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El Cid

In 1094, a Spanish adventurer named Rodrigo Diaz, historically known as El Cid, drove the Muslims out of Valencia in Spain. Most of Spain had been under Muslim control for four centuries, and “cid” is actually derived from an Arabic word meaning “lord.” El Cid was one of several Spaniards’ fighting the Moors (Muslims), and significantly, El Cid switched sides several times. But in this novel, I want to explore only the beginning of the expulsion of the Muslims in 1492, just as Columbus was about to discover the America’s. El Cid was an oxymoronic character, history says he had a sordid and less than glamorous personality. Certainly he was no Charlton Heston who starred in the epic historical drama which romanticizes the life of the Christian Castilian knight Don Rodrigo Dias de Vivar.

The movie called “El Cid,” depicted El Cid’s campaign in the 11th century fighting the North African Almoravides alongside Eleanor’s father William X and ultimately contributed to the unification of Spain under Ferdinand who was the son of Alfonso, son of Eleanor of Aquitaine. So, you can see the importance of this film and some of the plot which I wish to share with you at this time:

Gen. Ibn (pronounced Ben) Yusuf (Herbert Lom) of the Almoravides Dynasty has summoned all the Emirs of Al-Andalus to North Africa and chastises them for their complacency in dealing with the infidels and reveals his plan for Islamic world domination.

Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (Charlton Heston), on the way to his wedding with Dona Ximena (Sophia Loren), rescues a Spanish town from an invading Moorish army. Two of the Emirs, Al-Mu'tamin (Douglas Wilmer) of Zaragoza and Al-Kadir (Frank Thring) of Valencia, are captured. After escorting his prisoners to Vivar and seeing that peace will not come from others' bloodthirsty desire for revenge, Rodrigo releases the Moors on condition that they pledge never again to attack King Ferdinand of Castile's (Ralph Truman) lands. The Emirs proclaim him "El Cid" (the Castillian Spanish pronunciation of the Arabic for Lord: "Al Sidi" and swear allegiance to him.

For this act of mercy, Don Rodrigo is accused of treason by Count Ordóñez (Raf Vallone). When the charge is repeated in court, they are supported by Ximena's father, Count Gormaz (Andrew Cruickshank), the king's champion. Rodrigo's aged father, Don Diego (Michael Hordern), once himself the champion, angrily calls Gormaz a Liar. Gormaz strikes Don Diego with a glove, challenging him to a duel. Rodrigo asks Gormaz to come meet privately, begging him several times to "have pity" and instead ask the aged but proud Diego for forgiveness (for accusing Rodrigo of treason). Gormaz refuses, and Rodrigo kills him in a duel. Ximena swears revenge, wishing she were a son rather than a daughter.

When a rival king demands the city of Calahorra, Rodrigo takes up the mantle of Ferdinand's champion, to win the city based on single combat. Rodrigo is victorious and is sent on a mission to collect tribute from Moorish vassals of the Castillian crown. He asks that if he returns that Ximena be given to him as his wife, so that he can protect and provide for her. Count Ordóñez, conspiring with Ximena to win her as he's wanted, plots to kill Rodrigo. Rodrigo and his men are ambushed but saved by Al-Mu'tamin, one of the pair to whom he showed mercy at the beginning of the story. Returning home, he and Ximena are wed, but the marriage is not consummated: Rodrigo will not take her if she does not give herself out of love, Ximena spends the night crying, and she soon removes herself to a convent.

On the death of King Ferdinand, his younger son, Prince Alfonso (John Fraser) tells the elder son Prince Sancho (Gary Raymond) that Ferdinand divided the kingdom: Castile to Sancho, Asturias and León to Alfonso and Calahorra to their sister, Princess Urraca (Genevieve Page). Sancho refuses to accept anything but an undivided kingdom as his birthright, knowing Ferdinand would have been manipulated by the treacherous Urraca. After Alfonso instigates a knife fight, Sancho overpowers his brother and sends him to the dungeon Zamora. Rodrigo chases down the group, telling Alfonso's guards they are violating God's law, defeats them all and escorts Alfonso to Calahorra. When Sancho arrives to demand Alfonso, Urraca refuses to hand him over. She and Alfonso beg Rodrigo to join them but he refuses, because his oath was to all of them equally. He could not help one without breaking his oath to the others.

