|
|
|
|
Ferdinand I of Le贸n
|
| |
|
| |
Ferdinand I (1017 – 24 June 1065), called the Great (El Magno), was the Count of Castile from his uncle's death 1029 and the King of Le髇, through his wife, after defeating his brother-in-law in 1037. He was the son of Sancho III of Navarre and Mayor of Castile, and is usually recognised as the first King of Castile. He had himself crowned Emperor of Spain in 1056.
Ferdinand was barely in his teens when Garc韆 S醤chez, Count of Castile, was assassinated by a party of exiled Castilian noblemen as he was entering the church of John the Baptist in Le髇, where he had gone to marry Sancha, sister of Bermudo III.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Ferdinand I of Le贸n' Start a new discussion about 'Ferdinand I of Le贸n' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand I (1017 – 24 June 1065), called the Great (El Magno), was the Count of Castile from his uncle's death 1029 and the King of Le髇, through his wife, after defeating his brother-in-law in 1037. He was the son of Sancho III of Navarre and Mayor of Castile, and is usually recognised as the first King of Castile. He had himself crowned Emperor of Spain in 1056.
Ferdinand was barely in his teens when Garc韆 S醤chez, Count of Castile, was assassinated by a party of exiled Castilian noblemen as he was entering the church of John the Baptist in Le髇, where he had gone to marry Sancha, sister of Bermudo III. In his role as feudal overlord, Sancho III of Navarre nominated his younger son Ferdinand, born to the deceased count's sister Mayor, as successor, and further arranged for Ferdinand to marry Garc韆'a intended bride, Sancha of Le髇.
On his father's death, Ferdinand continued as count of Castile, now recognizing the suzerainty of his brother-in-law Bermudo III, but they fell out and on 4 September 1037 Bermudo was killed in battle with Fernando at Tamar髇. Ferdinand took possession of Le髇 by right of his wife, who was the heiress presumptive, and the next year had himself formally crowned king of Le髇 and Castile. He overran the Moorish section of Galicia, and set up his vassal as count in what is now northern Portugal. With northern Iberia consolidated, Ferdinand, in 1039, proclaimed himself emperor of Hispania. The use of the title was resented by the Emperor Henry III and Pope Victor II in 1055 as implying a claim to the headship of Christendom and as a usurpation of the Roman Empire. It did not, however, mean more than that the sovereign of Le髇 was the chief of the princes of the Iberian peninsula, and that Iberia was independent of the Holy Roman Empire. Ferdinand's brothers Garc韆 V of Navarre and Ramiro I of Arag髇 opposed his power, but were both killed in ensuing battles, leaving Ferdinand preeminent.
Ferdinand died on the feast of Saint John the Baptist, 24 June 1065, in Le髇, with many manifestations of ardent piety, having laid aside his crown and royal mantle, dressed in the robe of a monk and lying on a bier covered with ashes, which was placed before the altar of the Basilica of San Isidoro. At his death, Ferdinand divided up his kingdom between his three sons: Sancho, who received Castile; Alfonso, who received Le髇; and Garcia, who received Galicia. His two daughters each received cities: Elvira received Toro and Urraca received Zamora. By giving them his dominion, he wanted them to abide by the split in the kingdom and respect his wishes. However, Sancho (born 1032), being the oldest, believed that he deserved more of the kingdom, and therefore sought to gain possession of the divided parts of the kingdom that had been given to his siblings.
|
| |
|
|
