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Resumen: Se pretende explicar los contradictorios rasgos del sepulcro de Gonzalo Bernaldo de Quirós el Bastardo (monumentalidad y extenso epitafio frente a la insistencia epigráfica y heráldica de su condición bastarda) a la luz de sus complejas y cambiantes relaciones con su propio linaje. Desempeñó dos tutorías de los parientes mayores de dicho linaje a lo largo de dos generaciones, y si bien en la primera consiguió un entendimiento perfecto con su sobrino y pupilo Iván Bernaldo, en cambio en la segunda acabó enemistándose rápidamente con Juan Bernaldo y los demás hijos de Iván, hasta el punto de que Gonzalo Bernaldo buscó apoyo entre los Miranda, linaje del que procedía su esposa pero que ya por entonces eran los principales rivales de los Bernaldo de Quirós en la lucha por la hegemonía política y social en Asturias, llegando incluso a secundar a los Miranda en sus enfrentamientos con el corregidor Luis Mejía. La forzada situación de Gonzalo Bernaldo condujo a su asesinato en octubre de 1483 y a su entierro en su magnífica sepultura en San Francisco de Oviedo, cuyo emplazamiento, aspecto y rasgos formales solo pudieron deberse a una compleja pero fácilmente reconstruible negociación entre los Bernaldo de Quirós y los Miranda.
Palabras clave: asesinato, bastardía, Bernaldo de Quirós, sepulcro, linaje, lucha de bandos.
Abstract: Gonzalo Bernaldo de Quirós was a bastard member of the Bernaldo de Quirós, one of the most important Asturian lineages during the Low Middle Ages. Until the present moment, this person has been known only for his monumental grave coming for the disappeared monastery of San Francisco de Oviedo, where other members of the same family were buried too. It seems, however, that this lineage didn’t appreciate him much. Our protagonist was tutor of two generations of leaders of the already mentioned lineage represented by Iván Bernaldo and by Juan Bernaldo and his brothers. Gonzalo Bernaldo and his nephew Iván had a good relationship, and they participated together in some actions during the civil conflicts between Enrique IV and the prince Alfonso in Castilla and Asturias (1465-1468): they were in the party of the king, and they confronted Diego Fernández de Quiñones, count of Luna, who was follower of the prince. Iván dies in 1476, after appointing Gonzalo tutor of his sons. However, some time later, the tutor and his pupils became enemies. Gonzalo Bernaldo passed to the faction of the Miranda and the Quiñones, who were the Bernaldo de Quirós’ rivals in their fight for the political and social hegemony in Asturias. Inclusively, Gonzalo Bernaldo supported Diego de Miranda in his confontation with Luis Mejía, corregidor of the Catholic Kings in Asturias, who prefered the understanding with Juan Bernaldo and his brothers. Thus, Gonzalo Bernaldo el Bastardo became a deserter and treacherous for his own lineage. From that moment onwards, the Bernaldo de Quirós pursued and tried to kill Gonzalo Bernaldo. Thus, Juan Bernaldo de Quirós, the mayorazgo and leader of his own lineage, sent his brother Gonzalo Bernaldo el Mozo and his loyal Juan de Argüelles to kill Gonzalo el Bastardo in September, 1483. Although on that particular occasion he was able to escape, one month later he was poisoned and died. Then, his widow Elvira de Quirós and his fatherin-law Juan de Oviedo reported the murder, but nobody did anything. Nevertheless, Diego de Miranda and Juan de Oviedo got a monumental grave for el Bastardo in the middle of the Bernaldo de Quirós’ tombs placed in the apse of San Francisco de Oviedo. The purpose was to look for the humiliation of the killers, thought they were forced to accept the qualifier bastard in the epitaph and the bar of bastardy in the coats of arms.
Keywords: murder, bastardy, Bernaldo de Quirós, grave, lineage, factions fight.