Asturias and Cantabria

Asturias, helped by its mountainous terrain, has a long history of resisting invasion. Although the Romans did conquer the area, they failed to fully subdue its inhabitants. The reconquista is said to have begun in Asturias around AD 722, when a Moorish force was defeated by the Christians at Covadonga. The Christian Kingdom of Asturias was founded in the 8th century, eventually stretching from the Basque Country down to what is now northern Portugal as Asturias conquered more and more Moorish-held land. Uniting with the Kingdom of Castile in 1230, the area now known as Asturias was declared a principality in the 14th century, and put under the patronage of the heir to the Spanish throne. To this day, the region’s official name is the Principality of Asturias, and Spain’s heir is known as the Prince or Princess of Asturias.

Cantabria also fell to the Romans, and came close to defeat by the Moors, who were pushed back after Cantabria entered into an alliance with neighbouring Asturias. In the late 19th century, numerous smaller areas were amalgamated to create the Province of Cantabria. Its capital, Santander, has a long history as a Roman settlement, medieval town, and later a major port of trade with the Americas. However, traces of its illustrious past are scarce due to a huge fire in 1941 that destroyed more than 400 buildings in the Old Town.