Fernando Pérez de Traba
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Fernando (or Fernán) Pérez de Traba (''c''.1090–1 November 1155), also Fernão Peres de Trava ( or ) in
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
, was a nobleman and count of the
Kingdom of León The Kingdom of León; es, Reino de León; gl, Reino de León; pt, Reino de Leão; la, Regnum Legionense; mwl, Reino de Lhion was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in 910 when t ...
who for a time held power over all Galicia. He became the lover of Countess Teresa of Portugal, through whom he attained great influence in that domain, and was the ''de facto'' ruler of the
County of Portugal The County of Portugal ( pt, Condado de Portugal, Condado Portucalense, Condado de Portucale; in documents of the period the name used was Portugalia) refers to two successive medieval counties in the region around Braga and Porto, today corres ...
between 1121 and 1128. The '' Poema de Almería'', a
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
poem celebrating one of
Alfonso VII Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...
's major victories of the ''
Reconquista The ' (Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the Nasrid ...
'', records that "if one were to see him ernán one would judge him already a king."


Family

Fernán was the second son of
Pedro Fróilaz de Traba Pedro Fróilaz de Traba ('' fl.'' 1086–1126) 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 p ...
, founder of the
House of Traba The House of Traba (or Trava), sometimes called the Fróilaz-Traba, was a Galician noble family of the high Middle Ages. The family can be traced back to the eleventh century. They are associated with a castle named Traba, probably in the county o ...
, and his first wife, Urraca Fróilaz. His family was the most powerful in Galicia at the time, and he himself held properties in the most important Galician cities:
Lugo Lugo (, ; la, Lucus Augusti) is a city in northwestern Spain in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. It is the capital of the Lugo (province), province of Lugo. The municipality had a population ...
and
Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
. Fernán's first appearance in the surviving documentation dates from September 1107, just after the death of
Raymond of Galicia Raymond of Burgundy (c. 1070 – 24 May 1107) was the ruler of Galicia as vassal of Alfonso VI of León and Castile, the Emperor of All Spain, from about 1090 until his death. He was the fourth son of Count William I of Burgundy and Stephanie. He ...
, when his father confirmed a privilege of
Alfonso VI Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...
for the monastery of Caaveiro, along with his sons. Early in the twelfth century (before 1125), Pedro gave his son a
Moorish The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or se ...
cook, probably a slave, with the Christian name Martin. Sometime early in the century Fernán took a wife, but they were separated when he became the lover of Theresa Alfónsez, Countess of Portugal. With Teresa he had two daughters: Sancha (born ''c''. 1121), who married Álvaro Rodríguez, and
Teresa Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name. It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or re ...
, who first married
Nuño Pérez de Lara Nuño Pérez de Lara (died 3 August 1177) was a Castilian nobleman, politician and military leader. He began his career at the court of the Emperor Alfonso VII, during whose reign he took part in the ''repoblación'' of the Extremadura and the d ...
and, when widowed, became the second wife of King
Ferdinand II of León Ferdinand II (c. 1137 – 22 January 1188), was a member of the Castilian cadet branch of the House of Ivrea and King of León and Galicia from 1157 until his death. Life Family Born in Toledo, Castile, Ferdinand was the third but second surv ...
. Fernán's only attested wife, Sancha González, daughter of Gonzalo Ansúrez and Urraca Vermúdez, was therefore possibly his second wife. The earliest record of their marriage is from 1134. With her the count had three children:
Gonzalo Gonzalo may refer to: * Gonzalo (name) * Gonzalo, Dominican Republic, a small town * Isla Gonzalo, a subantarctic island operated by the Chilean Navy * Hurricane Gonzalo, 2014 See also * Gonzalez (disambiguation) * Gonzales (disambiguation) * ...
, María (married Ponce de Cabrera), and Urraca, the wife of Juan Arias. Sancha was still living on 24 July 1161, when she signed a document, noting that she was a widow. Probably in that same year she drew up her will. It is preserved, albeit with an incorrect date, in the
cartulary A cartulary or chartulary (; Latin: ''cartularium'' or ''chartularium''), also called ''pancarta'' or ''codex diplomaticus'', is a medieval manuscript volume or roll (''rotulus'') containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the fo ...
''Tumbo C'' of Santiago de Compostela, since the archbishop-elect of Santiago, Fernando Curialis, was a beneficiary.


