Mauregatus of Asturias

Mauregatus

An 18th-century portrait.
King of Asturias
Reign 783-789
Coronation 783
Predecessor Aurelius
Successor Bermudo I
Born Asturias
Died 789
Pravia, Asturias
Burial Church of San Juan Apóstol y Evangelista, Santianes de Pravia
Consort Creusa
Issue Hermenegildo
House Beni Alfons
Father Alfonso I of Asturias
Mother Sisalda
Religion Roman Catholicism

Mauregatus the Usurper (Spanish: Mauregato) was the king of Asturias from 783 to 788 or 789. He was an illegitimate son of Alfonso I, supposedly by a Moorish serf. He usurped the throne on the death of Silo, his brother-in-law (the husband of his half sister Adosinda). The nobility had elected Alfonso II at Adosinda's insistence, but Mauregatus assembled a large army of supporters and forced Alfonso into Álava.

Nothing is known in detail of his reign. The adoptionist dispute was raging between Elipandus, Archbishop of Toledo, and Beatus of Liébana and even occasioned the intervention of Charlemagne. Mauregatus also sent back an invading Muslim force.

During his reign a hymn to Saint James was composed with an acrostic mentioning the king's name. This is considered to presage the legend of the saint's burial at Santiago de Compostela.

Preceded by
Silo
King of Asturias
783–788
Succeeded by
Bermudo I
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mauregato of Asturias.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, February 01, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.