THE KINGDOM OF ASTURIAS; AFTERWARDS CALLED OF OVIEDO, AND THEN OF LEON (711-1037 A.D.)
711 Battle of the Guadalete and downfall of the Visigothic kingdom in Spain. The Moors spread over the peninsula.
718 Pelayo (Pelagius) elected king by Spanish fugitives who had taken refuge in the mountains of Asturias. The Moors invade the district but are defeated at the cave of Covadonga and driven back. The Christians are left in peace to found the kingdom of Asturias.
722 Leon taken by Pelayo.
737 Favila, son of Pelayo, succeeds him.
739 Alfonso I, the Catholic, son-in-law of Pelayo, greatly extends his territory; acquires towns in Galicia, Lusitania, Leon, and Castile, and rules over Biscay and Navarre.
757 Fruela I makes Oviedo his capital. The harshness of his rule rouses his subjects to revolt and they put him to death.
768 Aurelio or Aurelius, nephew of Alfonso I, succeeds, and is followed by
774 Silo, his brother, who removes his court to Pravia.
778 Battle of Roncesvalles, in which the Spaniards ascribe the defeat of Charlemagne to Bernardo del Carpio, nephew of Alfonso II.
784 Mauregato the Usurper, to whom was ascribed the promise to pay the Moors a tribute of one hundred damsels.
788 Bermudo (Veremundo) I the Deacon is persuaded to accept the crown, but after three years resigns it.
791 Alfonso (II) the Chaste establishes his court at Oviedo, and firmly establishes his kingdom. The stories of the exploits of his nephew, Bernardo del Carpio, are probably mere fables with a slight foundation of truth.
842 Ramiro I. Revolts of the counts Nepotiano and Aldrete suppressed. The Northmen land at Corunna and ravage the district. Ramiro defeats them and burns seventy of their ships.
844 Supposed battle of Clavigo or Clavijo, in which Ramiro was said to have defeated the Moors with great slaughter by the aid of Santiago, who appeared in person on a white horse.
850 Ordoño I fortifies his frontier cities and defeats the Moors in several conflicts, notably at Albelda, and successfully asserts his authority over his own nobles. Northmen defeated in Galicia.
866 Alfonso (III) the Great. The beginning of his reign is disturbed by pretenders and other rebels.
873 Navarre, which had maintained towards Asturias a fitful allegiance constantly disturbed by Frankish intrigue, is conferred on Count Sancho Iñigo. Mohammedans frequently defeated by Alfonso, who advances his borders to the Guadiana. Leon becomes the capital. Battle of Zamora and defeat of the Mohammedans.
907 Rebellion of Alfonso’s son Garcia Nuño Fernandez, count of Castile, and other nobles. The prince is imprisoned. Revolt in his favour. Alfonso abdicates and divides his territories amongst his three sons, Ordoño receiving Galicia, Fruela Oviedo, and
910 Garcia the kingdom of Asturias. Alfonso successfully invades Mohammedan territory. He dies soon after. Garcia makes Leon his capital and assumes the title of king of Leon.
914 Ordoño II reunites Galicia with Leon.
917 Alhange stormed and the garrison massacred by Ordoño. Merida purchases peace. Further victories won by Ordoño over the Mohammedans.
918 Abd ar-Rahman III defeated at San Pedro de Gormaz.
921 Battle of Val de Junquera. Ordoño and his Navarrese allies are defeated by Abd ar-Rahman, owing to the defection of the counts of Castile. They are seized and put to death. Ordoño suppresses the rebellion to avenge them and defeats the Moors at Rioja.
923 Fruela II, brother of Ordoño, elected to the throne.
925 Alfonso IV.
930 Abdication of Alfonso. He retires to a monastery.
931 Attempting soon after to recover the throne, he is taken and blinded by his brother, Ramiro II.
939 Battle of Simancas. Ramiro defeats Abd ar-Rahman III. Fernan Gonsalez and Diego Nuñez, counts of Castile, revolt. They are subdued and imprisoned, but then restored to office. Fernan’s daughter Urracais married to Ramiro’s son, who succeeds his father as
950 Ordoño III. His brother Sancho and Fernan Gonsalez revolt, and are aided by the Navarrese. Ordoño triumphs over them and quells a Galician revolt.
955 Ordoño IV makes himself king by gaining over the troops of
956 Sancho (I) the Fat, who recovers his rights with the help of Cordovan troops.
967 Ramiro III.
968 The Northmen under Gundered invade and waste Galicia and great part of Leon during two years, till they are finally overthrown and destroyed by the count of Galicia and their vessels are burned.
979 Almansor, regent of Cordova, collects an army against Leon and defeats
981 Ramiro at Zamora and Simancas.
982 Indecisive battle of Monterroso between Ramiro and the pretender Bermudo who, on the death of Ramiro, succeeds as Bermudo or Veremundo (II) the Gouty. His reign is occupied by continuous rebellions under Rodrigo Velasquez, Conancio, Gonzalo Bermudez, and others, while Almansor constantly increases his territory, taking city after city, including Coimbra, which he destroyed, Leon, whose fortifications he razed, Compostella, whence he carried off the gates and bells of the shrine of St. James.
999 Alfonso V (under the regency of Gonsalvo).
1002 Death of Almansor after his defeat at the perhaps fabulous battle of Calatanazar. Order restored in the kingdom of Leon. The capital is rebuilt. Beneficial laws proclaimed. Sancho Garces, count of Castile, rebels.
1021 Garcia succeeds Sancho as count of Castile.
1026 Murder of Garcia at his marriage with the princess of Leon. The northern part of Castile annexed to Navarre. Alfonso invades Portugal and is killed at the siege of Viseu.
1027 Bermudo III. Sancho the Great of Navarre conquers part of Leon. Bermudo wins several fortresses from the Mohammedans.
1037 Battle of Carrion. Bermudo slain in battle with Ferdinand I, king of Castile, who is recognised as king of Leon, Galicia, and Asturias, in right of his wife, Bermudo’s sister.