Rodrigo González De Lara
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Rodrigo González de Lara (''
floruit ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...
'' 1078–1143) was a Castilian nobleman of the
House of Lara The House of Lara (Spanish: ''Casa de Lara'') is a noble family from the medieval Kingdom of Castile. Two of its branches, one of the Dukes of Nájera and one of the Marquises of Aguilar de Campoo were considered Grandees of Spain. The Lara fami ...
. Early in his career he ruled that half of
Asturias Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
allocated to Castile. He was faithful to the crown throughout the reign of
Queen Urraca Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
(1109–26), during which time he was married to the queen's half-sister and ruled a large part of the old
County of Castile The Kingdom of Castile (; : ) was a polity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It traces its origins to the 9th-century County of Castile (, ), as an eastern frontier lordship of the Kingdom of León. During the 10th century, the Cas ...
. He and his elder brother, Pedro González, led the opposition to
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. ...
early in his reign (1126–57). He led a revolt in 1130 and was exiled in 1137. He was a leader in the ''
Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...
''—about which the contemporary '' Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris'' has much to say—and also took part in the military activities of the Crusader states on two occasions. He travelled widely throughout Spain, but ended his days in Palestine.


Youth under Alfonso VI (1078–1112)

Rodrigo was a son of
Gonzalo Núñez de Lara Gonzalo Núñez I (''fl.'' 10591106) was an early member of the House of Lara, whom modern historians and genealogists agree is the first clearly identifiable member of this lineage. The House of Lara was a very prominent family of nobility in the k ...
and Godo Núñez, and kinsman of
Gonzalo Salvadórez Gonzalo Salvadórez (or Salvadores) (died 6 January 1083), "called ''Cuatro Manos'' (‘four hands’) on account of his great valour", was one of the most powerful Kingdom of Castile, Castilian noblemen of his era, a kinsman of the House of Lara, ...
.Barton (1997), 292–93. Rodrigo's inheritance was modest. A certain Rodrigo González who was ''
alférez In medieval Iberia, an ''alférez'' (, ) or ''alferes'' (, ) was a high-ranking official in the household of a king or magnate. The term is derived from the Arabic ('' al-fāris''), meaning "knight" or "cavalier", and it was commonly Latinised ...
'' (standard-bearer) 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. I ...
between 29 January 1078 and 9 June 1081 may have been Rodrigo González de Lara. If so, he was a very old man when he died. The ''alférez'' did sign the ''carta de arras'' (charter of
bridewealth Bride price, bride-dowry, bride-wealth, bride service or bride token, is money, property, or other form of wealth paid by a groom or his family to the woman or the family of the woman he will be married to or is just about to marry. Bride dowry ...
) of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, ''El Cid Campeador'', in 1080/1. A Rodrigo González who signed eight royal diplomas between 1092 and 1099 has also been identified with the ''alférez'', the son of Gonzalo Núñez, and the later Crusader.


Governing the Asturias (1112–1130)

