Rodrigo, and he waked and put out his hand to touch his bedfellow; but
the leper was gone. The Cid called aloud; none answered. While Rodrigo
was considering this strange thing, a man in white, shining garments
appeared, and asked softly,--
"Sleepest thou, Rodrigo?"
"Nay, I am awake; but who art thou who bearest about thee so bright a
light and so sweet a smell?"
"I am Saint Lazarus," answered the vision, "and would have thee know
that I am that leper to whom thou didst show such kindness for the love
of God. And for that deed, God bestows on thee this great boon,--that
when the blast thou didst feel but now shall come upon thee, thou mayest
undertake that on which thy heart is fixed, whether it be fighting or
other matters, and it shall go well with thee. For never shalt thou be
conquered, but ever victorious; for God grants thee His blessing. So
rest thee well and do ever the right." And so Rodrigo prayed until
morning, and then went on his way rejoicing.
Meanwhile the day came, on which the combat was to be fought between the
Cid and a knight of Aragon, to decide whether the city of Calahorra
should belong to the King of Castile or the King of Aragon. The two
kings, with a splendid company of nobles, had taken places to watch the
combat, the lists were all prepared, and the heralds stood ready to give
the signal; but the Cid did not appear. Very uneasy was King Fernando at
the absence of his champion. A cousin of the tardy knight offered to
take his place, and was about to mount and enter the lists, when the Cid
came spurring up in hot haste. Leaping from his tired horse, he sprang
upon the steed that stood ready, and, wasting no time in words, lowered
his lance and charged fiercely on his waiting adversary. The two met
with a shock that shivered the lances. Both knights were badly wounded,
but they drew their swords and prepared to fight on. The knight of
Aragon now thought to frighten the Cid, and exclaimed boastfully,--
"Right sorely shalt thou rue that thou hast come into this place with
me, for never shalt thou return alive to Castile!"
But Rodrigo was not at all troubled by the threat.
[Illustration: The Knighting of the Cid]
"Don Martin Gonzales," he replied coolly, "thou art a good knight, but
such words befit not this place. We must fight with our hands, and not
with empty words." And grasping his sword, he suddenly brought it down
on the helmet of his foe with such tremendous force that it wellnigh
drove the head of Gonzales down to the neck of his steed. The knight of
Aragon, however, was a stout fighter, and rallying from the shock, he
dealt a blow that cut through the edge of the Cid's shield. So firmly
fixed was the sword that, when drawn back, it brought the shield with
it. Enraged at this loss, the Cid cut his adversary fiercely across the
face; but Gonzales, though bleeding copiously, still fought on bravely.
Only after a long, fierce fight did the Champion unhorse and slay this
valiant knight. Then the umpires announced that the Cid had conquered,
and so won the good city of Calahorra for his king.
After this Rodrigo did such valiant service to King Fernando at the
siege of Coimbra, a city of Portugal, that he was there formally dubbed
a knight. The ceremony took place in the principal mosque of the
captured city. In order to do the hero signal honor, the king kissed
him, the queen girt on his sword, and the Princess Urraca buckled on his
golden spurs.
In many battles against the Moors the Cid fought valiantly with King
Fernando, whose ambition it was to win back all Spain from the
infidels.
When Fernando died, he unwisely left his territory to be divided among
his five children. This led to much jealousy, and Sancho, the eldest
son, was greatly aggrieved, because he thought the entire kingdom should
have been his. So it was not long after Fernando's death before war
broke out between Sancho, King of Castile, and his brothers.
Sancho soon defeated the youngest brother, Garcia, and seized his
Kingdom of Galicia. This conquest was due mainly to the wonderful valor
of Rodrigo, who now "waxed great and became a mighty man of war, and
Campeador at the court of King Don Sancho."
Sancho now demanded that Alfonso give up the Kingdom of Leon. The
brothers finally agreed that a battle should be fought between their
respective armies, the crown of Leon to belong to the king whose army
should be victorious. When this combat took place, Alfonso conquered
Sancho, and drove the Castilian army from the field. Supposing the
matter settled, the triumphant Alfonso did not pursue the fugitives, but
returned to his camp rejoicing.
King Sancho, fleeing from the field, saw with joy the green banner of
the Cid in the distance. When the two met, Rodrigo persuaded the king
to renew the fight at dawn, assuring him that he could then take the
enemy by surprise.
