The County of Álava () was one of the Basque ''señoríos'', a feudal territory during the 9th and 13th centuries that corresponds to present-day

Álava Álava () or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a Provinces of Spain, province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, heir of the ancient Basque señoríos#Lords of Álava, Lordship ...

, in the Basque Country. Until the final invasion and incorporation into the

Kingdom of Castile The Kingdom of Castile (; : ) was a polity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It traces its origins to the 9th-century County of Castile (, ), as an eastern frontier lordship of the Kingdom of León. During the 10th century, the Ca ...

in the year 1200, the county was governed by counts vassals of the Kingdoms of

Asturias Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...

, León and

Navarre Navarre ( ; ; ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre, is a landlocked foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Autonomous Community, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and New Aquitaine in France. ...

, being under the sphere of influence of one or the other at different times. The figure governing Alava received the title of Count of Álava.Martínez Díez, Gonzalo (2005).
El condado de Castilla (711-1038): la historia frente a la leyenda
'. Marcial Pons Historia, p.199. .

Counts of Álava

The Counts of Álava were the governing figures of the County of Álava and were, at different times, under the sphere of influence of the kingdoms of

and, ultimately, Castile.

Vassals of the Asturian monarchs

, - , Eylo
c. 868 , , , , , , , , , - , Rodrigo of Castile
Also first Count of Castile
c.860-c.870 , , , , Unknown , , Egilona , , 873 , - , Vela Jiménez
Also known as ''Vigila Scemeniz''
c.882-c.897 , , , , Unknown , , Velasquita Sánchez
two children , , Unknown , - ,

Gonzalo Téllez Gonzalo Téllez (died 915) was a nobleman who was Count of Lantarón and Cerezo (c. 897–c. 915) and is also mentioned in a document dated 903 as Count of Castile. He and his wife were the founders of the Monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza. ...

Known as ''Count of Lantaron and Cerezo''
c.897-c.919 , , , , Unknown , , Flámula , , 915 , - ,

Munio Vélaz Munio Vélaz or Vigílaz (died before 931) was the Count of Álava and probably also of Biscay. The exact dates of his countship are unknown. Only one document, dated 18 May 919 in the cartularies of Valpuesta, names Munio as count in Álava. He r ...

Known as ''Monnio Uigilazi in Alaba''
c.919 , , , , Unknown
Son of Vela Jiménez and Velasquita Sánchez , , Velasquita
four children , , 919 , - , Fernando Díaz
923 , , , , Unknown
Son of

Diego Rodríguez Porcelos Diego Rodríguez Porcelos (governed 873 – c. 885), was the second Count of Castile, succeeding his father Rodrigo. He did not govern Álava, however, as his father had done, since this responsibility fell on Count Vela Jiménez. Between 882 a ...

, , Unknown
, , Unknown , - ,

Álvaro Herraméliz Álvaro Herraméliz (floruit, fl. 923–931), was a Spanish people, Spanish noble and the count of Lantarón and of Álava in the region that today would be considered the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country in northern Spain. ...

Known as ''Count of Lantaron and Álava''
c929-931 , , , , Unknown , , Sancha Sánchez of Pamplona
two children , , Unknown , - , Fernán González of Castile
Also Count of Castile
932-970 , , , , c.910
Son of Gonzalo Fernández of Castile and Muniadona of Lara , , Sancha Sánchez of Pamplona, widow of Álvaro Herrameliz
seven children , , 970 , - , García Fernández of Castile
''Of the white hands''
Also Count of Castile
970-995 , , , , 938
Son of Fernán González of Castile and Sancha Sánchez of Pamplona , , Ava of Ribagorza
seven children , , 995 , - , Sancho García of Castile
Also Count of Castile
995 , , , , c.965
Son of García Fernández of Castile and Ava of Ribagorza , , Urraca Gómez
five children , , 1017

Vassals of the Navarrese monarchs

, - , Munio González
c.1030 , , , , Unknown , , Unknown , , Unknown , - , Fortún Íñiguez
c.1043 , , , , Unknown , , Unknown , , Unknown , - , Munio Muñoz
c.1045 , , , , Unknown , , Unknown , , Unknown , - , Alvaro Díaz known as Don Marcelo
c.1056 , , , , Unknown , , Goto López , , before July 1072

Vassals of the Castilian monarchs

, - , Lope Íñiguez
Also

Lord of Biscay The Lordship of Biscay (, Basque: ''Bizkaiko jaurerria'') was a region under feudal rule in the region of Biscay in the Iberian Peninsula between 1040 and 1876, ruled by a political figure known as the Lord of Biscay. One of the Basque ''señor� ...

c.1076 , , , , c.1050
Son of Íñigo López and Toda Fortunez , , Ticlo Díaz
five children , , 1093 , - , Lope González
c.1093 , , , , Unknown , , Unknown , , Unknown , - , Lope Sánchez
c.1099 , , , , Unknown , , Unknown , , Unknown , - , Diego López
''the White''
Also

1093–1124 , , , , 1075
Son of Lope Íñiguez and Ticlo Díaz , , María Sánchez
three children , , 1124 , - ,

Ladrón Íñiguez Ladrón Íñiguez (died 1155), also known as Ladrón Navarro, was a leading nobleman of the Kingdom of Navarre during the reign of García Ramírez of Navarre, García Ramírez (1134–50), whose accession he was instrumental in bringing about. ...

c.1130 , , , , Unknown , , Unknown , , Unknown , - , Lope Díaz
''the one from Nájera''
Also

1125–1170 , , , , Unknown
Son of Diego López and María Sánchez , , Aldonza
eleven children , , 6 May 1170 , - , Vela Ladrón
''Vela from Navarre''
Also

c.1155 , , , , 1115
Son of

, , Unknown , , 1173 , - , Juan Vélaz
c.1174 , , , , Unknown
Son of Vela Ladrón , , Unknown , , Unknown From the year 1200, the County of Álava was fully incorporated into the

and the title of Count of Álava ceased to be used.

References

Works cited