Villadangos del Páramo was the scene of a battle in 1111 between the Galician forces of Queen Urraca of León and the forces of her husband King Alfonso I of Aragon (Alfonso the Battler). The Galicians were outnumbere by almost 10 to 1 and despite fighting bravely were roundly defeated.

Uracca’s marriage to Alfonso had been forced upon her by the nobles who had objected to a single woman acceding to the throne. The choice of her (second) husband was a folly imposed on her by her father, Alfonso VI of León, who had sought to prevent local divisions by selecting a husband from outside of his own kingdom. Alfonso I was not a good husband and Urraca was subject to domestic violence. Despite reconciliation, an annulment followed. The fall out from this ill-conceived marriage continued for many years as Alfonso I sought to thwart Urcacca’s son acceding to the crown of León.

This was Uracca’s second marriage having been a child bride at the age of 8 and having had the first marriage consummated at the tender age of 13. Her first husband Raymond of Burgundy had also been the choice of her father who had sought to use the marriage to build cross-Pyrenees alliances, but it appears this first marriage had been much happier until the death of Raymond in 1107.

Uracca despite being noted as being prudent, modest acquired the historical title as Uracca the rash. It appears that she inherited her father’s sexual morals and had many lovers during her reign. While this behaviour was expected of male sovereigns, the standards of the time judged female sovereigns much more harshly. Uracca died in childbirth at the age of 46 in 1126 but successfully ensured that her throne passed to her son Alfonso VII of León. Uracca is buried in the basilica of San Isidoro in León.