The sources are contradictory regarding the parentage of Íñigo "Arista". His parentage is indicated by Al-Udri who names "Yannaqo ibn Wanniqo" as "hermano de madre de Musa ibn Musa". The Arab historian Ibn Hayyân records the death in the Muslim year 237 (5 Jul 851/22 Jun 852 A.D.) of "Wannaqo ibn Wannaqo frère uterin et allié de Musa ibn Musa" and the accession of "son fils Garsiya…comme émir de Pampelune". However, other sources suggest that the king who reigned in Navarre at that time was the son of "Jimeno". The Codex de Roda names "Enneco cognomento Aresta" without naming his father or giving his patronymic. Another passage in the same source records that "Garsea Scemenonis et Enneco Scemenonis" were brothers. It is not certain that "Enneco cognomento Aresta" and "Enneco Scemenonis" in these two passages refer to the same person, but this is possible. The Libro de Regla of Leire Monastery, compiled in 1076, records that "filius eius…Enneco Xemenones" ruled for 22 years after "Eximinus Enecones", adding that his wife was "Oneca regina", that he died "era DCCCL", and that during his reign holy remains were transferred "ab Osca in monasterio Leioren". This source is confused, and contradicted by numerous other primary sources in many of the details which it records, but presumably this passage is intended to refer to Íñigo "Arista". "Enneco…rex, filius Simeonis" donated property to Leire by charter dated 18 Apr 842.
There is no reference in this document to the donor as "Arista" but, assuming that the document is genuine, it appears to be the only entirely contemporaneous document which names the king who ruled in Navarre during the first half of the 9th century so it should presumably be accorded the corresponding degree of respect. Whatever the correctness of his parentage, it appears that ÍÑIGO "Arista" [King] of Pamplona, established himself in [820/25], although no primary source has yet been found which confirms that this is correct. The Carolingian Franks, who first invaded the territory around Pamplona in 778, were finally driven out in 824. Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada, writing in the first half of the 13th century, records that "Enecho…Arista" came "ex Bigorriæ comitatu" and settled "ad plana Navarræ" and was chosen "regni…principatum" by the residents. This appears inconsistent with the marriage of Íñigo´s mother to Musa Ibn Fortún, which is suggested by Ibn Hayyân... If the Arab texts are to be believed, Íñigo allied himself with the Banu Qasi family, whose leader was his uterine half-brother according to the sources quoted above, presumably to consolidate his position. He was injured in the battle for Pamplona in which his brother Fortún was killed in 843. The Chronicon Fontanellensis records that ambassadors from "Induonis et Mitionis Ducum Naverrorum" attended Charles II "le Chauve" King of the West Franks "in Vermeria Palatio" with gifts and agreed peace, dated to 851. A footnote in the edition consulted notes that Marca, in his Historiæ Bearniæ, corrects the apparent reference to two individuals in this edition to "Inniconis Eminonis Duc. Navarr". Jaurgain records that Oïhenart suggests that the names should in fact be "Iniconis et Ximinonis", adding that they should be identified with "Eneco-Garcia et Semen-Garcia, neveux du souverain de Pamplone". This hypothesis is not acceptable from a chronological point of view. If the passage intends to refer to two individuals, it is more likely that they were Íñigo Iñíguez and Jimeno, father of García Jiménez... However, Marca´s interpretation is more likely to be correct as no other record has been found which indicates that two kings reigned in Pamplona at the same time.
Íñigo suffered from paralysis before he died. 1
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