Rodrigo Gómez

Courtyard of Rodrigo's favoured monastery of Oña. The Romanesque structure of Rodrigo's day can be seen in the top left. Rodrigo Gómez (died 1146) was a Castilian nobleman and military leader under Alfonso VII. He governed large parts of Asturias and northern Castile, was involved in the politics with neighbouring Navarre, to whose royal family he was related by marriage, and took part in the Reconquista. Although he was rewarded for loyalty by his sovereign on more than one occasion, he did take part in one brief rebellion, led by a relative. His was a branch of the Lara family.

Biography Rodrigo was a son of Gómez González and Urraca Muñoz. He married Elvira, a daughter of the Navarrese infante Ramiro Sánchez, sometime before 1137, when they made a joint donation of their villa (palacio in contemporary records) at Villaverde to the monastery of San Salvador de Oña. In this donation Rodrigo expressed the wish that his gift would purchase eternal life for his lord, Alfonso VII. Elvira outlived her husband by several years, making another donation to Oña on 18 February, 1161 just before her departure on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

According to one historian, Rodrigo first appears in royal documents in 1119, eight years after his father's death at the Battle of Candespina (1111).

On 17 June 1126, Rodrigo made a donation to the Benedictine monastery of San Pedro de las Dueñas. He made many other donations to the Benedictine monastery at Oña, both before and after his marriage (e.g. 1142).

By 1 June 1131, Rodrigo had been given the title count (comes or consul), the highest dignity in the realm. At the same time he is first mentioned ruling Bureba, which he held onto until at least 25 February 1144.

In 1132, Rodrigo supported his kinsman, Gonzalo Peláez, then in revolt in western Asturias, and rapidly fell from favour.

On 19 December 1135, Rodrigo and his sisters, Sancha and Estefanía, made a donation to Oña for the sake of their late brother Diego's soul.

On 22 February 1140, Rodrigo was witness to a treaty between Alfonso VII and Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona at Carrión de los Condes. Later that year, Rodrigo, with Gutierre Fernández de Castro and a certain Lope López, waged war on García Ramírez of Navarre on behalf of Alfonso VII. García of Navarre was in fact Rodrigo's brother-in-law.

By 27 January 1141, Rodrigo was recorded as ruling Castile, a reference to Castella Vetula (Old Castile) in the north of the kingdom, territory which bordered Asturias de Santillana. He continued to hold it until his death. The escorts were rewarded by García, as recounted in the Chronica Adefonsi (I, §94): [At Pamplona] King García prepared a royal feast for the Castilians and for all the knights and officers of his kingdom. The celebration lasted several days. When it was over, the King gave magnificent gifts to the Castilian nobles, and each of them returned to his land. The last document citing Rodrigo as ruling Asturias and Castile dates from 19 September, 1146. Shortly afterwards he made his last donation to Oña, on 21 September.