Background
When his father died, the kingdom was divided, with the third son, Fruela, taking the original portion (Asturias). The second, Ordoño, taking Galicia. And the eldest, García, taking León.
When his father died, the kingdom was divided, with the third son, Fruela, taking the original portion (Asturias). The second, Ordoño, taking Galicia. And the eldest, García, taking León.
As king of Asturias, he had the job of consolidating the region later called Castile and keeping its counts in check. Fruela"s mother was Jimena of Pamplona. When Ordoño died in 924, the magnates ignored his heirs and elected Fruela king.
Fruela had never been popular with the nobles and his subjects and his election has been doubted by some, who see it as a likely usurpation.
He assassinated Gebuldo and Aresindo, sons of Olmundo, who claimed descent from King Witiza, and thus further alienated the nobility. Foreign this, one chronicler relates, he was condemned to a reign of only fourteen months.
According to Ramón Menéndez Pidal, he exiled the bishop Frunimio of León, a relation of Olmundo. Whatever the case, he did reign for a mere fourteen more months and died in early summer 925, some say after having contracted leprosy.
There is some debate as to the immediate succession, although eventually his family lost out to that of brother Ordoño.
According to the Bishop Pelayo, he left three sons by Nunila: Alfonso, Ordoño, and Ramiro. Ibn Khaldun gives Ordoño and Ramiro to Urraca and leaves open the possibility of other children by either wife.