Nepotian ( la, Nepotianus; es, Nepociano) was briefly the

king of Asturias This is a list of the rulers of the Kingdom of Asturias, a kingdom in the Iberian peninsula during the Early Middle Ages. It originated as a refuge for Visigothic nobles following the conquest of Iberia by the Umayyad Caliphate. Following the for ...

in 842. Prior to that he served as

count of the palace Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

under his predecessor, Alfonso II, to whom he was related. Both the nature of this relationship and the legitimacy of his rule are disputed by scholars. Later sources make him Alfonso's brother-in-law, but this is chronologically implausible, nor is there evidence for such a sister. The earliest chronicle simply calls him Alfonso's kinsman. Likewise he is sometimes identified with a man of this name who appears in a charter of King

Silo A silo (from the Greek σιρός – ''siros'', "pit for holding grain") is a structure for storing bulk materials. Silos are used in agriculture to store fermented feed known as silage, not to be confused with a grain bin, which is used t ...

, but were he the same he would have been in his nineties at the time he machinated for the throne. He did not hold the crown long. The same year another kinsman of Alfonso, Ramiro, defeated Nepocian at the Battle of the Bridge of Cornellana, by the river

Narcea The Narcea is a river of Asturias. It is a tributary of the Nalón River Nalón can refer to: * Nalón (Asturian comarca), in northern Spain * Nalón (river), a river in the comarca * Muros de Nalón Muros de Nalón ( Asturian: ''Muros'') i ...

, and thus became king as Ramiro I.

Notes

Sources

* * * * 8th-century Asturian monarchs {{Europe-royal-stub