(1026-1099)
[Illustration: The Cid.]
The narratives concerning the life and exploits of the Cid are, to a
great extent, merely poetic. Yet it has been wisely said, that much
which must be rejected as not fact may still be accepted as truth; that
is, there is often to be found under the husks of legend and myth, a
sound kernel of historical reality. This may be the case with respect to
the Cid, who probably was a warrior so remarkable for genius or bravery
above his fellows that he gathered up in a single fame the reputation of
many others, with whose deeds he was credited, and whom, as a class, he
accordingly represents in history.
Spain, long one of the most flourishing provinces of the Roman Empire,
was among the first to fall under the sway of the Visigoths, a warlike
but enlightened race, which soon embraced Christianity. For three
centuries the country remained under Gothic rule, but fell, in 712,
by the invasion of the Arabian conquerors of Africa--a remnant of
Christians only preserving an independent monarchy in the mountains of
Asturia. This little seed of freedom grew and bore fruit. France proved
a formidable barrier against further invasion; and in Spain itself
internal jealousies among the Arab families weakened the Moslem and
strengthened the Christian power. In the eleventh century there were
several states in Spain wholly unfettered by a foreign yoke. The enmity
between the two races and creeds was bitter, and war raged perpetually.
Yet it often happened that, at the prompting of private revenge or
family quarrels, alliances were made between kingdoms thus naturally
opposed to each other. A recollection of this fact is essential to a
clear understanding of Spanish history at this period.
At the commencement of the eleventh century the chief Christian states
of Spain became, through divers marriages, united under one king,
Sancho, who died in 1034 dividing his territories among his three sons:
of whom Garcia took Navarre, Ferdinand, Castile, and Ramirez, Aragon.
Leon, the remaining Christian monarchy, was ruled by Bermudez III.,
whose sister Ferdinand of Castile had married. Just as this apparent
junction of interest occurred among the warriors of the Cross, the
greatest confusion prevailed among those of the Crescent. The mighty
house of the Ommiades--perhaps the most illustrious of the factions into
which the successors of the Prophet were divided--no longer commanded
the allegiance of the Arabs of Spain. Its last prince fled, and the
chief cities fell into the hands of independent lords, who constituted
themselves petty Emirs in their own dominions. Instead, however, of
taking full advantage of this state of anarchy to extend their united
power, the Christian kings weakened each other by unnatural and deadly
quarrels. Ferdinand, King of Castile, seems to have been the principal
aggressor. His great captain in his wars, both with Moslem and Christian
states, was Rodrigo Laynez, who was called also by the Spaniards Ruy
Diaz de Rivar, from the name of his birthplace, and by the Arabs _El
Sayd_ (Lord), which has been altered into Cid. He was probably born
about the year 1026, or rather later, at the Castle of Rivar, near
Burgos, in Old Castile, of a noble but not wealthy family. He joined the
army of Ferdinand, and rose by his talents, strength, and courage to the
highest place in that king's service. Among the romantic stories told of
his early career is one concerning his marriage, which forms the subject
of a popular ballad. The father of Rodrigo, having been injured by a
Count Gomez, the young knight defied the latter to a duel and slew him.
The count's daughter, Ximena, in a storm of grief and rage, flew to the
king, and cried for vengeance on Rodrigo, who met her face to face, and
awaited the result of her entreaties.
No one, however, was hardy enough to offer himself as the damsel's
champion against so doughty a warrior, and Rodrigo calmly retired. His
manly bearing and fame won him a place in the very heart which he had so
deeply offended; and, with truly Spanish impetuosity, Ximena gave him,
not only pardon, but love. She again repaired to the king and asked
leave to bestow her hand upon the knight, urging the curious plea that
she foresaw he would one day be the most powerful subject in the realm.
Informed of this request, of which the king approved, Rodrigo consented
to the marriage, as an act of obedience to his sovereign and of justice
to the lady. The meeting of this strangely matched pair is thus
described in the ballad (Lockhart's translation):
"But when the fair Ximena came forth to plight her hand,
Rodrigo, gazing on her, his face could not command:
He stood, and blushed before her: thus at the last said he,
'I slew thy sire, Ximena, but not in villany:
In no disguise I slew him; man against man I stood;
There was some wrong between us, and I did shed his blood:
I slew a man; I owe a man; fair lady, by God's grace,
An honored husband shalt thou have in thy dead father's place.'"
It is unfortunate that this charming story is supposed to have but
little foundation in fact. Many of Rodrigo's legendary exploits are
still less authentic; but history and fable unite in declaring him a
warrior of no common stamp. His master, King Ferdinand, as we have said,
invaded the territories of his brothers and friends, besides those of
his enemies. Garcia, Ramirez, and Bermudez successively fell before his
attacks, which Rodrigo, in the true spirit of knightly obedience to his
lord, did not hesitate to lead. Sancho, the king's eldest son, was
Rodrigo's most intimate friend; and on the accession of the prince to
his father's throne on the death of Ferdinand, in 1065, Rodrigo became
Campeador (or, as the Arabs call him, _El Cambitur_); that is, head of
the army. The new king followed in his father's courses of injustice,
and drove his brother, Alfonso, King of Leon, into exile.
