Toda of Navarre
Encyclopedia
Toda Aznárez, also Teuda de Larraun or Tota (c. 885–aft. 970), was the queen-consort of Pamplona through her marriage to Sancho I
, who reigned 905–925, and was regent of Pamplona, 931–934. Later in life, she ruled a subkingdom created for her.
She was the daughter of Aznar Sánchez, lord of Larraun
, paternal grandson of king García Íñiguez of Pamplona, while her mother Onneca Fortúnez
was a daughter of king Fortún Garcés. Thus, Toda's children were also descendants of the Arista dynasty of Navarrese monarchs. She was sister of Sancha Aznárez, wife of king Jimeno Garcés, her husband's brother and successor, while Toda and Sancha were also aunts of Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III
, through their mother's first marriage to ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad.
With the death of her brother-in-law Jimeno in 931, she became regent and guardian for her young son, García Sánchez I. In 934 Toda signed a treaty pledging allegiance to her nephew Abd-ar-Rahman III, and released hostages of the Banu Di n-Nun clan, the caliph confirming the rule of her son García (this has sometimes been interpreted as an act of the Caliph to liberate García from his mother's direct control). This led to the rebellion in Falces
by a count Fortún Garcés, an "irascible man who hated Muslims", the uprising being suppressed with Cordoban arms. Toda violated her treaty in 937, forcing a punitive campaign.
During several stretches she appears in the royal charters of the kingdom to the exclusion of her daughter-in-law, the queen, from 947 to 955, and again in 959. In 958. she was ruling her own subkingdom, in the area of Degio and Lizarra, towns not otherwise identified.
The same year, she took an interest in the health of her Leonese
grandson Sancho I
, whose obesity was largely responsible for his dethronement. Toda requested the assistance of Abd-ar-Rahman III, Cordóba being renowned for its physicians. The caliph sent her his Jewish physician Hasdai ibn Shaprut
, who promised to cure Sancho on condition that Toda visit Cordóba. Therefore, Toda, her son García Sánchez I of Pamplona and grandson Sancho I of León, nobles and clergymen arrived in Cordóba, where they were received with full honors and amid much pomp. The arrival of this Christian queen in the capital of an Islamic caliphate enhanced Abd-ar-Rahman III's prestige among his subjects, and is considered a landmark in the history of medieval diplomacy
. Sancho's medical treatment was successful, and he was "relieved from his excessive corpulence."
She had been an energetic diplomat, arranging political marriages for her daughters among the competing royalty and nobility of Christian Iberia
. The Codex of Roda
gives Sancho and Toda six children:
Sancho I of Pamplona
Sancho I Garcés was king of Pamplona from 905 to 925. He was a son of García Jiménez, who was king of "another part of the kingdom" of Pamplona and Dadildis de Pallars, his second wife...
, who reigned 905–925, and was regent of Pamplona, 931–934. Later in life, she ruled a subkingdom created for her.
She was the daughter of Aznar Sánchez, lord of Larraun
Larraun
Larraun is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
, paternal grandson of king García Íñiguez of Pamplona, while her mother Onneca Fortúnez
Onneca Fortúnez
Onneca Fortúnez or Iñiga Fortúnez was a Basque princess from the Kingdom of Pamplona, later known as the Kingdom of Navarre. She was the daughter of Fortún Garcés of Pamplona and his wife Oria. At the time of Onneca's birth, which occurred between 848 and 850, the Iberian Peninsula was largely...
was a daughter of king Fortún Garcés. Thus, Toda's children were also descendants of the Arista dynasty of Navarrese monarchs. She was sister of Sancha Aznárez, wife of king Jimeno Garcés, her husband's brother and successor, while Toda and Sancha were also aunts of Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir and Caliph of Córdoba of the Ummayad dynasty in al-Andalus. Called al-Nasir li-Din Allah , he ascended the throne in his early 20s, and reigned for half a century as the most powerful prince of Iberia...
, through their mother's first marriage to ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad.