"The Galicians and Leonese," said the cunning Cid, "are given to much
talking, and at this moment they are with the King Don Alfonso their
lord, boasting of what they have done, for they love big words. If it be
God's will, their joy of to-day shall be turned to grief, and if it
please Him, sir, you shall regain honor." Now it befell as the Cid had
hoped. In the early morning, while the troops of Alfonso were stupid
from their night of feasting and drinking, the Cid attacked and routed
them completely. During the battle, King Sancho was captured, and was
being carried off by thirteen knights, when the Cid rushed to his help
with no weapon but a broken lance. He offered to exchange Alfonso,
captured by his men, for Sancho, and upon refusal, the Champion cried
wrathfully, "Give me but one of your lances, and I alone, against the
thirteen of you, will quit my lord of you!"
The Leonese knights laughed him to scorn, and in sport threw him a
lance. Thereupon he fell upon them suddenly, slew eleven, put the others
to flight, and rode back in triumph with his rescued king.
Elated by this victory, King Sancho now determined that his sister
Urraca should yield him her strong city of Zamora; but thinking to gain
it without force, he asked the Cid to go as his messenger and urge her
to peaceably surrender the city. This he did because he knew his sister
had long loved the Cid. The Cid, who held the princess dear for her
friendship to him, though he loved her not, replied to the king's
request,--
"Sir, it is not for me to carry such a message, seeing that I was reared
with Dona Urraca, in the same house of Arias Gonzalo, and would not
willingly do her a wrong."
However, when the king pointed out that the Cid might thus prevent a
bloody conflict, he consented to undertake the unpleasant mission. With
fifteen knights he passed into the city, and was gladly received by
Urraca at the entrance of the palace. Together they went into the
splendid hall of audience, and the princess right graciously bade the
Cid be seated with her. Then she asked,--
"I pray thee, Don Rodrigo, tell me wherefore is this great army encamped
outside my walls? Is my brother Sancho going to make war upon Moors or
Christians, and of what state?"
"Dona Urraca," replied the Cid, gravely, "thou knowest that as a herald
I am come hither, and whether my message please thee or not, yet ought
I to suffer no insult nor wrong."
"Yea," answered Urraca, quickly; "and _thou_ knowest well, Don Rodrigo,
that I wish thee no harm, so speak out boldly. Perhaps my loving brother
only needs some aid of mine to go against the Moors. Gladly will I lend
him fifteen lances fully equipped, even though it be for ten years."
Now the Cid flushed red at the mocking tones of the princess and spoke
with difficulty, though still calmly,--
"I am but a messenger, princess. The king, thy brother, bids me speak
thus: he needs this city Zamora for a defence against his enemies. Nor
should so great a stronghold be in the hands of a woman. He will give
thee for it money or lands or another city. But if thou dost refuse, he
will, without delay, take Zamora from thee by force of arms." Then tears
of indignation and rage came into the eyes of the princess.
"I call on God," she cried, "and all these noble knights here present to
bear witness that Sancho again seeks to make naught our father's will!
He hath taken away their inheritance from Garcia and Alfonso, and now he
would rob me of the city my father gave me. Well hath Sancho merited our
father's curse upon the son who should disobey his will! Let him beware
lest he die by violence, or by treachery like his own!" The counsellors
of the princess, troubled at this rash speech, besought her to be calm,
and at last persuaded her to call together the townsmen and hold council
with them.
When assembled, all the chief men of Zamora loyally promised to aid the
princess in defending the city, and swore not to forsake her until
death. Then the proud Urraca, turning to the Cid, cried impetuously,--
"Does it not shame thee, O Cid, that all these are willing to die for
me, while thou who wast my playfellow in youth hast come hither to take
away mine inheritance?" The Cid answered not, but his face turned yet
more ruddy, and he raised not his eyes from the floor.
"Truly a noble thing for the great Cid Ruy Diaz,--to make war against a
woman!" went on the angry princess; then with a burst of noble
frankness, "And well thou knowest that the woman once loved thee,
Rodrigo! Ay, thou mayest boast that the Princess Urraca once gave thee
her heart; but the Cid whom Urraca loved drew not his sword against a
woman. Begone, Don Rodrigo de Bivar; I would not look longer upon thy
face! Tell thy robber king that never will I yield to a false traitor
the city my father gave me! Sooner will I die with these true men than
give up Zamora!"
