Urraca Fernández facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Urraca Fernández |
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Urraca Fernández, from the Codex Vigilanus
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| Died | 1007 |
| Spouse | Ordoño III of León Ordoño IV of León Sancho II of Pamplona |
| House | Beni Mamaduna |
| Father | Fernán González |
| Mother | Sancha Sánchez of Pamplona |
Urraca Fernández (died 1007) was a powerful queen in medieval Spain. She was queen of both the Kingdom of León and the Kingdom of Navarre. She became queen by marrying two different kings of León and one king of Navarre between the years 951 and 994.
Urraca also played an important role as a regent. A regent is someone who rules a kingdom when the true ruler is too young or unable to govern. She was a regent for her son Gonzalo in the County of Aragon around 996-997. Later, she was a co-regent of the Kingdom of Navarre. She helped rule alongside her daughter-in-law Jimena Fernández and the bishops of Navarre. This happened when her grandson, Sancho III, was too young to rule by himself, from about 1004 to 1010.
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Who was Urraca Fernández?
Urraca Fernández was a princess, known as an infanta, from the County of Castile. Her father was Count Fernán González, a very important ruler. Her mother was Queen Sancha Sánchez of Pamplona.
What were Urraca's marriages?
Urraca Fernández had three important marriages that made her a queen in different kingdoms.
First Marriage: Ordoño III of León
Her father arranged her first marriage in 951. She married Ordoño III of León, who was the King of León. They had one child, a son named Bermudo II of León. Some historians still discuss if Bermudo was definitely her son, but he became a king later.
Second Marriage: Ordoño IV of León
After King Ordoño III died in 958, Urraca married another king of León, Ordoño IV. This marriage was short, as he died just two years later in 960.
Third Marriage: Sancho II of Pamplona
Urraca's third and most significant marriage happened in 962. She married Sancho II of Pamplona, the King of Navarre. Interestingly, both Urraca and Sancho were grandchildren of an earlier king, Sancho I of Pamplona.
With King Sancho II, Urraca had several children:
- García Sánchez II of Pamplona: He later became King of Navarre after his father.
- Ramiro: He died young in 992.
- Gonzalo: He ruled the County of Aragon. Urraca acted as his regent, helping him govern.
- Urraca Sanchez: She was also known as "the Basque." She took on the Arabic name Abda. Her father, King Sancho II, gave her to Almanzor, a powerful ruler of Al-Andalus (a Muslim kingdom in Spain). Urraca and Almanzor had a son named Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo. He grew up to become a chief minister for Hisham II, who was the Caliph (ruler) of the Caliphate of Córdoba.
