Gonzalo Fernández of Castile

Who is Gonzalo Fernández of Castile?

Gonzalo Fernández was Count of Burgos and of Castile.

Recorded for the first time in 899 as Count of Burgos, soon the region expanded to the eastern mountain valleys enabling Gonzalo to make his fort base in Lara, thus stretching his rule from the foot of the Cantabrian Mountains around Espinosa de los Monteros to the river Arlanza, which therefore became the border with the neighbouring Muslim territories. In order to stretch his territory this far, he first had to displace the Muslim forces based at the stronghold of Carazo that dominated the area and access. This was achieved after a long and well contested struggle.

The valley of Lara was then the rallying point of the family that - years later - achieved through his son, Fernán González the quasi-independence of Castile, securing the area for five generations with the family until it became a kingdom under Fernando I of Castile of the Jimenez dynasty.

His name appears for the first time in charter of the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña, one of the most influential monastic houses later in Castile together with the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos. He was also the founder of the other Monastic House of San Pedro de Arlanza.