Fast Facts: El Cid
- Known For: National hero of Spain, mercenary soldier against Christian and Muslims, ruler of Valencia
- Birth Name: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (or Bibar)
- Born: c. ...
- Parents: Diego Lainez and a daughter of Rodrigo Alvarez
- Died: July 10, 1099 in Valencia, Spain
- Education: Trained in the Castilian court of Sancho II
- Spouse: Jimena (m. ...
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What does El Cid want to do?
El Cid was content to let the Almoravid armies and the armies of Alfonso fight without his help, even when there was a chance that the Almoravids might defeat Alfonso and take over all of Alfonso's lands. El Cid chose not to fight because he was hoping that both armies would weaken themselves.
Is El Cid a true story?
Yes, The Legend of El Cid is inspired by the true story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, although it remains to be seen exactly how faithful to the history it will be. de Vivar lived from 1043 to 1099 and ultimately became a legend for his military leadership, fighting in numerous important battles throughout Spanish history.
What are the qualities of El Cid as a hero?
He showed great heroism in war, but also magnimity in victory, and was reverenced by his Moorish as well as his Christian subjects. Cid rose to fame during a very complicated period in Spanish history.
What type of literature is El Cid?
epicThe work that consecrated El Cid as a literary myth is the Poema de mio Cid, placed at the top of the historical canon of Spanish literature. The charisma of its hero has made the legend of El Cid one of the most important epic cycles of the Middle Ages, and one of the great myths of universal literature.
Who is the hero of Spanish?
What is El Cid known for? El Cid, who lived in the 11th century, is known as the national hero of Spain. He is remembered as a fierce champion of Christian Spain against Muslim and particularly Almoravid forces during the early years of the Reconquista and as the embodiment of knightly honour.
Was El Cid tied to his horse?
As for the famous scene showing a dead El Cid tied to his horse and striking fear into his enemy's hearts, it is part of the legend created by the monks at the monastery of Cardeña, where Díaz was buried after his embalmed body was taken out of a Valencia under threat from the Almoravids.
Why do Muslims and Christians keep fighting El Cid?
Although the real El Cid was a mercenary who fought for both Christian and Muslim leaders at different points in his career, his defeat of a powerful Muslim army made him a symbol of the Christian reconquest of the Iberian peninsula. He was reverenced as a hero to both Moorish and Christian Spaniards.
How is El Cid portrayed as a hero in the poem and what can that tell us about medieval Spanish ideals?
In fact, throughout the entire poem, the Cid is portrayed as an exemplary hero and vassal; he is also an ideal lord himself. The poet has created an ideal within the historical context of eleventh- or twelfth- century Spain. The Cid is exiled because his enemies have turned King Alfonso against him.
How does the poem of the Cid end?
The epic ends with the Cid fully reconciled with King Alfonso, his daughters married to the Princes of Aragon and Navarre, and the Cid, who brought honor to his family, dying at Pentecost.
Who is the author of El Cid compared Or?
The author of the poem 'El Cid' is unknown. It is believed to have been first performed orally by traveling storytellers before being written down in...
Who wrote El Cantar del mio Cid?
El Cantar del Mio Cid is a title of modern invention by Ramón Menéndez Pidal; its original title is unknown. Some call it "El Poema del Cid" on the grounds that it is not a "cantar" but a poem made up of three "cantares".
Where is El Cid buried?
Burgos Cathedral, Burgos, SpainEl Cid / Place of burialThe Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos. Wikipedia
Who was El Cid's wife?
Jimena DíazEl Cid / Wife (m. 1074–1099)Doña Jimena Díaz (also spelled Ximena) (before July 1046–c. 1116) was the wife of El Cid, whom she married between July 1074 and 12 May 1076, and her husband's successor as ruler of Valencia from 1099 to 1102.
What is El Cid known for?
El Cid, who lived in the 11th century, is known as the national hero of Spain. He is remembered as a fierce champion of Christian Spain against Mus...
