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medieval Reyes Here. Chapter I: Don Pelayo

Or how fitting in reality and myth

Let inaugurate this series with what is considered the initiator of the Reconquista and all that stuff. If it were me, would begin directly by Alfonso I, but to discuss it we must speak of the character that concerns us here before, and so filled with two more articles.

So who was Don Pelayo? Some more, some less, have an idea formed, Covadonga, stones and bad Muslims and invaders are defeated. Well ... It is time to eradicate a number of myths, from what I see.

Today it is assumed that there was a "historic Pelayo, a leader, probably of noble origin, who coalesced around him those who fled the Muslim advance inherent in the invasion of 711. Quoted in many sources today can not doubt his existence. What we know about him is that the Duke was to be son Favila, a Visigothic noble anti-king faction Witiza. Surely it was dux of the area of \u200b\u200bCantabria. And a mess of skirts Witiza ended his life. When he ascended the throne 701 Visigoths, Toledo Pelayo was banished and fled north to the former dominions of his father, among his clients (client understood those dependent on a benefactor, or, in terms we all understand, people related to a more powerful because example, owe more favors fat).

Witiza Under the circumstances inexplicably died of natural causes in 710 (yes, inexplicably, the favorite sport of the noble Goths were killing each other, and always dying to hands of another was king), with only 30 years. His faction Agila his son clinched (Agila II), only one child, while another part of the nobility said palatal odd that a child, how bad are things, in any way. And suggested to Roderico (Don Rodrigo for you) as king of Toledo. The following is well known: for some reason (being considered a number), the Muslims crossed the Strait in 711, gave him a beating in Guadalete Visigoth army (rather than military medium, because " Witiza " switched sides middle of the battle), and in just five years occupied the peninsula.

statue of Don Pelayo in Covadonga, Asturias (courtesy of Wikimedia Commons )

Is all? No, a small pocket of unruly Visigoths now resist the invaders. Or rather complex terrain backtracked Muslim expansionist ambitions in that area of \u200b\u200bthe Cantabrian coast. The legend reads: nominally Asturias was also submitted to Muslim rule, and the nobility yielded to the evidence. But Pelayo was bounced because the governor imposed forcibly married to her sister, organized a revolt that ended with his capture and deportation to Cordoba. Somehow he escaped and returned north to screw it tighter. And what if they succeeded, because they moved to a quota to defeat the rebels. Fleeing from them, found refuge in Covadonga, where a few miraculously defeated many, 722. The icing on the cake was the capture and execution of the said governor, Munuza. Pelayo was proclaimed then Princeps Astures of their leader.

Astures "? I still had that? Were not assimilated after the first hundred years of Roman domination and then Visigoth? Well, apparently not. Astures rebellions are documented during the reign of Wamba (672 - 680). Why the Asturian, who rebelled against the Goths, agreed to a leader with such an origin? Namely. Maybe you "nobilizase" to legitimize the Reconquista. Arab chronicles Pelayo cross out the "wild ass", which, even hatred that the enemy has not often that someone with noble ancestry. And the name does not sound Visigoths, but the experts say that is more classical, Greek or Roman. Anyway, I get in the car of Gothic origin, sorry.

Back to the dates and Fazana Prince Pelayo. And subsequently flee to Munuza dead Gijón making was simple, and subsequent expansion of the original kingdom of Asturias, too. Why? Because, as already indicated, the Arabs of rather little interest in this area, like let's face it, all that was north of the Duero. His views were on expanding north of the Pyrenees, but Charles Martel, Charlemagne's famous ancestor, he stood feet dramatically at Poitiers in 732. Meanwhile, Pelayo, who died in 737, had been incorporated territories around that central core, establishing his court in Cangas de Onis. Why not Cangas matchup? Their precarious situation led him to take shelter in the mountains. The extension of this early kingdom, even without such a designation, covered, at most, the central part of the current autonomous region, stretching a bit does this. Imagine an area with center and radius to Cangas Gijón ... As we see, a tiny outpost in comparison to the Peninsula.

Pelayo died in 737, in Cangas de Onis. From his marriage to Gaudiosa (or Geodosia, according to others) were born at least two children and Ermesinda Favila. And it's time to talk about them.