Favila or Fafila (died 739) was the second
King of Asturias
This is a list of the rulers of the Kingdom of Asturias, a kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula during the Early Middle Ages. It originated as a refuge for Visigothic Kingdom, Visigothic nobles following the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, conquest of I ...
from 737 until his death. He was the only son and successor of
Pelagius
Pelagius (; c. 354–418) was a British (Celtic Britons, Brittonic) theologian known for promoting a system of doctrines (termed Pelagianism by his opponents) which emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin. Pelagius was accus ...
, the first Asturian monarch.
In 737 he founded the
Church of Santa Cruz, in his capital of
Cangas de Onís
Cangas de Onís ( Asturian: ''Cangues d'Onís'' "valleys of Onís"'' Canga'' (plural ''cangues'') is an Asturian word for "valley, canyon".) is a municipality in the eastern part of the province and autonomous community of Asturias in the north ...
, but aside from this, nothing else about his reign is known.
Favila was killed by a bear while on a hunt in 739. As a result, Asturian chroniclers were critical of him for his excessive levity. However, royal hunts were not just for entertainment, they helped foster political unity within the court.
Favila was buried with his wife Froiluba in the Church of
Santa Cruz de Cangas de Onís
Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christma ...
.
He was succeeded by his brother-in-law
Alfonso
Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic Kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula. I ...
, husband of his sister
Ermesinda
Ermesinda (c. 720 or c. 730 – ?; alternatively Ormisenda, Ermisenda, Ermesinde, Ermessenda) was queen consort of the Kingdom of Asturias, wife of King Alfonso I of Asturias ("Alfonso the Catholic"), who claimed right to the throne through his m ...
.
Notes
References
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739 deaths
8th-century Visigothic people
Deaths due to bear attacks
Year of birth unknown
8th-century Asturian monarchs
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