What made El Cid famous?
The 12th-century epic poemCantar de mío Cid (“Song of My Cid”) is the primary source of the legend of El Cid. The play Le Cid by Pierre Corneille,...
What were El Cid’s accomplishments?
El Cid was a formidable military leader who won several famous battles. He was also an astute politician. His most significant accomplishment was h...
Was El Cid the champion that he was portrayed as?
El Cid was portrayed as being loyal to Alfonso VI, king of Castile and Leon, but he first became prominent fighting against Alfonso and was never a...
How did El Cid get his name?
El Cid’s real name was Rodrigo (or Ruy) Díaz de Vivar. El Cid comes from the Spanish Arabic al-sīd, meaning “the lord” or “the master,” and he earn...
Who was El Cid?
Born a member of the minor nobility, El Cid was brought up at the court of Ferdinand the Great and served Ferdinand's son, Sancho II of León and Castile. He rose to become the commander and royal standard-bearer ( armiger regis) of Castile upon Sancho's ascension in 1065. El Cid went on to lead the Castilian military campaigns against Sancho's brothers, Alfonso VI of León and García II of Galicia, as well as in the Muslim kingdoms in al-Andalus. He became renowned for his military prowess in these campaigns, which helped expand the territory of the Crown of Castile at the expense of the Muslims and Sancho's brothers' kingdoms. When conspirators murdered Sancho in 1072, El Cid found himself in a difficult situation. Since Sancho was childless, the throne passed to his brother Alfonso, whom El Cid had helped remove from power. Although El Cid continued to serve the sovereign, he lost his ranking in the new court, which treated him suspiciously and kept him at arm's length. Finally, in 1081, he was exiled.
What does el cid mean?
The name El Cid ( Spanish: [el ˈθið]) is a modern Spanish denomination composed of the article el meaning "the" and Cid, which derives from the Old Castilian loan word Çid borrowed from the dialectal Arabic word سيد sîdi or sayyid, which means "Lord" or "Master".
Why did Jimena put El Cid on his horse?
After his demise, but still during the siege of Valencia, legend holds that Jimena ordered that the corpse of El Cid be fitted with his armour and set on his horse Babieca, to bolster the morale of his troops. In several variations of the story, the dead Rodrigo and his knights win a thundering charge against Valencia's besiegers, resulting in a war-is-lost-but-battle-is-won catharsis for generations of Christian Spaniards to follow. It is believed that the legend originated shortly after Jimena entered Burgos, and that it is derived from the manner in which Jimena's procession rode into Burgos, i.e. alongside her deceased husband.
How did El Cid die?
El Cid died on July 10, 1099. His death was likely a result of the famine and deprivations caused by the siege. Valencia was captured by Mazdali on May 5, 1102 and it did not become a Christian city again for over 125 years. Jimena fled to Burgos, Castile, in 1101. She rode into the town with her retinue and the body of El Cid. Originally buried in Castile in the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña [ es; ca], his body now lies at the center of Burgos Cathedral .
Why did El Cid go exiled?
In the Battle of Cabra (1079), El Cid rallied his troops and turned the battle into a rout of Emir Abdullah of Granada and his ally García Ordóñez. This unauthorized expedition into Granada, however, greatly angered Alfonso and May 8, 1080 was the last time El Cid confirmed a document in King Alfonso's court. This is the generally accepted reason for the exile of El Cid, although several others are plausible and indeed may have been contributing factors to the exile: jealous nobles turning Alfonso against El Cid through court intrigue, Alfonso's own personal animosity towards El Cid, as well as a possible misappropriation of some of the tribute from Seville by El Cid.
Why did El Cid not fight?
El Cid was content to let the Almoravid armies and the armies of Alfonso fight without his help, even when there was a chance that the Almoravids might defeat Alfonso and take over all of Alfonso's lands. El Cid chose not to fight because he was hoping that both armies would weaken themselves. That would make it easier for him to carry out his own plan to become ruler of the Kingdom of Valencia.
