Ordoño II of León

Ordoño II († 924 ) was King of León ( 914-924 ) and (as Ordoño I.) of Galicia ( 910-924 ).

Ordoño was the son of Alfonso III. of Asturias, who sent him to be educated to the Banu Qasi to Zaragoza. When his father's 910 death he received the crown of Galicia. The death of his brother García I. Zamora 914 had the consequence that also went over the crown of León on him. So he brought the territories of the Asturian - Leonese kingdom under his rule and resided in León.

He led the policy of territorial extension of its predecessors in two directions. In the west, he reached the city of Evora and Merida, which he let both plunder. The Moorish governor was forced to buy the withdrawal of Leónesen. In the East, he joined Sancho Garcés of Navarre in his fight against Emir Abd ar -Rahman III. of at Cordoba. The Moors were defeated 917 at the Battle of San Esteban de Gormaz, which meant that in the following year the cities Arnedo and Calahorra Banu Qasi were wrested from the. The reaction Abd al-Rahman was not long in coming, 920 he put an army on the march and captured Osma and San Esteban de Gormaz back, penetrated in Navarra and defeated the Christians 920 at the Battle of Valdejunquera. He succeeded in capturing the bishops of Tui and Salamanca.

Ordoño II led the defeat back to the absence of the Counts of Castile, he had indeed summoned, but did not appear. He called them to move Tejares and killed them. A counter- attack by the Christian troops led to the occupation of La Rioja and the incorporation of the areas around Nájera and Viguera in Navarre.

With Ordoño II the Kingdom of Asturias ends and the Kingdom of León begins to exist. He married Sancha, daughter of Sancho Garcés, King of Navarre. At his death, the crown fell to his brother Fruela II, which should subsequently lead to a succession dispute. Ordoño II had three sons, Sancho Ordoñez, Alfonso IV and Ramiro II All three should be kings later.