Sancho VI of Navarre

Sancho VI
Incompletely preserved seal of Sancho VI, riding a horse and holding a sword and a lance, with a large Norman shield
Born	21 April 1132
Died	27 June 1194 (aged 62)
Burial	Pamplona Cathedral
Spouse	Sancha of Castile
Issue	Berengaria of Navarre, Queen of England Sancho VII of Navarre Blanche of Navarre, Countess of Champagne Constance Fernando Theresa
House	Jiménez
Father	García Ramírez of Navarre
Mother	Margaret of L'Aigle
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Sancho VI Garcés (Basque: Antso VI; 21 April 1132 – 27 June 1194), called the Wise, was king of Navarre from 1150 until his death in 1194.

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 was a monastic founder and many architectural accomplishments date to his reign. 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, etc.

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

His illegitimate children were:

• Sancho (died in 1207)
• Guilhelmo (died in 1220), count of Marches
• Zylda (died in 1232), who was married with Guilhelmo Sánchez
• Ramiro