With the death of her brother-in-law Jimeno in 931, she became regent and guardian for her young son, García Sánchez I. In 934 Toda signed a treaty pledging allegiance to her nephew Abd-ar-Rahman III, and released hostages of the Banu Di n-Nun clan, the caliph confirming the rule of her son García (this has sometimes been interpreted as an act of the Caliph to liberate García from his mother's direct control). This led to the rebellion in Falces
Falces
Falces is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. It has a population of around 2500 inhabitants. It is well known for the famous "encierro del pilon", which is a running of the bulls made even more dangerous due to it being run down a...
by a count Fortún Garcés, an "irascible man who hated Muslims", the uprising being suppressed with Cordoban arms. Toda violated her treaty in 937, forcing a punitive campaign.
During several stretches she appears in the royal charters of the kingdom to the exclusion of her daughter-in-law, the queen, from 947 to 955, and again in 959. In 958. she was ruling her own subkingdom, in the area of Degio and Lizarra, towns not otherwise identified.
The same year, she took an interest in the health of her Leonese
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...
grandson Sancho I
Sancho I of León
Sancho I , called the Fat, was the son of King Ramiro II of León. He succeeded his half-brother Ordoño III in 956 and reigned until his death, except for a two year interruption from 958 to 960, when Ordoño the Wicked usurped the throne...
, whose obesity was largely responsible for his dethronement. Toda requested the assistance of Abd-ar-Rahman III, Cordóba being renowned for its physicians. The caliph sent her his Jewish physician Hasdai ibn Shaprut
Hasdai ibn Shaprut
Hasdai ibn Shaprut born about 915 at Jaén; died about 975 at Córdoba in Spain, was a Jewish scholar, physician, diplomat, and patron of science....
, who promised to cure Sancho on condition that Toda visit Cordóba. Therefore, Toda, her son García Sánchez I of Pamplona and grandson Sancho I of León, nobles and clergymen arrived in Cordóba, where they were received with full honors and amid much pomp. The arrival of this Christian queen in the capital of an Islamic caliphate enhanced Abd-ar-Rahman III's prestige among his subjects, and is considered a landmark in the history of medieval diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
. Sancho's medical treatment was successful, and he was "relieved from his excessive corpulence."
She had been an energetic diplomat, arranging political marriages for her daughters among the competing royalty and nobility of Christian Iberia
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. The Codex of Roda
Roda Codex
The Roda Codex is a medieval manuscript which represents a unique source for details of the 9th century Kingdom of Navarre and neighbouring principalities, now Madrid, Real Academia de la Historia, cód...
gives Sancho and Toda six children:
- Oneca (d. 931), married Alfonso IV the Monk of LeónAlfonso IV of LeónAlfonso IV , called the Monk, was King of León from 925 and King of Galicia from 929, until he abdicated in 931....
in 926 - Sancha, married firstly Ordoño II of LeónOrdoño II of LeónOrdoño II was king of Galicia from 910, and king of Galicia and León from 914 until his death. He was the second son of King Alfonso III the Great and his wife, Jimena of Pamplona....
, secondly Count Alvaro Herraméliz of ÁlavaÁlavaÁlava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
, and thirdly Fernán González, Count of Castile - Urraca, married Ramiro II of LeónRamiro II of LeónRamiro II , son of Ordoño II, was King of León from 931 until his death. Initially titular king only of a lesser part of Asturias, he gained the crown of León after his brother Alfonso IV abdicated in 931...
- Velasquita (or Belasquita), married firstly Munio, count of VizcayaBiscayBiscay 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...
, secondly Galindo, son of Bernard count of Ribagorza, and thirdly Fortún GalíndezFortún GalíndezFortún Galíndez was a powerful nobleman in the Kingdom of Navarre in the tenth century. He is the only recorded Navarrese of that time to bear the title dux . He was entrusted by Sancho I with the newly conquered territory of the Rioja Alta around Nájera...
, duke of NájeraNájeraNájera is a small town located in the "Rioja Alta" region of La Rioja, Spain on the river Najerilla. Nájera is a stopping point on the Way of St James.-History:...
. - Orbita
- García, king of Pamplona