Rodrigo González de Lara first appears holding a
fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
(''tenencia'') from the crown on 29 February 1112, when he was governing all the Cantabrian region south of the river Miera, the valley of
Mena The Middle East and North Africa (MENA), also referred to as West Asia and North Africa (WANA) or South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA), is a geographic region which comprises the Middle East (also called West Asia) and North Africa together ...
, and
Asturias de Santillana Asturias de Santillana is a historical ''comarca'' whose territory in large part corresponded to the central and western part of today's autonomous community of Cantabria, as well as the extreme east of Asturias. Most of the province of Asturias ...
, formerly held by his cousin
Rodrigo Muñoz Rodrigo Martín Muñoz Salomón (; born 22 January 1982) is a Uruguayan former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Club career Cerro Muñoz played for Cerro from 2002 to 2008, scoring 4 goals. Nacional In 2009, he was transferred to Club ...
. By 1119 he was ruling the
Trasmiera Trasmiera (Spanish: ''Trasmiera''; Cantabrian and historically: ''Tresmiera'') is a historic ''comarca'' of Cantabria (Spain), located to the east of the Miera River (''tras'' Miera, meaning behind Miera, from the point of view of Asturias de S ...
, the region north of the Miera, which up until then had also been held by Rodrigo Muñoz. He is not recorded there after 1120, by which time his rule had extended westward over
Aguilar de Campoo Aguilar de Campoo () is a town and municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain located in the North of province of Palencia, autonomous community of Castile and León. The River Pisuerga flows through its historic centre. Its 2011 population was ...
. At the same time he first appeared as governing "in Castile" (''in castella''), probably a reference to
Old Castile Old Castile ( ) is a historic region of Spain, which had different definitions across the centuries. Its extension was formally defined in the 1833 territorial division of Spain as the sum of the following provinces: Santander (now Cantabria ...
; certainly he was not governing all of Castile. There are references to a "Count Rodrigo" governing Castile as early as 9 May 1112, but this may be Rodrigo Muñoz. By 13 April 1121 Rodrigo was a
count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
. In 1122 he made a donation to the
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
monastery of Santa María de Piasca. Sometime before 1122 Rodrigo married Sancha (born ''c''.1101), a daughter of Alfonso VI and his fourth wife Isabel. They had three daughters: Elvira, Sancha, and Urraca. Rodrigo confirmed a total of fifteen royal charters during Urraca's reign. It was during the final six years of Urraca's reign, a period of general peace, that Rodrigo held power in the
Kingdom of León The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in 910 when the Christian princes of Kingdom of Asturias, Asturias along the Bay of Biscay, northern coast of the peninsula ...
. As early as 1120 he was governing
Liébana Liébana is a '' comarca'' of Cantabria (Spain). It covers 575 square kilometres and is located in the far southwest of Cantabria, bordering Asturias, León and Palencia. It is made up of the municipalities of: Cabezón de Liébana, Camaleño ...
, and by 1122 he was also governing Nángulo,
Piedras Negras Piedras Negras may refer to: * Piedras Negras, Coahuila, a city in the state of Coahuila, Mexico ** Piedras Negras Municipality, a municipality in Mexico, with the center in the eponymous city * Piedras Negras (Maya site) Piedras Negras is the ...
, and the
Tierra de Campos Tierra de Campos ("Land of Fields") is a large historical and natural region or greater comarca that straddles the provinces of León, Zamora, Valladolid and Palencia, in Castile and León, Spain. It is a vast, desolate plain with practically ...
. By 1125 he was ruling Pernía as well. A private document dated 17 June 1126 refers to both Rodrigo and Pedro as holding
Lara Lara may refer to: People * Lara (name), can be a given name or a surname in several languages * Lara (mythology), a naiad nymph, daughter of the river Almo in Ovid's ''Fasti'' Places *Lara (state), a state in Venezuela * Electoral district ...
, Campos, and Asturias de Santillana, seemingly jointly. Their rule in none of these places can be traced after Urraca's death. On 10 May 1125 at
Sahagún Sahagún () is a town and municipality of Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León and the province of León. It is the main centre of population in the Leonese part of the Tierra de Campos natural region. Sahagún contains ...
, Rodrigo and the queen made a joint donation of the monastery at
Vega Vega is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Lyra. It has the Bayer designation α Lyrae, which is Latinised to Alpha Lyrae and abbreviated Alpha Lyr or α Lyr. This star is relatively close at only from the Sun, and ...
to the
Order of Fontevraud The Royal Abbey of Our Lady of Fontevraud or Fontevrault (in French: ''abbaye de Fontevraud'') was a monastery in the village of Fontevraud-l'Abbaye, near Chinon, in the former French Duchy of Anjou. It was founded in 1101 by the itinerant preach ...
. His wife Sancha was dead by that time, and Urraca, their youngest daughter, was put in the custody of
Sancha Raimúndez Sancha Raimúndez (c. 1095/110228 February 1159) was a Leonese people, Leonese infanta, the daughter of Queen Urraca of León and Castile and Raymond of Burgundy. She was the older sister of Alfonso VII of León. Biography Sancha Raimúndez of L ...
, the king's sister.


