Kingdom of Navarre

The Kingdom of Navarre was a historical Iberian area on both sides of the western Pyrenees. At its biggest, it reached the Atlantic Ocean in the north and covered parts of today’s Spain and France. The kingdom began near the city of Pamplona during the early Reconquista. It was created as a buffer zone between the strong Carolingian Empire and the Ummayad Emirate of Córdoba.

The kingdom started when Íñigo Arista became its first ruler around 824. The area was mostly home to Vasconic people who spoke Basque. Over time, Navarre had many changes. It was ruled by kings from Aragon and France. In the 1500s, most of Navarre was taken over by the Crown of Castile, but it kept some special rights.

The northern part of Navarre joined France in 1589 when its king, Henry IV of France, became ruler of both countries. It became fully part of France in 1620. Even after this, French kings kept calling themselves “King of France and Navarre” until the French Revolution. Today, the lands that were once Navarre are in modern Spain, such as the autonomous communities of Navarre, Basque Country, and La Rioja, as well as Lower Navarre in France.

Etymology

The name "Navarre" comes from old records about Charles the Great. People back then used names like nabarros or nabarri. There are two main ideas about where the name Navarra comes from.

One idea is that it comes from a Basque word nabar, meaning "brownish" or "multicolor." This might have described the land compared to the green mountains nearby. Another idea is that it combines Basque words naba (meaning "valley") and herri (meaning "people" or "land"). A linguist named Joan Coromines thought naba might be from older languages before Rome.

Early historic background

See also: Duchy of Vasconia

The Kingdom of Navarre began near the city of Pamplona in the flatlands south of the western Pyrenees. Ancient writers like Pliny the Elder and Livy wrote about people called the Vascones who lived there. These people spoke an early form of the Basque language, called Proto-Basque.

The Romans controlled the area by 74 BC. They built cities and roads, and brought new ideas. One city they founded was Pompaelo, which is now Pamplona. After the Roman Empire weakened, the Vascones were influenced by both nearby Frankish kingdom rulers and the Umayyad caliphate from Córdoba.

Later, leaders from the Frankish kingdom tried to control the region. In 778, a famous battle happened at the Roncevaux Pass where the Frankish soldier Roland was killed by local Basque tribes. This event made the area even more important.

Nascent state and kingdom

The Kingdom of Navarre began near the city of Pamplona in the early days of the Iberian Reconquista. It formed in a place between the Carolingian Empire and the Ummayad Emirate of Córdoba. The Basque leader Íñigo Arista became the first king of Pamplona in 824, starting a family rule that lasted for eighty years. The city of Pamplona stayed Christian and self-governed, but it paid taxes to Córdoba.

Later kings made the kingdom bigger through partnerships and battles. Sancho Garcés, who ruled from 905 to 925, grew the kingdom’s lands and made friends with nearby kingdoms. The kingdom kept growing under leaders like García Sánchez and Sancho II. They sometimes had to defend against attacks from rulers like Almanzor of Al Andalus. By the time Sancho III died in 1035, the kingdom was at its biggest size. He split it among his sons. During this time, important religious places in the kingdom also grew, with new areas for worship being created.

Dismemberment

The Kingdom of Navarre once covered many lands, including parts of modern-day Spain and France. When King Sancho the Great died, he divided his kingdom among his four sons. Each son ruled a different part of the land.

Later, the brothers often fought over control. One brother, García Sánchez III, fought against his brother Ferdinand, who took some lands from Navarre. After García died in battle, his son Sancho IV took over but was later killed. This led to more changes in leadership and territory, with parts of Navarre coming under control of other kingdoms.

Eventually, Navarre faced pressure from nearby kingdoms, especially Castile, which took over some coastal areas. Despite these challenges, Navarre kept much of its core territory and its own laws and traditions.

Navarre in the Late Middle Ages

The Kingdom of Navarre went through many changes in leadership and faced challenges from nearby countries. Under rulers from Champagne and France, Navarre had times of peace and growth in culture. Kings like Theobald I supported the arts and poetry. Others, such as Henry I and Joan I, had to deal with invasions and marriages that brought Navarre closer to French control.

Later, Navarre had problems with who would be the next ruler, especially after the death of Blanche I. Arguments between royal families and local nobles caused unrest and fights for power. Even with these difficulties, Navarre kept its independence for a while, though it had to carefully manage its relationships with bigger kingdoms like France and Aragon.

Eventually, in 1512, Navarre was taken over by Spanish forces led by Ferdinand of Aragon. This ended Navarre’s independence in the southern part of its land, though a small part north of the Pyrenees stayed independent longer. The kingdom’s story shows its strength and the complicated politics of medieval Europe.

Main article: Navarrese Civil War (1451–1455)

Main article: Spanish conquest of Iberian Navarre

The crown and the kingdom: A constitutional foundation

Further information: Fuero § Basque and Pyrenean fueros

The Kingdom of Navarre was divided into special areas called merindades. Each area had a leader called a merino. These areas included places like Pamplona, Estella, Tudela, and Sangüesa. In 1407, a new area called Olite was added. Over time, the Cortes of Navarre grew. It started with church leaders and nobles and later included town representatives too.

The Cortes was an important group. Church leaders, nobles, and town representatives met there. They had a rule that all groups needed to agree before making decisions. This helped protect the towns' rights. Navarre kept many of its own special rules until the 19th century. It even had its own taxes and trade laws, different from the rest of Spain. Leaders like García de Medrano and Pedro Antonio de Medrano served as regents of Navarre in the 1600s.

Later history and the end of the fueros

Further information: End of Basque home rule in Spain

During the War of the Pyrenees and the Peninsular War, Navarre went through big changes. The Spanish government, led by Manuel Godoy, wanted to change the special rights of the Basque region, including Navarre. This made many people in Navarre unhappy.

Later, during the Napoleonic Wars, people in Navarre worked hard to protect their homes. After these wars, Navarre supported the Carlist cause, which wanted to keep old traditions. In 1833, Navarre joined this movement, but in 1837, Spain made a new rule and Isabella II became queen. This led to the end of Navarre's special status. By 1841, Navarre was no longer a kingdom and became a province of Spain, but it kept some special rights through the Compromise Act (Spanish: Ley Paccionada).

Province of Spain

Main article: Navarre § Province of Spain

After treaties in the 1840s, some people in Navarre disagreed with the government in Madrid. This led to a war called the Third Carlist War from 1872 to 1876. The war happened mostly in the Basque areas. Different groups in Navarre wanted to keep old local laws and traditions.

During the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the Church in Navarre supported the Nationals. Later, Franco allowed Navarre to keep some special rights. This helped create the modern Chartered Community of Navarre in 1982.

Territory today

The land that was once the Kingdom of Navarre is now split between Spain and France. If the land is south of the Western Pyrenees mountains, it belongs to Spain. If it is north of the mountains, it belongs to France. People in many of these areas still speak the Basque language. Today, Navarre is its own autonomous community within Spain, and a part called Basse-Navarre is part of France's Pyrénées-Atlantiques département. Some other lands that were once part of Navarre now belong to other regions of Spain, including the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, La Rioja, Aragon, and Castile and León.

Historical symbols

The Kingdom of Navarre had many important symbols. These symbols showed the rulers and the kingdom. One famous symbol was the Coat of Arms from King Sancho VI. King Sancho VII also used special signs and seals. Between 1234 and 1580, a new Coat of Arms was made. Kings and queens of Navarre used royal badges and standards. One standard dated back to 1212. These symbols showed the power and history of the kingdom.