Ordoño I of Asturias
Encyclopedia
Ordoño I (died 27 May 866) was King of Asturias from 850 until his death.
, where he spent his early life in the court of Alfonso II
. He was probably associated with the crown from an early age. He was probably raised in Lugo
, capital of the province of Galicia, of which his father, Ramiro
, had been named governor. There he was educated, including in the military arts.
Ordoño was named governor of Galicia when his father went to Vardulia to marry Paterna (his second wife). Whilst away, Alfonso died, and the nobles elected Count Nepocian as king. Ordoño immediately began to raise an army to assist his father in claiming the throne. He could not leave his post in Galicia to help, however, and his army went unused. When his father finally prevailed, he confirmed Ordoño in his heretofore provisional position.
On January 1, 850, Ordoño succeeded his father as king. As he was his father's heir, he was the first king of Asturias to ascend the throne without election. His first confrontation was with the Basques, who rebelled with the support of the Banu Qasi
of Zaragoza
. While returning to Oviedo after defeating the rebels, he received news of an impending Moorish assault on Vardulias. Before the Moors could attack, he met them near the Ebro
and defeated them. These victories meant little in the long run, for the governor of Zaragoza, Musa ibn Musa
fortified the city of Albaida (Albelda
). In 859, Ordoño defeated him at Albelda and besieged and razed the city.
He supported the mozarab
rebels, which cost him at Guadacelete in 854. But this fiasco only incited him to consolidate the "Desert of the Duero", the depopulated region between the Asturian cordillera and the river Duero. He directed the repoblación
of the towns of León and Talamanka
, Astorga, Tui
, and Amaya
.
He intended to advance against the governor of Tudela
and thus control all access to the Navarre
and the Basque Country
, but the Emirate of Córdoba responded with the invasion and sacking of Álava
. At Bureba, the Arabs defeated Rodrigo, first count of Castile, and set back the Reconquista
for years.
Ordoño married Muniadona, who is thought to be of Castilian origin. He had six children, including his successor, Alfonso III.
Ordoño died in Oviedo and was succeeded by his eldest son.
Biography
He was born in OviedoOviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
, where he spent his early life in the court of Alfonso II
Alfonso II of Asturias
Alfonso II , called the Chaste, was the king of Asturias from 791 to his death, the son of Fruela I and the Basque Munia.He was born in Oviedo in 759 or 760. He was put under the guardianship of his aunt Adosinda after his father's death, but one tradition relates his being put in the monastery of...
. He was probably associated with the crown from an early age. He was probably raised in Lugo
Lugo
Lugo is a city in northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is the capital of the province of Lugo. The municipality had a population of 97,635 in 2010, which makes is the fourth most populated city in Galicia.-Population:...
, capital of the province of Galicia, of which his father, Ramiro
Ramiro I of Asturias
Ramiro I was King of Asturias from 842 until his death. Son of Bermudo I, he succeeded Alfonso II.First, he had to deal with the usurper Nepocian, defeating him at the Battle of the Bridge of Cornellana, by the river Narcea. Ramiro then removed the system of election which allowed his family to be...
, had been named governor. There he was educated, including in the military arts.
Ordoño was named governor of Galicia when his father went to Vardulia to marry Paterna (his second wife). Whilst away, Alfonso died, and the nobles elected Count Nepocian as king. Ordoño immediately began to raise an army to assist his father in claiming the throne. He could not leave his post in Galicia to help, however, and his army went unused. When his father finally prevailed, he confirmed Ordoño in his heretofore provisional position.
On January 1, 850, Ordoño succeeded his father as king. As he was his father's heir, he was the first king of Asturias to ascend the throne without election. His first confrontation was with the Basques, who rebelled with the support of the Banu Qasi
Banu Qasi
The Banu Qasi, Banu Kasi, Beni Casi or Banu Musa were a Basque Muladi dynasty that ruled the upper Ebro valley in the 9th century, before being displaced in the first quarter of the 10th century.-Dynastic beginnings:...
of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
. While returning to Oviedo after defeating the rebels, he received news of an impending Moorish assault on Vardulias. Before the Moors could attack, he met them near the Ebro
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
and defeated them. These victories meant little in the long run, for the governor of Zaragoza, Musa ibn Musa
Musa ibn Musa ibn Qasi
Musa ibn Musa al-Qasawi was leader of the muwallad Banu Qasi clan and ruler of a semi-autonomous principality in the upper Ebro valley in northern Iberia in the 9th century.-Rise:...
fortified the city of Albaida (Albelda
Albelda
Albelda is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 877 inhabitants....
). In 859, Ordoño defeated him at Albelda and besieged and razed the city.
He supported the mozarab
Mozarab
The Mozarabs were Iberian Christians who lived under Arab Islamic rule in Al-Andalus. Their descendants remained unconverted to Islam, but did however adopt elements of Arabic language and culture...
rebels, which cost him at Guadacelete in 854. But this fiasco only incited him to consolidate the "Desert of the Duero", the depopulated region between the Asturian cordillera and the river Duero. He directed the repoblación
Repoblación
The Repoblación was the ninth-century repopulating of a large region between the River Duero and the Cantabrian Cordillera which had been depopulated in the early years of the Reconquista....
of the towns of León and Talamanka
Talamanca de Jarama
Talamanca de Jarama is a municipality of the Community of Madrid, Spain.Sights include the Romanesque church of San Juan Bautista, a 17th century Carthusian monastery and the so-called Ábside de los Milagros , what remains of a mid-13th century church.-Twinnings: Talamanca Canton, Costa Rica...
, Astorga, Tui
Tui
As a noun, Tui may refer to:* Tu'i , a title of nobility in Polynesia and some of Melanesia* Tui Awards, New Zealand's annual music industry awards* Tui , a brand of New Zealand beer produced by Tui Breweries...
, and Amaya
Amaya
Amaya can refer to:* Amaya , a professional Middle Eastern dancer* Amaya o los vascos en el siglo VIII, a novel by Francisco Navarro-Villoslada** Amaya , a 1920 opera by Jesús Guridi based in the novel...
.
He intended to advance against the governor of Tudela
Tudela, Navarre
Tudela is a municipality in Spain, the second city of the autonomous community of Navarre. Its population is around 35,000. Tudela is sited in the Ebro valley. Fast trains running on two-track electrified railways serve the city and two freeways join close to it...
and thus control all access to the Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
and the Basque Country
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
, but the Emirate of Córdoba responded with the invasion and sacking of Álava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
. At Bureba, the Arabs defeated Rodrigo, first count of Castile, and set back the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
for years.
Ordoño married Muniadona, who is thought to be of Castilian origin. He had six children, including his successor, Alfonso III.
Ordoño died in Oviedo and was succeeded by his eldest son.