Queens Regnant – Toda of Pamplona




Toda of Pamplona

Toda of Pamplona’s status as Queen Regnant is a bit strange. She is perhaps best known as Queen consort. She was born circa 876 as the daughter of the Earl Aznar Sánchez of Larraun and Onneca Fortúnez. She was a granddaughter of Fortún Garcés of Pamplona, King of Pamplona. She married Sancho I of Pamplona, later known as the Kingdom of Navarre, and they had a son and four daughters.

  • García Sánchez I, King of Pamplona from 925 until 970.
  • Urraca Sánchez, Queen consort of the Kingdom of León from 931 until 951 after marrying Ramiro II of León.
  • Oneca Sánchez, Queen consort of the Kingdom of León from 926 until 931 after marrying Alfonso IV of León.
  • Sancha Sánchez (died between 949 and 963), was queen consort of León as the third wife of King Ordoño II.
  • Velasquita Sánchez, married first to Munio Vélaz, Count of Álava.
  • Orbita Sánchez, nothing is known about her life.

Her husband died in 925 and was initially succeeded by his brother Jimeno, though perhaps he was only intended to act as regent. He does appear to have been mentioned with a royal title. After Jimeno’s death in 931, Toda succeeded him as regent for her son. She appears several times in royal charters, even after her son came of age and often supplanting his wife, first Andregoto Galíndez and secondly Teresa of León.

Her status as Queen regnant comes from a subkingdom she ruled in 958 in the area of Degio and Lizarra. However, not much is known about this, and it appears she died around 958 too. She is buried in the Monastery of Suso.

(Right) Tombs of the three queens of Navarre (Toda, Ximena and Elvira) at the Monastery of Suso and (left) tombs of the Siete infantes de Lara.(Public Domain)
(Right) Tombs of the three queens of Navarre (Toda, Ximena and Elvira) at the Monastery of Suso and (left) tombs of the Siete infantes de Lara.(Public Domain)






About Moniek Bloks 2681 Articles
My name is Moniek and I am from the Netherlands. I began this website in 2013 because I wanted to share these women's amazing stories.

1 Comment

  1. Thanks for shedding light on another v interesting but little known (about in English) Medieval Spanish Noblewoman.
    One of my favourites is Almodis of Barcelona (de le Marche). But its v difficult to find anything in translation about her unfortunately

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