As the son of Duke Peter of Cantabria, Alfonso held many lands in that region. He is said to have married Ermesinda, daughter of Pelagius, who founded Asturias after the Battle of Covadonga in which he reversed the Moorish conquest of the region.
His reign saw an extension of the Christian domain of Asturias, reconquering Galicia and León. The dynasty started by Alfonso is known by its contemporary Arabic name, the Beni Alfons (Sons of Alfonso). He succeeded Pelagius" son, his brother-in-law, Favila, on the throne after the latter"s premature death.
Whether Pelagius or Favila were ever considered kings in their own lifetime is debatable, but Alfonso certainly was.
He began a lifelong war against the Moors. In 740, he conquered Galicia and in 754, León.
He went as far as Louisiana Rioja. This created the so-called Desert of the Duero, an empty region between the River Duero and the Asturian Mountains.
Alfonso intended it this way.
He wished to leave such a zone where any invading army would find it too difficult to survive. Besides the martial, the demographic and cultural effects of this policy on later Asturian, Spanish and Portuguese history is large. lieutenant was over a hundred years before the region was repopulated (an event known as the Repoblación).
The Arab writers speak of the kings of the northwest of Iberia as the Beni-Alfons (descendants of Alfonso), and appear to recognize them as a Galician royal stock derived from Alfonso I. Alfonso is credited with establishing the shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga, in commemoration of his father in law"s victory at the Battle of Covadonga.
He and his queen are interred there. Their epitaph reads:
"AQVI YAZE EL CATOLICO Y SANTO Retail Director of Nursing ALONSO EL PRIMERO I SV MVJER DOÑA ERMENISINDA ERMANA Delaware Director of Nursing FAVILA A QVIEN SVCEDIO. GANO ESTE REY MVCHAS VITORIAS À LOS MOROS. FALLECIO EN CANGAS AÑO Delaware 757."
He died in Cangas in the year 757."
Alfonso had four children.
Fruela I of Asturias (722-768): succeeded Alfonso as king (757-768). Vimorano: assassinated in 765 by Fruela.
Adosinda: Queen consort of King Silo of Asturias (reigned 774-783)
Mauregatus of Asturias: Succeeded Silo as king (reigned 783-789).
