Algunas reflexiones sobre Iñigo y Fortún López de Soria. A propósito de un artículo de D. Serafín Olcoz Yanguas

Abstract

I recently read the sad news of the passing of Mr. Serafín Olcoz Yanguas in Diario de Navarra. Also, very recently, I read what was perhaps his last article, entitled “Apostille to the study on the influence of noble networks in 12th-century Christian expansion: The case of Soria.” In it, the illustrious researcher stated that the goal of the apostille was to “correct some errors and add some new developments” (Olcoz, 2021, 951), a laudable purpose for which I am deeply grateful, as the goal of all historians is to understand what occurred in the past. However, I believe that some of his assertions can and should be expanded upon—something I have no doubt he would have done himself had he lived longer.

The article I authored was titled “Influence of noble networks in 12th-century Christian expansion: The case of Soria.” Given that I understand—for reasons I explain below—that it was not always kings who decided to expand into certain territories, and that such expansion was often not only led but decided by the nobles themselves and driven by their private interests, the example of the expansion of the Lehet family, which led to the birth of the town of Soria, seemed very representative to me. I must not have explained myself very clearly.

My interest in the early lords of Soria awoke a long time ago, giving rise to several works. Among these, the one perhaps most aligned with the issue at hand is the article entitled “Lords of Soria in the 12th Century,” published in 2017 in Revista de Soria (SORIANO, 2017, 95-119), predating Olcoz's detailed studies.