Where did El Cid go to defeat the Almoravids?
Although El Cid remained undefeated in Valencia, Diego Rodríguez, his only son and heir, died fighting against the Almoravids in the service of Alfonso in 1097.
What was El Cid known for?
He fought for the Huddid dynasty for almost ten years, scoring significant victories against both Muslim and Christian foes. Famous battles which El Cid is known for were the defeat of Count Berenguer Ramon II of Barcelona in 1082, and of King Sancho Ramirez of Aragon in 1084.
Who is El Cid?
El Cid (1045–July 10, 1099), whose birth name was Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (or Bibar), is a Spanish national hero, a mercenary soldier who fought for the Spanish king Alfonso VII to liberate parts of Spain from the Almoravid dynasty and eventually captured the Muslim caliphate of Valencia and ruled his own kingdom.
Where was El Cid born?
Early Life. El Cid was born Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar or Ruy Díaz de Vivar in the town of Vivar in the Castilian principality near Burgos, Spain in about 1045.
What happened to El Cid in 1094?
He fought and extracted enormous amounts of tribute from the Muslim taifas, and, on June 15, 1094, he captured the city of Valencia.
What is the meaning of the name El Cid?
The name El Cid is a Spanish dialect version of the Arabic word "sidi," meaning "lord" or "sir.". He was also known as Rodrigo el Campeador, "the Battler.".
Who were El Cid's children?
Whoever she was and however their marriage came about, Ximena and Rodrigo had three children: Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodriguez, all of whom married into royalty. Diego was killed at the battle of Consuega in 1097.
Who was Ibn Alcama?
Two are Islamic, and three are Christian; none are likely to be unprejudiced. Ibn Alcama was a Moor from Valencia, who witnessed and wrote a detailed account of the loss of that province to El Cid called "Eloquent Evidence of the Great Calamity.".
Who was El Cid?
El Cid was a Castilian knight and warlord in medieval Spain who earned the title while leading the Moorish forces of Zaragoza, and was known as 'El Campeador' to the Christian armies he led. He was raised in the court of King Ferdinand the Great and served his successor, Sancho II, under whose rule he became the commander and royal standard-bearer of Castile. He helped Sancho against his brothers, Alfonso VI of León and García II of Galicia, and the Muslim kingdoms in Al-Andalus, until Sancho was assassinated. He subsequently served Sancho's brother Alfonso, but his power was reduced significantly, and he was later exiled in 1081. He then became a mercenary captain for the Muslim rulers of Zaragoza before being called back by Alfonso when the Almoravid Berbers invaded the Peninsula in 1086. In 1094, he defeated the invaders and became the ruler of Valencia, which he ruled peacefully until his death in 1099.
When did El Cid die?
He defended two attacks from the Almoravid armies in 1094 and 1097, and died in his home on July 10, 1099, amidst another siege attempt by the Almoravids.
Where was El Cid born?
Childhood & Early Life. El Cid was born as Rodrigo Díaz in c.1043 AD in the small town Vivar about six miles north of Burgos, the capital of Castile. His father, Diego Lainez, was a courtier, bureaucrat, and cavalryman, who had fought in the battle at Atapuerco in 1054, and his mother, was a niece of the Castilian diplomat Nuño Alvarez de Carazo.
Who was El Cid fighting against?
He subsequently accompanied al-Muqtadir and the Castilian troops in the Battle of Graus in the spring of 1063, against Ferdinand's half-brother, Ramiro I of Aragon, who was killed in the battle.
Who was El Cid's daughter?
El Cid was enamored by the beauty of Jimena Díaz, daughter of a Count Diego Fernández de Oviedo and Alfonso's niece. He married her in July 1074. They had a son named Diego Rodríguez and two daughters named Cristina and María Rodríguez.
