Diego Martínez de Villamayor
Diego Martínez de Villamayor (died 5 November 1176) was a noble of the Kingdom of Castile from the house of the counts of Bureba, who was very influential at court. He was the advisor of Alfonso VII and Sancho III, and treasurer of Alfonso VIII.[1]
Diego Martínez de Villamayor was the son of Martín Díaz of the house of Salvadores. His mother is sometimes given as María García of the house of Villamayor and sometimes as Jimena Pérez. He inherited land at Benevívere from his mother.[2] He married María Ponce de Minerva, daughter of Ponce de Minerva and Estefanía Sánchez.
After losing his wife Diego Martínez decided to retire and devote himself to the contemplative life. He helped restore the monasteries of San Andrés de Valvení, Santiago de la Tola and Sandoval.[2] He laid the foundation of the Abbey of Santa María de Benevívere in 1169.[1] He gave it the rule of Saint Augustine and a Cistercian liturgy, and established a hospital dedicated to San Torcuato attached to it. Before 1173 he appointed as its first prior Pascual Rustan.[2] The monastery's church building was not completed at his death. In his will, dated 22 October 1176, he left it to this brother, Rodrigo, the "second founder of Benevívere", to complete.[3] Diego's sepulchre bears the inscription: "Here lies Diego Martínez of venerable memory, builder of the house of Benevívere, patron of the house, whose sole rests in peace."[4]
The Poema de Benevívere (Poem of Benevívere) was written in Latin around the end of the thirteenth century in 758 verses. The poem tells the story of Diego Martínez de Villamayor, who aspired to be a saint, and King Alfonso VIII of Castile. It contrasts the religious and secular goals and ideals, and shows their intimate relationship.[5]
References
Citations
- ^ a b Abadía de Santa María de Benevívere.
- ^ a b c Ara Gil 1990, p. 41 n. 72.
- ^ Ara Gil 1990, p. 42 n. 73.
- ^ Ara Gil 1990, p. 34: HIC JACET VENERABILIS MEMORIAE DIDACUS MARTINEZ, DOMUS BENEVIVERENSIS AEDIFICATOR, PATRONUS EJUSDEM DOMUS, CUJUS ANIMA REQUIESCAT IN PACE. OBIIT ERA MCXIIII. NON. NOVEMBR..
- ^ Arizaleta 2007.
Sources
- "Abadía de Santa María de Benevívere". Romanico Digital. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
- Arizaleta, Amaia (2007). "La sainteté du prince: à propos du Poème de Benevívere (XIIIe siècle)". HAL. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
{{cite web}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Ara Gil, Clementina Julia (1990). "Un grupo de sepulcros palentinos del siglo XIII: los primeros talleres de Carrión de los Condes, Pedro Pintor y Roi Martínez de Burueva". II Curso de Cultura Medieval, Aguilar de Campoo, 1–6 Octubre 1990: Alfonso VIII y su época. pp. 21–51.
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