Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera (''

floruit ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...

'' 1105–1162), called Ponç Guerau (or Grau) in Catalan or Pons in

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language, spoken in parts o ...

, was a Catalan nobleman, courtier and military leader in the kingdoms of León and Castile. Ponce came to León in the entourage of Berenguela, daughter of

Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona Ramon Berenguer III ''the Great'' (11 November 1082 – 23 January or 19 July 1131) was the count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 1086 (jointly with Berenguer Ramon II and solely from 1097), Besalú from 1111, Cerdanya from 1117, and cou ...

, when she married King

Alfonso VII of León Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century ( Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic Kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula. ...

at Saldaña in November 1127.Simon Barton, ''The Aristocracy in León and Castile'' (Cambridge: 1997), 284–85. Immediately after his arrival, Ponce assumed a position of some importance in the kingdom. By 1143 he held the title of

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(Latin ''comes''), the highest rank of the Leonese nobility. By 1145 he had been appointed the king's

majordomo A majordomo () is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, this is the highest (''major'') person of a household (''domūs'' or ''domicile'') staff, a head servant who acts on behalf of the owner of a larg ...

, the highest official in the realm.Bernard F. Reilly, ''The Kingdom of León-Castilla under King Alfonso VII, 1126–1157'' (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998), 163.

Early career (1126–1140)

Catalan origins

Ponce was a son of Guerau II de Cabrera, the first

viscount of Àger A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is so ...

and

Girona Girona (; ) is the capital city of the Province of Girona in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 106,476 in 2024, but the p ...

, and thus a great-grandson of Arnau Mir de Tost.Barton (1992), 236. His mother was Guerau's second wife, Elvira, probably a daughter of the Leonese magnate

Pedro Ansúrez Pedro Ansúrez (''floruit'' 1065–1117; died probably 9 September 1118) was a Castilian nobleman, count of Liébana, Saldaña and Carrión in the closing decades of the eleventh century and the opening decades of the twelfth. He is considered ...

and his wife Elo Alfonso. Ponce was born between 1098 and 1105; he had two brothers, Ferrer Guerau and Bernat (Bernard) Guerau, both born before 1100.Jaume Coll i Castanyer
"Els vescomtes de Girona"
''Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Gironins'', 30 (1988), 39–98. In his father's will of 1131, he was nominated as heir to the greater part of his father's lands and titles. Ponce succeeded his father in 1132 as Viscount Ponç II. By 1145 he had ceded control over Àger and Girona to his son,

Guerau III de Cabrera Guerau III de Cabrera (died 1160/61), also called Guiraut (or Giraut) de Cabreira, was a Catalan nobleman and Occitan troubadour. He was the viscount of Àger and Cabrera from 1145. He was the son of Ponç II de Cabrera and Sancha. Guerau is t ...

. In the nineteenth year of King

Louis VI of France Louis VI (1 December 1081 – 1 August 1137), called the Fat () or the Fighter (), was List of French monarchs, King of the Franks from 1108 to 1137. Like his father Philip I of France, Philip I, Louis made a lasting contribution to centralizing ...

(1126/7), Ponce witnessed Count

Raymond Berengar III of Barcelona Ramon Berenguer III ''the Great'' (11 November 1082 – 23 January or 19 July 1131) was the count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 1086 (jointly with Berenguer Ramon II and solely from 1097), Besalú from 1111, Cerdanya from 1117, and count ...

grant the guardianship (''baiulia'') of the young heir to the viscounty of Bas to his seneschal, Guillem Ramon II de Montcada. In the charter, Ponce's surname is given as ''de Capraria''. There is a charter dated to 25 October 1122 in which Ponce, using the vicecomital title, pledges fealty to the bishop of Girona, Berenguer Dalmau. If authentic, this charter, found in the ''Cartoral de Carles Many''

cartulary A cartulary or chartulary (; Latin: ''cartularium'' or ''chartularium''), also called ''pancarta'' or ''codex diplomaticus'', is a medieval manuscript volume or roll ('' rotulus'') containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the fo ...

, shows that Ponce was already sharing in the government of the Cabrera lands with his father as early as 1122.

Establishing a base of power in western León

The first evidence of Ponce's presence in the kingdom of León is the dating clause of a private charter dated 27 October 1128, which states that it was drawn up while "Ponce Giraldo and his ''

merino The Merino is a list of sheep breeds, breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep, characterised by very fine soft wool. It was established in Spain near the end of the Middle Ages, and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monop ...

