Fernán González of Castile
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Ferdinand II González (930–970) was the first independent count of Castile, son of Gonzalo Fernández de Lara, who had been named count of Arlanza and the Duero around the year 900, a descendant of Nuño Rasura, one of the two judges from Castile, and of Rodrigo, the first of the counts from Castile.
Ferdinand González was a colourful character of legendary status in Iberia and a member of the influential Lara family. In the year 930, Ferdinand's name appears with the title of count inside the administrative organization of eastern the Kingdom of León.
He grew up in the castle of Lara and inherited his father's title after the capture and death of his brother, Nuño Fernández.
In 931, Ferdinand gathered under his control a strong military force composed of troops from the counties of Burgos, Asturias, Santillana, Lantaron, Álava, Castile, and Lara. His military prowess came to prominence in the Battle of Simancas in 939 and then at Sepulveda, where he wrested the region from the Moors and repopulated it. As his power increased, so did his independence from León. During this period he married Sancha, the sister of the king of Navarre, García III. Sancha was a daughter of Sancho I of Pamplona, and Toda of Navarre.
After having fought with Ramiro II of León against the Arabs, and after the Battle of Simancas and the retreat of the Muslims, Ferdinand was dissatisfied because the king of León distributed his troops in the frontier towns and he rose in rebellion against him. He was, however, defeated and made prisoner in 944, which lasted for 3 years until he became reconciled with his sovereign, giving his daughter Urraca in marriage to the king's son, Ordoño, who afterwards became King Ordoño III.
Notwithstanding this alliance, Ferdinand continued to foment trouble and discord in León, aiming to secure his independence. He successively aided Sancho I against his brother Ordoño III, and Ordoño IV, son of Alfonso IV, against Sancho himself.
Upon the death of Ramiro II of Leon in 951, the kingdom of León experienced a dynastic crisis that Ferdinand played out to his advantage.
Initially he supported the demands of Sancho I against his brother Ordoño III, but when he failed, he was forced to recognize Ordoño as king. Ordoño III's early death allowed Ferdinand to recover his maneuvering capacity, although in this occasion he didn't support his old ally, Sancho's, pretenses, but rather allied himself with the son of Alfonso IV, Ordoño IV. Defeated in 960 through Navarrese intervention, he was captured by King García of Navarre, but he recovered his freedom after making various territorial concessions. With the kingdom of León weakened and in disorder, Ferdinand slowly assured his position as legitimate independent count of Castile.
After his death the county was left to his son García Fernáandez. His remains were buried in the monastery of San Pedro of Arlanza.
His life and feats are recorded in an anonymous poem, The Poem of Fernán González, written between 1250 and 1271 and conserved as an incomplete copy from the fifteenth century.
| Preceded by Ferdinand Aznárez |
count of Castile 923–970 |
Succeeded by García I Fernández |
