Fernando Flaínez Explained

Fernando Flaínez (fl.) was a powerful magnate from the Kingdom of León, a member of the aristocratic lineage of the Flaínez. His parents were Flaín Muñoz and his wife Justa Fernández, daughter of count Fernando Bermúdez de Cea. He was the paternal grandfather of Jimena Díaz, wife of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar El Cid,[1] and the direct ancestor of the important medieval noble lineage of the Osorios. He married Elvira Peláez, daughter of Pelayo Rodríguez and Gotina Fernández de Cea, with whom he had at least seven children: Flaín, Oveco, Justa, Pedro, Pelayo, Muño and Diego. He was the tenente of Aguilar and documented with the title of count as of 1028. Jointly with his son, Flaín Fernández, he governed the city of León until 1038 when the kingdom was already under the control of King Sancho III of Pamplona.

Biographical sketch

He first appears in medieval charters in 999 when, jointly with his brother Munio, he confirmed a donation by the Bishop of León to the Monastery of Sahagún. On 26 February 1020, he and his wife accompanied by several of his children founded the Monastery of San Martín de Pereda in Valle de Valdeburón which was subsequently incorporated in the Monastery of Benevívere.[2] In this document, he mentions that he had inherited several of the properties donated from Fredenando Uermudiz et Flanio Moniz, his grandfather and father, respectively.

As a loyal vassal of King Alfonso V of León, he appears constantly confirming royal charters and was honored with the title of count at the end of the reign of Alfonso and at least from 1028. After the death of Alfonso V and the succession to the throne by Bermudo III of León, Fernando supported his first cousin King Sancho III of Navarre.[3] However, at first, he accompanied the young monarch as evidenced in a donation made by Bermudo III in November 1028 to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela where he appears with other magnates confirming the royal charter. His presence in the curia regis of King Bermudo III was infrequent from 1029 until 1035. This absence could be attributed to his involvement — active or behind the scenes — in the assassination of García Sánchez, Count of Castile in 1029 when García went to the city of León to meet Sancha, his promised bride and future wife of King Ferdinand I of León.

He was back at the court of Bermudo III to whom he remained faithful until the king was killed in the Battle of Tamarón in 1037. Fernando Flaínez did not hand over the capital of the Kingdom of León to Ferdinand I until 1038 and kept all his honors and estates until his death, after 1049, the last year in which he appears in the charters of the Monastery of Sahagún.

Marriage and issue

He married his first cousin, Elvira Peláez, daughter of Count Pelayo Rodríguez and Countess Gotina Fernández, another daughter of Fernando Bermúdez de Cea, and as such, also a sister of Queen Jimena and of Justa Fernández, Fernando's mother. They were the parents of the following children, all except Justa born before February 1020, the date on which they appear confirming the donation made by their parents:

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Margarita Torres Sevilla-Quiñones (2000-2002) argues that El Cid himself was nephew of Fernando, that the latter's father, Flaín Muñoz, is identical to the Laín Nuñez named by Historia Roderici as paternal grandfather of El Cid. Gonzalo Martínez Díez (2007) maintains that contemporary documents use Munio and Nuño as distinct names, and since the seemingly-complete account of Fernando's siblings does not include a Diego, El Cid's grandfather Laín Nuñez must have been a different man than Flaín Muñoz.
  2. The children mentioned in this donation, which was also confirmed by King Alfonso V of León and his wife Elvira Menéndez, and by Infante Bermudo (later Bermudo III), were as follows and in this order: Flaín; Oveco; Pedro; Pelayo; Munio; and Diego Fernández.
  3. Justa Fernández, Fernando's mother, was the sister of Queen Jimena Fernández, mother of King Sancho III.

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