Battle of Candespina
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Candespina was fought on 26 October 1111 between the forces of Alfonso I of Aragon and those of his estranged wife, Urraca of León and Castile, in the Campo de la Espina
near Sepúlveda
. Alfonso was victorious, as he would be again in a few weeks at the Battle of Viadangos
.
The battle was the result of a power struggle between Alfonso and Urraca. Perhaps the latter had become too powerful, for one of her strongest vassals, Henry of Portugal
, who had been recruiting soldiers in France
(probably Burgundy
), returned to ally with Alfonso after being promised a partition of the united realm that would leave him in control of the west (Galicia and Portugal).
Battle was joined while Urraca was staying in Burgos
, the capital of Castile
. On the field Urraca's suitor, Gómez González
, the count of Castile, was killed by Henry. After the battle Urraca was joined in Burgos by the Castilian count Pedro González de Lara
. Meanwhile Henry of Portugal may have had second thoughts about his alliance with Alfonso. After the battle he was approached by some men of Urraca at Sepúlveda, where they offered him a better partition if he joined the queen. The Portuguese count's volte-face was leaked quickly, however, and the Aragonese forces retreated to Peñafiel
. That "nearly impregnable fortress" was immediately besieged, unsuccessfully, by Henry and Urraca.
The date of the battle is reported differently in the early sources. The early narrative source called the Historia Compostelana
gives the year as 1110. In support of this Luiz Gonzaga de Azevedo chronicled the career of Henry of Portugal, placing his trip to France in the early spring of 1110. He also cites the disappearance of Gómez González after 15 October 1110, the last time he appears in a contemporary document, and the appearance of a new count of Castile, Rodrigo Múñoz
, in a document of Sahagún. The short account of the battle in the Annales Complutenses reads:
The even shorter account in the Annales Compostellani
reads: Era MCXLIX occiderunt comitem Gometium ("Era 1049 they killed count Gómez"). Likewise a document in the cartulary of Saint Sernin de Toulouse also dates the encounter to 1111.
Fresno de Cantespino
Fresno de Cantespino is a municipality located in the province of Segovia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 290....
near Sepúlveda
Sepulveda
Sepúlveda is a name of families of Spanish descent. Sepúlveda, Segovia is the name of a village in Spain.The Sepúlveda family was prominent in the early days of Los Angeles, California and Orange County...
. Alfonso was victorious, as he would be again in a few weeks at the Battle of Viadangos
Battle of Viadangos
The Battle of Viadangos or Fontedangos was fought in the autumn of 1111 between the forces of Alfonso I of Aragon and the Galician allies of his estranged wife, Urraca of León and Castile, at Villadangos north of Luna, some twenty kilometres from León...
.
The battle was the result of a power struggle between Alfonso and Urraca. Perhaps the latter had become too powerful, for one of her strongest vassals, Henry of Portugal
Henry, Count of Portugal
Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal was Count of Portugal from 1093 to his death. He was brother of Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy, and Odo I, Duke of Burgundy, all sons of Henry, the heir of Robert I, Duke of Burgundy. His name is Henri in modern French, Henricus in Latin, Enrique in modern Spanish...
, who had been recruiting soldiers in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(probably Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
), returned to ally with Alfonso after being promised a partition of the united realm that would leave him in control of the west (Galicia and Portugal).
Battle was joined while Urraca was staying in Burgos
Burgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
, the capital of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
. On the field Urraca's suitor, Gómez González
Gómez González
Gómez González , called de Lara or de Candespina, was a Castilian nobleman and military leader who had some claim to being Count of Castile. He was the eldest son and successor of Gonzalo Salvadórez and his wife Sancha, and thus kinsman of the Lara family...
, the count of Castile, was killed by Henry. After the battle Urraca was joined in Burgos by the Castilian count Pedro González de Lara
Pedro González de Lara
Pedro González de Lara was a Castilian magnate. He served Alfonso VI as a young man, and later became the lover of Alfonso's heiress, Queen Urraca. He may have joined the First Crusade in the following of Raymond IV of Toulouse, earning the nickname el Romero...
. Meanwhile Henry of Portugal may have had second thoughts about his alliance with Alfonso. After the battle he was approached by some men of Urraca at Sepúlveda, where they offered him a better partition if he joined the queen. The Portuguese count's volte-face was leaked quickly, however, and the Aragonese forces retreated to Peñafiel
Peñafiel
Peñafiel is a town in Valladolid Province, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain, best known for the Peñafiel Castle and for its medieval square used for bullfights and named "Plaza del Coso"...
. That "nearly impregnable fortress" was immediately besieged, unsuccessfully, by Henry and Urraca.
The date of the battle is reported differently in the early sources. The early narrative source called the Historia Compostelana
Historia Compostelana
The anonymous Historia Compostelana is based on the relation of events by a writer in the immediate circle of Diego Gelmírez, second bishop then first archbishop of Compostela, one of the major figures of the Middle Ages in Galicia...
gives the year as 1110. In support of this Luiz Gonzaga de Azevedo chronicled the career of Henry of Portugal, placing his trip to France in the early spring of 1110. He also cites the disappearance of Gómez González after 15 October 1110, the last time he appears in a contemporary document, and the appearance of a new count of Castile, Rodrigo Múñoz
Rodrigo Muñoz (Asturian count)
Rodrigo Muñoz , son of Count Munio González and Mayor Muñoz, was a Castilian magnate in the kingdoms of León and Castile. His tenancies were mostly in Cantabria, in the northern Castilian lands bordering the Basque country....
, in a document of Sahagún. The short account of the battle in the Annales Complutenses reads:
|
Spanish era The Spanish era, Hispanic era or Caesar era refers to the dating system used in Hispania until the 14th century, when the Anno Domini system was adopted. It began with year one in what is 38 BC, probably the date of a new tax imposed by the Roman Republic on the subdued population of Iberia.... 1049 Anno Domini and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars.... 1111 Kalends The Calends , correspond to the first days of each month of the Roman calendar. The Romans assigned these calends to the first day of the month, signifying the start of the new moon cycle... of November [26 October]. King Alfonso of Aragon and count Henry killed count Don Don (honorific) Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:... Gómez in the field of Spina. |
The even shorter account in the Annales Compostellani
Annales Compostellani
The Annales Compostellani or Anales castellanos terceros are a set of Latin annals found in, and named after, Santiago de Compostela...
reads: Era MCXLIX occiderunt comitem Gometium ("Era 1049 they killed count Gómez"). Likewise a document in the cartulary of Saint Sernin de Toulouse also dates the encounter to 1111.