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Asturias History

The place names in and around Asturias suggest that it was once inhabited by Celtic tribes who had previously settled there. Between 29 and 19BC the Romans, under Emperor Augustus, moved in and conquered the area and so were able to continue their assault on the Iberian Peninsula and their march through Europe. By the 6th century the Roman Empire was in severe decline and over the next two or three centuries the region now known as Asturias was occupied first by the Suebi and then subsequently the Visigoths.

Not long after, the Moors did attempt to bring the region under their control but failed due to the tricky mountainous territory that Asturias is well-known for. And so, conveniently, it became a refuge for Christian nobles. Also as a result of the Moorish failure it was able to become the birthplace of the Reconquista; it was the area from which Spain was gradually reclaimed from the Muslims throughout the subsequent decades and centuries.

During the 10th century Asturias gave way to the Kingdom of Leon under whose authority it stayed for some years. By the 14th century a rebellion led by Henry II of Castile brought about the establishment of the Principality of Asturias which was then integrated into the Kingdom of Spain. As the centuries wore on the region’s population grew – in the 16th century it was around 100,000 but by the next century it had doubled marking a booming period of growth.

Asturias became one of the centres of the Spanish Enlightenment in the 1700s. This century also saw something of an industrial revolution with the discovery of the likes of coal and iron. This coincided with significant migration to the Americas and many later returned having generated much wealth and were able to set about building large houses and other structures.

Into the 20th century and a Marxist workers’ movement fought the ring-wing government in a revolution attempt. It was able to form a socialist Republic for a month before Franco’s troops crushed the rebellion. Asturias did defend well during the Civil War but inevitably it caved in eventually and was patronisingly named the Province of Oviedo up until Franco’s death in 1975. It returned to its former name after his death and when it received a Statute of Autonomy in 1982 it was able to take hold of some much sought after self rule.

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