Rebellion against Alfonso VII (1130–1131)

There is a false document dated 18 April 1125 that names Rodrigo González as ''villicus imperatoris'', that is, imperial
majordomo A majordomo () is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, this is the highest (''major'') person of a household (''domūs'' or ''domicile'') staff, a head servant who acts on behalf of the owner of a larg ...
. After the queen's death on 8 March 1126, the "towers of León", that is, the royal fortress in the city of León, refused to submit to her son, Alfonso VII, preferring the rule of Pedro González, who had been the queen's lover, and his brother Rodrigo, whom the author of the ''Chronica Adefonsi'' (I, §3) says "preferred war rather than peace with the King". Eventually the brothers were forced to make submission to Alfonso VII and did not do so willingly, as the other magnates:
Other counts saw that the King's power was increasing daily. They were the Castilians, Pedro de Lara and his brother, Rodrigo González, who lived in Asturias de Santillana. Gimeno Íñiguez was also present. He governed Coyanza in the territory of León. They were indeed frightened; and, as such, they directed their attention toward arranging a peace conference. However, their treaty with the King was made in a most insincere manner. Actually they preferred to follow the King of Aragón.
In 1127 he sold an estate at Arce to the parish of
Santillana del Mar Santillana del Mar () is a historic town situated in Cantabria, Spain. Its many historic buildings attract thousands of visitors every year. There is an old saying that Santillana del Mar is ''The Town of Three Lies'', since it is neither a Saint ...
. There is evidence, in the former of a thirteenth-century copy of a private charter, that Alfonso tried to lure Rodrigo to his side by making him ''alférez'' in the winter of 1127–28. Despite their earlier submission, Pedro, Rodrigo, and their allies refused to join the army Alfonso assembled at
Atienza Atienza () is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Spain. According to the 2023 census ( INE), the municipality had a population of 434 inhabitants. The Castle of Atienza is situated here. There were ancient Celtiberian se ...
in 1129 to fight Alfonso I of Aragon and Navarre. The king then relieved Rodrigo of his post as ''alférez'', replacing him with
Pedro Alfónsez ''Pulcher ut Absalon, virtute potens quasi Sanson, instructisque bonis, documenta tenet Salomonis''. " edrois handsome as Absalom, as strong as Samson, and he possesses the wisdom of Solomon."     —''Poema de Almería'', ...
. Early in 1130 he rebelled against the king. The rebellion seems to have been designed to place on the throne Fernando Pérez de Lara, Rodrigo's nephew, an illegitimate son of Pedro González and Queen Urraca. It had the support of Alfonso of Aragon and of his agent in Castile, Bertrán de Risnel, son-in-law of Pedro. While Pedro and Bertrán took the city of
Palencia Palencia () is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Palencia. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in the northern half of ...
, and another relative of Rodrigo's,
Jimeno Íñiguez Jimeno Íñiguez (c. 1090 – c. 1145) was a Spanish nobleman and the lord of Cameros from about 1125. Jimeno was the son of Íñigo Jiménez, lord of Cameros, and María González, daughter of Gonzalo Núñez de Lara. He had an older sister n ...
, rebelled at
Valencia de Don Juan Valencia de Don Juan (; ''Coyanza'' in Leonese language) is a municipality located in the León (province), province of León, Castile and León, Spain. In 2023, the municipality had a population of 5,185. Originally, Valencia de Don Juan was nam ...
, Rodrigo took up arms in Asturias de Santillana, the northwestern part of Castile. A minor noble, Pedro Díaz, rebelled from his castle of ''Valle''. He was put down by the brothers
Osorio Osorio (also Osório) is a surname of Spanish, Portuguese and Basque origins. One meaning of the name is “hunter of wolves”. Notable people with this surname include: Surname * Aitor Osorio (born 1975), Andorran swimmer * Aldo Osorio (bor ...
and
Rodrigo Martínez Rodrigo Martínez () (died July 1138) 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 regula ...
. By June the king had retaken Palencia and captured Pedro and Bertrán. Having dealt with the other rebels, Alfonso turned to Asturias, where "he captured their fortified castles, set fire to their fields and hacked down their trees and vineyards."''Chronica Adefonsi'', I, §22. Forced to sue for peace, Rodrigo sent envoys requesting a meeting with the king on the banks of the
Pisuerga The Pisuerga is a river in northern Spain, the Duero's second largest tributary. It rises in the Cantabrian Mountains in the province of Palencia, autonomous region of Castile and León. Its traditional source is called Fuente Cobre, but it has ...
. Per the agreement Rodrigo and Alfonso would each be accompanied by only six of their knights. During the meeting the king became so enraged by Rodrigo's "disrespectful remarks" that he seized him by the throat and they both fell from their horses. At this Rodrigo's retinue fled and the count was taken "as if he were a common prisoner." Rodrigo found his castles and ''tenencias'' confiscated, with Asturias placed in the hands of Rodrigo Gómez. There is a record of a ''comitem Rodericum Gundisalui de Asturias'' ("count Rodrigo González of Asturias") present on 3 November 1140 at the hearing of a dispute between the
Bishop of Burgos The Archdiocese of Burgos () is Latin Metropolitan sees of the Catholic Church in Spain.
,
Ramiro Ramiro is a Spanish and Portuguese name from the latinisation of the Gothic given name *𐍂𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌼𐌹𐍂 (*Ranamir). Notable people with the name include: Given name * Ramiro I of Asturias (c. 790–850), king of Asturias * Ramiro ...
, and the Bishop of Calahorra,
Sancho The name Sancho () is an Iberian name of Basque origin (Santxo, Santzo, Santso, Antzo, Sans). Sancho stems from the Latin name Sanctius. Feminine forms of the name are Sancha, Sancia, and Sanchia (), and the common patronymic is Sánchez and ...
, in the presence of the king, but it is probably unreliable. It is unlikely that Rodrigo ever regained his place in eastern Asturias. Within a few days of his being released (only after all his castles and fiefs had been received by the king), Rodrigo returned to acknowledge his crimes and seek mercy, which he received by the end of 1131, when he was appointed ''
alcaide Alcaide is a Portuguese and Spanish name, meaning 'castle commander'. It is borrowed from the Arabic term , which literally means 'commander'. Etymology From the Arabic 'commander' it becomes the Spanish form alcayde or alcaide, origin of the ...
'' of
Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...
in place of
Gutierre Armíldez Gutierre is an old Spanish male given name. The surname Gutiérrez is derived from this name. Notable people Notable people with the name include: * Gutierre Álvarez de Toledo, Spanish priest * Gutierre de Cetina (1519–1554), Spanish poet and s ...
, who had died.Fletcher (1984), 269–70.


