdom of León, the second son of three of Ponce de Cabrera, a Catalan baron who had emigrated to León, and his first wife, Sancha , who was deceased by 1142. He married Guiomar Rodríguez, daughter of Rodrigo Pérez de...
and secondly Diego Ximénez, by whom she was mother of Rodrigo Díaz de los Cameros
Rodrigo Díaz de los Cameros
Rodrigo Díaz de los Cameros 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...
. Fronilde was a generous benefactress of the Cistercians in Spain, making donations to their foundations at Armenteira, Ferreira de Pallares, Meira
Meira
Meira, is a municipality in the Spanish province of Lugo and a parish of the municipality of Moaña....
, and Melón
Melón
Melón is a municipality in the Galician province of Ourense. It has a population of 1582 and an area of 53.22 km²....
. In 1175 she made a donation to San Martiño de Fóra and helped found a convent at Ferreira de Pantón, which she placed in dependency on Meira.
While his wife's religious devotion favoured the Cistercians, Rodrigo's patronage lay solidly behind the Benedictines and the Praemonstratensians. On 20 December 1127 Alfonso VII donated some churches to the Benedictine monastery of Cines in Galicia "for the love of our most faithful count Don Rodrigo Pérez." The surviving charter recording this grant of largesse has been challenged as a forgery by at least one historian, but its authenticity has been defended by another. It contains the date 1133, but the list of witnesses suggests it more probably belongs to 1127. It names Rodrigo Martínez
Rodrigo Martínez
Rodrigo Martínez was a Leonese nobleman, landowner, courtier, military leader, governor, and diplomat, "the most powerful lay figure in the region of the western Tierra de Campos," who "emerges as far and away the most regular visitor to the court of Alfonso VII between 1127 and 1138." He was a...
as a count, but he cannot be shown to have attained that rank before late 1128. On 28 October 1155 Rodrigo confirmed a royal donation of property to the abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos
Santo Domingo de Silos
Santo Domingo de Silos is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 292 inhabitants....
. On 15 December he made donations to the Praemonstratensian monasteries of 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....
and San Leonardo
San Leonardo
San Leonardo can refer to:*San Leonardo, Italy, a commune in the province of Udine *San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, a municipality of Philippines...
.
According to the Historia compostellana, in 1130 some of Rodrigo's knights unlawfully imprisoned Arias Muñiz, the archdeacon of Trastámara
Trastámara
The House of Trastámara was a dynasty of kings in the Iberian Peninsula, which first governed in Castile beginning in 1369 before expanding its rule into Aragón, Navarre and Naples.They were a cadet illegitimate line of the House of Burgundy....
in the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela
Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela
The Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela , established by Pope Calixtus II in 1120, is one of the five districts in which the Catholic Church divides Galicia in North-western Spain....
. When the archbishop 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...
threatened to excommunicate Rodrigo, the count swore on the Gospels that he had no part in his knights' actions, that he would confiscate the fiefs he had bestowed on those knights, and that he would arrest and hand over to the diocese any peasants who had taken part in the outrage. The purpose of the public humiliation imposed by Diego was, according to the Historia, to instill fear in Rodrigo's fellow magnates, so that they would not dare commit such acts again. For the remission of his sins, Rodrigo made a donation to the archdiocese of his castle at Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
. Alfonso VII's gift of the tenencia of the Limia towards 1135 was probably motivated by Rodrigo's good relations with Diego. The Historia also describes how Alfonso VII granted the castle of San Jorge and its dependencies to the archdiocese, but allowed Rodrigo to retain its lordship as a vassal of the archbishop.
Rodrigo also donated to the Cathedral of Braga on 28 October 1133. On 1 March 1143 and again twelve years later, on 20 March 1155, he made donations to the Benedictines of Sobrado dos Monxes, which had been founded by his half-brothers. His last recorded act of piety was a donation to the Benedictine establishment at Toxos Outos on 9 October 1157. According to one source he is last mentioned on 28 August 1158 in a document of the tumbo (cartulary) of the monastery of Castañeda
Castañeda
Castañeda or Castaneda is a Spanish and Asturian and Leonese surname. In non-Hispanic countries, the name is usually spelled Castaneda . In Portuguese, this name is spelled Castanheda...
, but another cites a document in the archive of Sobrado dated 24 December 1165, placing his death in early 1166.
Further reading
- Simon Barton. "Sobre el Conde Rodrigo Pérez ‘el Velloso’." Estudios Mindonienses, 5 (1989), 653–61.
- Esther Pascua. "South of the Pyrenees: Kings, Magnates and Political Bargaining in Twelfth-century Spain." Journal of Medieval HistoryJournal of Medieval HistoryThe Journal of Medieval History is a major international academic journal devoted to all aspects of the history of Europe in the Middle Ages....
, 27:2 (2001), 101–20. - Bernard F. Reilly. The Kingdom of León-Castilla under King Alfonso VII, 1126–1157. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998.