...Amaya (in northern Burgos), massacring many of their inhabitants and capturing the southern part of their kingdom.

The Creation of the Duchy of Cantabria

Following his conquests, Liuvigild establishes the Visigothic Duchy of Cantabria, a frontier province (limes)designed to contain both the Cantabri and their neighbors, the Vascones.

While the exact boundaries of this buffer region remain unclear, it likely encompasses parts of northern Castile and La Rioja.

However, north of this defensive line, the Cantabri continue to live independently until the Arab invasion in the 8th century.

Legacy and Cultural Traditions

According to popular tradition, refugees from the City of Cantabria later found the Monastery of Our Lady of Codésin Navarre, preserving the memory of their lost homeland.

…Amaya.

Rodrigo: Early Governor of the Eastern March and Castilian Expansion

Rodrigo, believed to be a son of Ramiro I of Asturias and his second wife, Urraca Paterna, is thought to have been a half-brother of King Ordoño I. Upon Ordoño’s accession to the throne, Rodrigo is possibly appointed as governor of the eastern march (marca oriental)—a frontier region that will later evolve into the County of Castile.

Role in the Repoblación and Military Campaigns

Rodrigo actively participates in Ordoño’s Repoblación efforts, notably leading the repopulation of Amaya in 860, a key stronghold in the effort to consolidate Christian control south of the Cantabrian Mountains.

Throughout his career, Rodrigo fights alongside King Ordoño I in several Reconquista battles, including the siege and sack of Albelda in 859, one of the most significant victories against Muslim forces during this period.

His leadership in the eastern frontier of Asturias sets the stage for the later independence of Castile, which will emerge as a powerful Christian kingdom in the following centuries.