Editing Pelagius of Asturias

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{{Short description|King of Asturias (c. 685–737)}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Pelagius
| image        = Pelayo en la batalla de Covadonga BNE Mss 2805 f 23r.jpg
| caption      = A depiction of the Battle of Covadonga in a decorated [[initial]] from a 12th-century [[illustrated manuscript]] of the ''[[Pelagius of Oviedo|Liber testamentorum]]''. Pelayo, crowned and holding a cross, is leading at the top.
| succession   = [[King of Asturias]]
| reign        = 718–737
| successor    = [[Favila of Asturias]]
| spouse       = [[Gaudiosa]]
| spouse-type  = [[queen consort|Consort]]
| house        = [[Astur-Leonese dynasty]]
| house-type   = Dynasty
| father       = {{ill|Favila (duke)|lt=Favila of Cantabria|gl|Fávila (duque)}}
| mother       = 
| issue        = *[[Favila of Asturias]]
*[[Ermesinda|Ermesinda of Asturias]]
| birth_date   = {{circa|685}}
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = 737
| death_place  = 
| place of burial = [[Santa Cueva de Covadonga]]
| religion     = [[Chalcedonian Christianity]]
}}
'''Pelagius''' ({{Langx|es|Pelayo}};<ref>{{Langx|ast|Pelayu}}; {{Langx|gl|Paio}}; {{Langx|pt|Pelágio}}</ref> {{circa|685}} – 737) was a nobleman who founded the [[Kingdom of Asturias]] in 718.<ref name==":0">{{harvnb|Collins|1989|p=147}}; {{harvnb|Reilly|1993|pp=75–76}}; {{harvnb|Deyermond|1985|p=346}}; {{harvnb|Hillgarth|2009|p=66 n. 28}}</ref> Pelagius is credited with initiating the ''[[Reconquista]]'', the Christian reconquest of the [[Iberian Peninsula]] from the [[Moors]], and establishing the Asturian monarchy, making him the forefather of all the future Iberian monarchies, including the [[Kings of Castile]], the [[Kings of León]], and the [[Kings of Portugal]].

==Early life==
Pelagius was born around 685, although the exact details of his early life remain largely unknown. Traditionally, Pelagius was depicted as of Visigothic origin.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Barbero |first1=Abilio |title=La formación del feudalismo en la Península Ibérica |last2=Vigil |first2=Marcelo |date=1978 |publisher=Ed. Crítica |isbn=978-84-7423-058-1 |edition=5. |series=Historia medieval |location=Barcelona}}</ref> Recent scholarship increasingly supports that Pelagius was a nobleman of Hispano-Roman descent, linked to the local Asturian elite.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Barbero |first1=Abilio |title=La formación del feudalismo en la Península Ibérica |last2=Vigil |first2=Marcelo |date=1978 |publisher=Ed. Crítica |isbn=978-84-7423-058-1 |edition=5. |series=Historia medieval |location=Barcelona}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Bueyes |first=Luis Ramón Menéndez |date=1995 |title=Algunas notas sobre el posible origen Astur-Romano de la nobleza en el Asturorum Regnum |url=https://revistas.usal.es/uno/index.php/0213-2052/article/view/4284 |journal=Studia Historica. Historia Antigua |language=es |volume=13 |issn=2530-4100}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Torrente Fernández |first=María Isabel |title=Historia de Asturias |date=1990 |publisher=Editorial Prensa Asturiana |isbn=978-84-404-8567-0 |volume=2 |location=Oviedo [Spain] |page=309-324 |chapter=La monarquía asturiana: su realidad y los relatos históricos}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Dacosta |first=Arsenio |date=1992 |title=Notas sobre las crónicas ovetenses del siglo IX. Pelayo y el sistema sucesorio en el caudillaje astuariano |url=https://revistas.usal.es/uno/index.php/Studia_H_Historia_Medieval/article/view/4372 |journal=Studia Historica. Historia Medieval |language=es |volume=10 |issn=2445-3595}}</ref> Historical texts emphasize Pelayo's connection to the local Asturian society. He is believed to be the son of Favila. The ''[[Chronica Albeldense]]'', elaborated three centuries after his death, says that Favila was a ''dux'' of [[Gallaecia]], who was killed by [[Wittiza]].<ref name="Arab143"/> The ''Chronicle of Alfonso III'' identifies Pelagius as a grandson of [[Chindasuinth]] and says that his father was blinded in [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]], at the instigation of Wittiza.<ref name="Arab144">{{harvnb|Collins|1989|p=144}}</ref> Wittiza is also said to have exiled Pelagius from [[Toledo, Spain|Toledo]] upon assuming the crown in 702. In the opinion of [[Roger Collins]], this is a late tradition and the account of the ''Albeldense'', which locates Pelagius's origins in the north of the peninsula, is more credible.  Both chronicles agree, however, that he was a Visigoth who was exiled from Toledo by Wittiza.<ref name="Arab144"/>

