The Skirmish at the Belate Pass and the Mythologization of a Battle (December 7, 1512)

As the Navarrese counteroffensive collapsed, a detachment of retreating Navarrese landsknechts found themselves guarding twelve artillery pieces at the Belate Pass, a key mountain route in the Pyrenees. On December 7, 1512, they were intercepted by a Gipuzkoan militia patrol, led by Juan de Silva, the governor of Gipuzkoa.

The Skirmish at Belate Pass

• The Gipuzkoan militia engaged the outnumbered and weakened landsknechts, who were in retreat and in disarray.
• The German mercenaries attempted to withdraw, but the militia pursued and slaughtered many of them.
• The artillery pieces were seized by the Gipuzkoans, marking an important symbolic victory in the ongoing conflict.

The Skirmish Becomes a Legendary "Battle"

• Although the actual engagement was a minor skirmish, later accounts exaggerated the event, portraying it as a major battle.
• The cannons seized at Belate were incorporated into the official coat of arms of Gipuzkoa in 1513, commemorating the region’s contribution to the Castilian conquest of Navarre.
• Over time, the victory was mythologized, elevating Juan de Silva and the Gipuzkoan militia as key figures in defending Castilian interests.

Significance of the Skirmish

1. Final Blow to the Navarrese Counteroffensive

   • The defeat of the landsknechts at Belate marked the complete disintegration of Navarre’s military resistance in 1512.

2. Symbolic Victory for Castilian and Gipuzkoan Forces

   • The event strengthened Castilian morale and was used as propaganda to justify the conquest of Navarre.

3. Integration of Navarre into Castile

   • With the Navarrese counterattack fully crushed, Upper Navarre was permanently secured for the Crown of Castile.
   • Lower Navarre remained contested, but Castile’s hold on Pamplona and the surrounding regions was now unchallenged.

Conclusion: The End of Navarre’s Military Resistance in 1512

The skirmish at Belate Pass on December 7, 1512, though a minor engagement, was inflated into a legendary battle to glorify Castilian and Gipuzkoan efforts. With this final defeat, the Navarrese counteroffensive collapsed, and Upper Navarre remained under Spanish rule, marking the effective end of Navarre’s military resistance in 1512.