Monument in memory of Pelagius at Covadonga, site of his famous victory.

Pelagius (Spanish: Pelayo, Portuguese: Pelágio; died 737) was the founder of the Kingdom of Asturias, ruling from 718 until his death. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. The Kingdom of Asturias was the first Christian political entity to be established in the Iberian peninsula after the collapse of the Visigothic He is credited with beginning the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian peninsula from the Moors, insofar as he established an independent Christian state in opposition to Moorish hegemony, but there is no strong evidence that he either intended to resuscitate the old Visigothic kingdom or was motivated by any religious desire. The Reconquista (a Spanish and Portuguese word for "Reconquest" Arabic: الاسترداد, "Recapturing" was a period A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim (and earlier non-Muslim people of Berber and Arab descent The Visigoths (Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, or Wisi were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East

The chief sources for Pelagius' life and career are two Latin chronicles produced in the kingdom he founded in the late ninth century. The earlier is the Chronica Albeldensia, written at Albelda towards 881, and preserved in the Codex Vigilanus with a continuation to 976. Albelda is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. The Codex Vigilanus (Albeldensis or Códice Albeldense (Vigilano, full name Codex Conciliorum Albeldensis seu Vigilanus, is an illuminated ^[1] The later is the Chronicle of Alfonso III, which was revised in the early tenth century and preserved in two textual traditions, called the Rotense and the Ad Sebastianum, which diverge in several key passages. ^[1] The only likely earlier sources from which these chroniclers could derive information are regnal lists. ^[2]

Pelagius was a Visigoth nobleman, the son of Fafila. The Chronica Albeldensia states that this Fafila was a dux of Galicia who was killed by Wittiza. Galicia (occasionally Galiza) is an autonomous community in northwest Spain. Wittiza ( Witiza, Witica, Witicha, Vitiza, or Witiges; c 687 &ndash probably 710 was the Visigothic King of ^[2] The Chronicle of Alfonso III calls Pelagius a grandson of Chindasuinth and says that his father was blinded in Córdoba, again at the instigation of Wittiza. Chindasuinth (c 563 &ndash 653 was Visigothic King of Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula) from 642 until his death ||-||-||} Córdoba ( Cordova in English is a City in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. ^[3] Wittiza is also said to have exiled Pelagius from Toledo upon assuming the crown in 702. Toledo Spain locationpng|thumb|right|200px|Location of Toledo in Spain All of this, however is a late tradition. ^[3]

According to the late tradition, Munuza, the Berber governor of Iegione (either Gijón or León), became attracted to Pelagius' sister and sent word to Tariq ibn Ziyad, who ordered him to capture Pelagius and send him to Córdoba. Munuza (8th century was the Moorish governor of northern Iberia (including the region of Asturias in modern Spain) Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. Gijón ( Asturian: Xixón) is a coastal industrial city History León was founded in the 1st century BC by the Roman legion Legio VI ''Victrix''. Tariq Ibn Ziyad or Taric bin Zeyad (طارق بن زياد d 720 known in Spanish history and legend as Taric el Tuerto (Taric the one-eyed was ^[4] That Munuza's seat was at Gijón or León is sufficient to demonstrate that the Arabs had established their rule in the Asturias and that Pelagius was not therefore the leader of a local resistance to Arab conquest. ^[5] Rather, Pelagius may have come to terms with the Arab elite whereby he was permitted to govern locally in the manner of the previous Visigoths, as is known to have occurred between Arab rulers and Visigothic noblemen elswhere, as in the case of Theudimer. Theodemir or Theudimer (died 743 was a Visigothic comes (count prominent in the southeast of Baetica (the region around Murcia) ^[6]

At some point Pelagius is said to have rebelled, but for what reasons is unknown and such rebellions by local authorities against higher ups was a common theme in Visigothic Spain. An army was sent against him under the command of Alkama and the Christian bishop of Seville, Oppa. That Alkama was the general and that there was a bishop of Seville named Oppa among his ranks is generally accepted. ^[4] A battle was fought near Covadonga (in monte Asevua or in monte Libana) and Alkama was killed and Oppa captured. Covadonga - ( Asturian: Cuadonga) from Latin Cova Dominica, "Cavern of the Lady" Arabic: صخرة بلاي Ṣakhraḧ Bilāy ^[4] Moorish chronicles of the event describe Pelagius and his small force as "thirty wild donkeys. "^[7] The battle is usually dated to 718 or 719, between the governorships of al-Hurr and as-Sham, though some have dated it as late as 722 and the Chronica Albeldensia mis-dates it to the 740s.

After royal election by the local magnates in the Visigothic manner,^[6] Pelagius made his capital at Cangas de Onís. Cangas de Onís ( Asturian: Cangues d'Onís) is a municipality in the eastern part of the province and autonomous community of Asturias in the northwest His kingdom was centred on the eastern Asturias. He married his daughter Ermesinda to his eastern neighbour, Peter of Cantabria. Peter or Pedro (d 730 was the Duke of Cantabria. While various writers have attempted to name his parentage (for example making him son or brother of King Pelagius reigned for eighteen or nineteen years until his death in 737, when he was succeeded by his son Fafila. Fafila, Favila, or Favilac (died 739 was the second King of Asturias from 737 until his death ^[8]

References

• Collins, Roger. The Arab Conquest of Spain, 710–97. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1989. ISBN 0 631 15923 1.
• Goode, Pauline L. "Covadonga, Su Historia y su Leyenda." Hispania, Vol. 10, No. 3. (May, 1927), pp 160–166.

Notes