[Illustration: The Cid ordering the Execution of Ahmed.]
In 1072 Sancho besieged Zamora, which one of his sisters, whom he had
likewise despoiled, held out against him. The king was killed during the
siege, and, as it was suspected, by the agency of his exiled brother,
Alfonso, who succeeded to the throne. Rodrigo felt his friend's death
deeply, and did not scruple to avow his suspicions of Alfonso. Before
promising allegiance, the Campeador insisted that the king should
cleanse himself by an oath of the accusation which popular rumor had
brought against him. To this Alfonso, whether innocent or guilty, not
unnaturally demurred; but the powerful warrior was firm, and the king at
last yielded. When the appointed day arrived, Alfonso made his
appearance, surrounded by his courtiers, all obsequiously vying in
praise of his glory and virtue, and contemptuous denunciations of his
daring accuser. Rodrigo stood alone and gazed on the king sternly. Some
of the nobles endeavored to dissuade him from holding this attitude of
opposition, and to induce him to forego the demand which he had made;
but he put them aside and repeated his challenge. Alfonso dared not
refuse to accept, and accordingly recited aloud the form of oath
prescribed on such occasions, affirming, in the presence of his maker
and the saints of heaven, that he was guiltless of the death of his
brother. He had no sooner concluded than all eyes were turned upon the
Cid, who, in deep, solemn tones, and with the most impressive
earnestness of manner, imprecated on the head of his king every curse
that heaven or hell could inflict, if, in taking that oath, he had
committed perjury. The awed assembly then broke up. Rodrigo, from that
hour, was hated by the king and shunned by the court.
Yet, aware of the Cid's value, Alfonso seems to have concealed his
resentment for some time, and even endeavored to win the affection of
his great subject by allying him in marriage with one of the royal
family. Rodrigo's wife was now dead, and he consented to marry the
princess proposed to him, whose name was also Ximena. The marriage took
place in 1074. It had not the effect, however, of uniting the king and
the Cid. After having achieved a brilliant success over the Arabs of
Granada, who were at war with two other Moslem states in alliance with
Castile, and having signalized his humanity by releasing all his
prisoners, the great Campeador was disgraced and banished by his
ungrateful master. At the court of the Emir of Saragossa the exile found
a ready welcome, and was appointed to a high post in the government of
the kingdom. He did not bear arms against his own sovereign, but headed
the Arabs in several battles with the Christians of Aragon and other
states. The invasion of a Moorish host in Spain, under the eminent
Caliph Jusef Ben Taxfin, chief of the Almoravides and conqueror of
Morocco; the rapid subjugation of the independent Emirs, and the defeat
of Alfonso's army at the battle of Zalaka, in 1087, recalled the
Castilians to a sense of Rodrigo's worth. He was invited to return by
Alfonso, and with great generosity consented, bringing with him a large
body of men raised by his own exertion and cost. For two years he made
his name terrible to the Moors, as the great Christian champion.
But even this fame was not sufficient to secure his influence at court,
and about the year 1090 he was once more banished, and his estates were
seized. He appears from this time to have commenced a life of
adventurous and independent warfare with the Moors. He besieged Alcocer,
a strong Moorish fortress on the borders of Aragon, and finally took it.
With a band of determined warriors of his own stamp he ravaged,
consumed, and spoiled all the Moslem territories which he invaded,
making a castle on a rock in Ternel his chief stronghold, and thence
sallying out in forays. The place has been ever since called the Rock of
the Cid.
The last and greatest achievement of this hero was the taking of
Valencia. This city was in the hands of a Moslem prince, Alcadir by
name, who had refused to acknowledge the authority of Jusef and the
Almoravides over Spain, which they were attempting to subdue. The Cid,
either as an ally of Alcadir, or from motives of policy, assisted him in
the defence of the city; but it was taken through the treachery of its
Cadi, Ahmed. For this service, the traitor was made governor in the room
of Alcadir, who fell fighting bravely. A kinsman of the betrayed king
determined to avenge his death, and asked the Cid's aid, which was
promptly given. The Arabian historians relate that Ahmed yielded after a
brief siege, on conditions of safety for himself and family. It is
further related that this promise was faithlessly broken, and the guilty
Ahmed sentenced by Rodrigo to be burned alive for his crimes. The
Christian historians happily acquit the Cid's memory of this barbarity;
but all unite in recording the successful siege of the city, which he
took in 1094. While he lived, the Moors vainly tried to retake it; but
on his death, which is supposed to have occurred in 1099, Valencia again
fell. Romance has colored with glowing tints this scanty historic
outline of the Cid's life. Spanish literature, for two or three hundred
years after his death, is almost confined to epic or ballad poetry, of
which he is the hero. To acquire such a fame demanded a force of
character, which, if not accurately painted by these loving and fanciful
narrators, cannot have fallen far short of the glory with which the
world will forever associate the name of the Cid Campeador.