Why was El Cid's body strapped to his horse?
Among the various legends about El Cid, one maintains that upon his death, his body was fitted with his armor and strapped on to his horse Babieca, to bolster the morale of his troops. His army led a devastating charge against the besiegers and won the battle, even though the war was already lost.
Who was El Cid?
El Cid was a great warrior and great leader, he served many men, but most importantly, he served himself. He came to rule his own land. He lived in Valencia from 1094 to 1099, when he died. But, his legend will live on.
What is El Cid's real name?
Even though peasants considered El Cid (real name: Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar) one of their own, he didn’t exactly come from humble beginnings. His father was a member of the king’s court, and his mother’s family were high up in society, as well.
What is Canon El Cid different from?
He ruled for Alfonso in name only. 8. Canon El Cid was Different than the Legend. As you can probably tell, the legend of El Cid was different than the actual man. During his exile, instead of conquering Moorish lands to regain favor with the king, he fights against the king until he is pardoned.
Why was El Cid exiled?
He was naturally bitter about that, especially since he was made to marry Alfonso’s niece, allying El Cide to the royal line. El Cid acted against the will of the king one too many times, and so he was exiled.
Where did El Cid go to conquer?
He leaves with nothing but a loyal crew, and ventures out to conquer the Arabian lands near Spain to regain his honor. Eventually, he conquers enough land to regain favor with the king of Spain.
Is El Cid a good fighter?
With a title like “The Warrior,” El Cid has to be a good fighter, right ? But what exactly did he do to stand out. An interesting fact about El Cid is that he turns out he was one of the first generals to engage in psychological warfare. He fought, not just with the body, but with the mind. For example, he would make the enemy think he was going to attack, but not actually attack so that the enemy would get nervous, or think they were safe. Then, when the enemy least expected, El Cid would attack, quickly and viciously.
Is El Cid a legend?
El Cid is as much legend as he was a man, and much of what we know of him is obscured by the stories told about him which turned him into a folk hero.
What is El Cid based on?
The film is loosely based on the life of the 11th-century Castilian warlord Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, called " El Cid" ( from the Arabic as-sidi, meaning "The Lord").
Where was El Cid first shown?
El Cid had its world premiere at the Metropole Theatre, Victoria, London on December 6, 1961. On December 14, 1961, the film premiered at the Warner Theatre in New York City and premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles on December 18.
What happened to El Cid in the Battle of Valencia?
The ensuing battle goes well for the defenders until El Cid is struck in the chest by an arrow and has to be carried away to safety. Doctors inform him that they can probably remove the arrow and save his life, but he will be incapacitated for a long time after the surgery. Unwilling to abandon his army at this critical moment, Rodrigo obtains a promise from Ximena to leave the arrow and let him ride back into battle, dying or dead. King Alfonso comes to his bedside and asks for his forgiveness.
Why was El Cid called back into the service of the King?
Years later, Rodrigo, known widely as "El Cid", is called back into the service of the king to protect Castille from Yusuf's North African army. Rather than work directly with the king El Cid allies himself with the Emirs besieging Valencia, where Al-Kadir has violated his oath of allegiance to Rodrigo and come out in support of Ibn Yusuf.
What is the purpose of Rodrigo's mission?
In his new capacity he is sent on a mission to collect tribute from Moorish vassals to the Castillian crown. He asks that Ximena be given to him as his wife upon his return, so that he can provide for her. Ximena promises Count Ordóñez she will marry him instead if he kills Rodrigo. Ordóñez lays an ambush for Rodrigo and his men but is captured by Al-Mu'tamin, to whom Rodrigo had earlier showed mercy. Rodrigo forgives the Count and returns home to marry Ximena. The marriage is not consummated: Rodrigo will not touch her if she does not give herself to him out of love. Ximena instead goes to a convent.
Why did Ibn Yusuf chastise the emirs?
