[MR] Expedition Unknown: King Pelayo of Asturias

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Last night the Discovery Channel aired an Expedition Unknown episode about
the search for King Pelayo of Asturias. If you missed it, do not despair.
It will be on reruns next week (specifically 7 pm on 12 July and several
other dates), as Discovery Channel likes to squeeze maximum air time from
their shows. You can also catch it through some on-demand services. For
more information go to
https://www.discovery.com/shows/expedition-unknown/episodes/8/hunt-for-spains-king-arthur
.

The program is well worth seeing. I rate this episode among the best in the
series. Host Josh Gates is much more serious than usual (I usually
enjoy his humor, but it can sometimes detract from the story).

King Pelayo of Asturias (Latinized to Pelagius) was a 7th-8th century
Visigoth noble who challenged the Moorish conquest of Spain. He
successfully preserved the independence of Asturias, and founded the line
of kings that eventually ruled a united and Christian Spain.

In the program, Josh travels to Spain to trace Pelayo's story. He visits
Pelayo's grave and shrine at the Holy Cave of Covadonga, where the warrior
is said to have been promised victory in a vision of the Virgin Mary. Then
he views what is believed to be the very cross that was carried before
Pelayo's army. Josh later joins an underground expedition to near-by La
Garma caverns and sees warriors' graves dating from Pelayo's time.

More on King Pelayo is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagius_of_Asturias
.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Keeping Merry Rose relevant and in business for 16 years.