The Kingdom of Asturias began in 720 with the revolt of the Visigothic aristocrat Pelagius against the Muslims who occupied much of the Iberian Peninsula at the time.
The Moorish invasion, beginning in 711, took control of most of the peninsula, until the revolt of Pelagius in the northern mountains.
The resulting Kingdom of Asturias, located in the economically poor region of Iberia, was largely ignored by the Muslims.
In 720, the area where Oviedo is now located was still uninhabited.
It is said that two monks, Maximo and Fromestano, founded the city in 761.
This settlement was soon to be completed with the construction of a small church dedicated to St. Vincent.
Oviedo was founded on an uninhabited hillside, without Visigothic or Roman foundations, before it became an Asturian city.
Following Pelagius, who died in 737, Alfonso I founded a dynasty that ruled until 1037.
The Asturian kingdom was in hostile relations with southern Moorish Spain.
In 794, Oviedo was sacked and sacked by Caliph Hisham I during one of his many campaigns against the Christian kingdoms.
It is said that King Alfonso I "established the whole order of the Goths, as it had been in Toledo, both in the church and in the palace."
The goal of Oviedo was to turn it into a city similar to the city of the Visigothic Toledo.
When the kings settled in Oviedo, they adopted much of Toledo's architectural style and imagery.
Even taking this into account, Oviedo did not necessarily resemble the old Visigothic capital of Toledo.
Oviedo's churches and buildings follow the late provincial Roman tradition.
Since Asturias was an agriculturally poor region of Spain at the time, the scale of the buildings is quite impressive.
Oviedo's rich architectural tradition began with King Fruela I.
King Fruela I of Asturias, the fourth of the Asturian monarchs, was the city's first strong patron, as evidenced by his construction of the palace and nearby church.
This church was later restored by Alfonso II.
Oviedo owes to the later king Alfonso II the Chaste the creation of its capital and seat of government as a result of the transfer of the court from Pravia and the creation of the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela, a major event in history.
Oviedo, the church dedicated to the Savior, the Cathedral of San Salvador and the Royal Palace formed the core of Oviedo.
The reign of Alfonso II also saw the construction of the Church of San Julian de los Prados, one of the best preserved Asturian churches.
Alfonso II's successor, Ramiro I, continued Alfonso II's building series.
Ramiro I built two buildings: the church of Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo.
The Church of Santa Maria de Naranco was probably originally the palace of Ramiro I and then converted into a church.
By this time, the palace court was concentrated in Oviedo, which was the main royal residence.
This court was controlled by representatives of the Asturian nobility.