Frontier rule (1131–1137)

Rodrigo "waged numerous wars against the Moors. He killed many and took many prisoners. He also carried away large quantities of booty from their lands." The author of the ''Chronica'' twice states that only a fraction of his military actions are recorded: "He had fought many battles in Moorish territory. The military experiences of Rodrigo González and Rodrigo Fernández against the Moors were indeed great, but they have not been described in this book." And "The other battles which the Consul Rodrigo fought with the king of the Almoravides are not recorded in this book." Rodrigo's government in Toledo can be traced in the documents between 1132 and 1136, and he was also governor of
Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...
in 1133. The ''Chronica Adefonsi'' (I, §23) records that Alfonso "entrusted Toledo to him and extensive territories on the frontier and in Castile" and (II, §119) "he was made commander of all troops in Toledo and leader of
Extremadura Extremadura ( ; ; ; ; Fala language, Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is a landlocked autonomous communities in Spain, autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, Spain, Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central- ...
." In June 1132 he gathered the militias of
Ávila Ávila ( , , ) is a Spanish city located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Ávila. It lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m a ...
, Segovia, Toledo, and "the other cities under Toledo's jurisdiction" and combined this force of both
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
and
infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
with an even larger army drawb from Castile and Extremadura.''Chronica Adefonsi'', II, §§119–21. He then led them in a raid into Muslim territory, down the valley of the
Guadalquivir The Guadalquivir (, also , , ) is the fifth-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula and the second-longest river with its entire length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is the only major navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable from Seville ...
, devastating the environs of
Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...
. The ''Chronica Adefonsi'' notes that he "cut down the fruit trees". He took many captives and a large booty. The
Almoravid The Almoravid dynasty () was a Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus, starting in the 1050s and lasting until its fall to the Almo ...
governor (or king) of Seville, Umar, raised a large army from among his allies and fought Rodrigo in a pitched battle. Rodrigo divided his infantry into two groups,
archers Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a Bow and arrow, bow to shooting, shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting ...
and slingers, and placed his bravest men at the front. The second line was composed of the militia of Ávila, which engaged an Arab wing, and the third of the militia of Segovia, which faced an Almoravid and Andalusion (native) wing. The militia of Toledo and the troops from the
Trans-Sierra Trasierra is a municipality located in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2014 census, Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) the municipality has a population of 659 inhabitants. Local celebrations *''Fiesta del Sant ...
and Castile were left in reserve at the rear, under the personal command of Rodrigo "to reinforce the weak and to bring medical aid to the wounded." Umar was captured and ultimately beheaded.Powers (1987), 30. So important was this battle that it was recorded in three chronicles: the ''Chronica Adefonsi'', the '' Anales toledanos primeros'', and the Arabic chronicle of
Ibn Idhari Abū al-ʽAbbās Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn ʽIḏārī al-Marrākushī () was a Maghrebi historian of the late-13th/early-14th century, and author of the famous '' Al-Bayan al-Mughrib'', an important medieval history of the Maghreb (Morocco, No ...
(who errs in dating it to 1130). The author of the ''Chronica'', probably bishop Arnaldo of Astorga, quotes from I ''Maccabees'' 9 in describing an encounter he evidently considered of biblical proportions (II, §121):
