Fernán González

Fernán González fārnänˈ gōnthäˈlāth [key], d. 970, first count of Castile. As count of Burgos from c.930 he took advantage of Leonese divisions and the war against the Moors to establish the virtual independence of Castile from León. After c.950 he styled himself count of Castile. His feats are celebrated in an epic poem of the 13th cent., one of the chief works of popular Castilian poetry.

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