Hondarribia Pais Vasco Spain

The French Invasion at Fuenterrabía (March–June 1476)

• Alain I of Albret, a powerful French noble and ally of Portugal, led a French force into the Basque border town of Fuenterrabía, attempting to penetrate Castilian territory.
• The objective was to destabilize Isabella and Ferdinand’s rule by creating pressure on the northern frontier and possibly opening a second front to aid Portuguese forces.
• However, between March and June 1476, Castilian forces successfully repelled the French invaders, preventing them from advancing into Castile.

Ferdinand’s Opportunity in Navarre

• With France weakened and unable to break through Castile’s northern defenses, Ferdinand took advantage of the situation to secure Navarre.
• The Kingdom of Navarre, located between Castile and France, was in a state of political instability, with factions aligned either with France or Castile.
• Ferdinand increased Castilian influence in Navarre, strengthening his alliances and neutralizing potential threats.

Impact on the War and Castilian Stability

1. France’s failure at Fuenterrabía meant that Portugal was left without direct military support from its ally, weakening Joanna la Beltraneja’s position.
2. Ferdinand’s success in Navarre ensured that Castile had a secure northern frontier, allowing him and Isabella to focus on consolidating control in Castile.
3. The defeat of the French invasion attempt reinforced Isabella and Ferdinand’s legitimacy, as they were seen as capable defenders of Castile against foreign threats.

Conclusion: The War Tilts Further in Isabella’s Favor

The French failure at Fuenterrabía in 1476 was another blow to the pro-Joanna faction, while Ferdinand’s strategic gains in Navarre further cemented Isabella’s dominance in the war. This event helped set the stage for the final defeat of Portuguese claims to Castile and the eventual Treaty of Alcáçovas (1479), which ended the war in Isabella and Ferdinand’s favor.

The Navarrese Counteroffensive and English Withdrawal (October 1512)

By mid-October 1512, King John III of Navarre, determined to reclaim his kingdom from Ferdinand II of Aragon's forces, assembled a 15,000-strong army composed of:

• Navarrese loyalists
• Gascon mercenaries from Béarn and Guyenne
• Landsknechts, elite German infantry

With this force, John III launched a counteroffensive, advancing into Gipuzkoa and the Navarrese heartland, seeking to retake key fortresses and push back Castilian occupation.

Navarrese Three-Pronged Invasion

The counterattack was structured into three military columns, each with distinct objectives:

1. Siege of Hondarribia and Donostia (San Sebastián)

   • The first column laid siege to Hondarribia and Donostia, major Castilian-held towns in Gipuzkoa.
   • The Navarrese also occupied smaller surrounding towns to divert Castilian forces from reinforcing Pamplona, which remained under siege.

2. Central Assault on Castilian Positions in Navarre

   • The main column advanced into the heartland of Navarre, directly challenging Castilian control over Pamplona and surrounding fortresses.

3. Diversionary Raids in Eastern Navarre

   • A third column targeted weaker Castilian outposts, harassing supply lines and disrupting Spanish logistics.

The English Abandon Ferdinand II and Withdraw

• The English, originally aligned with Ferdinand II in the Holy League, had become frustrated with his shifting political priorities and lack of clear military coordination.
• By late 1512, the English decided to leave the war, returning home after raiding and sacking several towns and villages, including Errenteria.
• Their departure weakened Castilian military strength, further encouraging the Navarrese resistance.

Significance of the Counterattack

• The Navarrese offensive demonstrated that John III was still capable of resisting Ferdinand’s occupation.
• The loss of English support weakened Castile’s military advantage, making Ferdinand’s hold on Navarre more vulnerable.
• The siege of Hondarribia and Donostia placed pressure on Castilian forces in Gipuzkoa, forcing them to split their army between defending northern and southern fronts.

Conclusion: Navarre’s Fight for Survival Continues

• Although John III’s counteroffensive created serious challenges for Castile, Navarre remained heavily outmatched in resources and manpower.
• The war was not yet decided, and the fate of Navarre’s independence still hung in the balance.
• The events of late 1512 marked the final phase of the struggle for Navarre, setting the stage for the last major battles of the campaign.

Alonso de Salazar Frías and the Investigation of the Basque Witch Trials (1611–1614)

Alonso de Salazar Frías, the junior inquisitor of the Logroño tribunal, was a trained lawyer who played a crucial role in ending large-scale witch trials in Spain. In 1611, he was tasked with re-examining the evidence of the Basque witch hysteria, which had resulted in the 1610 auto-da-fé in Logroño, where 12 or 11 accused witches were burned at the stake.

The Edict of Grace and the Investigation (1611)

• Salazar Frías was given an Edict of Grace, which offered a pardon to those who voluntarily confessed to witchcraft and named their accomplices.

• He traveled extensively throughout northern Spain, particularly in the Basque countryside near Zugarramurdi, where witches were said to gather in caves and along streams, such as:

  • Olabidea (also known as Infernuko Erreka, “Hell’s Stream”), believed to be a meeting place for witches' sabbats.
  • The Zugarramurdi cave, which was linked to supernatural legends and accusations of witchcraft.

• Over the course of 1611, nearly 1,800 people came forward, either confessing under pressure or denouncing others.

Findings and the Collapse of the Witch Trials (1614)

• After a thorough review, Salazar Frías found no conclusive evidence of actual witchcraft.

• He noted that many confessions were inconsistent or had been extracted under duress.

• His final report to the Inquisition stated:

  "There were neither witches nor bewitched until they were talked about."

• By 1614, his arguments convinced the Inquisition to dismiss most witchcraft cases, effectively halting large-scale witch hunts in Spain.

Conclusion: Salazar Frías’ Role in Ending Witch Persecutions in Spain

Thanks to Salazar Frías’ rational legal approach, the Basque witch trials did not escalate further, and Spain never experienced mass witch hunts on the scale of France, Germany, or England. His 1614 report marked a turning point, leading to a more skeptical approach to witchcraft accusations within the Spanish Inquisition, setting it apart from the widespread hysteria that continued in other parts of Europe.