Just a few days ago, at the conclusion of Balmaseda's Medieval Market, local residents sang a hymn in honor of the town's founder. Now, more than 800 years later, the first biography of this figure has been presented by the Quitapesares publishing house. This book, written by historian Igor Santos Salazar, offers an in-depth investigation into Lope Sánchez de Mena and the Castile of Alfonso VIII.
The publishing house manager highlighted that the historian's knowledge and work capacity were fundamental to this project. Given the scarce information available about Lope Sánchez de Mena, this research has been like "chasing the shadow of a ghost" through the few documents scattered in various archives and libraries.
“"I had greatly enjoyed Igor's Una villa en la frontera (2021) and then I was impressed by his knowledge, passion, and work capacity when we interacted closely for the study of the capitals of San Severino."
The book innovatively compiles Lope Sánchez de Mena's birth and death dates, his political career, lineage, and motivations. The granting of the town charter to Balmaseda should not be understood as a local event, but rather from the perspective of international politics: the control of territory on the border between the kingdoms of Castile and Navarre, and fiscal control at a key point for Castile's trade with Atlantic Europe.
Lope Sánchez de Mena, a "rich man from a secondary branch of the Haro house," was integrated into the circles of power gravitating around Alfonso VIII of Castile. His significant position as a prestamero and tenente allowed him to quickly grasp Balmaseda's political and economic potential, reinforced by its proximity to Alfonso VIII's itinerant court.
This book marks the editorial debut of Quitapesares, which plans to continue investigating "key unstudied topics" in the future. Additionally, 2025 will mark the 825th anniversary of Balmaseda's founding, and 2026 the centenary of the publication of Martín de los Heros' Historia de Valmaseda.
