García Ordóñez facts for kids

García Ordóñez (died May 29, 1108) was an important leader from Castile. He was also known as de Nájera or de Cabra. Sometimes, people called him Crispus or el Crespo de Grañón in old stories.

García Ordóñez ruled the Rioja region from 1080 until he died. His main base was in Nájera. He is famous because he was a big rival of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid. When El Cid was sent away from the court in 1080, García Ordóñez took his high position.

He was one of the most important military leaders and governors under King Alfonso VI. The king even trusted him to teach his son and heir, Sancho Alfónsez, about military matters. García Ordóñez died fighting alongside Sancho at the Battle of Uclés.

Who was García Ordóñez's family?

García was the son of a count named Ordoño Ordóñez. We don't know for sure who his father was, as there are different ideas. Some thought his father was a grandson of two kings, but this doesn't fit with where García's family lived. It's more likely his father was a Castilian count from a powerful family called Banu Gómez.

García's mother was named Enderquina. We don't know much about her background.

García Ordóñez's marriages and children

Before 1081, García married Urraca Garcés. She was a princess, the daughter of García Sánchez III of Navarre and sister of Sancho Garcés IV. They had three children: two daughters named Elvira and Mayor, and a son named Fernando. This Fernando might be the ancestor of the important House of Castro family.

After Urraca died (sometime after 1095), García married again to a woman named Eva. She was probably from outside Spain, perhaps from France. Eva and García had one son together, García Garcés de Aza. He was the ancestor of the House of Aza family. After García died, Eva married another count, Pedro González de Lara. García also had another son named Fernando Pellica, who was born outside of marriage.

Starting his career in the royal court

García's public life began when Ferdinand I of León and Castile was king. He signed a royal document in 1062. When Ferdinand's son, Sancho II, became king of Castile, García became more important. He signed many of Sancho's royal documents. During this time, he was connected to Pancorvo, a town along the famous Way of Saint James.

In 1072, King Sancho II was killed. His brother, Alfonso VI, became the new king. García Ordóñez quickly made peace with the new king. By 1074, he was appointed the king's alférez (royal standard-bearer), a very important position.

García Ordóñez and El Cid's rivalry

After 1074, García Ordóñez was not seen in court records for a few years. In 1079, he was sent to Granada to collect "parias" (tribute money) that Granada owed to King Alfonso VI. While there, he led an army from Granada against the kingdom of Seville.

At the same time, El Cid was visiting Seville as King Alfonso's representative. El Cid fought against García's army at the Battle of Cabra. El Cid believed he was defending the king's interests. García and other Castilian leaders were captured and held for three days before being released.

By 1080, things had changed a lot for García and El Cid. King Alfonso VI gave García control of the Rioja region, with his main base in Nájera. Around the same time, El Cid was forced to leave the king's court and go into exile.

Becoming the Count of Nájera

Soon after returning to court, García was made a "count" (comes). This was the highest rank in the kingdom at the time. Being a count meant he had a seat on the king's royal council and was given lands to govern.

The exact date he became a count is not clear, but it was around 1080 or 1081. He was given a large area of land, including parts of Navarre, and was given the hand of a Navarrese princess in marriage. This shows how much power he gained. At the same time, his rival El Cid was in exile, and García's brother, Rodrigo, became the king's new alférez.

By 1085, García's control expanded to include Calahorra, an important city. By 1092, he also controlled Grañón and Madriz. During these years, García was the most important noble in the kingdom. He often attended the royal court and signed many of the king's documents.

However, a new person, Raymond of Burgundy, married the king's eldest daughter, Urraca. Raymond quickly became more powerful than García.

García Ordóñez continued to fight for the king. In 1096, he helped the ruler of Zaragoza against Peter I of Aragon and Navarre at the Battle of Alcoraz, but they were defeated. He also fought in the Battle of Consuegra in 1097, where the Castilian army lost to the Almoravids. After this, García's influence at court seemed to decrease.

In 1095, García and his wife Urraca gave special rights to the town of Fresnillo de las Dueñas.

Protecting the king's son and his death

King Alfonso VI chose García Ordóñez to be the tutor for his only son, Sancho Alfónsez. This meant García was responsible for teaching and protecting the young prince.

On May 29, 1108, García Ordóñez fought in the Battle of Uclés. He died defending the life of Prince Sancho, who also died in the same battle shortly after. Old records say that seven counts died at Uclés, which is why Christians sometimes called the place Septem Comitem (Seven Counts). García is the only count specifically named in some of these records.

García's death left a big gap in power in the Rioja region.

See also

In Spanish: García Ordóñez para niños