León (region, Spain)

León (region, Spain), historic region and former kingdom in Spain, north-west of Madrid, embracing the provinces of León, Palencia, Salamanca, Valladolid, and Zamora, all in the present-day Castile-León autonomous region. The Moors occupied the region early in the 8th century, but it was soon reconquered from them by Alfonso III, king of Asturias. León became an independent Christian kingdom around 910, when Asturias was partitioned among the three sons of Alfonso III, following his abdication. The Moors subsequently conquered the kingdom again, but it was wrested from them by the Castilian ruler Alfonso V, known in Spanish history as the Restorer of León.

In 1037 the male line of the royal House of León had become extinct, so Ferdinand I, king of Castile, united the kingdom with his own realm. His son Alfonso VI added large territories to the united dominions. The history of León is identical with that of Castile until 1157, when León again became an independent kingdom. Ferdinand III, king of Castile, inherited the throne of León in 1230, and the two kingdoms were permanently united.