Relationship with the Archdiocese and the Crown

In Galicia, Fernán rivalled for influence the archbishop
Diego Gelmirez Diego is a Spanish masculine given name. The Portuguese equivalent is Diogo. The name also has several patronymic derivations, listed below. The etymology of Diego is disputed, with two major origin hypotheses: ''Tiago'' and ''Didacus''. E ...
, with whom he kept an uneasy truce. Originally, the archbishop and Fernán had been on good terms. At the time of the Galician revolt (1116) he was acting as Diego's
constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
(''municeps''). In 1121, however, he had constructed a fortress at Raneta south of Santiago, a position threatening to the apostolic see. The archbishop promptly had it destroyed.He may have been incited by the queen, who was trying to separate Diego from the Trabas to prevent an alliance of regional powers in Galicia from defying the crown. Fernán also mediated between his elder brother Bermudo and the archbishop in 1121, resulting in Diego bestowing gifts on the Vermudo in return for the fortress of Faro, which he claimed belonged to the diocese. In 1134 the dispute with Diego flared up once more after Fernán imprisoned one of his knights and the archdeacon of
Nendos Nendos or Nemitos was the name of a historic Galician county in northern Galicia. Its existence is documented from the 6th century in the Suebic Kingdom of Galicia, but due to its etymology, -derived from the Celtic name ''Nemeton'', there are in ...
, Pedro Crescónez, whose jurisdiction covered large parts of the Traba patrimony. During the reign of
Queen Urraca Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...
, Fernán's family was generally allied with her son, the young
Alfonso Raimúndez Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...
, who had been raised for a time alongside Fernán in the household of Pedro Fróilaz. The Trabas, allied with Diego, tried to make Alfonso king in Galicia in opposition to his mother. With the death of queen Urraca in 1126 and the accession of Alfonso, Fernán became the leading figure in Galicia and used the opportunity to increase his power throughout the kingdom. Together with Teresa he signed a truce with the new king (shortly after March 1126) at
Ricobayo Ricobayo is a locality in the province of Zamora, Spain. Formerly a municipality in its own right, it is part of Muelas del Pan. Bridge Long important as a crossing-point on the River Esla, Ricobayo's original bridge is now under water, havin ...
near Zamora. In 1149 Alfonso entrusted to him the mentoring of his second son, the future Ferdinand II. Long after Fernán's own death, in 1178, his daughter Teresa married Ferdinand II as his second wife and her second husband. According to the ''
Chronica latina regum Castellae The '' Chronica latina regum Castellae'', known in Spanish as the ''Crónica latina de los reyes de Castilla'', both meaning "Latin Chronicle of the Kings of Castile", is a medieval Latin history of the rulers of Castile from the death of Count F ...
'' and the ''
De rebus Hispaniae ''De rebus Hispaniae'' or ''Historia gothica'De rebus Hispaniae'' is the original Latin title. ''Historia gótica'' is the later vulgar title. It is also known as the ''Cronicón del Toledano'' or ''Cronicón de las cosas sucedidas en España' ...
'', Fernán's influence was so decisive during the reign of Alfonso VII, that by the king's testament Galicia and León were separated from the kingdoms of Castile and Toledo. The anonymous ''Chronica'' claims that Fernán and
Manrique Pérez de Lara Manrique Pérez de Lara (died 1164) was a magnate of the Kingdom of Castile and its regent from 1158 until his death. He was a leading figure of the House of Lara and one of the most important counsellors and generals of three successive Castilian ...
"aimed to sow the seed of discord" when they proposed the division of Alfonso VII's "empire".


''De facto'' ruler of Portugal (1121–1128)

