Reconquista

For other uses, see Reconquista (Disambiguation).

The rebellion of the Astures and the early kingdom

The north of Iberia (the former duchy of Gallaecia), a wet, high and mountainous region full of valleys (the Cantabric Range) was home to the Astures, Cantabri, and Basques since the first millennium BC. Conquered by Augustus in 14 BC, these tribes were not fully romanized (concerning their tribal and cultural heritage) even if they spoke Latin and were more or less Christian (many were pagans).

Related Topics:
Cantabric Range - Astures - Cantabri - First millennium BC - 14 BC

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These lands, even if conquered, were not the most ideal place for the Moors, who just sent a military force and collected taxes, and as with the Romans, not bothering the Astures and Cantabri. But by the late 710?s Al-Andalus suffered of revolts. The Berbers did not like the lands they were given and were repressed by the emiral forces in several battles until the rebellion stopped, but then the Berbers turned against the Astures, claiming higher taxes and setting punishment patrols against their villages. This forced the Astures to start a guerrilla war.

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In 722 A.D. a Goth noble, Pelayo, who had returned to his county after Guadalete, became the leader of the Astures and started a period of stronger attacks. This year, the Moorish patrol entered deep in the Astur territory, following direct instructions from the Emir, who wanted to stop those revolts immediately. The facts are not clear, but in 722 (maybe 724 or 718), the Moors were defeated in the valley of Covadonga. The most accepted hypothesis for this battle (epic described by Christian chronicles; mere skirmish in Muslim texts) is that, the Moorish column was attacked from the cliffs and then fell back through the valleys towards present day Gijón, but was attacked in its way by the retinue of Duke Pedro of Cantabria and was nearly destroyed. This first battle made the Astures grow stronger. Once expelled the Moors from the eastern valleys of Asturias and this ?federation? was settled, Pelayo attacked León, the main city in north-west Spain and assured the mountain passes, isolating the region from the Moorish attacks.

Related Topics:
Pelayo - Were defeated - Covadonga - Gijón - León

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Pelayo continued attacking the Berbers which still stayed north of the Cantabric Range until these left. He then married his son with Duke Pedro?s daughter (which was relative of the former Visigothic dynasty). At his death in 734, his now called kingdom of Asturias stretched all through eastern Asturias and Cantabria.

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It was not until several years later, under king Alphonso II (791-842), when the kingdom was really settled down. He was recognised as king of Asturias by Charlemagne and the Pope. He conquered Galicia and the Basques. During his reign, the holy bones of St. James the Great were declared to be found in Galicia, in Compostela (campus stellae, literally "the field of the star").

Related Topics:
Charlemagne - Pope - James the Great - Compostela

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Pilgrims from all over Europe opened a way of communication between the isolated Asturias and the Carolingian lands and beyond.

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St. James was probably not buried in Galicia (it is supposed to be an old Celt grave yard) but it was a way to maintain an armed force inside the rebellion-prone territory of the Galician counts.

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Alphonso?s policy consisted in depopulating the borders of Vardulia (which would turn into Castile) in order to gain population support north of the Cantabric Range. This growth meant an increase in defence and attack forces. Now the kingdom was strong enough to sack and attack the Moorish cities of Lisbon, Zamora and Coimbra. Not willing to conquer, for centuries on the major part of military actions were focused on pillage and tributes: weakening the enemy and getting fortunes and morale for their soldiers.

Related Topics:
Vardulia - Castile - Lisbon - Zamora - Coimbra - Pillage - Tribute

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