Diego (Bishop of Oviedo)
Encyclopedia
Diego was the eighth Bishop of Oviedo. The chief source for information about him is his testament, which survives in the archives of the Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo. His episcopate began with the death of his predecessor, Oveco
, sometime between 957 and 962.
Diego was a native of the village of Hevía
, a third part of which he was lord by inheritance. He consecrated the church of San Félix there, which, with another church on his property, was later given to the church of Oviedo, along with all his familial possessions in and around Hevía (30 March 967).
The early years of Diego's episcopate are made murky by the presence of bishops named Diego in Ourense
and Valpuesta at the same time. The identification of a given "Bishop Diego" in the contemporary documentation is therefore difficult and often uncertain. This is only compounded by the numerous errors of dating and outright falsifications (especially by Bishop Pelagius
in the twelfth century) of charters. Several document from between 948 and 954 are signed by a bishop named Diego without reference to his diocese. None of these, probably, belong to Diego of Oviedo. The earliest sure reference to Diego of Oviedo is from an eighteenth-century copy of a document dated, incorrectly, to 934. That Diego's episcopate began in 958 receives some support from the fact that four charters of that year bear the confirmation of a Diego and one—a donation of Ordoño IV to the monastery of Sobrado
on 13 November—specifies him as ouetense sedis ("of the see of Oviedo").
There is no reference to Diego between 958 and his donation of his patrimony in 967 save for a single charter confirmation from February 961. After 967 there is one confirmation from 968, one from 969, three from 971, all royal charters of Ramiro III
and Elvira Ramírez of León. After that there is no record of Diego and in March 975 his see was occupied by his successor, Bermudo
. No bishop of Oviedo attended the council which suppressed the Diocese of Simancas in 974, or if one did he did not sign the acts. This possibly indicates a vacancy in the see of Oviedo at that time.
Oveco (Bishop of Oviedo)
Oveco was the Bishop of Oviedo from 913/4, whose episcopate lasted almost half a century. Despite his longevity he is a relatively obscure figure. His origins lie in the same landed and wealthy aristocratic family as those of the Count Piniolo who founded the monastery of San Juan Bautista de...
, sometime between 957 and 962.
Diego was a native of the village of Hevía
Hevia
José Ángel Hevia Velasco, known professionally as Hevia , is a Spaniard bagpiper – specifically, an Asturian gaita player. He commonly performs with his sister, Maria José, on drums...
, a third part of which he was lord by inheritance. He consecrated the church of San Félix there, which, with another church on his property, was later given to the church of Oviedo, along with all his familial possessions in and around Hevía (30 March 967).
The early years of Diego's episcopate are made murky by the presence of bishops named Diego in Ourense
Diocese of Ourense
Diocese of Ourense Is one of the five districts in which the Roman Catholic church divides Galicia in North-western Spain...
and Valpuesta at the same time. The identification of a given "Bishop Diego" in the contemporary documentation is therefore difficult and often uncertain. This is only compounded by the numerous errors of dating and outright falsifications (especially by Bishop Pelagius
Pelagius of Oviedo
Pelagius of Oviedo was a medieval ecclesiastic, historian, and forger who served the Diocese of Oviedo as an auxiliary bishop from 1098 and as bishop from 1102 until his deposition in 1130 and again from 1142 to 1143. He was an active and independent-minded prelate, who zealously defended the...
in the twelfth century) of charters. Several document from between 948 and 954 are signed by a bishop named Diego without reference to his diocese. None of these, probably, belong to Diego of Oviedo. The earliest sure reference to Diego of Oviedo is from an eighteenth-century copy of a document dated, incorrectly, to 934. That Diego's episcopate began in 958 receives some support from the fact that four charters of that year bear the confirmation of a Diego and one—a donation of Ordoño IV to the monastery of Sobrado
Sobrado
Sobrado is a municipality in the Spanish province of A Coruña. It has a population of 2,402 and an area of 121 km². Sobrado is well known because of Sobrado Abbey, a Trappist monastery...
on 13 November—specifies him as ouetense sedis ("of the see of Oviedo").
There is no reference to Diego between 958 and his donation of his patrimony in 967 save for a single charter confirmation from February 961. After 967 there is one confirmation from 968, one from 969, three from 971, all royal charters of Ramiro III
Ramiro III of León
Ramiro III , king of León , was the son of Sancho the Fat and his successor at the age of only five. During his minority, the regency was in the hands of two nuns: his aunt Elvira Ramírez of León, who took the title of queen during the minority, and his mother Teresa Ansúrez, who was put in a...
and Elvira Ramírez of León. After that there is no record of Diego and in March 975 his see was occupied by his successor, Bermudo
Bermudo (Bishop of Oviedo)
Bermudo or Vermudo was the ninth Bishop of Oviedo. Historians and clerics Manuel Risco and Carlos González de Posada both date his episcopate to 976–92...
. No bishop of Oviedo attended the council which suppressed the Diocese of Simancas in 974, or if one did he did not sign the acts. This possibly indicates a vacancy in the see of Oviedo at that time.