'' Pelayo Peláez

ere Ere or ERE may refer to: * ''Environmental and Resource Economics'', a peer-reviewed academic journal * ERE Informatique, one of the first French video game companies * Ere language, an Austronesian language * Ebi Ere (born 1981), American-Nigeria ...

ruling the castle of Ulver", that is, modern Cornatel on the southern edge of the Bierzo. This charter is preserved in the

(''tumbo'') of the monastery of San Pedro de Montes, where Ponce seems to have been much esteemed—a charter of a later date refers to him as "the most noble Count Ponce". Ulver had been held by the powerful magnate

Ramiro Fróilaz Ramiro Fróilaz (''floruit'' 1120–1169) was a Leonese magnate, statesman, and military leader. He was a dominant figure in the kingdom during the reigns of Alfonso VII and Ferdinand II. He was primarily a territorial governor, but also a cour ...

as late as May earlier that year, and by July 1133 it was back in his hands. It is possible that it was returned to his hold much earlier and that Ponce's rule was very brief. It was certainly only at the behest of Alfonso VI that an important castle in the region of one of the most powerful men in the kingdom could be bestowed on a relative newcomer like Ponce.Barton (1992), 238. Ponce later acquired lands in the district of Senabria, south of the Bierzo and across the Sierra de la Cabrera, where charters preserved in the cartulary of San Martín de Castañeda record two property exchanges he made in 1132 and 1135. Some time earlier Ponce purchased some land at ''Covelo'' (now Cubelo de Sanabria) from one Pedro Bellido. On 31 March 1132 he sold the same land to García Pérez and his wife Velasquita for a

breastplate A breastplate or chestplate is a device worn over the torso to protect it from injury, as an item of religious significance, or as an item of status. European In medieval weaponry, the breastplate is the front portion of plate armour covering th ...

, a

mule The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey, and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two ...

and thirty rolls of

linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...

. In August 1135 he more land "in the territory of Senabria" beside the river

Tera Tera or TERA may refer to: People * Tera Hunter, American professor of history * Tera Patrick (born 1976) American pornographic actress * Tera people, an ethnic group in Gombe State, Nigeria Places * Téra, Niger * Tera, Paphos, Cyprus * ...

to the same couple for a mule valued at fifty '' morabetinos'' and a horse worth eighty. Both these donations indicate that at the time "Ponce asruling Senabria." His control of Senabria and the surrounding territory lasted until shortly before his death. Around the same time, between 1129 and 1138, Ponce also came into neighbouring districts of

La Cabrera La Cabrera () is a municipality in central Spain, around away from Madrid. La Cabrera belongs to the comarca called Sierra Norte de Madrid which is part of the wider autonomous Community of Madrid. Covering an area of , it is bordered to the ...

and

Morales Morales is a Spanish surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alfredo Morales (born 1990), American footballer * Alvaro Morales (disambiguation), several people * Amado Morales (born 1947), Puerto Rican javelin thrower * Bartolomé Mo ...

, which had previously been under the lordship of Ramiro Fróilaz. Ponce later served closely with Ramiro on several military campaigns. The two even shared the tenancy of Astorga in 1154, and probably somewhat later that of

Villafranca del Bierzo 250px, Castle of Villafranca. Villafranca del Bierzo ( Galician: Vilafranca do Bierzo) is a village and municipality located in the comarca of El Bierzo, in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain. Villafranca del Bierzo lies 187 kilomete ...

. A tenancy, known in contemporary sources as a ''prestimonium'', ''feudum'', ''honor'' or ''tenencia'', was a piece of

crown land Crown land, also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. Today, in Commonwealth realm ...

given in

fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...

to a nobleman who did homage (''hominium'') for it to the king. A tenant (''tenente'') was charged with raising troops from his tenancy in wartime and collecting taxes and administering justice in peacetime. In sparsely populated areas, a tenant was expect to encourage the settlement of his land. Tenancies were not hereditary and varied greatly in size. The tenancies held by Ponce "display a markedly military aspect", being mainly on the southern or western frontier.

Relationship with the royal court

Although Ponce benefited early in his career from royal patronage, he was at first "a fairly peripheral figure ... one among a large number of second-rate Leonese nobles who lacked the wealth and political clout of the great magnates of the realm." During the first half of Alfonso VII's reign, Ponce was rarely in attendance at the ''curia regis'' (royal court), where noble attendees "were expected to counsel the monarch in the day-to-day business of government." The first record of Ponce at court dates to 25 March 1129, when the court was staying at

Palencia Palencia () is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Palencia. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in the northern half of ...

and the king made a grant to the

archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela The Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela () is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Spain. It is the most senior of the five districts into which the church divides the region of Galicia.conventientia'' with his overlord and relative, Count

Ermengol VI of Urgell Ermengol or Armengol VI (10961154), called el de Castilla ("the one from Castile"), was the count of Urgell from 1102 until his death. He was the son and successor of Ermengol V and María Pérez, daughter of Count Pedro Ansúrez, Lord of Vall ...

. The reasons for such prolonged absences cannot be ascertained with certainty today, but at least four possibilities are likely: poor health, the need to visit his Catalan territories, the demands of military campaigns elsewhere, or the loss of royal favour. In 1139 Ponce took part in the successful

Siege of Oreja The siege of Oreja was a siege by the forces of Alfonso VII, Emperor of Spain, that lasted from April until October 1139 when the Almoravid garrison surrendered. It was the first major victory of the renewed ''Reconquista'' that characterised t ...

, where Alfonso reconquered the city from the Muslims.Barton (1992), 243. On 22 February 1140, Ponce was at

Carrión de los Condes Carrión de los Condes () is a municipality in the province of Palencia, part of the Autonomous Community of Castile and León, Spain. Situated on the River Carrión, it is 40 kilometers upstream from the provincial capital of Palencia, on the F ...

to witness the treaty between Alfonso VII and

Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona Ramon Berenguer IV (; c. 1114 – 6 August 1162, Anglicized Raymond Berengar IV), sometimes called ''the Saint'', was the count of Barcelona and the consort of Aragon who brought about the union of the County of Barcelona with the Kingdom of Arag ...