According to the later tradition, [[Munuza]], the [[Berber people|Berber]] governor of ''Iegione'' (either [[Gijón]] or [[León, Spain|León]]), became attracted to Pelagius's sister and sent word to [[Tariq ibn Ziyad]], who ordered him to capture Pelagius and send him to Córdoba.<ref name="Arab145">{{harvnb|Collins|1989|p=145}}</ref> If Munuza's seat is identified with Gijón, it may be inferred that the Arabs had established their rule in the Asturias and that Pelagius was not the leader of a local resistance to Arab conquest.<ref name="Arab148">{{harvnb|Collins|1989|p=148}}</ref> 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 elsewhere, as in the case of [[Theodemir (Visigoth)|Theudimer]],<ref name="Arab149">{{harvnb|Collins|1989| p=149}}</ref> although most historians consider this unlikely.{{sfn|Reilly|1993|p=397}}

==Reign==
At some point Pelagius is said to have rebelled, but for what reasons is unknown; such rebellions by local authorities against their superiors formed a common theme in Visigothic Spain. A Muslim army was sent against him under the command of [[Alqama (8th century)|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.<ref name="Arab145"/> A [[Battle of Covadonga|battle was fought near Covadonga]] (''in monte Auseva'' or ''in monte Libana'') in which Alkama was killed and Oppa captured.<ref name="Arab145"/> Moorish chronicles of the event describe Pelagius and his small force as "thirty wild donkeys", as reported by [[Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari|al-Maqqari]] in the 17th century.<ref>[http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/historia/textos/medieval/alta_edad_media3.shtml "Extract from C. Sánchez Albornoz and M. Antuña's ''Fuentes de la historia hispano-musulmana del siglo VIII'' featuring a translation of an excerpt from Al Maqqari's ''Nafh al-Tib''"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610013709/http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/historia/textos/medieval/alta_edad_media3.shtml |date=2007-06-10 }} in the on-line Biblioteca Cervantes (Spanish)</ref><ref>{{harvnb|al-Maqqari|1843|p=261}}</ref> The battle is usually dated to 718 or 719, between the governorships of [[Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Thaqafi|al-Hurr]] and [[Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani|al-Samh]], though some have dated it as late as 722 and the ''Chronica Albeldensia'' dates it in the 740s.
[[File:Genealogia dos Reis de Portugal - Tavoa Primeira - Tronco de los reyes de Castilla y Leon - Ducado de Cantabria.jpg|thumb|Ducado de Cantabria in 739 : Pelagius son of Favila Duque de Cantabria. ''"Genealogia dos Reis de Portugal" 1530'']]
After his election as ''princeps'' (prince, principal leader) of the Asturians by the local magnates in the Visigothic manner,<ref name="Arab149"/> Pelagius made his capital at [[Cangas de Onís]]. The ''{{lang|la|Chronica Rotensis}}'' says about this election:<ref>{{harvnb|García Villada|1918|pp=109–110}}</ref>
<blockquote>And he [Pelagius], going to his mountainous lands, gathered all those who were going to council and ascended a big mountain named Asseuua. He spread his orders between all the Astures, who gathered in council and elected Pelagius as their ''princeps''.<ref name="rot"/></blockquote>
His kingdom, firstly centred on the eastern Asturias, soon grew. He married his daughter [[Ermesinda]] to the future king [[Alfonso I of Asturias|Alfonso I]], son of Pelagius's eastern neighbour, Duke [[Peter of Cantabria]].<ref name="Collins2012">{{harvnb|Collins|2012|p=64}}</ref> 

