Michael Matthew Groat PhD's Genealogical Database

Individuals: 97,713  Families: 61,838  
Gedcom Last Modified: December 14, 2025 00:59:10

García Sánchez III de Pamplona "el de Nájera"


Preferred Parents:
Father: Sancho Garcés III "el Mayor", b. 990 in Pamplona, Navarre, Spain   d. in La Bureba, Burgos, Castilla y León, España
Mother: Muniadona de Castilla - Reina consorte de Pamplona, b. aproximadamente 0995 in Toledo, Castilla La Mancha, Spain   d. 1066 in Frómista, Palencia, Castilla-Leon, Spain

Family 1: Estefanía de Foix,    b. 1012 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain    d. 27 MAY 1058 in Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
  1. Ramiro Garcés de Navarra Lord of Calahorra, b. ABT 1040 in Pamplona, Nafarroa, Spain     d. 6 JAN 1083 in Rueda de Jalón, Zaragoza, Aragón, España
  2. Sancho Garcez Senhor de Uncastillo, b. 1039 in Pamplona, Navarra, Navarra, Spain     d. 6 JAN 1083 in Rueda de Jalón, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Family 2: Jimena Gonzalez de Asturias,       d. AFT 1031
Sources:
  1. Title: Find a Grave - García Sánchez
    Author: "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLW-SG41 : 1 April 2023), García Sánchez, ; Burial, Najera, Provincia de La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain, Monastery of Saint Mary; citing record ID 90648145, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
    Publication: Name: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLW-SG41;
  2. Title: Wikipedia -Garcia Sanchez III, King of Pamplona
    Author: Sources Martínez Díez, Gonzalo (2007). Sancho III el Mayor Rey de Pamplona, Rex Ibericus. Madrid. Salazar y Acha, Jaime de (1992). "Reflexiones sobre la posible historicidad de un episodio de la Crónica Najarense". Príncipe de Viana, Anejo 14:537–564.
    Publication: Name: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garc%C3%ADa_S%C3%A1nchez_III_of_Pamplona;
    Note: García Sánchez III (Basque: Gartzea III.a Sanoitz; c. 1012 – 15 September 1054),[1] nicknamed García from Nájera (Basque: Gartzea Naiarakoa, Spanish: García el de Nájera) was King of Pamplona from 1034 until his death. He was also Count of Álava and had under his personal control part of the County of Castile. As the eldest son of Sancho III he inherited the dynastic rights over the crown of Pamplona, becoming feudal overlord over two of his brothers: Ramiro, who was given lands that would serve as the basis for the Kingdom of Aragón; and Gonzalo, who received the counties of Sobrarbe and Ribagorza. Likewise, he had some claim to suzerainty over his brother Ferdinand, who under their father had served as Count of Castile, nominally subject to the Kingdom of León but brought under the personal control of Sancho III. Biography García Sánchez inherited the crown of Pamplona after the death of his father Sancho III in 1035, bypassing the late king's eldest son Ramiro, who was illegitimate. In 1043 he defeated his half-brother in battle, setting the eastern border of the kingdom. García Sánchez III took advantage of the weakened state of the numerous Islamic taifa kingdoms that arose after the dissolution of the Caliphate of Córdoba to push the southern border over their territory, taking the city of Calahorra in 1045. He also inherited from his father the County of Álava and a great part of the County of Castile (La Bureba, Trasmiera, Montes de Oca, the Encartaciones and Las Merindades). In 1037 he joined his brother Ferdinand, the nominal Count of Castile, in a battle against the Kingdom of León that took place near the river Pisuerga and that came to be known as Battle of Tamarón. Bermudo III, King of León, was defeated and killed in battle, ending a dynasty of monarchs that went back to Peter of Cantabria. Ferdinand would then be crowned King of León.