Nunno de Cantabria

Nunno I (Nunno de Cantabria; 22 June 806 - 26 November 831) also known as Nunno the Black and Nunno of Asturias, was King of Asturias from 820 until his death in 831. The younger of Queen Carmen I's two children, Nunno gained the throne due to succession laws that favoured married males even if they were not the preferred heir. Initially seen as a rather dull individual, as monarchy Nunno would come into his own and would become a respected figure with regards to diplomatic policy, of which he took a keen interest. Among the first matters of his reign was the 820-21 Galician Peasant Revolt, led by the infamous peasant leader Quedulfus. Nunno would win a vital victory over Quedulfus, who was later captured and garrotted in September 821 on Nunno's orders. During the conflict Nunno was crowned King of Asturias by the Bishop of Cangas de Onis. Nunno would wed the Christian Emira of Manurqa, Alexandra. The union would result in three children, Gaudiosa, Eldura and Friednand. Prince Friednand's birth in January 828 would lead to the collapse of Queen Alexandra's health later than month, which would result in her being bedridden until her death on 7 June 828. By this time King Nunno, heartbroken, had to deal with the Great Consumption Outbreak fo 826-9 which ravaged much of the country. He would wed Belador, Petty Queen of Cornwall later in 828, despite her being over ten years his senior. The King would push ahead with tax reforms and restructuring of local bureaucracies in his Kingdom in 830, the year before the War for Leon, declared by Moorish warlords to the south. Soon after the declaration of war, Nunno would receive a notice from the Vatican informing him he had been excommunicated. Nunno, despite hearing that his forces were gaining territory from the Moors; would not live to see the end of the conflict, as he was taken ill with vomiting in June 831 and would ultimately die of respiratory problems on 26 November 831, leaving his young daughter Gaudiosa as the new Queen of Asturias. Nunno is known to this day as 'The Black King' owing to his short reign, brought to an end by ill health.