Pelagius reigned for eighteen or nineteen years until his death in 737, when he was succeeded by his son [[Fafila of Asturias|Fafila]].<ref name="Arab150">{{harvnb|Collins|1989|p=150}}</ref>

He was buried in the [[Iglesia de Santa Eulalia (Abamia)|church of Santa Eulalia de Abamia]], located in the surroundings of the village of Corao, near Cangas de Onís. His remains were transferred by King [[Alfonso X of Castile]] to the [[Holy Cave of Covadonga]], as were those of his wife [[Gaudiosa]] and his sister. He left, in addition to his son and successor Fafila, a daughter, Ermesinda, who was to become [[progenitress]], along with King [[Alfonso I of Asturias]] ("Alfonso the Catholic"), of the later royalty of Asturias.

==Historiography==
[[File:Don Pelayo, rey de Asturias (Museo del Prado).jpg|thumb|Imaginary portrait by [[Luis de Madrazo]].]]
The chief sources for Pelagius's life and career are two Latin chronicles written in the late ninth century in the kingdom he founded. The first is the ''[[Chronica Albeldensia]]'', written at [[Albelda]] towards 881, and preserved in the ''[[Codex Vigilanus]],'' with a continuation to 976.<ref name="Arab142">{{harvnb|Collins|1989|p=142}}</ref> The latter is the ''[[Chronicle of Alfonso III]]'', which was revised in the early tenth century and preserved in two textual traditions that diverge in several key passages:<ref name="Arab142"/> the ''{{lang|la|Chronica Rotensis}}'', preserved in the ''[[Códice de Roda]]'',<ref name=rot>{{harvnb|Gil Fernández|Moralejo|Ruiz de la Peña|1985|loc=Editionis Rotensis; pp. 114–149}} {{in lang|la}}</ref> and the ''{{lang|la|Chronica ad Sebastianum}}'',<ref>{{harvnb|Gil Fernández|Moralejo|Ruiz de la Peña|1985|loc= Editionis ad Sebastianum; pp. 114–149}}  {{in lang|la}}</ref> supposedly written by [[Sebastian (bishop of Salamanca)|Sebastian]], [[Bishop of Salamanca]] (910–913).<ref>{{cite web|title=Sebastián, Bishop of Salamanca, fl. 910–913|publisher=Library of Congress|work=Library of Congress Authorities|url=http://lccn.loc.gov/n84219155}}</ref> The only likely earlier written sources from which these chroniclers could derive information are regnal lists.<ref name="Arab143">{{harvnb|Collins|1989|p=143}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|last= al-Maqqari|first=Ahmed Mohammed|author-link=Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari|editor-last=De Gayangos|editor-first=Pascual|title=The History Of The Mohammedan Dynasties In Spain |volume=II |year=1843|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofthemoha032395mbp#page/n277/mode/2up|publisher=W.H.Allen And Company}}
* {{cite journal|first1=Arcadio del|last1= Castillo Álvarez|first2=Julia|last2= Montenegro Valentín |title=Don Pelayo y los orígenes de la Reconquista|language=es|journal= Revista Española de Historia|issn= 0018-2141 |volume=52|number=180|year=1992|pages=5–32}}
* {{cite journal|first1=Arcadio del|last1=Castillo Álvarez|first2=Julia|last2=Montenegro Valentín|title=De Nuevo sobre Don Pelayo y los orígenes de la Reconquista|language=es|journal=Historia Antigua|issn=1130-1082|series=Espacio, Tiempo y Forma|url=http://e-spacio.uned.es/fez/eserv.php?pid=bibliuned:ETFSerie2-84925883-9B9F-C675-7D90-5C517B7AA520&dsID=PDF|volume=8|year=1995|pages=507–520|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815092213/http://e-spacio.uned.es/fez/eserv.php?pid=bibliuned%3AETFSerie2-84925883-9B9F-C675-7D90-5C517B7AA520&dsID=PDF|archive-date=2011-08-15}}