In 1116 Fernán participated in a Galician revolt against Queen Urraca. The revolt was led by his father on behalf of Teresa, the widow of Henry of Burgundy,
Count of Portugal The County of Portugal ( pt, Condado de Portugal, Condado Portucalense, Condado de Portucale; in documents of the period the name used was Portugalia) refers to two successive medieval counties in the region around Braga and Porto, today corresp ...
. The victories in battle at Vilasobroso and
Lanhoso Lanhoso is a Portuguesa Freguesia in the Municipality of Póvoa de Lanhoso Póvoa de Lanhoso (, ) is a municipality in the district of Braga, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 21,886, in an area of 134.65 km². The present Mayor is Aveli ...
sealed the alliance between the Traba family and Teresa. Fernán became her governor in
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
and
Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population of the municipality at the 2011 census was 143,397, in an area of . The fourth-largest urban area in Portugal after Lisbon, Porto Metropolitan Area, Porto, and Bra ...
(bearing the title "lord of Coimbra and Portugal").His power in Coimbra lasted from at least 6 April 1121 to 31 March 1128, according to Barton, 242 n19. Both Bernard F. Reilly (1982)
''The Kingdom of León-Castilla under Queen Urraca, 1109–1126''
(Princeton: Princeton University Press), 153, and Fletcher, 148, dated it from a 24 January 1121 document in the archives of the monastery of
Lorvão Lorvão is a parish in Penacova Penacova ( or ) is a town and a municipality in the Coimbra District, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 15,251, in an area of 216.73 km². Parishes Administratively, the municipality is divided into 8 ...
.
By 1 February 1121 he was using the title ''comes'' (Latin for "count"), the highest in the kingdom, even though his father was still alive and his brother Vermudo had not yet received it, a sure indication of the influence of Teresa. In 1122 Fernán received a further two castles from her and had probably already become her lover. It has been suggested that they may have married, but Fernán was publicly rebuked by the future saint Theotonius for this affair.Fletcher, 39, citing the ''Vita Theotonii'', in '' Portugaliae Monumenta Historica'', ''Scriptores'', ed. A. Herculano (Lisbon, 1856), 79-88. Reilly, 153, speculates about a marriage. In that same year (1122) Fernán was able to arrange the advantageous marriage of Vermudo to Urraca Enríquez, daughter of Teresa and Henry. Teresa of Portugal had assumed the regency of the county of Portugal during the minority of her son
Afonso Henriques Afonso I of PortugalOr also ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonso'' (Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin version), sometimes rendered in English as ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', depending on the Spanish or French inf ...
. In 1122, after turning fourteen, Afonso knighted himself in the Cathedral of Zamora, raised an army, and proceeded to take control of his lands. Gathering the Portuguese knights to his cause against his mother and Fernán, he defeated them both at the
Battle of São Mamede The Battle of São Mamede ( pt, Batalha de São Mamede, ) took place on 24 June 1128 near Guimarães and is considered the seminal event for the foundation of the Kingdom of Portugal and the battle that ensured Portugal's Independence. Portugues ...
in 1128. From this year—which was also that of his father's death—Fernán concentrated his influence in Galicia, signing himself ''comes Fernandus de Gallecie'' ("Count Ferdinand of Galicia"), a title his father had used. He does soon reappear in Portuguese documents, indicating a normalising of relations between him and Afonso.


Role in the defence of the realm under Alfonso VII

    But now no more in tented fields oppos'd,
   By Tagus' stream his honour'd age lie clos'd;
   Yet still his dauntless worth, his virtue lived,
   And all the father in the son survived.
   And soon his worth was prov'd, the parent dame
   Avow'd a second hymeneal flame.
   The low-born spouse assumes the monarch's place,
   And from the throne expels the orphan race.
   But young Alphonso, like his sires of yore
   (His grandsire's virtues, as his name, he bore),
   Arms for the fight, his ravish'd throne to win;
   And the lac'd helmet grasps his beardless chin.