The battle began as the Saracens shouted and sounded their brazen trumpets and drums. They uttered cries and invoked Mohammed. The Christians called out with all their heart to the Lord, to Mary and to Saint James. They prayed that they would show them mercy and forget the sins of the king and of their forefathers. Many on both sides fell wounded shortly after the battle had begun. Rodrigo realized that the King of Sevilla's army was the stronger. Consequently, all of the bravest warriors joined with Rodrigo and they attacked. The King of Sevilla fell in the field and died, as did many of his officers. Rodrigo González pursued the survivors all the way to the gates of Sevilla. After picking up the spoils, he began his march back to the camp.
The victory of Rodrigo inspired a contingent from
Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
to go raiding in the region around
Badajoz Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portugal, Portuguese Portugal–Spain border, border, on the left bank of the river ...
. Some ''
muladí ''Muladí'' (, , pl. ; , , pl. ; , or , , pl. or ; , trans. , pl. , or , ) is a term used for the indigenous population of the Iberian Peninsula who adopted Islam after the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the early 8th century. T ...
es'', Muslims living under Christian rule, that had fled Rodrigo's camp had given away the Salamancans' position to the Almoravid sultan, Ali ibn Yusuf ben Tashfin, who promptly attacked and
defeated Defeated may refer to: * "Defeated" (Breaking Benjamin song) * "Defeated" (Anastacia song) *"Defeated", a song by Snoop Dogg from the album ''Bible of Love'' *Defeated, Tennessee Defeated is an unincorporated community in Smith County, Tennessee ...
him. In late May 1133 Rodrigo commanded half of the royal army marching out from Toledo. The army was divided "because there was not enough drinking water ... nor was there enough grass to feed the animals." Rodrigo led his forces through the
Despeñaperros Pass The Despeñaperros Pass has been a strategic location for transport between Andalusia and the Spanish Meseta (central plateau of Spain) throughout history. Both by road and rail, this pass has been crucial in facilitating the transit of people an ...
. The two armies traversed uninhabited territory for fifteen days before meeting before the enemy castle at Galledo. Thereafter the army followed same route as in the previous year: the Guadalquivir valley as far as Seville, but then continued on to
Jerez de la Frontera Jerez de la Frontera () or simply Jerez, also cited in old English-language sources as , is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Sp ...
, which was sacked, and
Cádiz Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...
, whose countryside was terrorised. The army returned to Toledo by late summer with a vast booty of camels, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats. In July 1135 Alfonso gave him and Rodrigo Martínez some properties confiscated from another rebel, the Asturian
Gonzalo Peláez Gonzalo Peláez (died March 1138) was the ruler of the Asturias from 1110 to 1132, during the reigns of Queen Urraca (1109–26) and her son, Alfonso VII (1126–57). He held high military posts under the latter, but in 1132 he began a five-year r ...
. One historian believes he regained the long lost fief of Asturias de Santiallana at about this time. By July 1135 Rodrigo had contracted a second marriage to Estefanía, daughter of
Ermengol V of Urgell Ermengol or Armengol V (1078–1102), called El de Mollerussa ("He of Mollerussa"), was the count of Urgell from 1092 to his death. He was the son of Ermengol IV and his first wife, Lucy (''Lucía'') of Pallars. He spent most of his life in C ...
and widow of the Castilian magnate
Fernando García de Hita Fernando García de Hita (or de Fita; ''floruit'' 1097–1125) was a Kingdom of Castile, Castilian nobleman, traditionally considered the founder of the noble House of Castro. He governed the lordships of Hita, Guadalajara, Hita and Guadalajara, Ca ...
. Estefanía had received a ''carta de arras'' from her first husband on 12 November 1119, and she was widowed around 1125. Despite this, on 6 September 1135 Rodrigo praised his new wife for her youth in his ''carta de arras''. On 7 September 1135 Rodrigo witnessed a donation of the churches of Tovar and Laguna by his eldest daughter, Elvira, and her husband, the brother of his new wife,
Ermengol VI of Urgell Ermengol or Armengol VI (10961154), called el de Castilla ("the one from Castile"), was the count of Urgell from 1102 until his death. He was the son and successor of Ermengol V and María Pérez, daughter of Count Pedro Ansúrez, Lord of Vall ...
, to the convent of Santa María de Valladolid. Estefanía bore Rodrigo two sons,
Pedro Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meanin ...
and Rodrigo.


