What is the evidence that the tomb found in the 9th century at Santiago de Compostela, in northwest Spain, (Galicia) was, as claimed, the tomb of St. James?
James, bishop of Jerusalem and brother of Christ was martyred in 63 CE and was succeeded by his cousin Symeon the son of Maria and Clophas. The likelihood of the Desposyni allowing his carcass to be removed to Galicia is zero. James was patron saint of Galicia and it was under his banner that the people of Spain began to drive back the Muslims. The order of St James of Compostella dates from a later date and it was not in fact even the original seat of the order. The order was in two places originally in Leon of Leon and Ucles of Castille. The knights of Santiago had possessions in both of those kingdoms but Ferdinand II of Castile and Alphonse VIII of Castile in bestowing the order set the conditions that the seats of the order should be in their respective states. The long dispute ended in 1230 when Ferdinand III united both crowns. Then Ucles of Cuenca was regarded as the headquarters. The shrine of St James was protected by them. The necessity of developing shrines of patron saints