Silent and ashamed, the Cid withdrew. Fain would the knight have served
the fair princess, the friend of his youth, but fealty to his king
forbade.
When King Sancho received Urraca's defiance, he flew into a terrific
rage, and accused the Cid of having counselled the resistance of the
princess because of love for her. Not a word of explanation would he
hear, but straightway banished the Cid from the kingdom. Rodrigo was
highly enraged at the injustice of the king whom he had served so
faithfully, even to the sacrifice of Urraca's cherished friendship. But
in silence, though pale and defiant, he heard his sentence. Then
crying,--
"Never, ungrateful king, shalt thou find a vassal like Rodrigo, and
humbly, Don Sancho, shalt thou beg him to return!" the Champion strode
from the kingly presence and rode away from Castile. So true was the
Cid's proud boast, that only a short time elapsed before King Sancho,
realizing the value of the banished warrior, entreated him to return to
Castile. The insulted Champion, after receiving an humble apology from
the king and the position of governor of the royal household, consented
to return.
Now, in spite of his friendship for Urraca, the Cid continued the siege
of Zamora with great vigor and zeal, for loyalty to his king compelled
hostility to the princess, and the memory of her bitter scorn rankled in
his heart.
But long the city held out, though the people were suffering greatly
with famine and disease. At last a pretended traitor, Bellido Dolfos,
offered to deliver the city into the hands of Sancho. While riding along
with the king, under pretence of pointing out the gate whereby the
troops might enter Zamora, this lying wretch stabbed the unsuspecting
Sancho through and through with his own royal golden spear, given by the
king to the knave to carry. Bellido then fled fast to the city. On the
way he was seen by the Cid, who called to the flying horseman to stop,
though knowing nothing of his crime. The villain only rode the faster,
hotly pursued by Rodrigo, who now suspected something wrong. Just as the
Cid was about to overtake the fugitive, he darted through the gate of
Zamora and escaped. Rodrigo, riding back, discovered the dead body of
his king, and was sorely grieved that he had not captured the murderer.
By the death of King Sancho, his brother Alfonso, driven into exile
after his defeat, and then living among the Moors at Saragossa, fell
heir to the throne. But many great nobles of the kingdom believed that
Alfonso and Urraca had planned the murder of Sancho, and so they were
unwilling to acknowledge a murderer as their king.
When these nobles were called upon to do homage to Alfonso, the Cid--for
none other dared to be so bold--said to the king,--
"Sir, all here do suspect that you did contrive the murder of your
brother, King Don Sancho. Therefore, I declare to you that until you
clear yourself by oath, never will I or these nobles kiss your hand or
receive you as lord."
The king flushed with anger, but he replied meekly,--
"I swear to God and Saint Mary that I did not kill Sancho or counsel his
death, though he had stolen my kingdom. Advise me, therefore, how I may
clear myself of this matter."
Then the nobles decided that the king and twelve of his knights who had
been with him in exile at Toledo should in public swear solemnly to his
innocence. So on the day appointed, the king appeared before the high
altar of the church at Burgos; and the Cid, in presence of the nobles of
the kingdom, placed the book of the Gospels on the altar and said,--
"King Don Alfonso, you are come hither to swear that you had no part in
the death of the King Don Sancho; and if you swear falsely, may God slay
you by the hand of your own vassal, even as Don Sancho was slain."
"Amen!" said Alfonso, though he turned very pale. Again the Cid spoke,--
"King Don Alfonso, you are here to swear that neither did you order the
King Don Sancho to be slain; and if you swear falsely, may a traitor
slay you even as the traitor Bellido slew Don Sancho."
Again Alfonso replied, "Amen!" but he grew yet paler with rage and shame
at this second oath required of him. When the twelve knights had taken a
similar oath, the nobles were satisfied of Alfonso's innocence; and all
swore fealty to him as king. But when the Cid took the oath of loyalty
and stooped to kiss the hand of Alfonso, the humiliated and resentful
king drew away his hand, and would not permit the act of homage.