Exile and wanderings (1137–1143)

On 3 February 1137 Rodrigo made a donation to
Segovia Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and of Saint Fructus is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the Spanish city of Segovia. The church is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and to Saint Fructus and is the seat of the Dioc ...
. Shortly after, for reasons unknown, Rodrigo fell from favour and was exiled. According to at least one manuscript of the '' Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris'', this occurred in October 1134, but documentary evidence seems to indicate that it actually took place in 1137. Of his own accord he surrendered Toledo and the other ''tenencias'' he held, which still included Aguilar and Old Castile according to royal documents date as late as 1 April 1137, to the king in person (" ekissed the King's hand in farewell and
ook Ook, OoK or OOK may refer to: * Ook Chung (born 1963), Korean-Canadian writer from Quebec * On-off keying, in radio technology * Toksook Bay Airport (IATA code OOK), in Alaska * Ook!, an esoteric programming language based on Brainfuck * Ook, the ...
leave of his comrades").''Chronica Adefonsi'', I, §47–48. He decided to turn his exile into a
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
("he became a pilgrim and crossed the sea of Jerusalem for purpose of prayer", in the words of the ''Chronica''), visiting
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
and fighting the Muslims in the Holy Land for two years. He built the castle called ''La Torón'' (possibly the present-day
Latrun Latrun (, ''Latrun''; , ''al-Latrun'') is a strategic hilltop in the Latrun salient in the Ayalon Valley. It overlooks the road between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, 25 kilometers west of Jerusalem and 14 kilometers southeast of Ramla. It was the si ...
) facing
Ascalon Ascalon or Ashkelon was an ancient Near East port city on the Mediterranean coast of the southern Levant of high historical and archaeological significance. Its remains are located in the archaeological site of Tel Ashkelon, within the city limi ...
, which was then still in Muslim hands. The ''Chronica'' says that he garrisoned it "with knights, infantrymen, and provisions, and he gave it to the
Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
." Rodrigo's Toron has been widely identified with the castle described elsewhere as ''le Toron des Chevaliers'', a name shared by several castles, including the one later known as
Latrun Latrun (, ''Latrun''; , ''al-Latrun'') is a strategic hilltop in the Latrun salient in the Ayalon Valley. It overlooks the road between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, 25 kilometers west of Jerusalem and 14 kilometers southeast of Ramla. It was the si ...
. However, Michael Ehrlich, specialist in medieval Mediterranean military history at
Bar Ilan University Bar-Ilan University (BIU, , ''Universitat Bar-Ilan'') is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel's second-largest academic university institution. It has 20,000 ...
, Israel, offers several good reasons to identify Rodrigo's castle with the ruins at
Summil Summil () was a Palestinian Arab village in the Gaza Subdistrict, located northeast of Gaza. It was situated on a sandy hill in the coastal plain and had a population of 950 in 1945. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.Khalidi ...
, c. 25 km inland (east) from Ascalon, which fits much better the one mentioned in the chronicles. In 1137 or 1138,
Rorgo Fretellus Rorgo Fretellus, also spelled FetellusJames Rose Macpherson, ed. (1896), Fetellus (circa 1130 A.D.)' (London: Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society), pp. v–x. (fl. 1119–1154),Jonathan Riley-Smith (1981), "Review of ''Rorgo Fretellus de Nazareth et ...
, a canon of the church of
Nazareth Nazareth is the largest Cities in Israel, city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. In its population was . Known as "the Arab capital of Israel", Nazareth serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic and ...
