The Kingdom of Navarre | The People and Land of Navarre | The Domain of Northern Navarre

The Kingdom of Navarre

The kingdom of Navarre was known as the kingdom of Pamplona until the last half of the 12th century. The city of Pamplona, the capital of present-day Navarre, was occupied by the Muslims after 711, but the Basque magnates of the region early achieved some autonomy, and about the year 798 one of them, Iñigo Arista, established himself as an independent ruler there and for a time accepted Frankish suzerainty. By the time of Garcia Iniguez (c. 860-880), this dynasty was strong enough to assume regal titles and to establish diplomatic and dynastic ties with the neighboring Christian kingdom of Asturias. Under Sancho I Garcés (905-925), the rulers of Pamplona expanded their dominions south of the Ebro River, capturing Najera and much of La Rioja.

Under Sancho III Garcés (1000-35), the Navarrese established a brief hegemony over all of Christian Spain. By extending his rule over all the Christian states except Catalonia, Sancho III made an apparent advance toward the unification of Christian Spain. Choosing, however, to treat his dominions as a private patrimony to be divided among his sons, he turned away from the Leonese tradition of a united, indivisible kingdom. He assigned the kingdom of Navarre to García III (1035-54); to Ferdinand I (1035-65) he awarded Castile; Ramiro I (1035-63), who received Aragon, annexed Sobrarbe and Ribagorza in 1045 after the murder of a fourth brother, Gonzalo. As each of the brothers bore the royal title, Castile and Aragon thenceforward were regarded as kingdoms. Bermudo III recovered León after Sancho III's death, but Ferdinand I defeated and killed him in 1037. Taking possession of the kingdom of León , he also assumed the imperial title. During the ensuing 30 years Ferdinand sought hegemony over all of Spain, triumphing over his brothers on the battlefield, capturing Coimbra, and reducing the petty Muslim rulers (reyes de taifas) of Toledo (Tulaytulah), Seville (Ishbiliya), and Badajoz (Batalyaws) to tributary status.

In 1076 Sancho Ramírez of Aragon occupied Pamplona. Navarre was then ruled by the Aragonese crown until 1134, when it recovered its independence under Garcia IV, the son of Ramiro Sanchez, Lord of Monzon, and El Cid's daughter, Cristina. Perhaps being the grandson of a man such as El Cid might explain the otherwise enigmatic Sancho VI, who succeeded his father in 1150. He offended the Holy See by his friendship with the Muslims and was in Africa in the service of the Almohads from 1198 until 1200. His absence cost Navarre the provinces of Álava and Guipúzcoa, seized by Castile in 1200. In 1212, however, Sancho fought with the allied Christian army that crushed the Almohads at Las Navas de Tolosa and has recently returned to Pamplona were he has indicated he will remain.

The People and Land of Navarre

Though Navarre at an early date ceased to have a frontier with the Muslims, many Muslims continue to live there. They are allowed to serve in the army and provide an important source of skilled artisans. Large Jewish congregations (aljamas) exist in the chief towns and are protected by the Navarrese kings despite serious persecution elsewhere. While smaller in size then the other Christian Kingdoms, Navarre plays an important part in international politics, partly because it controls the main pass into Spain in the western Pyrenees and is a buffer state between Gascony, Castile, and Aragon.

The chief pilgrim roads from the north to Santiago de Compostela also traverse the kingdom. According to legend, the body of Christ's apostle James we brought to Calicia. In 813 the relics were supposedly discovered at Santiago de Compostela, where a cathedral has been built in his honor. Now, over half a million pilgrims a year flock there from all over Europe, crossing the Pyrenees at Roncesvalles. These pilgrims are recognizable by their traditional garb of cape, long staff, and felt hat adorned with scallop shells, the symbol of Saint James. The route across Northern Spain , otherwise known as the Road to Santiago, passes through the Navarre cities of Pamplona, Estella, and Logrono with the Cathedrals of these cities being major draws.

Navarre is also known for its vineyards. The types of grapes that are grown vary widely with the climate. The hillier, northwestern parts receive some Atlantic rain, the hot Ebro plain has a Mediterranean climate, and the Basque region in the mountains is cool. Grapes are an important crop since the sandy soil is poor for most other things. Spanish wines are in strong demand throughout Europe, and it is not unheard of for a Lord, hosting a large meal, to poor Spanish wines in French bottles since Spanish wines are cheaper, but often just as rich in taste.

Much of the land of Navarre is forested. Two types of forests predominate: Beech Forests, particular in the Pyrenees and Oak forests in the Ebro basin. These forests provide shelter to all manner of birds and animals, including bears and wolves.

The Domain of Northern Navarre

The character of the Navarre cities can vary as greatly as the people, as is seen by the capital Pamplona , the mountain hub of Roncesvalles, and the birth of a commercial center at the port of San Sebastian.

Pamplona lies on the western bank of the Arga River in the fertile La Cuenca region, just south of Bayonne , France . According to tradition, it was founded in 75 BC by Julius Caesar's rival Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) as a military settlement during his campaign against Quintus Sertorius, leader of a revolt against Rome. The city's first name was Pompeiopolis, or Pompaelo (corrupted by the Moors to Banbalunah). It was almost derelict after Moorish and Frankish invasions and the final dismantling of its defenses by the Frankish king Charlemagne in 778.

Pamplona was made capital of the kingdom of Navarre by Sancho III of Navarre in 1000, his new foundation being known as the Ciudad de la Navarrería. Pamplona remains a diverse mix of people, a reflection of the different people who have influenced Navarre history. Here, someone is just as likely to trace their lineage to the Visigoths, the muwallad and Mozarabs, as they are Norman or Basque. As such, while the large Catholic Cathedral dominates the center of the city, Jewish temples and Mosques also attract many.

Roncesvalles lies 3,220 feet above sea level in the Pyrenees, northeast of Pamplona, near the French frontier, and is known in relation to the Pass of Roncesvalles, or Puerto de Ibañeta, which lies above it at an elevation of 3,862 feet. This pass is the traditional site of the Battle of Roncesvalles in 778. The Basques' massacre of the rear guard of Charlemagne's army forms the basis of the legend of the hero Roland recounted in the epics La Chanson de Roland.

At the summit of the pass are the remains of an early chapel of San Salvador (called Charlemagne's Chapel). In the village is an Augustinian abbey, founded jointly about 1130 by Sancho de la Rosa (bishop of Pamplona ) and the king of Navarre, for the use of pilgrims, especially those en route to Santiago de Compostela. Roncesvalles is the scene of an annual procession of penitent pilgrims, each carrying a heavy cross and wearing a black hood, on the Wednesday before Whitsunday. Where Pamplona might be the political capital of Navarre, one might say that Roncesvalles is its religious center.

Roncesvalles is also the center of the traditional Basque people, and Roncesvalles has continued to resist the influences of others just as it did Charlemagne. The Basque are a people apart - and they do not let strangers forget that theirs is a culture different from any in Spain. From the days of the Romans, the Basque have been given a great deal of political autonomy. Indeed, many Basque cities are still ruled by the fueros, or ancient Basque laws. Unrelated to any other language spoken in Europe, the Basque language Euskera is still widely spoken, and may cities have both European and Basque names ( San Sebastian, for example, is known by the Basque residents as Donostia). The Basque people are known for being skilled artisans and craftsman, and are also the regions best deep-sea fishermen. Fish from the Basque coast is in wide demand on both sides of the Pyrenees, especially during Lent. While the constant flow of pilgrims and merchants through the Pyrenees brings a wide range from people from across the continent, outsiders often have difficulty breaking into the tight-knit Basque community.