He chastises them for co-existing peacefully with their Christian neighbors, which goes against his dream of Islamic world domination. The emirs return to Spain with orders to resume hostilities with the Christians while Ibn Yusuf readies his army for a full-scale invasion.
Who produced El Cid?
In 1958, producer Samuel Bronston first considered filming El Cid prior to his work on King of Kings (1961), but the production proved to be so troublesome that it would be set aside until King of Kings reached completion. In April 1960, Variety announced that Bronston was independently producing three films in Spain, one of which included El Cid. It was also reported that Bronston had purchased the rights to Fredric M. Frank 's 140-page treatment for the film and had hired him the week before to prepare the script by July. In July, Anthony Mann and Philip Yordan had signed on to direct and co-write the film respectively.
Who was El Cid?
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, more commonly known as El Cid, was an 11 th century Spanish knight, military leader and mercenary . This larger-than-life-figure is celebrated as a champion of Christianity during the Spanish Reconquista . While its often hard to separate fact from fiction, the reality of his life was rather more complex.
Where was El Cid born?
Born around 1040 in Vivar, a small village in the north of Spain not far from the city of Burgos, El Cid’s real name was Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar. According to the historical records, El Cid’s father was Diego Laínez, a minor noble of the Kingdom of Castile.
How many children did El Cid have?
El Cid and Jimena are recorded to have had three children – Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodríguez. Both of El Cid’s daughters married into the families of high nobility.
Why did El Cid go exiled?
For instance, El Cid’s ascent at Alfonso’s court may have roused the jealousy of other nobles, who then persuaded Alfonso to exile El Cid. It is also plausible that Alfonso still bore a grudge against El Cid, since he had been, after all, a supporter of his brother, Sancho. It has also been claimed that El Cid was accused of pocketing some of the tribute form Seville, and that he had a tendency to insult powerful men.
What does "El Cid Campeador" mean?
It has been speculated that the title has its origins in the Arabic al-Sayyid, meaning “the Lord.”. The Castilians, on the other hand, referred to him as El Campeador , meaning “the champion.”.
Where did El Cid get his education?
For instance, El Cid received his early education at the Castilian court, where he was in the service of Sancho II, the son of Ferdinand the Great, and the future King of Castile. El Cid learned to read and write, and received training in the use of arms, horsemanship, and the art of the chase.
How many documents did El Cid's father have?
This is seen, for instance, in the fact that his father only confirmed one document, his maternal grandfather two, and his paternal grandfather only five.
Overview
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (c. 1043 – 10 July 1099) was a Castilian knight and warlord in medieval Spain. Fighting with both Christian and Muslim armies during his lifetime, he earned the Arabic honorific al-sīd, which would evolve into El Cid ("the lord"), and the Spanish moniker El Campeador ("the champion"). He was born in Vivar, a village near the city of Burgos. As the head of his loyal knig…
Etymology: Cid and Campeador
Rodrigo Díaz was recognized with the honorary title of "Campeador" during his lifetime, as is evidenced by a document that he signed in 1098, which he signed in the Latinized expression, "Ego Rudericus Campidoctor" or "I Rodrigo Campeador." The title "Campeador" comes from the Latin "Campidoctor," literally meaning "Teacher of the Field" but can be translated as "Master of the Battlefi…
Summary
Born a member of the minor nobility, El Cid was brought up at the court of Ferdinand the Great and served Ferdinand's son, Sancho II of León and Castile. He rose to become the commander and royal standard-bearer (armiger regis) of Castile upon Sancho's ascension in 1065. El Cid went on to lead the Castilian military campaigns against Sancho's brothers, Alfonso VI of León and García II of Galicia, as well as in the Muslim kingdoms in al-Andalus. He became renowned for his military pr…
Title
