Ramiro II of Aragon

Ramiro II the Monk (Spanish Ramiro el Monje, Aragonese Remiro o monks; * to 1075; † August 16, 1157 in Huesca) was a clergyman, Bischofselekt and from 1134 King of Aragon from the house Jiménez.

Life

Monk

Ramiro was the youngest son of King Sancho Ramírez of Aragon- Navarre († 1094 ) from his second marriage with Felicia of Roucy; his older brothers were the kings Peter I († 1104) and Alfonso the Battler († 1134 ). Already provided Apparently from his parents for a clerical career, he had spent his early years as a monk in the southern French abbey of Saint -Pons -de- Thomières.

In Adam's his brother Alfonso against Queen Urraca of León - Castile Ramiro was in 1112 were used as abbot in the Leonese royal abbey of Sahagún, after Alfons set violently against the resistance of the monks and citizens in control of it and to Urraca holding Abt Domingo had driven. From the anonymous chronicler of the abbey and Aragónesengegner Ramiro was therefore as " false and evil monk " ( falso e times monje ) were designated. After Urraca 1116 Sahagún could take control again, Ramiro her and the returning Domingo had to give way. Similarly, it had happened also with regard to the occupation of the Episcopal See of Burgos after the death of Bishop García in October 1114. The authorized for the Bishop elections primacy of the Spanish Church, Archbishop Bernardo of Toledo, had chosen the same month at a council in León in consensus with Queen Urraca the former Archdeacon of Burgos, Pascual as the new bishop. This in turn Alfons had not accepted, who was in control of Burgos, and can instead choose from the Ramiro Domklerikern and citizens of the city. After a written protest of the Archbishop Pope Paschal II had it ordered both parties to an arbitration call to Rome at Easter 1116. Although this had failed because both parties had waived a trip to Rome, had latest 1117 Pascual can enforce as acting bishop of Burgos, when he was able to participate in that year to a general church council. After his death in October 1118 Alfons, who was besieged Saragossa, had raised no objections to the election of a new bishop. An official claim Ramiro was no more talk since then.

King of Aragon

Ramiro had then spent years playing a Monk in the Abbey of San Pedro el Viejo in Huesca, until he was elected in August 1134 to the bishop of Roda Barbastro to replace the fallen at the Battle of Fraga previous bishop. Soon after, King Alfonso I died on September 7, who had no heirs, and therefore had bequeathed his kingdom bequeathed to the Order of the Templars, Hospitallers and the Knights of the Holy grave. Neither the Navarrese nor the Aragonese nobility was willing to accept this Erbregelung. After two mutually separated ballots the big two countries each had their own Pretender proclaimed their king and that had lasted for 1076 Union dissolved between the two kingdoms. While the Navarrese with García IV Ramírez chose an illegitimate descendant of the Jiménez dynasty, the Aragonese had chosen the monk Ramiro as the last legitimate -born members of the Aragonese branch of the dynasty. Although this had already received holy orders, this process was hastily and without consultation with the Pope, whose dispensation would have been required by canon law, passed by equip. The much quoted since the 13th century but according to legend as liable to be classified story, there was also resistance to the enthronement of a monk under the Aragonese. As Ramiro learned of this, he can spread the rumor to try to pour in Huesca a bell ( Campana de Huesca), the sound going to sound through the whole kingdom. After the Great wanted it have proportion and had arrived in Huesca, Ramiro had successively let those twelve him reluctant nobles call to private audiences to itself in order to decapitate hand in his chamber. After he had ordered eleven of the heads in a circle, he had the head of the leader of the rebels as a bell clapper in the center hanging above the circle. And after the other nobles had become this example sight, any further resistance was silenced.

Immediately after his election Ramiro had IV taken in the spring of 1135 with García of Navarre at Vadoluongo to there recognize the separation of Navarre and Aragón formal. Here, however, the new Navarrese king had issued as "son" in an adoptive relationship to Ramiro as his "father" and conceded this claim leadership. At the same time Ramiro seemed to have thus sought a Erbregelung, which could have resulted in the foreseeable future to a union of Aragon with Navarre. This request was however made ​​by García quickly canceled out, as this still to King Alfonso VII of León - Castile worshiped in the same year as his overlords. In late 1135, was the Leonese king, previously the " Emperor of all Spain " has himself crowned, fed Welcoming the bishop and the city leaders in Zaragoza, which suffered Ramiro. As a Muslim Taifa Kingdom of Saragossa had once been a vassal of León - Castile, until it was conquered in 1118 by Alfonso Aragon was. And just whose stepson Alfonso VII now called for a return of the " Kingdom of Saragossa " ( regnum Cesaraugustanum ) under the suzerainty of His kingdom. To this end he led preparations for the investiture of his seemingly faithful King of Navarre with Zaragoza in the way. Ramiro had to stand idly by Jaca from and had about the same time married to Agnes ( Inés ), a subsidiary of Duke William IX. of Aquitaine. Meanwhile, in the summer of 1136 the situation had changed again, as García of Navarre rose up against the " Emperor ". This had now sought rapprochement with Ramiro and to Saragossa refunded to him as a fief, which the conquests of the first kings of Aragon could be preserved for the kingdom.

In July 1136 Agnes was born the daughter of Petronella, the Ramiro once intended for their heiress and her marriage planned. In consensus with the Aragonese Great Ramiro had betrothed his daughter on August 11, 1137 in Barbastro with the mighty Catalan Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona, with which the succession to the house of Aragon Barcelona and therefore the historical union with Catalonia for "Crown of Aragon " was initiated. Only a few months later on September 13, 1137 in Zaragoza Ramiro had transferred the government power over Aragon to his son and retreated to the monastery of San Pedro el Viejo in Huesca to again pursue the life of a monk. The marriage with Agnes had apparently shortly after the birth of Petronella de facto no longer exist; it is the last time mentioned in a document dated October 1136 in Aragón. She dives until five years later as a nun in the Abbey Fontevraud back to where they had died to 1159. Ramiro himself died on August 16, 1157 at his monastery in Huesca, where he was also buried. For he continued until his death royal title.