, which treaty is preserved in the ''

Liber feudorum maior The ''Liber feudorum maior'' (or ''LFM'', medieval Latin for "great book of fiefs"), originally called the ''Liber domini regis'' ("book of the lord king"), is a late twelfth-century Illuminated manuscript, illuminated cartulary of the Crown of A ...

''. The next year (1141), Ponce joined the

punitive expedition A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a political entity or any group of people outside the borders of the punishing state or union. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong beha ...

Alfonso led against his cousin

Afonso Henriques Dom Afonso IOr also ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonso'' ( Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin version), sometimes rendered in English as ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', depending on the Spanish or French influence ...

, who had proclaimed himself

King of Portugal This is a list of Portuguese monarchs who ruled from the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal, in 1139, to the deposition of the Portuguese monarchy and creation of the Portugal, Portuguese Republic with the 5 October 1910 revolution. Thro ...

in contravention to a treaty he had signed with Alfonso. His presence in Portugal is attested in the ''

Chronicon Lusitanum The ''Chronicon Lusitanum'' or ''Lusitano'' (also ''Chronica Lusitana'' or ''Chronica/Chronicon Gothorum'') is a chronicle of the history of Portugal from the earliest Migration period, migrations of the Visigoths (which it dates to 311) through ...

'', which reports that he was captured at the

Battle of Valdevez The Battle of Valdevez () took place at Arcos de Valdevez on the banks of the :pt:Rio Vez, river Vez between the Kingdom of León and the Kingdom of Portugal in the summer of 1140 or 1141. It is one of only two pitched battles that Alfonso VII of ...

, and in a charter given by Alfonso at

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela, simply Santiago, or Compostela, in the province of Province of A Coruña, A Coruña, is the capital of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city ...

on 23 September 1141. It is possible that the Catalan fought with distinction in these two wars in Andalusia and Portugal, since shortly afterwards he became a prominent figure at court. As a tenant (''tenente'') of the crown, he would have been expected to raise a contingent of knights (''milites'') and infantry (''pedites'') for the campaigns. In the fall of 1142 Ponce's relationship with the court permanently changed. He confirmed 376 of the 543 charters issued by Alfonso VII after that date, making him the most regular curial attendee among the counts of the kingdom.Reilly (1998), 166.

Prince of the empire (1140–1157)

Prince of Zamora

There is a dubious charter dated 12 February 1140 that refers to Ponce as lord of Castrotorafe and Zamora. The former he is not otherwise recorded as ruling; the latter he is known to have ruled between 6 June 1142 and 6 November 1159. There is a charter slightly earlier, dated 5 April 1142, that refers to Ponce as "Ponce, count in Zamora" (''Poncius comite in Zamora''), but the use of the comital title is anachronistic, as there is no other evidence he held it before June. There is a more ambitious forgery in the purported ''

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 ...

'' of Castrotrafe, dated 2 February 1129, which cites Ponce as "ruling Zamora" (''mandante Çamora'') over a decade before he is otherwise known to have done so. There is no other evidence of Ponce holding Castrotorafe in lordship, but he is known to have had close contact with the town. The earliest clear and unambiguous reference to Ponce ruling Zamora and its district is in the list of confirmants (''confirmantes'') ofAlfonso's grant of the village of Fradejas to the Diocese of Zamora on 6 June 1142. This document, which refers to Ponce as "at this time prince of Zamora" (''princeps eo tempore Cemore''), was drawn up while Alfonso was besieging Coria and indicates that Ponce participated in that campaign.Barton (1992), 241. Zamora had previously been held by

Osorio Martínez Osorio Martínez () (bef. 1108 – March 1160) was a magnate from the Province of León in the Empire of Alfonso VII. He served as the emperor militarily throughout his long career, which peaked in 1138–41. Besides the documentary sources, which ...

, the brother of

Rodrigo Martínez Rodrigo Martínez () (died July 1138) was a Leonese nobleman, landowner, courtier, military leader, governor, and diplomat, "the most powerful lay figure in the region of the western Tierra de Campos," who "emerges as far and away the most regula ...

, who had died at an earlier siege of Coria in 1138. At around the time of the second siege, Osorio became estranged from the emperor and his fiefs, which had previously been held by Rodrigo, were confiscated. Ponce benefited from his fall, for not only Zamora, but Melgar de Abajo in the

Tierra de Campos Tierra de Campos ("Land of Fields") is a large historical and natural region or greater comarca that straddles the provinces of León, Zamora, Valladolid and Palencia, in Castile and León, Spain. It is a vast, desolate plain with practically ...

and Malgrat (modern Benavente) between Zamora and León were transferred from Osorio's possession to his, by at the latest 27 April 1146 and 7 February 1148, respectively. Ponce was soon expanding his lordship in the Tierra de Campos: by 1146 he had the tenancy of

Villalpando Villalpando is a municipality located in the province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 1,624 inhabitants. Formerly the town was reputed for its saltpans, the Salinas ...