, dedicated his ''Description of the Holy Places'' to Rodrigo. Rodrigo returned to Spain, via the
Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
and
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, in 1139, and, being barred from returning to Castile or his patrimonial lands, sojourned at various courts in the east of the peninsula. He served for a time
Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona Ramon Berenguer IV (; c. 1114 – 6 August 1162, Anglicized Raymond Berengar IV), sometimes called ''the Saint'', was the count of Barcelona and the consort of Aragon who brought about the union of the County of Barcelona with the Kingdom of Arag ...
, who made him lord of
Huesca Huesca (; ) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon between 1096 and 1118. It is also the capital of the Spanish Huesca (province), ...
and
Jaca Jaca (; in Aragonese language, Aragonese: ''Chaca'' or ''Xaca'') is a city of northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca (province), Huesca, located near the Pyrenees and the border with France. Jaca is an ancient fort on the Aragón (river), ...
between 1139 and 1141. He was later in the service of
García Ramírez of Navarre García Ramírez (), sometimes García IV, V, VI or VII ( 1112 – 21 November 1150), called the Restorer (, ), was the King of Navarre (Pamplona) from 1134. The election of García Ramírez restored the independence of the Navarrese kingdom af ...
and then the Almoravid governor of
Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
, Abengania. The ''Chronica Adefonsi'' says that while he only stayed a few days at Valencia, he contracted
leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...
(from a "Saracen potion"). He did briefly return to Castile, where on 8 February 1141 he granted the village of
Huérmeces Huérmeces is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating popul ...
to the Benedictines of Arlanza. He eventually made his way to the
Urgell Urgell (), also known as ''Baix Urgell'' (''baix'' meaning "lower", by contrast with Alt Urgell "Upper Urgell"), is a ''comarca'' (county) in Ponent, Catalonia (Spain), forming only a borderland portion of the region historically known as Urgel ...
, where on 24 March 1143 he witnessed, as ''comes Roricus'', the final will and testament of his brother-in-law and son-in-law, Count Ermengol VI. His daughter Elvira had probably died by then. Sometime in or after 1143 he returned to the Holy Land, and there he died. Shortly before her husband's death Estefanía founded a
Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, 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 Benedict, as well as the contri ...
monastery at
Valbuena de Duero Valbuena de Duero is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 502 inhabitants. The Church of San Andrés, a beautiful Romanesque churc ...
(15 February 1143). Her sons, unlike the sons of her husband's brother, never rose to as high a rank in the kingdom as their father had. Historian
Antonio Suárez de Alarcón Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular m ...
owned several manuscript fragments of the ''Chronica'', which were used by
Enrique Flórez Enrique or Henrique Flórez de Setién y Huidobro (July 21, 1702August 20, 1773) was a Spanish historian. Biography Flórez was born in Villadiego. At 15 years old, he entered the order of St Augustine. He subsequently became professor of theol ...
in amending the first published edition of the text by
Francisco de Berganza Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the masculine given name ''Franciscus''. Meaning of the name Francisco In Spanish, people with the name Francisco are sometimes nicknamed " Paco". San Francisco de Asís was known as ''Pater Comm ...
. Alarcón himself had made extensive used only of those passages relating to Rodrigo González, since he had established the descent of the Marqueses de Trocifal from him in his ''Relaciones genealógicas de la casa de los Marqueses de Trocifal, Condes de Torresvedras'' (Madrid, 1656).Lipskey (1971), 21. The relevant passage in Alarcón is found on pp. 133–35.


