1100 Anniversary of the Foundation of the Kingdom of León

On occasion of the commemoration of the 1100 Anniversary of the Foundation of the Kingdom of León, issued within the Historic Events series, a souvenir sheet is launched illustrated with a map of the Iberian Peninsula from 910 and the borders of the kingdom of Leon. At the front appears a stamp in the shape of the banner of the crown of León with a passant lion.

The kingdom of León was founded by king Garcia I, son of Alfonso III the Great in 910 although Alfonso X the wise, in his first early Crónica General de España, (General Chronicle of Spain) wrote “ et escomiença con Pelayo que fue el primero rey de León” (and it begins with Pelayo, who was the first King of León). When turning to historic and documentary sources each period imposes its own perspective. By the XIII century, when the Crónica General is written, the kingdom of Leon had already been founded by Pelayo towards 718. According to the reputed historian Puyol y Alonso, the kingdom of Asturias and León was all one as the court was constantly moving from one side of the mountains to the other. What is certain is that at the death of Alfonso III the Great, the Kingdom of Asturias was divided among his three children, García, Ordoño and Fruela. Garcia, who was the eldest, kept the regions of Alava and the newest territories of the Castillian plain, whilst Ordoño II ruled Galicia and Asturias was kept by Fruela.

At the death of a childless Garcia in 914 his brother Ordoño II succeeded him and moved to León where he was proclaimed king by an assembly of noblemen. At his death in 924, he was succeeded by Fruela (924-925), Alfonso Fróilaz (925), Alfonso IV (925-931), Ramiro II (931-951), Ordoño III (951-956), Sancho I (956-958 and 960-966), Ordoño IV 958-960), Ramiro III (966-984), Vermudo II (984-999), Alfonso V (999-1028), Vermudo III (1028-1037). With Fernando I (1037-1065), king of Castille, takes place the first union with Leon. He is succeeded by Alfonso VI (1065-1109) and Urraca I (1109-1126). In later years, members of the House of Bourgogne such as Alfonso VII (1126-1157), Fernando II (1157-1188) and Alfonso IX (1188-1230) occupy the throne. It was under this latter’s reign that the Courts of Leon were summoned in 1188, the first democaratic courts to meet in the cloister of San Isidoro de León.

Title: 1100 Anniversary of the Foundation of the Kingdom of León
Date of Issue: 6 May 2010
Country: Spain
Denominations: 2,49 €