and by 1151 he had received Villafáfila.Barton (1992), 247. It is possible that Ponce received two other large tenancies in southern León at this time,

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

and Castrotorafe. The evidence that Ponce ever held the latter is inconclusive, but he had received that of Salamanca by 21 January 1144 at the latest and possibly at the same time as he was granted nearby Zamora. The '' Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris'', a contemporary account of Alfonso VII's reign, relates how the Salamancas were defeated four times in the years 1132–33 before "they offered tithes and their first fruits to God, and

favored

ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometers, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is i ...

the gift of valor and prudence while waging war,

or which Or or OR may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * "O.R.", a 1974 episode of '' M*A*S*H'' * '' Or (My Treasure)'', a 2004 movie from Israel (''Or'' means "light" in Hebrew) Music * ''Or'' (album), a 2002 album by Gold ...

reason, subsequent to their prayers, they were a constant threat to the Moors in their own land under the leadership of Count Poncio, ightingseveral battles and

inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other tea ...

great victories which included great spoils, e city of Salamanca ecomingfamous for its knights and infantry nd growingvery rich from the spoils of war." Shortly after the reconquest of Coria, but no earlier than 29 June, Ponce parted from the royal court and probably headed for Zamora. He was there when Alfonso VII visited on 5 October 1143, and gratefully bestowed on him the deserted village of Moreruela de Frades, located about thirty kilometres north of Zamora. There Ponce founded an abbey dedicated to Santa María for some

Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...

monks, probably the first of its kind in Spain. The original charter granting him the village stipulated that he should build a monastery there and "maintain and conserve" (''manuteneat et conservet'') it.Barton (1992), 242. On 28 July 1156, acting for the monks, he procured a "pact of friendship" (''pactum amiciciarum'') with the townsmen of Castrotorafe, and he endowed the Cistercians with more land, but there is no record of his favouring the monastery much beyond this. It was left to his kin and descendants to endow the monastery with lands throughout Spain and make it "one of the wealthiest houses in the peninsula" in the thirteenth century.

Count and majordomo

After the Emperor's visit to Moreruela, Ponce continued with the court as it moved across the realm as far east as

Nájera Nájera () is a small town, former bishopric and now Latin Catholic titular see, former capital of the Kingdom of Najera-Pamplona, located in the "Rioja Alta" region of La Rioja, northern Spain, on the river Najerilla. Nájera is a stopping poi ...

, where Alfonso made a donation to the great

Abbey of Cluny Cluny Abbey (; , formerly also ''Cluni'' or ''Clugny''; ) is a former Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. The abbey was constructed in the Romanesque architectural style, with ...

on 29 October 1143. This document is the earliest surviving evidence of a promotion which Ponce must have received during the previous three weeks: he was raised to the rank of

(Latin ''comes'', meaning originally "companion in-arms), which was then the highest rank in the empire. In the charter of donation to Cluny he appears as ''Poncius de Cabreria comes''. Thereafter, Ponce was a constant member of the court, which on account of its wide membership and its itinerant nature, winding its way through all of Alfonso's dominions, may be called the ''curia imperatoris'' (imperial court). Ponce's own "vast lordship ... snaked its way some 200 km south along the border with Portugal from La Cabrera ... down as far as the river

Tormes The Tormes is a Spanish river that starts in Prado Tormejón, in the mountain range of Gredos, Navarredonda de Gredos, province of Ávila. It crosses the provinces of Avila and Salamanca, ending at the Duero River, at a place known locally as A ...

" and included the cities of Zamora, Salamanca and Malgrat. Ponce only rarely left the court throughout 1144, and in early 1145 he was appointed imperial majordomo (''maiordomus imperatoris''), the most prestigious office in the empire, to replace Diego Muñoz. Except for a brief period in April–May 1146, when he relinquished the post to Ermengol VI of Urgell, Ponce remained majordomo down to the death of Alfonso, but it cannot be discerned from the sources that survive whether that post still included "overall responsibility for the organisation of the royal household" or was largely ceremonial by the mid-twelfth century. On one of Ponce's rare absences, Pelayo Curvo stood in his place as majordomo and confirmed an imperial charter (15 October 1146). Battle of Valdevez

Military campaigns

Between 1146 and the emperor's death in 1157, Ponce participated in almost every military expedition waged by Alfonso. In April–May 1146 he was with the army that conquered

Córdoba Córdoba most commonly refers to: * Córdoba, Spain, a major city in southern Spain and formerly the imperial capital of Islamic Spain * Córdoba, Argentina, the second largest city in Argentina and the capital of Córdoba Province Córdoba or Cord ...

and raided its Great Mosque. He witnessed an imperial charter of 19 April, which was drawn up "after returning to the earthworks, where the above named emperor made the prince of the Moors, Abengania, his vassal, and a certain part of Córdoba was plundered with its great mosque." Early in the summer that year,Reilly (1998), 87. Ponce, along with Manrique Pérez, Ermengol of Urgell and Martín Fernández, led the force that defeated and killed

Sayf al-Dawla ʿAlī ibn ʾAbū'l-Hayjāʾ ʿAbdallāh ibn Ḥamdān ibn Ḥamdūn ibn al-Ḥārith al-Taghlibī (, 22 June 916 – 8 February 967), more commonly known simply by his honorific of Sayf al-Dawla (, ), was the founder of the Emirate of Aleppo, ...