[2] The relationship between the two brothers would however turn sour by the conflictive distribution of the lands of Castile between León and Pamplona, leading to the Battle of Atapuerca, where García Sánchez would perish.[1][3] Marriage and family García Sánchez III married Stephanie of Foix in Barcelona in 1038. Stephanie was the youngest daughter of Bernard-Roger, Count of Bigorre.[4] They had nine children: Sancho Garcés, nicknamed Sancho the Noble, who became King of Pamplona and ruled as Sancho IV from 1054 until his death in 1076. He married Placencia of Normandy. Urraca Garcés, married in 1074 to García Ordóñez, lord of Nájera and Grañón. Ermesinda Garcés, married to Fortún Sánchez, lord of Yéqueda. Ramiro Garcés, lord of Calahorra. Fernando Garcés, lord of Bucesta, Jubera, Lagunilla and Oprela. Ramón Garcés, lord of Murillo and Agoncillo. Ramón became known as the fratricidal, after he murdered his brother and King Sancho IV. Afterwards he escaped to the Taifa of Zaragoza. In an 1134 charter, Marquesa, wife of Aznar López, referred to her grandfather as "rex Raymundi" (literally 'king' Ramón). However, in medieval Navarre there are examples of the term being used by infantes, so this need not signify he claimed the throne on his brother's death.[5] Jimena Garcés, lady of Corcuetos, Hornos de Moncalvillo and Daroca.[6] Mayor Garcés, lady of Yanguas. Sancha Garcés García Sánchez had two illegitimate children by unknown women: Sancho Garcés, lord of Uncastillo, married to Constanza. His son, Ramiro Sánchez, would be the father of García Ramírez, who became King of Pamplona. Mencía Garcés, married to Fortún Ochoiz, lord of Cameros.
  3. Title: Legacy NFS Source: Garcia Sanchez - birth-name: Garcia Sanchez
    Author: Ancestry Family Trees, Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.;, Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com, null, Page number: Ancestry Family Trees
    Note: birth-name: Garcia Sanchez This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created.
    Page: Migrated from user-supplied source citation: urn:familysearch:source:3243992500
  4. Title: Royal Genealogies (Volume II)
    Author: James Anderson, D.D., Royal Genealogies (Volume II), Table 453, Page 702 (left center).
  5. Title: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
    Publication: Name: https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NAVARRE.htm#GarciaVdied1054A;
    Note: GARCÍA Sánchez de Navarra, son of SANCHO III "el Mayor" King of Navarre & his wife Munia Mayor de Castilla (Nov [1005/10]-killed in battle Atapuerca 1 Sep 1054, bur Santa María de Nájera[402]). The Anales Toledanos record the birth “en el mes de Noviembre” in 1016 of “el Infant fillo del Rey D. Sancho…Garcia Sanchez”[403]. Bearing in mind the likely chronology of García´s illegitimate daughter Mencía, it is likely that he was born a few years earlier than 1016. “Ranimirus proles regis, Garseanes frater eius, Gundisaluus frater eius, Ferdinandus frater eius” confirmed the charter dated 17 Apr 1014 under which “Sancius…rex…cum coniuge mea regina domina Maiora” donated property to the monastery of Leire, although the absence of the brother Bernardo suggests that this charter should be redated to approximately ten years later[404]. "Sancius…rex" recommended the rule of St Benedict to the monastery of Leire by charter dated 21 Oct 1022, subscribed by "Eximina regina mater regis, Regina domna Muma, Garsia et Ranimirus, Gundesalbus et Fernandus"[405]. "Sancius rex et uxor mea Muma dompna regina" donated property to the monastery of Yarte y Anoz by charter dated 17 May 1024, confirmed by "Garsias regulus, Ranimirus frater eius, Gunçalvus frater eius, Fredinandus frater horum…"[406]. The charter of "Sancius Hispaniarum rex" dated 26 Jun 1033 relating to concessions to the monastery of Oriense was confirmed by his sons (in order) "Ranimirus…Garsea…Fredinandus"[407]. Under the division of territories organised by his father, he received Navarre, succeeding in 1035 as GARCÍA V "él de Nájera” King of Navarre. The Historia Silense records that King Sancho granted "Pampilonensibus" to "Garsiam primogenitum"[408]. He invaded the territory of Castile but was defeated and killed in battle by his brother Fernando I King of Castile[409]. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium records that Fernando I King of Castile killed "his brother King García" in battle at Atapuerca and captured his kingdom "in the era 1095 (1057)"[410]. The manuscript of the Codex de Roda entitled "Initium regnum Pampilonam" records that "Garsea rex" was killed in 1054 "in Ataporca" and buried "in Nagera"[411]. The Chronicon Burgense records that “Garseas Rex” was killed in 1054 “a fratre suo Ferdinando in Ataporca”[412]. m ([Barcelona] 1038) [as her second husband,] ESTEFANÍA, [widow of ---,] (-after 1066). "Garsea…rex, Sancionis regis filius…cum coniuge mea domina Stefania regina" granted two monasteries to abbot Gómez of Yábar by charter dated 1040[413]. The primary source which confirms her parentage has not yet been identified. According to Marca, "les mémoires du convent de Nagara" state that she was "fille du comte de Foix", but he does not provide a direct quote or source reference[414]. If Marca is correct, she would be Etiennette de Foix, daughter of Bernard Roger de Carcassonne Comte de Couserans, Carcassonne and Bigorre, Seigneur du pays de Foix & his wife Garsenda Ctss de Bigorre. The Histoire Générale de Languedoc refers to a marriage contract (again, no quote or source reference) dated 1036, but this is not reproduced by Marca[415]. This is all too vague to show Stephanie´s origin other than in square brackets in the present document, until more precise information comes to light. Salazar y Acha suggests that Stephanie was the widow of a Catalan nobleman when she married King García, and was the mother of a daughter Constanza who later married her [second] husband´s illegitimate son Sancho (see below)[416]. Firstly, he says that this would explain Stephanie´s presence in Barcelona when she married, which is confirmed by the charter dated 1038 from San Juan de la Peña which names her for the first time with King García and records that he fetched her in Barcelona[417]. Secondly, it would explain the charter dated 29 Nov 1074 under which her son Sancho IV King of Navarre granted “unas casas en la ciudad de Calahorra” to “germano meo domno Sancio et uxori vestra vel germana mea domna Constanza”[418], the reference to his sister-in-law as “germana mea” being unusual if she was not also his own sister. Thirdly, it accords with the narrative in the Crónica Najerense which recounts that “infans domnus Sancius, quem rex Garsias Pampilonensium ex concubina habuerat” abducted “filiam regine Stephanie”, who was betrothed to “Santius rex”, and took her to the court of the Moorish king of Zaragoza and later to Ramiro I King of Aragon, triggering the war between Castille and Aragon in the course of which the Aragonese king was killed in 1064[419]. Salazar y Acha speculates that Stephanie´s first husband was an otherwise unidentified son of Bernardo [I] Conde de Besalú (whose possible sister was named Constanza) but this is only one of the possibilities. More recently, Salazar Acha has suggested that Estefanía was the widow of Roger [I] de Tosny[420]. There are several reasons why this suggestion is unlikely to be correct. Firstly, Roger [I]’s marriage is dated to [1017/20] according to Adémar de Chabannes as shown in the document NORMANDY NOBILITY. If that date is correct, it is unlikely that his widow would have given birth to nine children by a second marriage, whose births are estimated between 1039 and 1054 (see below). Secondly, Estefanía is named with her husband King García in a charter