Ibn Yusuf arrives at Valencia, planning to land his armada on Spanish shores, and hires Dolfos to kill one of Ferdinand's sons, making it look like the other's order, thus weakening their part of Spain. Because Ferdinand had trusted Dolfos, Urraca suspects nothing when Dolfos offers to assassinate Sancho. At Alfonso's coronation, El Cid has him swear upon the Bible that he had no part in the death of his brother, including "by counsel" or "by design." Since he had no part in it or any knowledge (as it was Urraca's doing), Alfonso swears truthfully and banishes Rodrigo for his impudence. Ximena secretly listens to the edict, and her love is rekindled. Well into his way out of Spain, Rodrigo finds that Ximena followed, choosing exile with him.

Rodrigo is called into service by other exiled Spanish fighters and eventually into the service of the king to protect Castille from Yusuf's North African army. Rodrigo does not join the king but allies himself with the Emirs who fight at Valencia, where Rodrigo relieves the city from the wicked Emir Al-Kadir, who betrayed him.

Count Ordóñez brings Ximena from where the king had imprisoned her and her children after his defeat by the Moors. After patching things up with Rodrigo, Ordóñez joins him in his cause. Valencia falls and Emir Al-Mu'tamin, Rodrigo's army and the Valencians offer the crown to Rodrigo, "The Cid," but he refuses and sends the crown to King Alfonso. Rodrigo then repels the invading army of Ben Yusuf, but is wounded in battle by an arrow before the final victory. Yusuf and his men see that Rodrigo has been badly wounded. If the arrow is removed, he would be unable to lead his army, but he would have a chance of recovery. El Cid obtains a promise from Ximena to leave the arrow, choosing to ride out, dying or dead. King Alfonso comes to his bedside and asks for his forgiveness.

Rodrigo dies, and his body is secured in a heroic pose, wearing his armor and cape, to an iron frame fitted to his saddle. With the sounding battle cry of "For God, the Cid and Spain" his body is sent out at the head of his army, with King Alfonso and Emir Al-Mu'tamin riding on either side to guide his horse. When Yusuf's soldiers see El Cid with his eyes still open, they believe that he has risen from the dead. The Cid's horse, Babieca, followed by the column of mounted knights, tramples Ben Yusuf, who is too terrified to fight. The invading North African army is routed and smashed. King Alfonso leads Christians and Moors alike in a prayer for God to receive the soul "of the purest knight of all".

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Crusades Timeline

First Crusade: 1096 - 1099 - The People's Crusade - Freeing the Holy Lands. 1st Crusaders led by Count Raymond IV of Toulouse and proclaimed by many wandering preachers, notably Peter the Hermit

Second Crusade: 1144 -1155 - Crusaders prepared to attack Damascus. 2nd crusade led by Holy Roman Emperor Conrad III and by King Louis VII of France

Third Crusade: 1187 -1192 - 3rd Crusaders led by Richard the Lionheart of England, Philip II of France, and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. Richard I made a truce with Saladin

Fourth Crusade: 1202 -1204 - 4th Crusaders led by Fulk of Neuil French/Flemish advanced on Constantinople

The Children's Crusade: 1212 - The Children's Crusade led by a French peasant boy, Stephen of Cloyes

Fifth Crusade: 1217 - 1221 - The 5th Crusade led by King Andrew II of Hungary, Duke Leopold VI of Austria, John of Brienne

Sixth Crusade: 1228 - 1229 - The 6th Crusaders led by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II

Seventh Crusade: 1248 - 1254 - The 7th Crusade led by Louis IX of France

Eighth Crusade: 1270 - The 8th Crusade led by Louis IX

Ninth Crusade: 1271 - 1272 - The 9th Crusade led by Prince Edward (later Edward I of England)