The name El Cid (Spanish: [el ˈθið]) is a modern Spanish denomination composed of the article el meaning "the" and Cid, which derives from the Old Castilian loan word Çid borrowed from the dialectal Arabic word سيد sîdi or sayyid, which means "Lord" or "Master". The Mozarabs or the Arabs that served in his ranks may have addressed him in this way, which the Christians may have tran…
Life and career
El Cid was born Rodrigo Díaz circa 1043 in Vivar, also known as Castillona de Bivar, a small town about ten kilometers (or six miles) north of Burgos, the capital of Castile. His father, Diego Laínez, was a courtier, bureaucrat, and cavalryman who had fought in several battles. Despite the fact that El Cid's mother's family was aristocratic, in later years the peasants would consider hi…
Moorish service
The exile was not the end of El Cid, either physically or as an important figure. After being rejected by Ramon Berenguer II, El Cid journeyed to the Taifa of Zaragoza, where he received a warmer welcome. In 1081, El Cid went on to offer his services to the Moorish king of the northeast al-Andalus city of Zaragoza, Yusuf al-Mu'taman ibn Hud, and served both him and his successor, al-Musta'in II. H…
Recall from exile
Terrified after his crushing defeat, Alfonso recalled El Cid. It has been shown that El Cid was at court in July 1087; however, what happened after that is unclear.
El Cid returned to Alfonso, but now he had his own plans. He only stayed a short while and then returned to Zaragoza. El Cid was content to let the Almoravid ar…
Warrior and general
During his campaigns, El Cid often ordered that books by classic Roman and Greek authors on military themes be read aloud to him and his troops, for both entertainment and inspiration before battle. El Cid's army had a novel approach to planning strategy as well, holding what might be called "brainstorming" sessions before each battle to discuss tactics. They frequently used unexpect…
Early Life
Military Career
- In 1065, Ferdinand died and his kingdom was divided up between his sons. The eldest, Sancho received Castile; the second, Alfonso, León; and the region of Galicia was carved out of the northwest corner to create a separate state for García. The three brothers proceeded to fight one another for the entire kingdom of Ferdinand: Sancho and Alfonso together fended off Garcia an…
Fighting For Saragossa
- Upon exile, Diaz went to the Muslim taifa Saragossa (also spelled Zaragoza) in the valley of the Ebro, where he served as a mercenary captain with considerable distinction. Saragossa was an independent Arab Muslim state in Al-Andalus, which at the time (1038–1110) was ruled by the Banu Hud. He fought for the Huddid dynasty for almost ten years, scoring significant victories a…
Valencia and Death
- After being exiled from Alfonso's court for the second time, El Cid left the capital to became an independent commander in the eastern part of the Iberian peninsula. He fought and extracted enormous amounts of tribute from the Muslim taifas, and, on June 15, 1094, he captured the city of Valencia. He successfully fought off two Almoravid armies who...
El Cid's Legends
- There are four documents which were written about El Cid during his lifetime or shortly thereafter. Two are Islamic, and three are Christian; none are likely to be unprejudiced. Ibn Alcama was a Moor from Valencia, who witnessed and wrote a detailed account of the loss of that province to El Cid called "Eloquent Evidence of the Great Calamity." Ibn Bassam wrote a "Treasury of the Excell…
Sources
- Barton, Simon. "'El Cid, Cluny and the Medieval Spanish' Reconquista." The English Historical Review126.520 (2011): 517–43.
- Barton, Simon and Richard Fletcher. "The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest." Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000.
- Fletcher, Richard A. "The Quest for El Cid." New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
- Barton, Simon. "'El Cid, Cluny and the Medieval Spanish' Reconquista." The English Historical Review126.520 (2011): 517–43.
- Barton, Simon and Richard Fletcher. "The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest." Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000.
- Fletcher, Richard A. "The Quest for El Cid." New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
- Pidal, Ramón Menéndez. La España Del Cid. Trans. Murray, John and Frank Cass. Abington, England: Routledge, 2016.