         — Camoens, ''
The Lusiads ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
''
            ( Canto III, part of 28–31)Translation from the 1887 edition of William Julius Mickle's (1776) translation
p. 69 and n1
The first ''
tenencia In medieval and early modern Europe, the term ''tenant-in-chief'' (or ''vassal-in-chief'') denoted a person who held his lands under various forms of feudal land tenure directly from the king or territorial prince to whom he did homage, as op ...
'' Fernán received from the king was the
Limia ''Limia'' is a genus of livebearing fishes belonging to the Cyprinodontiform family Poeciliidae, which includes other livebearers such as platys, swordtails (genus ''Xiphophorous''), guppies and mollies (genus ''Poecilia''). They are found i ...
in 1131. He soon received Trastámara (ruled 1132–45), which was long to be associated with the patrimonies of the Traba. In 1137 he was given the rule of Trasancos and in 1140 that of
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. Among its known tenants were: *Suero Vermúdez (''c''.1100) *Gutierre Vermúdez (1 ...
, which he held as late as 1153. In 1140 Fernán signed Alfonso VII's charter ordering that he and his queen be buried in the
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The c ...
. Fernán signed as "count Don Fernando of Traba" (''comes dominus Fernandus de Traua''), the only time he is ever referred to in contemporary a document with the
toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...
"de Traba" by which he is now universally known. In June 1137 Fernán probably participated in the recapture of Túy, although the ''
Historia compostellana The (fully titled in la, De rebus gestis D. Didaci Gelmirez, primi Compostellani Archiepiscopi) is an anonymously-written historical chronicle based on the relation of events by a writer in the immediate circle of Diego Gelmírez, second bisho ...
'' alleges that the Galician magnates responsible for the defence of the frontier with Portugal were too slow in answering the royal summons and had to be bribed by Diego Gelmírez to join the royal army. Fernán appears to have been the only Galician to follow the king to the Navarrese frontier later that year. He was with the royal army at
Logroño Logroño () is the capital of the province of La Rioja, situated in northern Spain. Traversed in its northern part by the Ebro River, Logroño has historically been a place of passage, such as the Camino de Santiago. Its borders were disputed b ...
on 3 October, though by 20 October
Rodrigo Vélaz Rodrigo Vélaz (died June 1144) was the "count of Galicia, who held Sarria" according to the near-contemporary ''Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris''. During his long public career he was the dominant figure in mountainous eastern Galicia (Spain), Gali ...
had also joined the army on the
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
. Fernán defended with difficulty the valley of the Minho against the onslaughts of Afonso Henriques, as recorded by the '' Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris'':
Prior to
140 140 may refer to: * 140 (number), an integer * AD 140, a year of the Julian calendar * 140 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar * ''140'' (video game), a 2013 platform game * Tin King stop Tin King () is an at-grade MTR Light Rail stop ...
the Portuguese monarch had come to Galicia several times, but always he had been driven back by Fernando Pérez and Rodrigo Vélaz and other Galician leaders. Often he was forced to return to Portugal dishonored.Glenn Edward Lipskey (1972)
''The Chronicle of Alfonso the Emperor''
(Northwestern University PhD dissertation) ereafter ''CAI'' I, §76.
In 1139 or 1140, at Cerneja (''Cernesa'') in Galicia, he and Rodrigo Vélaz were defeated by Teresa's son Afonso Henriques, who by that time had proclaimed himself king of Portugal. The Battle of Cerneja is recorded in the ''Chronica Adefonsi'':
Once more Alfonso, King of Portugal, gathered his army and went to Limia. When this news reached Galicia, Fernando Pérez and Rodrigo Vélaz and other of the Emperor's Galician nobles were summoned immediately. They marched out with their troops against the Portuguese King and met him at Cernesa. After the battle lines were drawn up, they began to fight. Because of their sins the Counts fled and were defeated.''CAI'', I, §78.
The record of Fernán's rule in Deza consists of an original royal charter of July 1144. In 1146 he held the ''tenencias''
Monforte de Lemos Monforte de Lemos is a city and municipality in northwestern Spain, in the province of Lugo, Galicia. It covers an area of 200 km² and lies 62 km from Lugo. As of 2017 it had a population of 18,783. Location Monforte de Lemos i ...
and
Sarria Sarria is a municipality in the province of Lugo, northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Sarria is the most populous town on the French Way in Galicia, with 13,700 inhabitants. It is head of the region and the most popular ...
. Between 1144 and 1155 Fernán was frequently at court, and he participated in almost all of Alfonso VII's major campaigns of the ''Reconquista'', commanding the Galician contingents on numerous occasions against the
Almohads The Almohad Caliphate (; ar, خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or or from ar, ٱلْمُوَحِّدُونَ, translit=al-Muwaḥḥidūn, lit=those who profess the unity of God) was a North African Berber Muslim empire fo ...
. The major exception was the conquest of Calatrava in January 1147. The chronicles do record his valour in the conquest of Córdoba in 1146, and in the conquest of Almería in 1147. At Almería he led the Galician contingent, and his presence can be traced with Alfonso's army on 19 August during its departure from Baeza and again on 25 November during its triumphant return. The ''Poema de Almería'' describes Fernán's role:
The valiant (''strenuus'') Count Fernando Pérez follows this armed troop f Galiciansadministering the Galician laws with royal care. His position had been strengthened by his tutoring of the Emperor's son. If one were to see him, one would judge him already a king. He is famed for his royal nobility, and because he bears a count's lineage.Barton (2006), numbers these lines 74–78, while Glenn Edward Lipskey (1972)
"The ''Poem of Almería''"
''The Chronicle of Alfonso the Emperor'' (Northwestern University PhD dissertation), 165, numbers these lines 61–65.


