Fruela II of León
Encyclopedia
Fruela II (c. 875–July 925) was the King of Asturias from the death of his father, Alfonso III of Asturias, in 910 to his own death. When his father died, the kingdom was divided, with the third son, Fruela, taking the original portion (Asturias); the second, Ordoño
, taking Galicia
; and the eldest, García
, taking León
. As king of Asturias, he had the job of consolidating the region later called Castile
and keeping its counts in check.
Fruela's mother was Jimena of Pamplona. He himself married twice, first to a woman of unknown origin named Nunila or Nunilona (late sources make her a member of the Basque
Jimenez dynasty
, but this is unsupported). His second wife, Urraca, according to Ibn Khaldun
and Ibn Hazm
, was the daughter of the Banu Qasi
governor of Tudela
. They were married by 917.
Fruela maintained good relations with his brother Ordoño, who had the hegemony. They cooperated in the Reconquista
and Fruela undersigned Ordoño's diplomas as Froila rex with his second wife, Urraca regina. When Ordoño died in 924, the magnates ignored his heirs and elected Fruela king. Fruela had never been popular with the nobles and his subjects and his election has been doubted by some, who see it as a likely usurpation. He assassinated Gebuldo and Aresindo, sons of Olmundo, who claimed descent from King Witiza
, and thus further alienated the nobility. For this, one chronicler relates, he was condemned to a reign of only fourteen months. According to Ramón Menéndez Pidal
, he exiled the bishop Frunimio of León, a relation of Olmundo. Whatever the case, he did reign for a mere fourteen more months and died in early summer 925, some say after having contracted leprosy
. Following Fruela's death, there were several competing claimants to his lands, including his younger brother Ramiro (who appears to have married the widowed queen Urraca bint Qasi and used the royal title but was eventually unsuccessful), and the sons of his brother Ordoño II, along with his own young sons. There is some debate as to the immediate succession, although eventually his family lost out to that of brother Ordoño.
According to the Bishop Pelayo, he left three sons by Nunila: Alfonso
, Ordoño, and Ramiro. Ibn Khaldun gives Ordoño and Ramiro to Urraca and leaves open the possibility of other children by either wife.
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....
, taking Galicia
Kingdom of Galicia
The Kingdom of Galicia was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Founded by Suebic king Hermeric in the year 409, the Galician capital was established in Braga, being the first kingdom which...
; and the eldest, García
García I of León
García I was the King of León from 910 until his death and eldest of three succeeding sons of Alfonso III the Great by his wife Jimena....
, taking León
León (province)
León is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.About one quarter of its population of 500,200 lives in the capital, León. The weather is cold and dry during the winter....
. As king of Asturias, he had the job of consolidating the region later called Castile
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
and keeping its counts in check.
Fruela's mother was Jimena of Pamplona. He himself married twice, first to a woman of unknown origin named Nunila or Nunilona (late sources make her a member of the Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
Jimenez dynasty
Jiménez dynasty
The Jiménez or Ximenes were an Iberian ruling family from the 10th century to the 13th century. They were the first Europeanisers of Spain and brought her back within the wider European political scene while also giving her the political character and division that persisted until the end of the...
, but this is unsupported). His second wife, Urraca, according to Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldūn or Ibn Khaldoun was an Arab Tunisian historiographer and historian who is often viewed as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology and economics...
and Ibn Hazm
Ibn Hazm
Abū Muḥammad ʿAlī ibn Aḥmad ibn Saʿīd ibn Ḥazm ) was an Andalusian philosopher, litterateur, psychologist, historian, jurist and theologian born in Córdoba, present-day Spain...
, was the daughter of the Banu Qasi
Banu Qasi
The Banu Qasi, Banu Kasi, Beni Casi or Banu Musa were a Basque Muladi dynasty that ruled the upper Ebro valley in the 9th century, before being displaced in the first quarter of the 10th century.-Dynastic beginnings:...
governor of Tudela
Tudela, Navarre
Tudela is a municipality in Spain, the second city of the autonomous community of Navarre. Its population is around 35,000. Tudela is sited in the Ebro valley. Fast trains running on two-track electrified railways serve the city and two freeways join close to it...
. They were married by 917.
Fruela maintained good relations with his brother Ordoño, who had the hegemony. They cooperated in the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
and Fruela undersigned Ordoño's diplomas as Froila rex with his second wife, Urraca regina. When Ordoño died in 924, the magnates ignored his heirs and elected Fruela king. Fruela had never been popular with the nobles and his subjects and his election has been doubted by some, who see it as a likely usurpation. He assassinated Gebuldo and Aresindo, sons of Olmundo, who claimed descent from King Witiza
Witiza
Witiza can refer to:* Wittiza , the Visigothic King of Hispania from 694* Benedict of Aniane , saint born in France...
, and thus further alienated the nobility. For this, one chronicler relates, he was condemned to a reign of only fourteen months. According to Ramón Menéndez Pidal
Ramón Menéndez Pidal
Ramón Menéndez Pidal was a Spanish philologist and historian. He worked extensively on the history of the Spanish language and Spanish folklore and folk poetry. One of his main topics was the history and legend of The Cid....
, he exiled the bishop Frunimio of León, a relation of Olmundo. Whatever the case, he did reign for a mere fourteen more months and died in early summer 925, some say after having contracted leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
. Following Fruela's death, there were several competing claimants to his lands, including his younger brother Ramiro (who appears to have married the widowed queen Urraca bint Qasi and used the royal title but was eventually unsuccessful), and the sons of his brother Ordoño II, along with his own young sons. There is some debate as to the immediate succession, although eventually his family lost out to that of brother Ordoño.
According to the Bishop Pelayo, he left three sons by Nunila: Alfonso
Alfonso Froilaz
Alfonso Fróilaz, called the Hunchback or, in Spanish, el Jorobado, was the king of Galicia for a short time, from 925 to 926. He seems to have claimed Asturias and León as well, as the inheritor of Fruela II, but was driven from the realm by his cousins Sancho, Alfonso, and Ramiro, the sons of...
, Ordoño, and Ramiro. Ibn Khaldun gives Ordoño and Ramiro to Urraca and leaves open the possibility of other children by either wife.