Ordoño IV of León facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ordoño IV |
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| King of León | |
| Reign | 958–960 |
| Predecessor | Sancho I |
| Successor | Sancho I |
| Born | c. 926 |
| Died | c. 962 or 963 Córdoba |
| Burial | Basilica of San Isidoro |
| Consort | Urraca Fernández |
| Dynasty | Astur-Leonese dynasty |
| Father | Alfonso IV of León |
| Mother | Onneca Sánchez of Pamplona |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Ordoño IV was a king of León who ruled for a short time, from 958 to 960. He was sometimes called "the Wicked" or "the Bad." He took the throne from his cousin, King Sancho I, who was known as "the Fat." Ordoño's reign lasted only two years. He was born around 926 and died in Córdoba, Spain, around 962 or 963.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Ordoño IV was the son of King Alfonso IV of León and Queen Onneca Sánchez of Pamplona. This made him a nephew to important rulers like Ramiro II of León and García Sánchez I of Pamplona. His family was part of the Astur-Leonese dynasty, a powerful royal family in Spain.
How Ordoño Became King
In 958, the nobles in León were unhappy with their current king, Sancho I. They thought Sancho was too overweight and not a strong leader. Because of this, they decided to rebel against him.
Ordoño IV saw this as a chance to become king. He got a lot of help from his brother-in-law, Fernán González of Castile, who was a powerful count. With the support of these nobles, Ordoño successfully took the throne from Sancho I.
Losing the Throne
Ordoño's time as king did not last long. In 960, King Sancho I fought back. He formed an alliance with rulers from Navarre and the Umayyad caliphate. This strong alliance helped Sancho defeat Count Fernán González.
With his main supporter defeated, Ordoño IV was forced to leave the throne. Sancho I became king of León again.
Life After Being King
After losing his crown, Ordoño first fled to Asturias. Then he went to Burgos. While in Burgos, he left his wife, which made his powerful ally, Fernán González, angry. Fernán González then decided to support Sancho I instead.
Ordoño was sent to the court of the caliph in Córdoba. He asked the caliph for help to get his throne back. The caliph first thought about helping Ordoño. However, Sancho I also offered to make a deal with the caliph. This meant the caliph no longer had a reason to help Ordoño. Ordoño IV died in Córdoba, still without his throne.
Marriage and Children
During his short reign, Ordoño IV married Urraca Fernández. This marriage was for political reasons. Urraca was the daughter of Count Fernán González, and she had been married before to Ordoño's cousin, Ordoño III of León.
After Ordoño IV left her, Urraca married again to Sancho II of Pamplona. Some old records say that Ordoño IV and Urraca had two children. However, we do not know for sure who they were. Some historians thought that Bermudo II of León might have been Ordoño IV's son, but other records show that Bermudo's grandfather was Ramiro, which means he was the son of Ordoño III.
See also
In Spanish: Ordoño IV de León para niños
