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The Asturian or Astur-Leonese dynasty (Spanish ''dinastía asturiana'' or ''astur-leonesa''), known in
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...
as the Banī Adhfūnsh ("sons of Alfonso"), was the ruling family of the kingdom of
Asturias Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensi ...
and León from 739 until 1037. Under their rule, the Astur-Leonese kingdom went from a small mountain enclave to one of the dominant powers in
Hispania Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: His ...
. The first ruling family of Asturias lasted only two generations:
Pelagius Pelagius (; c. 354–418) was a British theologian known for promoting a system of doctrines (termed Pelagianism by his opponents) which emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin. Pelagius and his followers abhorred the moral ...
(718–737) and Fafila (737–739). The latter was succeeded by his brother-in-law, Alfonso I, the son of Duke Peter of Cantabria and husband of Fafila's sister, Ermesinda. He founded a dynasty that was to last almost 300 years. For the first century, rule alternated between Alfonso's descendants and those of his brother,
Fruela of Cantabria Fruela de Cantabria or Fruela Pérez (died 758) was the second son of Duke Peter of Cantabria and brother of King Alfonso I of Asturias. Biographical sketch According to the ''Rotensis'' and ''Sebastianense'' versions of the '' Chronicle of A ...
. With the death of Alfonso I's grandson, Alfonso II (842), Fruela's descendants took the throne permanently, headed by Ramiro I. At the death of Alfonso III (910), the kingdom was divided between his sons. The 10th century was thus characterized by family infighting, which was only brought to an end by the succession of
Bermudo II Bermudo or Vermudo, from Latin Veremundus, is a given name of Germanic origin. It may refer to: * Veremund (fl. c. 500), Suevic king of Galicia * Bermudo I of Asturias (r. 788–91), king, called "the Deacon" (''el Diácono'') * Bermudo II of León ...
in 984. During this period, however, the power of the neighbouring Kingdom of Pamplona waxed and in 1034 the Pamplonans captured León. The rule of the dynasty was brought to an end three years later when
Bermudo III Bermudo or Vermudo, from Latin Veremundus, is a given name of Germanic origin. It may refer to: *Veremund (fl. c. 500), Suevic king of Galicia *Bermudo I of Asturias (r. 788–91), king, called "the Deacon" (''el Diácono'') *Bermudo II of León (r. ...
was killed in battle against his brother-in-law, Ferdinand of Castile, of the Jiménez dynasty of Pamplona, who thereafter assumed the throne. The historiography produced by and for the dynasty, such as the '' Chronicle of Alfonso III'' (late 9th century), made Duke Peter a descendant of the
Visigothic The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is k ...
king
Reccared I Reccared I (or Recared; la, Flavius Reccaredus; es, Flavio Recaredo; 559 – December 601; reigned 586–601) was Visigothic King of Hispania and Septimania. His reign marked a climactic shift in history, with the king's renunciation of Aria ...
and stressed the dynasty's supposed Gothic descent.Julio Escalona, "Family Memories: Inventing Alfonso I of Asturias", in ''Building Legitimacy: Political Discourses and Forms of Legitimation in Medieval Societies'', ed. I. Alfonso, H. Kennedy and J. Escalona (Leiden: Brill, 2004), pp. 223–62.


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Stanley G. Payne Stanley George Payne (born September 9, 1934) is an American historian of modern Spain and European Fascism at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He retired from full-time teaching in 2004 and is currently Professor Emeritus at its Department ...
, ''A History of Spain and Portugal'', Volume 1, Chapter Three
The Early Christian Principalities and the Expansion of Asturias-León
{{DEFAULTSORT:Astur-Leonese Dynasty Kingdom of Asturias