*{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Collins|title=A History of Spain|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yBKno5aCvMgC&pg=PA74-IA21|access-date=30 June 2012|volume=16|year=2012|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-27399-9|pages=64|chapter=Caliphs and Kings: Spain, 796-1031}}
*{{cite book | last = Collins | first = Roger | author-link = Roger Collins | title = The Arab Conquest of Spain, 710-797 | publisher = Blackwell Publishing | location = Oxford | year = 1989 | isbn = 0-631-15923-1}}
*{{cite journal |first=Alan |last=Deyermond |title=The Death and Rebirth of Visigothic Spain in the ''Estoria de España'' |journal=Revista Canadiense de Estudios Hispánicos |volume=9 |issue=3 |year=1985 |pages=345–67}}
*{{cite book|editor-last=García Villada|editor-first=Zacarías|title=Crónica de Alfonso III|year=1918|publisher=Sucesores de Rivadeneyra|location=Madrid|chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/cronicadealfonso00alfo#page/98/mode/2up|access-date=1 July 2012|pages=99–132|language=es, la|chapter=Rotensis}}
*{{cite book|last1=Gil Fernández|first1=Juan |last2=Moralejo|first2=José L. |last3=Ruiz de la Peña|first3=Juan Ignacio |title=Crónicas Asturianas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mxfdQGSgFDMC|access-date=30 June 2012|year=1985|publisher=Universidad de Oviedo|isbn=978-84-600-4405-5|pages=194–222|language=es}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Goode|first1=Pauline L.|title=Covadonga, Su Historia y su Leyenda|journal=Hispania|volume=10|issue=3|year=1927|pages=160–166|issn=0018-2133|doi=10.2307/331236|jstor=331236}}
*{{cite book |first=J. N. |last=Hillgarth |location=Toronto |publisher=Pontifical Institute for Medieval Studies |year=2009 |title=The Visigoths in History and Legend }}
* {{cite book |author=Reilly|first= Bernard F. |title=The Medieval Spains |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge, UK |year=1993 |isbn=0-521-39741-3 |series=Cambridge Medieval Textbooks}}
{{refend}}

;Further reading
*{{cite book |first=Manuel C. |last=Díaz y Díaz |title=Asturias en el siglo VIII: La cultura literaria |location=Oviedo |publisher=Sueve |year=2001}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|Pelayo I of Asturias}}
* [[Charles Morris (American writer)|Charles Morris]], [http://www.gatewaytotheclassics.com/browse/display.php?author=morris&book=spanish&story=pelistes "Pelistes, The Defender Of Cordova"], ''Historical Tales: Spanish'', Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1898.

{{s-start}}
{{s-new}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Asturian monarchs|King of Asturias]]
|years=718–737}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Favila of Asturias|Favila]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Monarchs of Asturias}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pelagius of Asturias}}
[[Category:Pelagius of Asturias| ]]
[[Category:8th-century Visigothic people]]
[[Category:Christian monarchs]]
[[Category:Founding monarchs]]
[[Category:Spanish knights]]
[[Category:Gothic warriors]]
[[Category:People of the Reconquista]]
[[Category:680s births]]
[[Category:737 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:8th-century Asturian monarchs]]
[[Category:Spanish folklore]]
[[Category:Medieval legends]]