Kingdom of Viguera

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. There is even some debate that it was a kingdom at all, rather than simply being the holdings of royal Infantes, who were referred to as "king" at the time.

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 of León, willed Viguera to her son Ramiro. On García's death, his eldest son Sancho II inherited Navarre and immediately recognised his brother Ramiro 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 1005 and 1030, and Viguera once again became part of Navarre.

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

ources

*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.