Patronage and pilgrimage

Fernán actively supported the
Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
s, and patronised their monastery at
Sobrado dos Monxes Sobrado Abbey, ( es, Monasterio de Santa María de Sobrado de los Monjes or gl, Mosteiro de Santa María de Sobrado dos Monxes) is a Cistercian monastery in the province of La Coruña, Galicia, Spain. It is situated in the municipality of Sob ...
, which he and his brother Vermudo had first received from Queen Urraca on 29 July 1118, although it was deserted at the time and required its recipients to re-found a religious community there. On the occasion of this gift, the Traba brothers responded in kind by giving a hound named Ulgar and a hunting spear to the queen's son. The gift of Sobrado was confirmed by Alfonso VII on 29 May 1135, but it was not until 14 February 1142 that the Trabas installed a Cistercian abbot, Peter, and some monks, referred to as "all the holy men of God and
Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia ( la, Benedictus Nursiae; it, Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March AD 480 – 21 March AD 548) was an Christianity in Italy, Italian Christian monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Ortho ...
, living according to the custom of the Cistercians". It was one of the earliest Cistercian foundations in Spain and a daughter house of Clairvaux Fernán and Vermudo may have desired that the monks contribute to settling and cultivating the surrounding zone. Fernán also made a donation to the Cistercian foundation of
Monfero Abbey Monfero Abbey ( gl, Mosteiro de San Fiz de Monfero; es, Monasterio de Santa María de Monfero) is a former Cistercian monastery dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus, in the province of A Coruña in Galicia, Spain. It is located in Monfero in Ferro ...
in 1145. There are three donations by Fernán to the
canons regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...
of Caaveiro dated 1 April 1104, 26 February 1135, and 4 December 1154, all forgeries. The cartulary of Caaveiro retains an unusually high number of forged documents and few authentic twelfth-century specimens. This may indicate that at some point in time the abbey's archives were lost or destroyed and the monks felt it necessary to forge deeds for properties that had really been granted. There is the possibility, therefore, that Fernán or his family was a regular donor to Caaveiro. Fernán twice visited
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
after the
Second Crusade The Second Crusade (1145–1149) was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa in 1144 to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusa ...
, the second time in 1153. He gave lands to the
Templars , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...
on the coast near
A Coruña A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
, introducing this military order into the Galicia as early as 1128, before they had received official ecclesiastical approbation. In 1152 he made a donation to the
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
monastery of Xuvia. It is from this late period of his life that a certain document originates that records a donation of his to the favoured monastery of Sobrado, dated 1 May 1153. It is written in a ''francesa'' script, while Fernán's signature appears in a completely different script that resembles
Visigothic The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is kno ...
. It may have been written by Fernán himself, in which case it represents the only evidence that he received any education besides the standard military one for young noblemen. He was brought up at a time when the ''francesa'' script had not yet crowded out the Visigothic, and the document of 1153 may indicate that he was taught in his youth how to write his name.


Death and legacy

In 1151 Fernán was holding the ''tenencia'' of Búbal in Galicia and in 1152 that of Solís in western
Asturias Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in nor ...
. The date of Fernán's death is very uncertain. He was last at court in Toledo on 8 November 1154This document has been misdated at times to 1152. and he never reappears in court records. By 4 February 1155, at
Valladolid Valladolid () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province o ...
, his son Gonzalo was signing royal charters as ''comes Gundisaluus'' (Count Gonzalo), implying a succession in the comital title. There is a forged donation by Fernán to the monastery of Caaveiro dated 4 December 1154, in which the count refers to himself as ''graui infirmitate detemptus'', "detained by a grave illness". The charter may have a basis in fact. There are also two charters of uncertain authenticity recording a donation dated 1 July 1155 by Fernán and his brother Vermudo to the monastery Fernán had founded at Sobrado dos Monxes. There are two documents in the archives of Sobrado dated to June 1160 and 1161, confirmed by a ''comes dompnus Fernandus senior in Monteroso et in Traua'' ("count Don Fernando, lord in Monterroso and in Traba") and a ''comes dompnus Fernandus in Traua et in Aranga et in Monteroso'' ("count Don Fernando in Traba and in Aranga and in Monterroso"), respectively. These are probably copyists' errors for ''Gundesaluus Fernandi'', the name of his son. Fernán died on 1 November 1155. Fernán was buried in the cloister of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Fernán raised the scion of at least one other aristocratic family in his household. Count
Froila Ramírez Froila Ramírez, also spelled Fruela or Froilán ('' fl.'' 11501202), was a Leonese nobleman and a member of the Flagínez family. His power and influence lay chiefly in the heart of the province of León and its west, but it extended also into ...
was raised at his court and in 1170, whether before their marriage or after is not known, he granted the monastery of Morás to his wife, Fernán's granddaughter, Urraca González, "out of love for your grandfather, Count Don Fernando, who raised me, and because of faithful service when I was accepted by your father, Count Don Gonzalo".


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Primary sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fernando Perez De Traba Galician nobility 11th-century births 1150s deaths People of the Reconquista Year of birth uncertain 12th-century nobility from León and Castile