''Gernikako Arbola'' ("the Tree of
Gernika" in
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
) is an
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
tree that symbolizes
traditional freedoms for the
Biscay
Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao.
B ...
an people, and by extension for the
Basque people as a whole. The
Lords of Biscay (including
kings of Castile
This is a list of kings and queens of the Kingdom and Crown of Castile. For their predecessors, see List of Castilian counts.
Kings and Queens of Castile
Jiménez dynasty
House of Ivrea
The following dynasts are descendants, in the ...
and
Carlist
Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty – one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855) – ...
pretenders to the throne) swore to respect the Biscayan liberties under it, and the modern
Lehendakari
The President of the Basque Government ( eu, Eusko Jaurlaritzako lehendakaria, es, presidente del Gobierno Vasco), usually known in the Basque language as the Lehendakari ( eu, lehendakari, es, lendakari), is the head of government of the Basq ...
of the
Basque Country swears his charge there.
Dynasty
In the Middle Ages, representatives of the villages of Biscay would hold assemblies under local big trees. As time passed, the role of separate assemblies was superseded by the Guernica Assembly in 1512, and its oak would acquire a symbolic meaning, with actual assemblies being held in a purpose-built hermitage-house (the current building dates from 1833). It was
the Spanish regent Maria Christina accompanied by her infant daughter Queen
Isabella II
Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868.
Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successi ...
the last Spanish monarch to swear an oath to the ''charters'' under the iconic oak in 1839.
The known specimens
[ El Mundo, 26 February 2005]
Otro árbol de Gernika
/ref> form a dynasty:
* "the father", planted in the 14th century, lasted 450 years
* the "old tree" (1742–1892), re-planted in 1811. The trunk now is held in a templet in the surrounding garden.
* the third (1858–2004), re-planted in 1860, survived the Bombing of Guernica in 1937 but had to be replaced because of a fungus
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from t ...
. The gardeners of the Biscayan government keep several spare trees grown from the tree's acorns.
* the fourth (1986–2015) was replanted on the site of its father on 25 February 2005. It died of a humidity related disease on 15 January 2015.
* the fifth was planted in March 2015, aged 14.
The Tree of Gernika came to prominence during the First and Third Carlist War
The Third Carlist War ( es, Tercera Guerra Carlista) (1872–1876) was the last Carlist War in Spain. It is sometimes referred to as the "Second Carlist War", as the earlier "Second" War (1847–1849) was smaller in scale and relatively trivial ...
s as a symbol of Basque liberties, whose renown and appreciation spread among the Basque diaspora
The Basque diaspora is the name given to describe people of Basque origin living outside their traditional homeland on the borders between Spain and France. Many Basques have left the Basque Country for other parts of the globe for economic a ...
world over during the late 19th century and mid-20th century thanks to the popularity of Jose Maria Iparragirre's namesake anthem. Maria Cristina of Savoy
Maria Cristina of Savoy (Maria Cristina Carlotta Giuseppa Gaetana Efisia; 14 November 1812 – 21 January 1836) was the first Queen consort of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies. She died as a result of childbirth. She is venerated in the Catholic ...
, regent during her daughter Isabel's minority in the First Carlist War, swore the Basque charters under the Oak in 1839.
The tree's significance is illustrated by an event which occurred shortly after the Guernica bombings. When the Francoist troops took the town, the Tercio of Begoña
Begoña or more puristically but also more rarely spelled ''Begoina'', meaning 'the lower foot' (of Mount Artxanda), is a historical municipality of Biscay ( Basque Country, Spain) which was incorporated into Bilbao in 1925.
Originally it includ ...
, formed by Carlist volunteers from Biscay, put an armed guard around the tree to protect it against the Falangists, who had wanted to fell this symbol of Basque nationalism.[An interview with Jaime del Burgo Torres](_blank)
the captain that ordered the guard. Allegedly from El Mundo (31 October 2005). On 26 June 1950, Xavier of Bourbon-Parma, claimant to the Spanish throne during Franco's dictatorial regime, swore the Basque charters in the Oak of Guernica.
An oak tree is depicted on the heraldic arms of Biscay and subsequently on the arms of many of the towns of Biscay. An oak leaf logo is used by the local government of Biscay. The logo of the Basque nationalist party Eusko Alkartasuna
Eusko Alkartasuna (; en, Basque Solidarity; es, Solidaridad Vasca; french: Solidarité basque) is a Basque nationalist and social-democratic political party operating in Spain and France. The Basque language name means ''Basque Solidarity'' an ...
has one half red and the other green, the colors of the Basque flag. An old version of the logo of the Basque nationalist youth organisation Jarrai also display oak leaves. The Basque authorities present descendants of the tree as a symbol of friendship to Basque diaspora groups and related cities.
Other ''fuero'' trees in Biscay
* Malato in Luiando, another tree of special significance for the Basques.
*The Abellaneda oak for the Encartaciones Juntas.
*The Gerediaga oak for the Durango area.
*The Aretxabalagana oak, where Biscaynes had to receive their lord when he came to put his oath on the fuero
(), (), () or () is a Spanish legal term and concept. The word comes from Latin , an open space used as a market, tribunal and meeting place. The same Latin root is the origin of the French terms and , and the Portuguese terms and ; all ...
under the Gernika oak.
See also
*, the meeting place of the Frisians and symbol of the Frisian freedom
Frisian freedom ( fy, Fryske frijheid; ; ) was the absence of feudalism and serfdom in Frisia, the area that was originally inhabited by the Frisians. Historical Frisia included the modern provinces of Friesland and Groningen, and the area of We ...
.
* List of individual trees
References
External links
Arbol de Gernika
in the Spanish-language Auñamendi Encyclopedia
The Auñamendi Encyclopedia is the largest encyclopedia of Basque culture and society, with 120,000 articles and more than 67,000 images.
History
Founded in 1958 by the Estornés Lasa brothers, Bernardo and Mariano. He began publishing in 196 ...
.
Tourism in the Basque Country
Page on the tree
at the site of the General Assemblies of Biscay (English, Basque, Spanish and French).
L'arbre de Guernica
, a 1975 Surrealist film by Fernando Arrabal
Fernando Arrabal Terán (born August 11, 1932) is a Spanish playwright, screenwriter, film director, novelist, and poet. He was born in Melilla and settled in France in 1955. Regarding his nationality, Arrabal describes himself as "desterrado" ...
.
{{coord, 43, 18, 53, N, 2, 40, 47, W, type:landmark_region:ES, display=title
Individual oak trees
Basque history
Guernica
Individual trees in Spain
Trees in culture