Asturias, 718-909 Castile






The Kingdom of Leon, 910-1230



In the later 9th century, the Kingdom of Asturias expanded, repopulating conquered LEON with MOZARABS (i.e. christians who used to live under Muslim rule) and, under King Alfonso III. the Great, newly founding the city of Burgos.
In 910, the Kingdom of Asturias was divided in two. The larger western half, allocated to King GARCIA, became known - after it's new capital - the KINGDOM OF LEON. The eastern half of Asturias was later regained, yet the capital remained in Leon and the new name of the Kingdom was lasting.
In Leon's king-list the names of Asturias' kings reappear, and the counting continues. Connections were strong, Leon being the major successor state of Asturias.
Asturias was a mountainous, rough border landscape, little urbanized, as the succession of movements of the capitals of the christian kingdoms to the (much more urbanized) south indicates. Leon, for over 200 years, held on to the status of capital.
Compared to Spain's other christian kingdoms and counties, Leon was by far the largest. On it's territory lay SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, a place which attracted pilgrims in large numbers from as far away as France and England. The kings of Leon continued to pursue an active policy of (re-) conquest. They expanded their sphere of influence into the lower Duero valley (northern Portugal) and, from there, eastward toward the upper Ebro valley. To secure the newly gained territory, castles were erected, after which the region - CASTILE - was named.
Leonese expansion did not come without setbacks, the worst being the sacking of Santiago de Compostela by Muslim forces in 997. The defeat by the hands of Al Mansur was of such a kind, that Leon was compelled to recognize the Caliphate's suzerainty over Leon and to fight alongside Cordoban troops against King Sancho of Navarre. Only late during King Alfonso V. reign could the Kingdom reestablish it's independence and resume the Reconquista.
The Kingdom of Leon, like the other contemporary states in the region, lacked cohesion, the major force holding the state together being the person of the king. Count FERNAN GONZALEZ established Castile's independence all but in name. Since 1035 the Counts of Castile claimed the title of King. Similarily, the COUNTS OF BRAGA ruled independently from 1095 onward, claiming the title King of PORTUGAL since 1139.
The remainder of Leon, now just one of a number of christian kingdoms, continued to participate in the Reconquista. Leon expanded southward, sandwiched between Portugal and Castile. The most important city gained by Leon was SALAMANCA.
Between 1037 and 1165, Leon and Castile were united in Dynastic Union under KING FERDINAND THE GREAT. The union was dissolved after his death, until both kingdoms were again reunited, in a lasting DYNASTIC UNION in 1230.



When the church organisation of Spain was reformed in the 11th century, Leon was placed under the ARCHDIOCESIS OF TOLEDO (in Castile, founded 1088). This arrangement being made while Castile and Leon were united in Dynastic Union, the Leonese resented being placed under a Castilian archbishop. So early in 1105, the diocese of Oviedo was declared exempt, in 1104 the ARCHDIOCESIS OF BRAGA was established, in 1120 the ARCHDIOCESIS OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA. Since 1170 it was administrated by the ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, an order which had a strong followership in both Leon and Castile and was devoted to the Reconquista. In 1170 the ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF ALCANTARA was founded in a city liberated in 1167, lost again in 1172 and finally secured in 1214. Leon's patron saint was ST. JAMES THE GREATER, in Spanish St. Iago.

In 1188, King Alfonso IX. convened, for the first time, the CORTEZ of the Kingdom of Leon (i.e. the estates), consisting of the nobility, the clergy and representatives of the towns. When Castile and Leon were unified in DYNASTIC UNION from 1230 onward, often general cortez were called to assemble, representing both Castile and Leon and the conquered regions. Yet, at times, separate cortez for Leon were assembled, until into the 14th century.


Flag of Castile and Leon, from FOTW
the standing lion represents Leon (Spanish for lion)





EXTERNAL
FILES 		Articles Leon and Saint James de Compostela, Order of, Alcantara, Order of from Catholic Encyclopedia
Santiago de Compostela, history and legend, from All about Spain
World Heritage Cities of Spain : Santiago de Compostela, Salamanca
St. James the Greater, Patron Saint of Leon, from Catholic Forum
Castles of the Kingdom of Leon, from ismael
The Episcopate and the Kingdom of Leon in the 12th century, by Richard A. Fletcher, from LIBRO;
The Kingdom of Leon-Castilla under King Alfonso VI, 1065-1109, by Bernard F. Reilly, from LIBRO;
The Kingdom of Leon-Castilla under Queen Urraca, 1109-1126, by Bernard F. Reilly, from LIBRO;
The Cortes of Castile-Leon, 1188-1350, by James F. O'Callaghan, from LIBRO
Battles of Castile and Leon 844-1521
DOCUMENTS Map of Umayyad Spain in the 2nd half of the 10th century, from upenn
Spain after the Disintegration of the Umayyad Caliphate, map from upenn
Cross of the Order of Santiago, from FOTW
REFERENCE



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on November 9th 2004

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