Notes


Bibliography

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English Historical Review ''The English Historical Review'' is a bimonthly peer-reviewed academic journal that was established in 1886 and published by Oxford University Press (formerly by Longman). It publishes articles on all aspects of history – British, European, a ...
'', 111:440 (1996), 85–103. *S. BARTON. ''The Aristocracy in Twelfth-century León and Castile''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. *S. BARTON
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''Nottingham Medieval Studies'', 44 (2000), 28–48. *J. M. CANAL SÁNCHEZ-PAGÍN. "Don Pedro Fernández, primer maestre de la Orden Militar de Santiago: Su familia, su vida." ''Anuario de estudios medievales'', 14 (1984), 33–71. *J. M. CANAL SÁNCHEZ-PAGÍN. "Casamientos de los condes de Urgel en Castilla." ''Anuario de estudios medievales'', 19 (1989), 119–135. *S. R. DOUBLEDAY. ''The Lara Family: Crown and Nobility in Medieval Spain''. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2001. * R. A. FLETCHER
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''Ad Limina'', 8:8 (2017), 39–61. *G. E. LIPSKEY

PhD dissertation, Northwestern University, 1972. *J. MONTENEGRO VALENTÍN. ''Santa María de Piasca: Estudio de un territorio a través de un centro monástico (857–1252)''. Valladolid: 1993. *E. PASCUA. "South of the Pyrenees: Kings, Magnates and Political Bargaining in Twelfth-century Spain." ''
Journal of Medieval History The ''Journal of Medieval History'' is a major international academic journal devoted to all aspects of the history of Europe in the Middle Ages. Each issue contains 4 or 5 original articles on European history, including the British Isles, North ...
'', 27 (2001), 101–120. *J. PHILLIPS. ''The Second Crusade: Extending the Frontiers of Christendom''. Yale University Press, 2007. *J. F. POWERS
''A Society Organized for War: The Iberian Municipal Militias in the Central Middle Ages, 1000–1284''.
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1987. *B. F. REILLY

Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1982. *B. F. REILLY

Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989. *B. F. REILLY. ''The Kingdom of León-Castilla under King Alfonso VII, 1126–1157''. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lara, Rodrigo Gonzalez De 1140s deaths People of the Reconquista Christians of the Crusades Year of birth unknown
Rodrigo Rodrigo () is a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian name derived from the Germanic name ''Roderick'' ( Gothic ''*Hroþareiks'', via Latinized ''Rodericus'' or ''Rudericus''), given specifically in reference to either King Roderic (d. 712), the la ...