<P> The bones of St. James the Great were proclaimed to have been found in Iria Flavia (present day Padrón) in 813 or probably two or three decades later . The cult of the saint was transferred later to Compostela (from Latin campus stellae, literally "the star field"), possibly in the early 10th century when the focus of Asturian power moved from the mountains over to León, to become the Kingdom of León or Galicia - León . Santiago's were among many saint relics proclaimed to have been found across north - western Iberia . Pilgrims started to flow in from other Iberian Christian realms, sowing the seeds of the later Way of Saint James (11--12th century) that sparked the enthusiasm and religious zeal of continental Christian Europe for centuries . </P> <P> Despite numerous battles, neither the Umayyads nor the Asturians had sufficient forces to secure control over these northern territories . Under the reign of Ramiro, famed for the highly legendary Battle of Clavijo, the border began to slowly move southward and Asturian holdings in Castile, Galicia, and León were fortified, and an intensive program of re-population of the countryside began in those territories . In 924 the Kingdom of Asturias became the Kingdom of León, when León became the seat of the royal court (it didn't bear any official name). </P> <P> Alfonso III of Asturias repopulated the strategically important city León and established it as his capital . King Alfonso began a series of campaigns to establish control over all the lands north of the Douro river . He reorganized his territories into the major duchies (Galicia and Portugal) and major counties (Saldaña and Castile), and fortified the borders with many castles . At his death in 910 the shift in regional power was completed as the kingdom became the Kingdom of León . From this power base, his heir Ordoño II was able to organize attacks against Toledo and even Seville . </P> <P> The Caliphate of Córdoba was gaining power, and began to attack León . King Ordoño allied with Navarre against Abd - al - Rahman, but they were defeated in Valdejunquera in 920 . For the next 80 years, the Kingdom of León suffered civil wars, Moorish attack, internal intrigues and assassinations, and the partial independence of Galicia and Castile, thus delaying the reconquest and weakening the Christian forces . It was not until the following century that the Christians started to see their conquests as part of a long - term effort to restore the unity of the Visigothic kingdom . </P>

By 1492 united kingdoms in western europe included all of the following except