VERMUDO de León, illegitimate son of ORDOÑO III King of León & his mistress [Aragonta or Gontrada Peláez] ([953]-El Bierzo Sep 999, bur Villabuena, later transferred to León[345]). One manuscript of the Chronicon de Sampiro records that "Rex Ordonius" married "aliam…uxorem…Geloiram" by whom he had "Veremundum Regem, qui podagricus ["with gout"] fuit"[346]. The primary source which confirms that he was illegitimate, and the name of his mother, has not yet been identified. "…Veremudus…princeps, prolis Ordonii regis…" confirmed the charter dated 1 Jan 968 under which "Giluira…prolis…regis…cum suprino meo…principe domno Ranemiro, soboli…Sanctionis" donated property to Celanova[347]. This charter indicates that, at that date, Vermudo was a fully integrated member of the royal family despite his illegitimacy, and may have been considered as next in line to the throne. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium records that "Vermudo the son of Ordoño" succeeded as king after the death of King Ramiro III[348]. The Cronica de Sampiro records that "Veremudus Ordinii filius" returned to León after the death of King Ramiro III and succeeded "pacifice"[349]. He succeeded in 985 as VERMUDO II "el Gotoso" King of León. King Vermudo is described as "foolish and a tyrant in everything he did" in the Chronicon Regum Legionensium[350], which contrasts with the more sympathetic picture of the king in the Historia Silense[351]. He allied himself with García Fernández Conde de Castilla, whose daughter he married, but Muslims advances under al-Mansur continued. García Gómez Conde de Saldaña rebelled against him in 988. Gonzalo Vermúdez, married to Ildontia sister of Queen Velasquita, rebelled in 989 to protect the rights of his sister-in-law following her repudiation, and in 993 succeeded in temporarily expelling King Vermudo from León. In 995, al-Mansor attacked León and destroyed Santa María de Carrión. King Vermudo sought refuge in Astorga, from where he was obliged to offer annual tribute and the hand of his daughter Teresa Vermúdez[352]. In 997, King Vermudo took advantage of al-Mansur's absence campaigning in North Africa to suspend payment of the tribute, but León was subjected to devastating campaigns of revenge by Muslim forces which established a garrison at Zamora[353]. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium records that King Vermudo was struck down with gout and "was carried from place to place on the shoulders of humble men", and died "in the Bierzo and was buried in Villabuena, and after several years he was translated to León", after reigning for seventeen years, a later passage recording that he died "in the era 1037 (999)"[354]. The Chronicon Compostellani records that "Veremudi, Ordonii filius" reigned 17 years[355].
m firstly (before 29 Sep 985, repudiated after 24 Dec 988) VELASQUITA Ramírez, daughter of conde RAMIRO [Menéndez & his wife Adosinda Gutiérrez] (-after 1030). "Velasquida regina" confirmed a charter dated 29 Sep 985 under which King Vermudo II donated property to Celanova[356]. "Velasquita regina" confirmed a charter dated 24 Dec 988 under which King Vermudo II donated property to Celanova[357]. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Velasquita" as the first legitimate wife of King Vermudo, specifying that he "divorced while she was living"[358]. After her repudiation, she took refuge in Oviedo where she arranged her daughter's marriage with the son of Queen Sancha Gómez, also exiled in Oviedo[359].
m secondly (991) ELVIRA García de Castilla, daughter of GARCÍA Fernández Conde de Castilla & his wife Aba de Ribagorza (-Dec 1017). The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Elvira" as the second legitimate wife of King Vermudo[360]. Regent of León 999-1007 during the minority of her son Alfonso V. She became a nun.
Mistress (1): VELASQUITA, daughter of MANTELLO & his wife Bellalla. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "a country girl named Velasquita, who was the daughter of Mantello and Bellalla from Miero near Monte Copián [filia Mantelli et Vellalæ de Meres iuxta montem Coptianem]" as the mother of King Vermudo's daughter Cristina[361].
King Vermudo II & his second wife had four children