Nuño Rasura facts for kids
Nuño Rasura was a legendary leader from the early days of Castile, a region in what is now Spain. He is known as one of two important "judges" who helped govern and protect the people. The other judge was his son-in-law, Laín Calvo.
According to an old story called the Mocedades de Rodrigo, Nuño got his special nickname "Rasura" because he gave a lot of wheat from Castile as a gift. This gift was for the important Church of Saint James. Historian Richard A. Fletcher says that the stories about these judges tell us more about how Castilians saw themselves later on. They liked to think of themselves as strong, independent, clever, and fair.
The Legend of the Judges
Old writings from the 12th century, like the Liber regum and the Poema de Fernán González, tell us about these judges. They say that around the end of the 9th century, after King Alfonso II of Asturias died, two judges were chosen. Their job was to manage and defend the new settlements in the area that would become Castile.
The Poema describes Nuño and Laín as the ancestors of famous Castilian heroes. Nuño was said to be the ancestor of Fernán González of Castile, and Laín was the ancestor of El Cid.
Nuño's Story in Old Texts
The most detailed story about the judges comes from Lucas de Tuy, who wrote around 1236. He claimed that Nuño Rasura came from Catalonia. He was described as a very wise man. He convinced all the important families of Castile to send him their sons so he could teach them.
Nuño was said to rule over a large area, reaching as far as the Pisuerga river. After he died, his supposed son, Gonzalo Núñez, was chosen to take his place. Gonzalo was given the title of "count." The stories say he married Jimena, the daughter of Nuño Fernández. Together, they were the parents of the famous Fernán González. Gonzalo was known as a fair leader and a brave soldier. He fought many battles against the "tyrannical" Kings of León and the Moors.
Was Nuño Rasura a Real Person?
Some historians think that Nuño Rasura might be connected to a real person named Munio Núñez. This Munio Núñez (sometimes called Nuño Núñez in older books) was an early settler in the 9th century. In 824, he and his wife Argilo gave special rules and rights, called fueros, to the village of Brañosera.
These special rights were later confirmed by the Counts of Castile. These counts claimed to be descendants of Nuño Rasura. Munio and Argilo are thought to have been grandparents or even earlier ancestors of several Castilian counts. These include Munio Núñez and Roa, Gonzalo Fernández of Lara, and Nuño Fernández of Amaya. They were also possibly ancestors of Muniadomna Núñez, who became queen to García I of León.
See also
In Spanish: Nuño Rasura para niños
