History

In the history of Guipuzcoa, Oñati is one of the few towns that has enjoyed full rights and privileges since the middle of the 19th century, and one of the few villas de señorío to exist in the Basque Country.

Located in the heart of the Spanish Basque Country, it is nestled in a beautiful valley surrounded on all sides by verdant mountains, except to the south, where it is flanked by the Aloña limestone massif (1,324 m). In the Basque language, Oñati means: place with many hills, a fitting name, as any visitor to the area can attest.

For many centuries Oñati was a villa de señorío, and then later a county. This meant that the Señor or local nobleman enjoyed a series of rights with which the inhabitants had no choice but to comply. The prevailing political system during that era meant that the Señor or Count of Oñati enjoyed absolute authority: collecting both civil and ecclesiastical taxes, appointing the mayor and abbot, dispensing justice and commanding the troops recruited in times of war, etc.

The Vela family, and later the Guevaras, were the two main dynasties. Their principal abode was Guevara Castle in Araba, on the other side of the Artía mountains, right on the border. The 14th century Zumelzegui Tower is a symbol of the Counts' power, and still stands on a rise overlooking the town centre as a magnificent example of an early medieval tower, from the time of the bandit wars.

The inhabitants of Oñati were always unruly and often fought against their overlord with the few weapons in their possession. The history of Oñati from the earliest recorded documents until the 17th century is a saga of the town's continuous struggle to free itself from the power of the local Counts. Historically, we know that in 1389 the inhabitants revolted, demanding greater freedom.

The revolt failed, but the inhabitants' demands continued. During the 15th century, the overlord was forced to allow the townsfolk to appoint the ordinary mayor by popular vote, although he retained the authority to confirm the appointment and continued to appoint another mayor, the higher mayor.

The true struggle against the Counts began during the 16th century, and was led by the council and ecclesiastical chapter. When they realised that violent confrontation would get them nowhere, they decided to redirect their efforts towards the law, and from 1540 onwards, they brought their case before the highest courts in the land, demanding that the town or villa be incorporated into Guipúzcoa, thereby sharing in the rights and privileges of that region.

The dispute lasted until 1652, when the townsfolk finally lost. However, political ideas continued to evolve and the Guevaras found favour at Court and rose in station, which in turn took the family further away and made them less jealous of their rights. Finally, in the 18th century, the anti-overlord policies of the reigning dynasty enabled the Oñati Council to play an increasingly important role in the government of the town without the need for new lawsuits.