Jimena Dynasty
The Jimena Dynasty is the name given to the group of rulers of primitive nuclear Navarre, whose family feud after the loss of Pamplona in 732 ranged from Puerto Loiti in Navarra to the Gállego River in Huesca. His fief was never conquered by the Muslims, finding in the Chronicle of Ibn Hayyan how Abderramán III in the raid of 924 penetrated his land for the first time. Beginning with the Hispano-Roman nobleman known as Jimeno el Fuerte as governor of his lands upon the arrival of the Muslims in 711, the Jimena dynasty saw its end in 1234 upon the death of its last monarch Sancho VII of Navarre, known as Sancho the strong.
Origin of the Jimena Dynasty
- Jimeno the Fort (m.c. 717)
Jimeno or Ximeno "el Fuerte" was a Hispano-Roman nobleman whose residence in medieval documentation is located between Lumbier, Leyre, Aibar and Sangüesa. The oldest text that refers to this monarch is from the year 781.
He was the father of Garcí Ximénez, (not to be confused with García Jiménez de Pamplona, his grandson or great-grandson, by a difference of almost 100 years). He was the leader of nuclear Navarra.
- King Garcí Ximénez (717-732)
Son of the previous one, he was the first King within the Jimena Dynasty. Anointed in 717 with the consent of Pope Gregory II, he was the first peninsular monarch to be anointed as such after Roderick's death. The first reconquest of occupied lands is owed to this monarch, reconquering the town of Ainsa (Huesca) and its region in 724. After this action, he was recognized as the First King of Sobrarbe, the title being only nominal without interaction from the papacy. The reconquest of Ainsa by this monarch gave the current Coat of Arms of Aragon two of its four quarters: the holm oak with the flaming Cross and the Cross misnamed "de Arista".
- Jimeno (Semen) Garcés. (n/c)
Son of Garcí Ximénez, after the loss of Pamplona in 732 he took refuge in his native fiefdom behind the border of Puerto Loiti. Found in medieval documentation as Lord of Ull and La Valdonsella, there is no document that mentions him as King.
- King Iñigo Jiménez (m.c. 835)
Son of Jimeno Garcés, and probably father or grandfather of García Jiménez, contemporary of Íñigo Arista, signature in medieval documentation as king, and son of Jimeno.
- Fortuño Jiménez (n/c)
The son of Jimeno Garcés is named in the chronicles as count of the primitive County of Aragón.
- Galindo Íñiguez (m.p. 851).
The son of Íñigo Jiménez was captured by the Muslims and held in Córdoba as a hostage, being released after the death of Íñigo Arista. He was in charge of bringing to Navarre the relics of San Zoilo around which the temple of San Zoilo de Cáseda was erected.
- García Jiménez (835-886)
The grandson (probably great-grandson, by a difference of almost 100 years) of King Jimeno, is confused with his son of the same name. He married Onneca Rebelle de Sangüesa, from whom Sancho Garcés I, Íñigo Garcés and Sancha Garcés were born. He was co-regent of Pamplona in the absence of the heir between 870 and 880. From a second marriage to Dadildis de Pallars (sister of Count Ramón I de Ribagorza y Pallars) Jimeno Garcés de Pamplona and Jimena Garcés de Asturias were born.
- García Íñiguez (839-861)
Not to be confused with García Íñiguez, king of Pamplona between 851 and 880. He is the son of Íñigo Jiménez and Jimena. He was probably the brother of Jimeno Íñiguez, Fortún Íñiguez and Sancho Íñiguez, who fled to Córdoba.
He is the ruler of Valdonsella and dies in the battle of Liédena in the year 861.
- Sancho Garcés I of Pamplona (865-925)
Born in Sangüesa he was King of Pamplona between 905 and 925. Son of García Jiménez in classical documentation, he is traditionally held to be the son of Onneca de Sangüesa (Onneca Rebelle), there being only one document that presents him as the son of Dadildis de Pallars, and this adjudication is currently dismissed for having both an age difference of 10 years. On the death of García Íñiguez de Pamplona in the year 882, he was ruler of Valdonsella and soon resumed a leadership military policy in all the surrounding territories, being the first to try to conquer the Ribera del Ebro. With the support of the Asturian King Alfonso III of Asturias (married to his sister Jimena de Asturias), Count Aznar I Galíndez de Jaca (his father-in-law), and Count of Pallars (uncle of his brother Jimeno Garcés de Pamplona), he would conquer Pamplona. in 905 forcing Fortún Garcés to abdicate the throne, secluding him in the Monastery of Leyre until his death. After the conquest of Pamplona he unified the territories of the County of Pamplona to those of nuclear Navarra, being the first to reunite under his crown the lands lost after the death of Garcí Ximénez.
- Iñigo Garcés
Son of co-regent García Jiménez and Onneca de Sangüesa.
He married Jimena and they fathered García Íñiguez, Jimeno Íñiguez, Fortún Íñiguez, Sancho Íñiguez and Toda, who married García Íñiguez de Olza.
- Jimeno Garcés de Pamplona (m. May 29, 931)
Son of García Jiménez and Dadildis de Pallars, upon the death of Sancho Garcés I of Pamplona, he governed as tutor until the age of majority of his nephew García Sánchez I of Pamplona