The Formation of Medieval Iberian Kingdoms: Asturias, León, and Castile

The Birth of Christian Resistance

The inhabitants fled to the Cantabrian Mountains, which became an important focus of resistance against the Muslims.

Expansion of the Kingdom of Asturias

The first confrontation between Christians and Muslims was the Battle of Covadonga (Asturias). In 722, Christian nobles led by Pelayo achieved a major victory against the Muslim troops.

In the 8th and 9th centuries, the kings Alfonso I and Alfonso II promoted the repopulation of the Douro Valley to deter Muslim raids and plundering expeditions, and to expand cultivable areas.

The Kingdom of León

The monarch Alfonso III took advantage of the weakness of the Muslims and continued the expansion of his domains to the south. For greater control of the new lands, the kingdom moved its capital from Oviedo to León in 854, renaming the Astur-Leonese kingdom as the Kingdom of León.

Pre-Romanesque Art Styles

Asturian Art

• They used ashlar masonry as a construction material.
• They employed exterior buttresses, which allowed for greater building height.
• Key architectural features included the arch and the vault.

Mozarabic Art

• Churches were typically of small dimensions, featuring a Visigothic structure.
• Characterized by the sobriety of the exterior.
• Used various building materials, such as stone, brick, and masonry.
• Featured the horseshoe arch, reflecting Islamic style.

The County and Kingdom of Castile

The large number of castles that were built as a border defense zone gave the name to this territory: Castile, or the land of castles.

Independence of Castile

From the tenth century, the weakness of the Leonese monarchy and its lack of authority in the territory allowed the Count and vassal of the king, Fernán González, to stop paying tribute to the monarch: Castile became a separate kingdom.

The Unification of Castile and León

During the 11th and 12th centuries, the kingdoms of Castile and León experienced moments of closeness and distance due to hereditary motives and political marriages, until Ferdinand III finally unified them in 1230 under the name Kingdom of Spain. His reign and that of his son, Alfonso X the Wise, constituted the brightest period in the history of the previously separate kingdoms.