First Constitution of Navarre

First Constitution of Navarre

The Kingdom of Navarre, located in the Basque region of Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains and centered on its capital of Pamplona. A relatively small kingdom, it was dominated by its more powerful neighbors for much of its existence, originating as a buffer region between the Franks to the north and the Moorish Umayyad Emirate that controlled most of the Iberian Peninsula from its capital in Córdoba. Later, Navarre found itself between the growing powers of Castile to the west and Aragon to the east, and still pressured by France. However, amid this tumult, the Kingdom of Navarre enjoyed a period of political and military strength that began with the reign of King Sancho VI (1132–94) the Wise. Aside from being the first to take the title “King of Navarre” instead of “King of Pamplona”, the King saved his realm at a time when it was about to be divided and devoured by its neighbors by marrying the daughter of King Alfonso VII of Castile (1105–57) and accepting him as his overlord. Sancho VI brought lasting strength and stability to Navarre by issuing its first constitution, which was written in the Romance dialect of his homeland, making it an early vernacular document. The contents of the Fueros de Navarra resemble a blend of Roman and customary law. It later served as a foundation for subsequent Spanish constitutions and marked the Kingdom of Navarre.