Page 43 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

THE HIST OR Y OF NOR THERN SP AIN  41

and trade were interspersed
with continual wars with the
northern Christian kingdoms,
and with the Frankish empire
of Charle magne from across
the Pyrenees. In the late 10th
century the vizier of Córdoba,
Al Mansur, led 100 raids into Christian imagery on a Visigothic stone relief from the 7th century
the Christian territories,
plundering towns across the north, Charlemagne’s army at the famous Battle
including Santiago de Compostela (the of Roncesvalles (778). Another part of
site where St James’ relics were discovered), Christian Spain developed around 800,
and halting further Christian advances for when Charlemagne’s armies crossed into
another century. Around 1013 the Caliphate the eastern Pyrenees, making the area the
disintegrated into bickering emirates. ‘Spanish March’ of the Frankish empire – the
origin of the future Catalonia. Around this
The Reconquest time vast numbers of pilgrims from all over
The collapse of the Caliphate favoured the Europe were journeying on the Road to
expansion southwards of the Christian states Santiago, which resulted in Northern Spain
that had taken shape in the north. Among becoming culturally and economically
them was the kingdom of Asturias, whose connected to the rest of Europe.
ori gins date from the perhaps­legendary Battles for the expansion of territory
Battle of Covadonga in 722, when a small gradually took on the status of crusades
band led by the Visigoth Pelayo are said to against the Muslims. In 1085 Alfonso VI,
have halted the Muslim advance. After the king of Castile and León, captured Toledo
battle, seen as the starting point of the long from the Moors, and expelled the Muslim
‘reconquest’ of Spain from the Moors, Pelayo rulers. His king dom became the dominant
became king of Asturias. This kingdom won power in central Spain. In the 12th century
its greatest victories against the Moors Muslim Spain was again unified under the
during the reign of Alfonso II (791­842). rule of two militant dynasties from north
In the 9th century, after a Africa – the Almoravids and their
short period of Moorish rule successors the Almohads – who
in the Basque territories at halted the Reconquest. But in 1212,
the foot of the Pyrenees, the the combined forces of several
kingdom of Navarra came into northern kingdoms crushed the
being. Previously the Basques Almohad army at Las Navas de
had demon strated their Tolosa, paving the way for the final
independence on all sides by victory of Christian power in the
defeating the rearguard of A 9th-century stone cross Iberian peninsula.

711 Moors c.810 St James’ tomb supposedly dis­ 1230 Ferdinand the Saint
defeat Visigoths covered at Santiago de Compostela (El Santo) reunites Castile
at Battle of and León
Guadalete 905 Sancho I founds the 1085 Alfonso VI
kingdom of Navarra takes Toledo
600 800 1000 1200 1400
778 Battle of 1212 Combined Christian
Roncesvalles forces defeat the Moors at the
Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa
722 Battle of Covadonga. The
kingdom of Asturias founded Illuminated manuscript, 9th century

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