El Cid -  Spain's celebrated national hero #legend #hero #elcid #mythology
Channel: Mythology
Date: 2022-11-18

Approximately a century after Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, the historic El Cid died, an unknown Spanish poet wrote an epic poem about his exploits. He became known as El Cid, which means lord in Spanish. A hundred years after Vivar's death, an unknown Spanish poet wrote an epic poem about him. The Poema de Mio Cid—literally The Song of the Cid—was the most famous poem written by de Vivar during the centuries-long struggle against Muslim control of Spain during the centuries that followed his writing. 


A period of time in Spain characterized by the partition of the country between Christians and Muslims of North Africa around the year 1043, when De Vivar was born. The young man was raised at the court of King Ferdinand I, where he soon demonstrated his ability to fight and was soon appointed a mercenary, independent of the monarchy. As a result of his work for the Muslim rulers of Saragossa, De Vivar conquered the Moorish kingdom of Valencia in 1094 and ruled it until he died in 1099. 


The Song of the Cid recounts and embellishes many historical events. El Cid is a fictional character, who is an ideal medieval Spanish lord and a hero and his vassal. He is a Christian hero, subject to a Christian king. Alfonso VI sent the hero into exile, along with his family members and retainers, as part of the first part of the poem titled "Cantar del Destierro" ("Song of the Exile"). This was to punish the Cid for accusing Alfonso of murdering his brother, Sancho, which led to exile. 


After leaving his family in the care of the abbot of Cardeña, the Cid departed to fight the Moors. Alfonso’s heart softened toward the Cid after he received quantities of booty from the hero’s conquests. In the second portion, called “Cantar de las Bodas” (“Song of the Marriage”), the Cid conquered Valencia and settled his family there. Both of the Cid’s daughters were married to princes at the request of the king. 


Though he did not care for these young men, the hero would not refuse his lord’s wishes. In the last portion of the epic, “Cantar de la Afrenta de Corpes” (“Song of the Insult of Corpses”), the sons-in-law of the Cid were proven to be cowards. In humiliation, they beat their wives to the point of death. 


As a result of these assaults, the Cid sought redress from the king, and the daughters were married to the noblemen of Aragon and Navarre. He was a great lord, generous to his followers and respectful of them. The Song of the Cid does not mention the Cid fighting for the Moors as a mercenary. Instead, he gains territory for his king at their expense. The historical man is thus transformed into the ideal hero for medieval Spain in The Song of the Cid.