Gutier Núñez facts for kids

Gutier Núñez (sometimes spelled Gutierre Núñez) was an important leader known as the Count of Burgos in the 900s. He held this position from around 927 or 929 until 931.

Who Was Gutier Núñez?

Gutier Núñez was a count during a time when different parts of Spain were ruled by powerful families. His last name, Núñez, means "son of Nuño." This suggests he was likely the son of Nuño Fernández. Nuño Fernández was also a Count of Burgos in 921 and later a Count of Castile in 927.

At that time, Burgos and Castile were two separate areas, even though sometimes the same person ruled both. Nuño Fernández is not mentioned in records after 927. By 929, Fernando Ansúrez had become the Count of Castile. It is thought that Nuño probably passed away. After his death, the two areas might have been separated again. Gutier then became the Count of Burgos, while Castile was given to Fernando Ansúrez.

Gutier Núñez is mentioned in an old document from the San Pedro de Cardeña monastery. This document is dated March 1, 931. It states that "King Alfonso [was ruling] in León and Count Gutier in Burgos." The king mentioned was Alfonso IV of León.

Was Gutier Núñez from Galicia?

Some historians, like Justiniano Rodríguez Fernández and Justo Pérez de Urbel, have a different idea. They believe that the Count of Burgos was not the son of Nuño Fernández. Instead, they think he was a different person named Gutier (or Gutierre) Muñoz from Galicia.

This Galician Gutier Muñoz was the grandson of Count Gutier Menéndez. He was also the nephew of Saint Rudesind. His sister, Gotona, was married to King Sancho Ordóñez. Pérez de Urbel pointed out that the name Gutier was not commonly used in Castile before this count appeared in Burgos in 931.

However, it would have been very unusual for King Alfonso IV to appoint someone from far-off Galicia to be a count in Castile. Castile was in the eastern part of the kingdom, while Galicia was in the far west. King Alfonso IV was removed from power just a few months later. This might explain why Gutier is not seen as a count in the east after 931.

Why the Galician Theory is Unlikely

It is hard to agree that Gutier Núñez was the same person as the Galician count for two main reasons:

• Different Last Names: The last names Núñez and Muñoz come from two different first names: Nuño and Munio. While these names have sometimes been mixed up in old writings, it is possible the person who wrote the Cardeña document simply made a mistake.
• Age Difference: The Galician count died around the year 999. If he was the same person as the Count of Burgos in 931, he would have been very old when he died. He would have been an adult count 68 to 72 years before his death. While not impossible, it makes it less likely that they were the same person.

See also

In Spanish: Gutier Núñez para niños