Background
Son of García Ramírez and Margaret of L"Aigle, Sancho was the first to use the title "King of Navarre" as the sole designation of his kingdom, dropping Pamplona out of titular use.
Son of García Ramírez and Margaret of L"Aigle, Sancho was the first to use the title "King of Navarre" as the sole designation of his kingdom, dropping Pamplona out of titular use.
His reign was full of clashes with Castile and Aragon. He is also responsible for bringing his kingdom into the political orbit of Europe. He tried to repair his kingdom"s borders which had been reduced by the Treaties of Tudején and Carrión, which he had been forced to sign with Castile and Aragón in his early reign.
By the Accord of Soria, Castile was eventually confirmed in its possession of conquered territories.
In the face of a possible Castilian military takeover of further western Navarrese territories, Sancho VI re-asserted royal authority by founding several towns in 1181, e.g. San Sebastián, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Treviño, et cetera
He was hostile to Count Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona, but Raymond"s son King Alfonso II of Aragon divided the lands taken from Murcia with him by treaty of Sangüesa in 1168. In 1190, the two neighbours again signed a pact in Borja of mutual protection against Castilian expansion.
He died on 27 June 1194, in Pamplona, where he is interred.
In 1157, Sancho married Sancha, daughter of Alfonso VII of Castile. Their children were:
Sancho VII
Ferdinand
Ramiro, Bishop of Pamplona
Berengaria (died 1230 or 1232), married King Richard I of England
Constance
Blanche, married Theobald III, Count of Champagne, then acted as regent of Champagne, and finally as regent of Navarre
Theresa
Sancho (died in 1207)
Guilhelmo (died in 1220), count of Marches
Zylda (died in 1232), who was married with Guilhelmo Sánchez
Ramiro.