, a vassal of the emperor who had revolted, in the

battle of Albacete The battle of Albacete (5 February 1146) was a confrontation between Sayf al-Dawla (Zafadola), emir of Murcia and Valencia, and an army of the kingdom of León-Castile. The Castilians were victorious. Sayf al-Dawla was captured in the battle and ...

.Barton (1992), 146. The ''Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris'', which narrates this campaign, names Ponce before the other Christian leaders. In January 1147 Ponce was present at the conquest of Calatrava, where he is attested on the ninth of the month. He was present with the imperial army at Baeza both on the journey to (18 August) and from (25 November) the successful Siege of Almería on the

Mediterranean coast The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eu ...

, and so his participation is certain. After the city was occupied, and a portion given to the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...

, as per an earlier agreement, Ponce was enfeoffed with the imperial portion. He continued to govern Castilian Almería at least until February 1154.Reilly (1998), 174–75. A contemporary Latin poem, the '' Prefatio de Almaria'', probably by the same author as the ''Chronica Adefonsi'', describes the preparations for the campaign against Almería with a roll-call of the major nobles participating. The section concerning Ponce is lengthy, with many allusions to

classical mythology Classical mythology, also known as Greco-Roman mythology or Greek and Roman mythology, is the collective body and study of myths from the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans. Mythology, along with philosophy and political thought, is one of the m ...

and the

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

: In 1150 Ponce took part in the imperial siege of Córdoba, and in 1151 in that of Jaén. In 1152 he was probably with the army that attacked

Guadix Guadix (, ) is a city and municipalities of Spain, municipality in southern Spain, in the Granada (province), province of Granada. The city lies at an altitude of 913 metres, in the centre of the Hoya of Guadix, a high plain at the northern footh ...

and Lorca, because when on 5 September at

Uclés Uclés is a municipality of Spain located in the province of Cuenca, Castilla–La Mancha. The municipality spans across a total area of 64.61 km2 and, as of 1 January 2020, it has a registered population of 212. History The fortress and town w ...

the emperor "returned from Lorca ... in the year in which he had Guadix surrounded", Ponce was with him. On 18 November 1152 Alfonso VII rewarded Ponce "my faithful vassal, for the good and faithful ilitaryservice which erendered me at Almería and in many other places, naturally in the provinces of the Christians and also in those of the Saracens" by granting him the castle of Albuher (or Alboer, modern

Villamanrique Villamanrique is a municipality in Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha, Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southe ...

on the

Tagus The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...

) in the extreme south of his dominions, between Oreja, in whose conquest Ponce had participated in 1139, and

Almoguera Almoguera is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2004 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating ...

. In 1153 Ponce gained the tenancy of

Toro Toro may refer to: Places *Toro, Molise, a ''comune'' in the Province of Campobasso, Italy *Toro, Nigeria, a Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria *Toro, Shizuoka, an archaeological site in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan *Toro, Zamora, a ''m ...

on the river

Duero The Douro (, , , ; ; ) is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta ...

in the region of Zamora near the border with Portugal, an important defensive position. In 1156 the town of Cepeda, seventy kilometres to the southwest, was attached to the tenancy of Salamanca. At this juncture his tenancies and personal estates were so geographically diverse and his power at court so great it has been said that he "bestrode the kingdom like a colossus".Barton (1992), 248. In 1155 Ponce fought at the conquest of

Andújar Andújar () is a Spanish municipality of 35,619 people (2024) in the province of Jaén, in Andalusia. The municipality is divided by the Guadalquivir River. The northern part of the municipality is where the Natural Park of the Sierra de And� ...

, where he can be traced on 15 June.

In the service of Alfonso VII's heirs (1157–62)

Exile from the court of Ferdinand II

Shortly before the death of Alfonso VII, perhaps aware of the impending division of his empire between his sons Sancho III, who inherited Castile and

Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...

, and Ferdinand II, who inherited León and Galicia, Count Ponce relinquished the castle of Albuher at Villamanrique, in the kingdom of Toledo, which also fell to Sancho III. After the death of the emperor (1157) and the division of the realm, Ponce became a follower of Ferdinand II. He continued in his office of majordomo in the first year of Ferdinand's reign, and he attended the great gathering of all the highest nobility and clergy of the kingdom and the king of Portugal on 9 October 1157. Ponce continued with the court after it left Galicia, at least as far as Villalpando, his own tenancy, where on 13 October he confirmed a royal donation to Velasco Menéndez.Barton (1992), 254. This is the last record of Ponce with the Leonese royal court before he went into exile. He was almost certainly gone before the next surviving royal diploma was drawn up on 24 November. The reason for the exile is not clear, but according to the '' Historia Gothica'' of the thirteenth-century Navarrese historian

Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada Rodrigo Jiménez (or Ximénez) de Rada (c. 1170 – 10 June 1247) was a Roman Catholic bishop and historian, who held an important religious and political role in the Kingdom of Castile during the reigns of Alfonso VIII of Castile, Alfonso VIII ...

