Ramiro II of León
Encyclopedia
Ramiro II son of Ordoño II
, was King of León
from 931 until his death. Initially titular king only of a lesser part of Asturias, he gained the crown of León (and with it, Galicia) after his brother Alfonso IV
abdicated in 931. The scant Anales castellanos primeros
are a primary source for his reign.
Ramiro was the creator of a Navarre
se/Leonese
coalition that defeated the Muslims in the Battle of Simancas
(939). This victory allowed the advance of the Leonine border of the Duero
to the Tormes.
In the last years of his reign, he could not avoid Castilian
independence under the direction of Fernán González of Castile, but still in 950 he launched an expedition to the valley of the Edge and defeated the Muslims at Talavera
.
He married twice, first to Adosinda Gutierrez, Ramiro's first cousin and the daughter of Gutier Osoriz and Ildonzia Menendez, niece of Ramiro's mother, queen Elvira Menendez and cousin of San Rosendo
. By her had sons Bermudo and Ordoño III
, and presumably daughter Teresa, wife of García Sánchez I of Pamplona. He secondly married Urraca, sister of García, and had two children, Sancho I
and Elvira.
He figures prominently in the romantic poem, the Miragaia, which tells the apocryphal story of Ramiro bedding Ortega, the daughter of a local Arab lord. By her he is given a son Alboazar, the progenitor of the Galician
/Portuguese
Maya family. This Maya tradition was subsequently linked to another legend, that told in the Cantar de los Siete Infantes de Lara by giving Ramiro and Ortega (sometimes called Ortigueda) a daughter Ortega Ramírez, who is made to marry Gustios Gonzalez, grandfather of the legendary hero Mudarra Gonzalez de Lara. Subsequent elaboration of this legend gave further supposed descendants, but none of these Lara connections are accepted by modern scholars.
Ordoño II of León
Ordoño II was king of Galicia from 910, and king of Galicia and León from 914 until his death. He was the second son of King Alfonso III the Great and his wife, Jimena of Pamplona....
, was King of León
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
from 931 until his death. Initially titular king only of a lesser part of Asturias, he gained the crown of León (and with it, Galicia) after his brother Alfonso IV
Alfonso IV of León
Alfonso IV , called the Monk, was King of León from 925 and King of Galicia from 929, until he abdicated in 931....
abdicated in 931. The scant Anales castellanos primeros
Anales castellanos primeros
The Anales castellanos primeros , formerly called the Cronicón de San Isidoro de León after the Basilica of San Isidoro in León where they were found on the first folio of a manuscript The Anales castellanos primeros ("First Castilian Annals"), formerly called the Cronicón de San Isidoro (or...
are a primary source for his reign.
Ramiro was the creator of a Navarre
Kingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
se/Leonese
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
coalition that defeated the Muslims in the Battle of Simancas
Battle of Simancas
The Battle of Simancas was a military battle that started on July 19, 939, in the Iberian Peninsula between the troops of the Christian king Ramiro II of León and Muslim caliph Abd al-Rahman III near the walls of the city of Simancas...
(939). This victory allowed the advance of the Leonine border of the Duero
Douro
The Douro or Duero is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto...
to the Tormes.
In the last years of his reign, he could not avoid Castilian
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
independence under the direction of Fernán González of Castile, but still in 950 he launched an expedition to the valley of the Edge and defeated the Muslims at Talavera
Talavera de la Reina (Toledo)
Talavera de la Reina is a city and municipality in the western part of the province of Toledo, which in turn is part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain...
.
He married twice, first to Adosinda Gutierrez, Ramiro's first cousin and the daughter of Gutier Osoriz and Ildonzia Menendez, niece of Ramiro's mother, queen Elvira Menendez and cousin of San Rosendo
Rudesind
Saint Rudesind was a Galician bishop and abbot. He was born into the nobility; his father was Count Gutierre Menéndez , brother-in-law to Ordoño II and supporter of Alfonso III of León, and his mother was St. Ilduaria Eriz . Rudesind was related to the abbess Saint Senorina...
. By her had sons Bermudo and Ordoño III
Ordoño III of León
Ordoño III was the King of León from 951 to 956, son and successor of Ramiro II . He confronted Navarre and Castile, who supported his half-brother Sancho the Fat in disputing Ordoño's claim to the throne....
, and presumably daughter Teresa, wife of García Sánchez I of Pamplona. He secondly married Urraca, sister of García, and had two children, Sancho I
Sancho I of León
Sancho I , called the Fat, was the son of King Ramiro II of León. He succeeded his half-brother Ordoño III in 956 and reigned until his death, except for a two year interruption from 958 to 960, when Ordoño the Wicked usurped the throne...
and Elvira.
He figures prominently in the romantic poem, the Miragaia, which tells the apocryphal story of Ramiro bedding Ortega, the daughter of a local Arab lord. By her he is given a son Alboazar, the progenitor of the Galician
Galician people
The Galicians are an ethnic group, a nationality whose historical homeland is Galicia in north-western Spain. Most Galicians are bilingual, speaking both their historic language, Galician, and Castilian Spanish.-Political and administrative divisions:...
/Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
Maya family. This Maya tradition was subsequently linked to another legend, that told in the Cantar de los Siete Infantes de Lara by giving Ramiro and Ortega (sometimes called Ortigueda) a daughter Ortega Ramírez, who is made to marry Gustios Gonzalez, grandfather of the legendary hero Mudarra Gonzalez de Lara. Subsequent elaboration of this legend gave further supposed descendants, but none of these Lara connections are accepted by modern scholars.