Kingdom of Viguera

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The Kingdom of Viguera was a short-lived pocket kingdom around the Navarrese town of Viguera from 970 to 1005. It is said to have been created by the testament of García Sánchez I of Pamplona for his second son, Ramiro Garcés, and comprised the region today called La Rioja.

In 918 Ordoño II of León and Sancho I of Pamplona invaded Viguera to clear out the Banu Qasi. By 923, the area had been subdued and fortified.

King García had, at the insistence of his second wife, Theresa, willed Viguera as a kingdom for her son Ramiro. On García's death, his eldest son Sancho II inherited Navarre and immediately recognised his brother Ramiro as king in Viguera in accordance with their father's wishes. Ramiro was succeeded by his son Sancho Ramírez, by 991, and Sancho was succeeded in turn by his brother García Ramírez, who perhaps acted as a co-king prior to his brother's death in 1002 or shortly thereafter. García left only daughters and simply disappears from the historical record between 1105 and 1130, and Viguera once again became part of Navarre.

The region of Viguera was known as La Rioja as early as 1099.

[edit] Sources

• Cañada Juste, Alberto. "Un milenario navarro: Ramiro Garcés, rey de Viguera", Princípe de Viana 42 (1982), pp. 21-37.
• Ubieto Arteta, Antonio. "Monarcas navarros olvidados: los reyes de Viguera", Hispania X (1950), pp. 8-25.