Who founded the Kingdom of Asturias?

Answer: Pelayo.

Some extra relevant information:

The Kingdom of Asturias, a medieval Christian kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, was founded by a nobleman named Pelayo. Pelayo, also known as Don Pelayo, played a significant role in the early resistance against the Arab invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in the early 8th century.

After the Umayyad Caliphate conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula, Pelayo led a rebellion against the Muslim rulers, starting in the region known as Asturias. He successfully established an independent Christian kingdom in the year 718, making him the first king of Asturias.

Pelayo’s victory at the Battle of Covadonga in 722 is considered a major turning point in the Christian Reconquista, a centuries-long effort to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from the Arab rule. His establishment of the Kingdom of Asturias laid the foundation for future Christian kingdoms that would eventually regain control over the entirety of Spain.

Pelayo’s successors continued the resistance against the Muslim rule, gradually expanding their territory and consolidating the Christian presence in northern Spain. The Kingdom of Asturias served as a bulwark against further Muslim expansion and provided a significant base for the Christian Reconquista.

Pelayo’s courageous leadership and the founding of the Kingdom of Asturias have left a lasting impact on the history of Spain. His legacy as the first ruler of Asturias underscores the importance of his role in preserving Christian culture and resistance against the Arab conquest.

Today, the Kingdom of Asturias is remembered as a crucial chapter in the formation of Christian Spain and the eventual reunification of the Iberian Peninsula under Christian rule.

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