El Cid Campeador, Glorious Knight of Spain Quiz

Answer: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar

Somewhere between 1043 and 1048 AD, Rodrigo Díaz was born in the small village of Vivar, just outside Burgos in the north of Spain. Although his genealogy isn't clear, it is generally accepted that he belonged to the highest aristocracy. In later legends, however, he was made out to be of humble origins, probably to please the audience with a "rags to riches" story.

At the time of his birth, the Moors had conquered almost the entire Iberian peninsula and established the independent Caliphate of Córdoba. Only the northernmost areas of Spain were still ruled by Catholic aristocracy. Those provinces or kingdoms however stood divided and could not bring themselves to join forces against the occupying forces in the south.

Answer: Sancho II

According to the custom of that day, on his deathbed Fernando I divided his empire between his three sons and (perhaps less customary) his two daughters. Sancho received Castile, Alfonso got the Kingdom of León and García had to make do with the Kingdom of Galicia.

His oldest daughter Urraca was granted rule over the city of Zamora and Elvira obtained dominion over the city of Toro. Fernando I was King of León, but technically only a Count of Castile. A political reorganisation in Castile however saw to it that his first-born son was called the first King of Castile.

Answer: Head of the king's personal army

The 'Alférez' was at first only a ceremonial job for a young knight whose duties would include guarding the king's weapons and waving the king's banner. The job eventually evolved to that of the king's chief military advisor and head of the elite soldiers entrusted with the task of keeping the king safe. As Alférez, El Cid fought for the territorial ambitions of his king and his prowess and skills in battle made his reputation grow rapidly.

Sancho II felt entitled to rule over the empire that his father had split up, resulting in a number of skirmishes. First, Alfonso VI and Sancho II schemed to oust their baby brother García from Galicia in 1071 AD. García would more or less spend the remainder of his life as a prisoner of Alfonso VI. As soon as Garcia was disposed of, Sancho II turned against his brother Alfonso VI and El Cid led the Castilians to victory over León in the battle of Golpejera (1072 AD), capturing Alfonso VI in the process. Alfonso IV was imprisoned in Burgos, leaving Sancho II to assume both the title of King of León and King of Galicia.

Answer: He earned the title Campeador

In those days it was not unusual to settle the outcome of a battle by pitting the best two knights of both camps against each other in a "mano a mano" (hand to hand) fight.

El Cid overpowered Jimeno Garcés, the alférez of the King of Navarre, thereby winning the battle for his king. The title Campeador (literally: fighter or warlord) was only bestowed on those who had won these public duels in open terrain.

It was around that time that people started calling him Mio Cid or Cidi, deriving from the Andalusian-Arabic "Al Sidi" or the Arabic "al-Sayyid", which translates to Lord or Master. Mio Cid, meaning My Lord, became more or less a term of endearment, especially since El Cid was only 24 years old.

Answer: El Cid was exiled from Castile

Not a lot is known of the death of Sancho II and the events that followed. Legend has it that El Cid would only pledge his sword to Alfonso, if the latter would swear that he had nothing to do with the assassination of his brother, King Sancho II. There is, however, no historical evidence to support this legend.

At first King Alfonso VI and El Cid got along well. Alfonso VI entrusted El Cid with several important missions and even gave away his niece Jimena Diáz in marriage to El Cid. However, their relationship got strained when El Cid, travelling around to collect taxes for Alfonso VI, defended the vassal state of Seville against attacks from another vassal state (Toledo). The unexpected help from the King's Alférez resulted in a diplomatic scandal and left Alfonso VI with no other option than to exile El Cid. El Cid offered his services to a number of Muslim-ruled principalities or "taifas", eventually finding employ with the King of Zaragoza, al-Muqtadir, in 1081 AD.

Answer: A surge of Moorish armies treatening León

Curiously, it was probably during the 1086 AD hostilities between Alfonso VI and the Taifa of Zaragoza, who counted on the services of El Cid, when the two reconciled. During the siege of Zaragoza, an army of Almoravids (a dynasty of fiercely religious and veiled Berber warriors coming from Morocco) advanced north towards the heart of León. Alfonso VI had to abandon his siege and intercept the approaching Moors. The Christians, however, were heavily beaten at the Battle of Sagrajas (1086 AD).

This turn of events made the reconciliation between Alfonso VI and El Cid an urgent necessity. Clearly, Alfonso was badly in need of El Cid's reinforcements and military expertise and, on the other hand, the Taifa of Zaragoza could hardly maintain a Christian army leader in light of the new influx of Islamic hard-liners.

Answer: Valencia

Despite their reconciliation, Alfonso and El Cid got into each other's hair a second time. El Cid was once more exiled from Castile and León in 1088 AD, after El Cid failed (deliberately or not) to come to the rescue of one of his King's fortresses. Alfonso VI had El Cid condemned for high treason and confiscated all of his possessions. From then on, El Cid acted as an independent knight, employing his personal army for no other purpose than his own honor and profit.

Through a number of conquests and strategic alliances, El Cid became one of the most powerful figures in the east of Spain, having several cities pay him for protection. The ever present threat from Almoravid made El Cid decide to cement his power in the region by conquering its main city Valencia and establishing a hereditary dominion, an extraordinary idea considering his status as an independent warlord without the backing of any Christian king.

In the summer of 1083 AD, El Cid set up camp outside of Valencia. After a siege lasting almost a year (and a defeat of an Almoravid army that was sent to relieve the city), Valencia was forced to capitulate on 17 June 1094 AD. El Cid declared himself "Prince Rodrigo el Campeador".

Answer: Burgos Cathedral

Until his death in 1099 AD, El Cid ruled over Valencia, where he was buried in the city's cathedral. Doña Jimena, his widow and so-called Lady of Valencia, continued for some years to defend the city against attempts by the Almoravids to sack Valencia, but in 1102 AD she was forced to abandon the city.

As Doña Jimena fled out of Valencia with the help of Alfonso VI, she had El Cid's body transferred to the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña. In 1921 El Cid was given his final resting place in the Cathedral of Burgos, where he lies next to his wife and where you can find him today.

Answer: La Tizona

La Tizona (or La Tizón) is attributed to El Cid by the Spanish literary tradition. One story goes that the sword once belonged to King Búcar of Morocco and that El Cid won this sword after sacking Valencia. Another story claims that it was a gift from El Cid to his sons-in-law, which El Cid personally reclaimed when his daughters were mistreated and abandoned by them.

The sword that has been identified as La Tizona is on display in the Spanish Army Museum in Toledo.

Answer: El Cantar de mio Cid

No, it's not "Cid Rules" or anything similar ...

"El Cantar de mio Cid" ("Song of My Cid") is a unique document, in that it is the first extensive narrative in the Spanish language, that it has been preserved almost completely and that it is about a historic figure (as opposed, or example, to King Arthur and Roland). The poem contains 3,735 verses and tells the (partly fictionalised) story of El Cid, banned from his land and fighting for rehabilitation.

The original manuscript is kept at the National Library in Madrid, but you can take a look at it online: http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/cantar-de-mio-cid-manuscrito-el-manuscrito-de-per-abbat--0/html/