Fernando Flaínez

Fernando Flaínez (fl. c. 1002–c. 1049) was a powerful magnate from the Kingdom of León, member of the aristocratic lineage of the Flaínez. His parents were Flaín Muñoz and his wife Justa Fernández, daughter of count Fernando Bermúdez de Cea. He was the paternal grandfather of Jimena Díaz, the uncle of her husband, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar El Cid, and the direct ancestor of the important medieval lineage of the Osorios. He married Elvira Peláez, daughter of Pelayo Rodríguez and Gotina Fernández de Cea, with whom he had at least seven children: Flaín, Oveco, Justa, Pedro, Pelayo, Muño and Diego. He was the tenente of Aguilar and documented with the title of count as of 1028. Jointly with his son, Flaín Fernández, he governed the city of León until 1038 when the kingdom was already under the control of King Sancho III of Navarre.

Biographical sketch

He first appears in medieval charters in 999 when, jointly with his brother Munio, confirmed a donation by the Bishop of León to the Monastery of Sahagún On 26 February of 1020, he and his wife accompanied by several of his children founded the Monastery of San Martín de Pereda in Valle de Valdeburón which was subsequently incorporated in the Monastery of Benevívere. In this document, he mentions that he had inherited several of the properties being donated from Fredenando Uermudiz et Flanio Moniz, his grandfather and father, respectively.

As a loyal vassal of King Alfonso V of León, he appears constantly confirming royal charters and was honored with the title of Count at the end of the reign of Alfonso and at least from 1028. After the death of Alfonso V and the succession to the throne by Bermudo III of León, Fernando supported his first cousin King Sancho III of Navarre, although, at first, he accompanied the young monarch as evidenced in a donation made by Bermudo III in November 1028 to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela where he appears with other magnates confirming the royal charter. His presence in the curia regis of King Bermudo III was infrequent from 1029 until 1035 and this absence could be attributed to his involvement — active or behind the scenes — in the assassination of García Sánchez, Count of Castile in 1029 when he went to the city of León to meet Sancha, his promised bride and future wife of King Ferdinand I of León.

He was back at the court of Bermudo III to whom he remained faithful until the king was killed in the Battle of Tamarón in 1037. Fernando Flaínez did not hand over the capital of the Kingdom of León to Ferdinand I until 1038 and kept all his honors and estates until his death, after 1049, the last year in which he appears in the charters of the Monastery of Sahagún.

Marriage and issue

He married his first cousin, Elvira Peláez, daughter of Count Pelayo Rodríguez and Countess Gotina Fernández, another daughter of Fernando Bermúdez de Cea, and as such, also a sister of Queen Jimena and of Justa Fernández, Fernando's mother. They were the parents of the following children, except Justa, all born before February 1020, the date on which they appear confirming the donation made by their parents:

• Flaín Fernández (died before 1065), a count and husband of Toda Fernández and father of Martín Flaínez
• Oveco Fernández, married to Onecca Gutiérrez
• Pedro Fernández
• Pelayo Fernández (died after June 1049), a count before 1043, he could have been the father of Flaín Peláez
• Muño Fernández
• Diego Fernández, the father of Jimena Díaz, wife of El Cid
• Justa Fernández, named after her paternal grandmother, Justa was the second wife of Count Ansur Díaz who, with his first wife, was the father of the powerful count Pedro Ansúrez