dated 1040, her marriage probably being dated to a couple of years earlier, whereas Roger [I] is recorded in Normandy around the same time as noted above. Thirdly, there are intrinsic problems associated with the Chronicon S. Petri Vivi Senonensis: the chronology of the whole passage, of which the reference to Roger’s marriage forms part, is flawed as explained in NORMANDY NOBILITY, and in addition Roger’s wife could not have been the sister of Ramon Berenguer [I] Comte de Barcelona (whose birth is dated to 1023, see the document CATALONIA) if his marriage is correctly dated to [1017/20]. In conclusion, Salazar y Acha’s hypothesis about a first marriage of Estefanía, although appealing, appears unlikely to be correct because Queen Estefania does not include Constanza in her testament dated to [1066] which names all her other known children[421]. "Garsea…rex…cum mulier mea Stephania regina" confirmed the resettlement of Villanova de Pampaneto by charter dated 1 Jan 1044[422]. "Stephanie coniugis" is named in the charter of "Garsia rex, Sancii regis filius" dated 2 Dec 1052[423]. The testament of “Stephania” is dated to [1066] names “domini mei Garsie regis” and bequeathes properties to “meo filio Sancio rex…domno Ranimiro meo filio…domno Fredenando meo filio…domno Regumendo meo filio…filia mea Urraka…filia mea Ermesinda…filia mea Eximina…filia mea Maiore”, in the presence of “senior Eximio Garceiz, senior Fortun Lopez, senior Fortun Sancii, senior Fortun Belaskez, senior Eximio Fortuniones…domna Auria”[424]. King García V & his wife had nine children. The order of birth of these children is uncertain. As will be seen below, the different primary sources are inconsistent regarding the order in which these children are named. The order which follows is taken from the [1066] testament of their mother, with the daughters fitted into the order of the sons as appears most appropriate from the other available sources: 1. SANCHO de Navarra (1039-murdered Peñalén 4 Jun 1076). 2. URRACA de Navarra (-after 1 Feb 1095). 3. ERMESINDA de Navarra (-after 1 Jul 1110). 4. RAMIRO de Navarra (-murdered Rueda de Jalón, near Zaragoza 6 Jan [1083]). 5. FERNANDO de Navarra (-[1068][488]). 6. RAMÓN de Navarra (-after 1079). 7. JIMENA de Navarra (-after 27 May [1085]). 8. MAYOR de Navarra (-after 1115). 9. SANCHA de Navarra (-after [1063/65]). King García V had two illegitimate children by unknown mistresses: 10. MENCÍA García ([1020/30]-[1073]). 11. SANCHO García ([1030/35]-after 29 Nov 1074).
  6. Title: Roots Web World Connect Projec- unable to locate record
    Author: Roots Web World Connect Project, database: hwbradley.
  7. Title: Genealogias da Ilha Terceira. v 9. Tit. Vasconcelos
    Publication: Name: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DrBr5RE6QyAxFe-0wmkpuZu3_wl9F6In/view?usp=sharing;
    Note: Este Ramo leva à nobreza
  8. Title: Legacy NFS Source: Garcia III ;Rei de Navarra,O de Najera ) - Individual or family possessions: birth-name: Garcia III ;Rei de Navarra,O de Najera )
    Note: Individual or family possessions: birth-name: Garcia III ;Rei de Navarra,O de Najera ) Individual or family possessions: male Individual or family possessions: death: ; Navarra, Navarra, Spain
    Page: Migrated from user-supplied source citation: urn:familysearch:source:3244685517
Master Index | Pedigree Chart | Descendency Chart
Please send genealogical corrections, additions, or comments to Michael Matthew Groat PhD
Created by GIMMWebService Version 1.0.3 (Program Information), Copyright 2023 © Michael Groat
(Web design layout and pedigree indentation subroutine) Copyright 1996 © Randy Winch (gumby@edge.net) and Tim Doyle (tdoyle@doit.com)
(Internal GEDCOM data structures and GEDCOM file parsing) Copyright 2014-2021 © Giulio Genovese (giulio.genovese@gmail.com)

Like the program that you see? Any support is appreciated!

Paypal