The Partition of León and the Rise of Ramiro II (929 CE)

After deposing Alfonso Fróilaz, the three sons of Ordoño II, with the support of the Kingdom of Pamplona, divide the realm among themselves:

• Sancho Ordóñez rules in Galicia,
• Alfonso IV governs León, and
• Ramiro II controls the newly conquered lands to the south, with Ibn Hayyan identifying his court at Coimbra.

Ramiro II Seizes Power

When Sancho Ordóñez dies in 929, his kingdom is absorbed by Alfonso IV, reuniting the territories. However, soon after, a power struggle erupts.

In a swift turn of events in León and Zamora, Ramiro II forces Alfonso IV to abdicate. To secure his rule, Ramiro has both Alfonso IV and Fruela II’s three sons blinded, rendering them incapable of claiming the throne.

This brutal consolidation of power establishes Ramiro II as the undisputed ruler of the Kingdom of León, marking the beginning of a reign that will define Christian resistance against Al-Andalus.