, Ferdinand II, generally "pious, merciful and generous", came to believe certain false rumours about Ponce spread by his enemies at court. In response, he confiscated Ponce's fiefs and those of some other noblemen, and sent them into exile. An even later source gives a different account. Ponce was exiled at the behest of the rebellious citizens of Zamora, who feared he would punish them for the riot which led to the death of Ponce's eldest son. This episode is known as the Mutiny of the Trout and its historicity is debated. On 12 November, at

Sahagún Sahagún () is a town and municipality of Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León and the province of León. It is the main centre of population in the Leonese part of the Tierra de Campos natural region. Sahagún contains ...

on the border between León and Castile, Ponce made over to the monastery his lands at Cisneros, at Cordovilla, and at a place called Villafilal, probably Villafalé. Four of his vassals—Rodrigo Pérez Pedro Martínez, Diego Pérez Almadrán, and his majordomo Martín Díaz—were witnesses to this donation and went into exile with him.Barton (1992), 258 n. 132. Probably Ponce was preparing to leave the kingdom and wished to safeguard these estates from the royal grasp. His break with Ferdinand is evidenced in his

diplomatic Diplomatics (in American English, and in most anglophone countries), or diplomatic (in British English), is a scholarly discipline centred on the critical analysis of documents, especially historical documents. It focuses on the conventions, pr ...

: his charter begins "I, Ponce, count

by the grace of God By the Grace of God (, abbreviated D.G.) is a formulaic phrase used especially in Christian monarchies as an introductory part of the full styles of a monarch. In England and later the United Kingdom, the phrase was formally added to the royal sty ...

", a formula generally used to indicate sovereignty or the rejection of vassallage. While visiting the monastery Ponce also settled a dispute over a certain estate at

Melgar de Arriba Melgar de Arriba is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculat ...

with the abbot, who also claimed it. After arranging affairs in León, Ponce crossed the border into Castile and took up service with the Castilian king, Sancho III. His tenancy of Senabria was confiscated and given to Menendo Braganza, Ferdinand's ''

alférez In medieval Iberia, an ''alférez'' (, ) or ''alferes'' (, ) was a high-ranking official in the household of a king or magnate. The term is derived from the Arabic ('' al-fāris''), meaning "knight" or "cavalier", and it was commonly Latinised ...

'' or standard-bearer (''signifer'').Barton (1992), 259.

Service to Sancho III

Valladolid monasterio Valbuena 36 iglesia pintura gotica lou

Immediately after joining Sancho III, Ponce was set to work. He led a short campaign against

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. ...

, which brought the rebellious king Sancho VI to submission. On 25 January 1158 the campaign was over and Ponce had rejoined the Castilian court at

Almazán Almazán () is a municipality located in the province of Soria, Castile and León, Spain. As of 2013, the municipality has a population of 5,843 inhabitants. It is also the seat of the judicial district of Almazán, and ecclesiastically it belongs ...

on the Duero, where Sancho granted privileges to the abbey of

Santa María de Valbuena Valbuena Abbey () is a former Cistercian monastery in Valbuena de Duero in Valladolid Province, Castile-Leon, Spain. It stands on the right bank of the Duero, within sight of the Peñafiel Castle, royal castle of Peñafiel. History The monas ...

and made sure that his scribe drawing up the charter noted that "king Sancho of Navarre as reigning asa vassal of the lord king". In February, at Nágima, Ponce was present for the signing of a treaty between Sancho III and Count

, also ruling

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces of Spain, ...

. He continued with the royal court as it moved through

Soria Soria () is a municipality and a Spanish city, located on the Douro river in the east of the autonomous community of Castile and León and capital of the province of Soria. Its population is 38,881 ( INE, 2017), 43.7% of the provincial populatio ...

and

Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...

and by March was at

Ávila Ávila ( , , ) is a Spanish city located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Ávila. It lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m a ...

. There he left it and went to Sahagún. Sometime during this period Ponce and the other magnates who had gone into exile at the same time convinced Sancho to defend their claims against his brother. At Sahagún on 13 March,

Sancha Raimúndez Sancha Raimúndez (c. 1095/110228 February 1159) was a Leonese people, Leonese infanta, the daughter of Queen Urraca of León and Castile and Raymond of Burgundy. She was the older sister of Alfonso VII of León. Biography Sancha Raimúndez of L ...

, one of the most powerful women in the kingdom, made a grant to the monastery of

Santervás de Campos Santervás de Campos is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. , the municipality has a population of 137 inhabitants and is known as the birthplace of Juan Ponce de León. Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortu ...

, and Ponce was among the signatories, along with Ramiro Fróilaz and Osorio Martínez and the bishops of León and

, who may have been acting as intermediaries between Ferdinand and Sancho.Barton (1992), 257. By 30 March Sancho III had joined Sancha and Ponce at Sahagún, in time to witness another donation of hers, this time to the church of

Sigüenza Sigüenza () is a city in the La Serranía, Serranía de Guadalajara Comarcas of Castile-La Mancha, comarca, Province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. History The site of the ancient ''Segontia'' ('dominating over the valley') of the C ...

of a mill at Toledo. Ponce remained behind when the royal court moved on to

Burgos Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populous municipality of the province of Burgos. Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence of th ...

in early April, and thence took the

Way of Saint James The Camino de Santiago (, ; ), or the Way of St. James in English, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tr ...

east to Carrión de los Condes in early May. Then the Castilian king decided finally to redress his magnates' grievances against his brother with military action and marched an army to the borders of León. There was apparently some fighting, but in order to prevent further bloodshed the two kings met at Sahagún, where, according to Rodrigo, Sancho said to his brother:

Since our father divided the kingdom between us, both you and I are held to share the land and its produce with our magnates, with whose help our forefathers possessed the lost land and repulsed the Arabs. Therefore, as you have returned their fiefs to count Ponce de Minerva and the other magnates, whom you deprived, and do not believe the rumours against them, I am returning behind my borders.

