Sancho I of Pamplona

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The Kingdom of Pamplona at the death of Sancho I
The Kingdom of Pamplona at the death of Sancho I

Sancho I Garcés (c. 860 – December 11, 925) was king of Pamplona from 905 to 925. He was a son of García Jiménez, who was king of "another part of the kingdom" of Pamplona and Dadildis de Pallars, his second wife. In 905, a coalition of enemies of the king, Fortún Garcés: Lope ibn Muhammed of the Banu Qasi, King Alfonso III of Asturias, and Sancho's uncle, Raymond I of Pallars and Ribagorza, deposed the king, and put Sancho on the throne in his place. Throughout his reign, he involved himself in the squabbles among the Muslim lords to the south with repeated success. In 907, he turned on his former ally Lope ibn Mohammad, killing him in battle. In 920, he teamed with Bernard I of Ribagorza and Amrus ibn Muhammed, son of Muhammad al Tawil, to attack Monzón. He joined Ultra-Puertos, or Basse-Navarre (Baja Navarra), to his own dominions, also extending his territory as far as Nájera. As a thanksgiving offering for his victories, he founded, in 924, the convent of Albelda.

About the time of, and perhaps to legitimize the succession, Sancho married Toda Aznárez, granddaughter of former king Fortún Garcés. Queen Toda was a daughter of Aznar Sánchez, lord of Larraun, and Oneca Fortúnez, who herself was a daughter of King Fortún. Thus, Toda's children were also descendants of the Arista dynasty of Navarrese monarchs, but likewise akin to Abd-ar-Rahman III of Cordoba, a grandson of Oneca by a former husband. When Sancho died in 925, his only son was still quite young. Thus Sancho was succeeded by his brother, Jimeno Garcés, upon whose death Sancho's son García would succeed.

The Codex of Roda gives Sancho and Toda six children:

Sancho also had an illegitimate daughter:

  • Lupa, mother of Raymond I, Count of Bigorre
Preceded by
Fortún Garcés		 King of Pamplona
905–925		 Succeeded by
Jimeno Garcés