From Resistance to Reconquest: The Spanish Ideological Shift

In the shadow of the mighty Visigothic kingdom's collapse and the swift rise of Muslim rule over Iberia, a daring and defiant Christian resistance took root in the rugged mountains of Asturias and León. The Emergence of Reconquest Rhetoric in Asturias and León reveals how, between the 8th and 10th centuries, these early Christian kingdoms forged a powerful ideological narrative-a rhetoric steeped in divine sanction, ancestral legacy, and holy mission-that would ignite centuries of fierce struggle known as the Reconquista.
Drawing from a rich tapestry of chronicles, charters, and sacred texts, Jefferson Martinez unpacks the birth of a unique political and religious identity. From the legendary victory of Pelayo at Covadonga to the sacred rituals and legal traditions invoking Visigothic continuity, this book offers an immersive journey into the making of medieval Spain's foundational myths. More than a history, this is a story about the power of narrative-how words, symbols, and rituals can rally a scattered people, legitimize rulers, and transform a fragmented frontier into a burgeoning kingdom with a divine destiny.
Scholars, history lovers, and readers fascinated by medieval faith and warfare will find here a masterful exploration of how rhetoric became the weapon that shaped a nation.