Around 1025 the duke of Gascony, Sancho VI William (son of Duke William II Sánchez and Urraca Garcés of Navarre, widow of Count Fernán González of Castile), gave part of the duchy to King Sancho III of Navarre. Sancho created a lordship for Ximen I Ochoaniz consisting of the Baztan Valley. His son Garcia Xemeniz became a viscount between 1055 and 1065, and his grandson Ximen I Garciez (lord of Lizarra and the Salazar Valley from 1051 to 1080) donated land to the monastery of Leire in exchange for a pardon for assassinating his nephew.