On 23 May the two kings signed a treaty of "peace and true friendship". This treaty stipulated that certain lands conquered by Sancho from his brother in the recent conflict were to be returned and held in

fealty An oath of fealty, from the Latin (faithfulness), is a pledge of allegiance of one person to another. Definition In medieval Europe, the swearing of fealty took the form of an oath made by a vassal, or subordinate, to his lord. "Fealty" also r ...

(''in fidelitate'') from Ferdinand. The treaty named three vassals among whom these lands could be distributed:

Ponce de Minerva Ponce de Minerva (1114/1115 – 27 July 1175) was a nobleman, courtier, governor, and general serving, at different times, the kingdoms of Kingdom of León, León and Kingdom of Castile, Castile. Originally from Occitania, he came as a young man t ...

, Ponce de Cabrera and Osorio Martínez. Among those listed by Sancho III to succeed in the conquered lands if any of the above three magnates should die, four were the same vassals of Ponce de Cabrera who had entered into exile with him at Sahagún six months earlier.Barton (1992), 258. Ponce confirmed the treaty on the side of Sancho III.

Restoration in León

On 1 July 1158 a reconciled Ponce de Cabrera confirmed Ferdinand's grant to Rodrigo Sebastiánez, a monk of

Oviedo Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains th ...

. On 31 August Sancho III died and the regency of his successor,

Alfonso VIII Alfonso VIII (11 November 11555 October 1214), called the Noble (El Noble) or the one of Las Navas (el de las Navas), was King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. After having suffered a great defeat with his own army at Alarc ...

, was disputed. Ponce appears around this time to have returned to Leonese service, for he received back all his confiscated tenancies, including Senabria, and his former position as majordomo of the king's household. His second tenure as majordomo can be traced from at least 14 June 1159 until 4 July 1161, when he may have relinquished it due to old age. Early in 1161 Ferdinand II began the resettlement of

Ciudad Rodrigo Ciudad Rodrigo () is a small cathedral city in the province of Salamanca (province), Salamanca, in western Spain, with a population in 2016 of 12,896. It is also the seat of a judicial district. The site of Ciudad Rodrigo, perched atop a rocky r ...

and Ledesma, and he granted the latter in fief to Ponce, who in turn, again perhaps because of old age, bestowed it on his eldest son by his first wife, " Fernando Ponce ho wasruling Ledesma under the hand of his father the count". While overseeing the resettlement of Ledesma, Ponce seized the church and gave it to the

Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there ...

. They in turn farmed it out to a knight who was living there with his mistress when the

bishop of Salamanca The Diocese of Salamanca () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church located in the city of Salamanca in the ecclesiastical province of Valladolid in Spain.Pedro Suárez de Deza Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meanin ...

, complained to the Roman ''curia'' that "by violence count Ponce had stolen" the church. Although

Pope Alexander III Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland (), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181. A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a Papal election, ...

ordered the Hospitallers to return the church to the diocese, they refused and the knight did not move. The conflict long outlived Ponce.

Retirement, death and legacy

For the rest of the year 1161, possibly due to failing health, Ponce relinquished his tenancies and began moving into a retirement. His last known appearance at Ferdinand's court came on 6 July, although no royal charter have survived from between then and 24 February 1162.Barton (1992), 260. His final appearances as lord in Senabria, Melgar de Abajo, Salamanca and Villalpando all came in this year. On 5 May King Ferdinand granted privileges to the monks of San Xulián de Samos, where "Don Giraldo, my beloved vassal, who in my service died, is buried." This was Count Ponce's son, named after Ponce's father. On 1 January 1162 at Zamora, Ponce himself made a donation to the abbey of Samos of certain properties he held in and around

Sarria Sarria is a municipality in the province of Lugo, in the autonomous community of Galicia, northwestern Spain. It belongs to the comarca of Sarria. Sarria is the most populous town on the French Way in Galicia, with 13,700 inhabitants and the m ...

in Galicia "for the soul of my most cherished son Geraldo Ponce, who in this monastery of Samos rests entombed." Ponce died shortly after his final act, his donation for his son's soul, and he was buried in the

Cathedral of Zamora The Cathedral of Zamora is a Catholic Church, Catholic cathedral in Zamora, Spain, Zamora, in Castile and León, Spain, located above the right bank of the Duero It remains surrounded by its old walls and gates. Built between 1151 and 1174, ...

