Wiliesind facts for kids

Wiliesind was an important bishop in a city called Pamplona a long time ago, from about 848 to 867. This was a time when not much was written down about Pamplona's history, so we don't know a lot about it. Wiliesind was one of the few bishops we know about from that period. His name, Wiliesind, came from the Gothic people, even though most people in Pamplona were Basque. This might mean that Pamplona still looked to a big city called Toledo for religious guidance, rather than places across the Pyrenees mountains.

Wiliesind and Eulogius of Córdoba

In 848, Wiliesind had a special visitor: a priest named Eulogius of Córdoba. Eulogius later wrote a letter to Wiliesind from prison in Córdoba on November 15, 851. He also sent Wiliesind some special items called "relics" from saints named Acisclus and Zoilus.

The Important Letter

Eulogius's letter is still around today, and it's very important! It tells us a lot about the monasteries (places where monks lived) and their libraries in the Pamplona area during the mid-800s. The letter also mentioned that Eulogius couldn't cross the Pyrenees mountains because there was a war happening.

Who Carried the Letter?

The letter was brought to Wiliesind by a person named Galindo Enneconis. He was probably a son of Íñigo Arista, who was the king of Pamplona and passed away on July 9, 851. If this is true, Galindo was likely heading back to Pamplona because his father had died, and that's when he was asked to deliver Eulogius's letter to the bishop.

Wiliesind's Legacy

A document from 867 mentions a bishop of Pamplona named Gulgesind. Most historians believe this was the same person as Wiliesind. This document says that Bishop Gulgesind helped start a monastery called Santa María de Fuenfría (also known as Fontfrida) in a place called Salvatierra de Esca. He did this with King García Íñiguez and an important leader named Abbot Fortún from the Leire monastery.

See also

In Spanish: Wilesindo para niños