Small wonder that after being forced to undergo this mortification, the
king "hated the Cid, in spite of his valor." Yet either from fear or
through policy, Alfonso treated Rodrigo with great honor. On one
occasion, the Champion came to court, and was invited by King Alfonso to
sit with him. When Rodrigo modestly refused the proffered honor, the
king said,--
"Since you will not sit with me, sit on your ivory seat, for you won it
like a good man. From this day I order that none save king or prelate
sit with you; for you have conquered so many high-born men and so many
kings that for this reason there is none worthy to sit with you, or none
who is your peer. Sit, therefore, like a king and lord on your ivory
seat."
The honor in which Rodrigo was held is shown by the fact that he married
a cousin of the king, Ximena,--daughter of the Count of Oviedo, a
powerful noble. Doubtless it was his love for the beautiful Ximena that
rendered the Cid so indifferent to the affection of Princess Urraca.
Most dearly and tenderly he loved Ximena, and after his marriage to her,
gave up warfare for many years, and lived in peace and tranquil
happiness near Burgos. During this quiet period, the Cid fought only a
few single combats as champion of the king. By these he gained even
greater glory, for, as promised by good Saint Lazarus, he was never
overcome, but ever victorious. Because of this good fortune, the old
ballads sing of Rodrigo as, "He who was born in happy hour."
But the king loved not the Cid, and finally, accusing him falsely of
treachery, banished the Champion from the kingdom. The Cid, who was poor
at this time, devised a trick to get money for the journey. He made
ready two great chests covered with crimson leather and studded with
gilt nails, and filled them with sand. Then, sending for two Jews,
money-lenders, he offered to pawn the chests, saying they were full of
refined gold taken from the Moors; but that he feared to dispose of them
openly, because Alfonso, who had accused him of having taken
tribute-money belonging to the crown, would certainly seize the
treasure. He made the condition that the chests be not opened for a
year, but if not redeemed at the end of that time, should become the
property of the Jews. They fell into the trap, and giving the Cid six
hundred marks, carried off the chests, rejoicing at the great treasure
that would surely become theirs, for they believed that the owner would
be in exile many years. When, at the end of the twelve months, they
discovered the fraud that had been practised upon them, great was their
wrath.
But on the return of the Cid from exile, he repaid the Jews in full. An
old chest preserved in the cathedral of Burgos is said to be one of
these coffers of the Cid.
Twice was Rodrigo recalled from exile by the king, who needed him sadly
in the fierce war for the possession of Spain, that had now broken out
afresh between the Christians and Mohammedans.
Finally the Cid, when banished once more, renounced his allegiance to
Alfonso, and made war upon his former lord, carrying fire and sword into
Castile. Thus the Champion became a free lance, making war for gain upon
whom he pleased, and serving any prince, Christian or Mohammedan, who
made it worth his while. This conduct cannot be admired, but we must not
judge the Cid as we would a hero of our own times. In his day the
standard of conduct was very different, and even the best men frequently
committed deeds that shock us unspeakably. It was an age of violence and
fraud. To make war upon your neighbor, with or without good cause, was
thought to be worthy of all praise, especially if you conquered him.
Might made right; and as the Cid was always victorious, he received
little or no blame for acts that we should consider cruel or
treacherous, but won great admiration and renown by his courage,
boldness, and marvelous skill in warfare.
The poets of that day delight in relating the various exploits of the
Cid. In a celebrated battle with Count Berenger, Rodrigo captured a vast
store of treasure, and many swords made in olden days. Among these was
the wonderful blade, Colada, worth a thousand marks in silver. With this
weapon, he afterwards slew many score of enemies in battle.
But the crowning glory of the Cid's adventurous life was the capture of
Valencia. This splendid city, on the east coast of Spain, was besieged
by him for many months. At length, the city fell into such straits that,
in the words of the old chronicler, "the inhabitants counted themselves
as dead men, and walked through the streets as though they were drunken.
They understood not the words of one another, and lost all of their
memory, even as a man who falls into the waves of the sea. Then came the
Christians up to the walls, and called aloud in words of thunder, making
mockery of them, and threatening them, and saying: 'False traitors and
renegades, give up your city to the Cid, Ruy Diaz, for ye cannot save
it!' And the Moors remained silent, so great was their grief and
despair."
A famous poem, the "Dirge of Valencia," composed by one of its Arab
inhabitants during the siege, gives us a picture of the wretched state
of the once beautiful city.
"Valencia! Valencia! many troubles are come upon thee,
and in such peril art thou set that, if thou escape, the
wonder will be great among all that behold thee.