. In the fifteenth century a sculpture of Ponce, in armour and at prayer, was placed in a niche in the main chapel. On 25 May 1163 his surviving children made a joint donation to the canons of Zamora of a parcel of land at Villarrín de Campos for the sake of their father's soul. There is a seemingly authentic charter witnessed by Ponce de Cabrera as lord of

dated 13 March 1165. The count was dead by this date, and it appears the date on this genuine charter is incorrect. Ponce's death has sometimes been mistakenly placed in 1169. There is a street in central Zamora named "Calle Ponce de Cabrera".

Private life

Marriages and issue

Ponce's first wife was Sancha, perhaps of the

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, b ...

Núñez. She is an obscure woman whose family connexions are unknown. She gave Ponce two daughters, Beatriz and Sancha, and two sons, Fernando ''el Mayor'' and Guerau. His daughter

Sancha Sancha is a given name, the feminine version of the Spanish Sancho. Sanchia, Sancia, and Santina are variant feminine forms. People named Sancha include: * Sancha, Lady of Alenquer (1180–1279), feudal Lady of Alenquer *Sancha of Aragon (1478� ...

married Vela Gutiérrez. In 1145, Ponce gave the government of his Catalan viscounties to Guerau (Giraldo), who immediately set to work founding the monastery of Santa Maria de Roca Rossa. In the same year, his mother and his wife, Berenguela (Berengaria), witnessed its foundation charter. On 14 July 1145, Pere Exavell, probably one of Ponce's Catalan retainers, drew up a will placing his wife and children under Ponce's protection. This is the last reference to Ponce as viscount in Catalonia; by 20 November his son was viscount. Ponce's second wife was María Fernández, daughter of Count

Fernando Pérez de Traba Fernando (or Fernán) Pérez de Traba (; – 1 November 1155), or Fernão Peres de Trava (), was a nobleman and count of the Kingdom of León who for a time held power over all Galicia. He became the lover of Countess Teresa of Portugal, throug ...

and Sancha González. They were married sometime before 26 March 1142, date of their donation of property at Pobladura del Valle to the monastery of Tojos Outos. On 16 August 1152 at León, the Countess María granted a ''fuero'' to the men of Castro Galvón. This charter was then confirmed by high-standing members of the royal court while they were returning from the siege of Guadix.Reilly (1998), 117 n. 73. The charter is sometimes mistakenly dated to 1156. The high status of Ponce's second wife, compared to the obscurity of his first, corresponds to his own increased status by 1142. María bore Ponce another son, Fernando ''el Menor''. She outlived Ponce by at least six years, and on 13 January 1169, "detained by long and serious illness", she had her will drawn up.

Private estates

Ponce held extensive properties in the kingdoms of Alfonso, largely the product of royal patronage and support. He is known to have received direct grants from the royal

fisc Under the Merovingians and Carolingians, the fisc (from Latin '' fiscus,'' whence we derive "fiscal") applied to the royal demesne which paid taxes, entirely in kind, from which the royal household was meant to be supported, though it rarely was. ...

on at least three occasions (5 October 1143, 18 November 1153 and 30 July 1156). He probably also received royal land from Ferdinand II in 1158. There is a surviving copy of royal charter dated 18 October 1152 at

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...

, wherein Alfonso VII grants Ponce the village of Almonacid on the Tagus, but it is probably a forgery. In December 1155, Ponce and

Fernando Rodríguez de Castro Fernando Rodríguez de Castro (1125–1185) was a Kingdom of Castile, Castilian nobleman, statesman and military leader who made his career in Kingdom of León, León. He was the leader of the House of Castro during the civil wars that followed t ...

granted a charter to the settlers of their estates at Pulgar in central Iberia. Ponce may have received his part of Pulgar as a reward from the emperor, since his other major rewards in land for military service came in 1153 and 1156. On 30 July 1156 Ponce received from the emperor the village of San Pedro de Ceque in Senabria. In Senabria, which he ruled until his shortly before his death, he also owned estates at Galende and Trefacio. He also owned land in his other tenancies, already mentioned: in Tierra de Campos at Villafalé on the river Esla and at Cisneros on the road from Sahagún to

, near Zamora at Villarrín, and near Salamanca at Cordovilla. In Galicia, where he was less active, he owned property at Sarria. As a leading magnate of two kingdoms, an important palatine official, and ruler of a large marcher barony, Ponce de Cabrera kept a had a large following of knights who helped him rule his territories and discharge his obligations as a vassal of the crown in time of war. One of the first vassals of knightly rank who can be glimpsed in the entourage of Ponce is Pedro Rodríguez de Sanabria, who was with him to witness the first donation of Ponce and María Fernández as husband and wife. At Toledo on 4 May 1145, "at the request of the Lord Count Ponce, whose knight he is", the emperor made over the deserted village of Calabor in Senabria to Pedro Rodríguez to resettle. On 14 May 1149 the emperor granted the village of Nogales to the count's son-in-law Vela Gutiérrez "out of love for the service which you have done me many times and are doing for me daily." These grants suggest that Ponce's landed estates were meagre in comparison to native-born lords, requiring him to rely on his suzerain to sufficiently compensate his vassals for their service. When the count's daughter and Vela founded a

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monastery at Nogales in 1150, they thanked her father in their foundation charter for his "counsel and aid" (''consilio vel auxilio'') in obtaining the land.Barton (1992), 243–44.