In past Facts, I’ve touched on various aspects of the medieval history of the Basques, including the connection to the neighboring Muslim caliphate, the early rulers of Pamplona, and the Battles of Orreaga that set the stage for much of that history. It’s a complicated history, one that I don’t pretend to fully grasp. But […]
If there was a time when the Basques were unified as one political entity, it was under the Kingdom of Nafarroa, which started out as the Kingdom of Pamplona. The first king of Pamplona, Eneko Arista, founded the kingdom sometime around 824. His family was closely intertwined with the neighboring Banu Qasi family – indeed, […]
Saint Ignatius isn’t the only Catholic Saint born in the Basque Country. His fellow Jesuit, Saint Francis Xavier, was also born in the Basque Country. However, unlike Saint Ignatius, Saint Francis Xavier spent much of his adult life traveling and proselytizing to the peoples of India and Japan, amongst others. He was known for trying […]