"Thy lofty towers and beautiful, which gleamed from afar
and comforted the hearts of the people, are falling piece
by piece.
"Thy white bulwarks which shewed so fair in the distance
have lost the beauty whereby they shone so brightly in
the beams of the sun.
"Thy famous and delightful gardens that are round about
thee, the ravening wolf has torn up their roots and
they give no fruits."[1]
[Footnote 1: From "The Cid Campeador," by H. Butler Clarke, by
permission of G. P. Putnam's Sons.]
At last the unhappy city surrendered to the Cid, and he became its sole
ruler and a personage of still greater power and renown. In Valencia,
for some years, the conqueror lived in the royal magnificence of an
Oriental prince.
When the Moors under King Yusef came from Morocco, fifty thousand
strong, to retake the city, the Cid was not at all alarmed. As soon as
the Moors had encamped before Valencia, the Cid led his wife and
daughter up into the tower of the Alcazar. They raised their eyes, and
saw the thousands of tents pitched on the plain.
"Heaven save thee, Cid, what is this?" they cried.
"Good wife, fear nothing. Riches are these to increase our store,--right
marvelous and grand. As soon as thou art come, they wish to make us a
present. Wife, sit thou in the Alcazar, and be not afraid when thou
seest me in the fight."
The next day the drums sounded, and the Cid's heart was glad. He drew up
the Christians, and they sped forth to do battle with the infidels.
"They drove them from the garden in royal style; straight up to the camp
was the pursuit continued. Glad is my Cid for all they have done."
"Hearken to me, my knights," he said. "A good day is to-day, but
to-morrow shall be better." In the morning the battle was renewed. With
only four thousand men, the Cid routed Yusef with fifty thousand. So
many of the Moors did Rodrigo slay that they could not be counted. Three
strokes the Cid gave King Yusef, who only escaped by the swiftness of
his horse. His wonderful sword, Tizona, fell into the hands of the Cid.
Gold and silver and precious stuff in great quantities was captured.
"Joyful is my Cid and all his vassals, that God had shown such favor to
them that they had conquered in the field."
In yet another battle against the Moors the Cid was victorious. Bucar,
the brother of Yusef, attacked Valencia, but was soon put to flight by
the Champion. Rodrigo pursued the flying king, brandishing his sword and
shouting,--
"Turn thee, Bucar, thou who camest over seas to behold the Cid with the
long beard! We must meet and cut out a friendship!"
"God confound such friendship!" cried the frightened king, as he fled
still faster. But Rodrigo, determined to be friendly in his way, flung
his sword after Bucar. It struck between the shoulders of the fleeing
king. But Bucar's horse was the swifter, and he escaped by riding into
the sea and taking boat.
Now the Cid was left for some time in possession of Valencia and became
an independent prince,--in fact, if not in name. The neighboring kings
were glad to make friendly alliance with the great warrior who had never
yet met with a defeat.
Some time after the victory over Bucar, the Cid laid siege to Murviedro.
This town was the ancient Saguntum, once besieged by Hannibal. It was a
strongly fortified place, and there seemed little chance of Rodrigo's
taking it. But after the siege had lasted some time, the citizens saw
plainly that they could not hold their city against the great conqueror.
So they begged him to grant them a truce in order that they might send
to the neighboring princes for help. The proud warrior, disdaining any
number of enemies, readily consented to the truce.
Now when the messengers from Murviedro reached the courts of the
neighboring princes, and implored their help, not one would lend aid to
the distressed city. Alfonso of Castile replied to their petition,--
"Certes, I will not succor you. I would liefer Rodrigo have your town
than a Saracen king."
And Al Mustain, the Moorish King of Saragossa, gave the envoys this
discouraging answer,--
"Go and take such comfort as ye may, and fight bravely, for Rodrigo is
invincible, and therefore I am afraid to do battle with him."
When the sorely disappointed envoys returned to Murviedro, great was the
distress of its inhabitants. But in order to gain time, they pretended
that the messengers had not returned, and therefore besought Rodrigo to
extend the time of the truce. The Cid knew well that their statement was
false, and that the envoys were even then in Murviedro, but he
replied,--
"In order to show you that I fear none of your kings, I grant you a
further truce of twelve days for them to come to your aid. If then they
come not, and you do not surrender, I will slay all of you that I
capture."