His parentage is confirmed by a charter dated 21 Feb 897 which records that "Gondesindus prolis Erus et Adosinda" accepted as his wife Elvira´s sister "Enderquina conmento Pala filia dux Menemdus Gutierizi et Ermesinda iermana de domna Geluira regina que fuit mulier de Ordonius rex mater Ranemirus principe". This document, if correctly dated, also provides an indication of Ramiro´s date of birth, although...it is possible that the charter was a later production, in which case his name may have been added only to provide another reference point. "Ordonius princeps et uxor Gelvira regina" donated property to Sahagún by charter dated 25 May 920, subscribed by their children "Sanzo, Adefonso principi, Ranemiro, Xemena". "Hordonis rex et Gilvira regina" confirmed the possessions of the monastery of Santa Eugenia de Calaberas by charter dated 20 Feb 921, subscribed by "Sanzo prolis regis, Adefonsus, Ranimirus, Scemena, Garsea". "Ordonius rex et Gelvira regina" donated property to Sahagún by charter dated 1 Mar 921, subscribed by "Sanzio prolis regis, Adefonsus, Ranimirus, Froila". "Taion" donated property given "Ordonio rege et Gelvira regina" to Sahagún by charter dated 10 Mar 921, subscribed by the king's children "Sancius, Adefonsus, Ranemirus, Garsia, Xemena". King Alfonso IV donated “senra...in ueica de Stola” to the monastery of San Cosme and San Damián by charter dated 15 Mar 930, confirmed by “Honneca regina, Ranemirus...”. King Alfonso IV donated “aquam...propriam de flumine Porma in loco...ad illum Rotarium” to the monastery of San Cosme and San Damián by charter dated 11 Apr 931, confirmed by “Honnega regina, Ranimirus frater regis”.
He succeeded his brother in 931 as RAMIRO II King of León. The Crónica de Sampiro, as reproduced in the Historia Silense, records that “fratre suo Ramiro” captured the kingdom from King Alfonso IV who was sent "ad monasterium in locum...Domnis Sanctis super crepidinem aluey Ceie" but briefly reclaimed the kingdom after leaving the monastery. King Ramiro II donated "vilarem…Simplici iusta flumen Uernisicam" to "Seuerus abba et Paterna" by charter dated 18 Jul 932. "Ranimirus…princeps" confirmed the possessions of Santiago de Compostela by charter dated 18 Nov 932, subscribed by "Veremudus regis filius, Hordonius regis filius…". He defeated the troops of Abd al-Rahman III Caliph of Córdoba at Osma in 933. However, the Caliph counter-attacked and, following the humiliating peace imposed on the kingdom of Navarre in 934, and the sack of Burgos in Castile, defeated King Ramiro and forced him to agree a position of neutrality while the Muslims besieged Zaragoza in 935. "Ranimirus rex Hordonii quondam…principis proles…cum…domino Urraca regina" confirmed the privileges of Santiago de Compostela by charter dated 21 Feb 934, subscribed by "Ordonius filius regis, Garsea frater regis…". King Ramiro succeeded in defeating the caliph's troops at Alhandega/al-Khandaq, near Simancas in 939, allied with Fernán González Conde de Castilla and Queen Toda regent of Navarre. The victory increased the prestige of King Ramiro who was able to increase the territory of León into the valley of Tormes, repopulating Salamanca and Ledesma with Christian settlers, and agree a peace treaty with the caliph. “Ranimirus…rex” donated property to Celanova by charter dated 11 Aug 941, confirmed by “Hurraca regina, Hordonius prolis regis, Santius prolis regis”. "Ranimirus rex" donated property to Sahagún by charter dated 29 Mar 945, subscribed by "Veremudus rex proles Adefonsi principis, Ordonius proles regis, Sancius frater Ordonius proles regis, Osorio Munniz, Assur Fernandiz, Aurelius Baroncelli". "Ranimiro rex" donated property to Sahagún by charter dated 3 Apr 945, subscribed by "Hordonius prolis regis, Sanczius frater Hordonius prolis regis, Veremudus rex prolis Adefonsi principis". “Ranimirus rex et Urracha regina et prolis eius Ordonius regis” donated "villa...Perales et Volpiare et Villa Rezmiro secundum obtinuit illas Gundisalbo Moniz" to Vega by charter dated 24 Sep 946, confirmed by “...Sanzius filius regis, Gelvira prolis regis et Deo vota...”. "Veremudus rex prolis Adefonsi principis" has not been identified from these two charters. Although Muslim forces made considerable advances in Galicia from 947, King Ramiro was again victorious at Talavera in 950.
The Crónica de Sampiro, as reproduced in the Historia Silense, records that King Ramiro II died after reigning 19 years and two months, and was buried "iuxta ecclesiam sancti Salvatoris, ad cimiterium". According to Ibn-Khaldun, Ramiro died in [20 Jun 950/8 Jun 951]. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium reports the reburial of "King Ramiro", son of "Ordoño and Mummadonna" (this name of his mother being shown to be incorrect by the other sources...), in light of the threatened invasion of the kingdom of León and Asturias by Al-Mansur, incorrectly naming his wife "Teresa". 1
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