Dos inscripciones sobre la fundación de Lara y una sobre sus siete infantes, con un análisis evolutivo de su iglesia parroquial

Abstract

This paper studies the controversial topic of the origin of Castile in three epigraphic inscriptions from Lara de los Infantes,from a perspective both philological and historical. The making of the oldest inscription, found in the hermitage of SanJulian (and preserved at the Museum of Burgos since the early 20th century) must date back to the mid-12th century.It was written with the monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza (Burgos) in mind, since it highlights the preeminence of the former because of its links to count Fernan Gonzalez. It was also possibly based on a local tradition from Lara now lost to us and of spurious provenance. In the humanistic period, prior to 1600, a copy of this inscription was made, to which a new one was added, from an unknown source; and both were placed in the western gable of Lara’s parish church in the event of a structural alteration to enlarge the temple, thus counteracting the aims of the monasteries of San Millan (La Rioja), Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos) and the neighbouring town of Salas de los Infantes to appropriate the memory of Fernan Gonzalez and the seven Infantes. The parish inscriptions, then, are also of use to outline a proposal of periods in the structural evolution of this Romanesque church.