Chronicle Of The Cid by Various
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Various >> Chronicle Of The Cid
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XII. The history relateth that at this time while the King was in
Galicia, the Moors entered Estremadura, and the people called upon
Rodrigo of Bivar to help them. And when he heard the summons he made no
delay, but gathered together his kinsmen and his friends, and went
against the misbelievers. And he came up with them between Atienza and
San Estevan de Gormaz, as they were carrying away a great booty in
captives and in flocks, and there he had a brave battle with them in
the field; and in fine Rodrigo conquered, smiting and slaying, and the
pursuit lasted for seven leagues, and he recovered all the spoil, which
was so great that two hundred horses were the fifth, for the whole
spoil was worth a hundred times a thousand maravedís. Rodrigo divided
the whole among his people without covetousness, and returned with
great honour.
XIII. Now the greater part of these Moors had been they of Merida,
Badajoz, Beja and Evora, and the King was minded to requite them in
their own land according to their deeds; and he entered into the heart
of their country, carrying with him fire and sword, and pressed them
sorely so that they yielded vassalage. Then turning through Portugal,
he won the town of Sea, which was upon the western slope of the Serra
da Estrella; and also another town called Gamne, the site whereof
cannot now be known, for in course of years names change and are
forgotten. And proceeding with his conquests he laid siege to the city
of Viseu, that he might take vengeance for the death of King Don
Alfonso, his wife's father, who had been slain before that city. But
the people of Viseu, as they lived with this fear before their eyes,
had fortified their city well, and stored it abundantly with all things
needful, and moreover, they put their trust in their Alcayde, who was
an African, by name Cid Alafum, a man tried in arms. He encouraged
them, saying that the city could not be taken in ten years, by a
greater power than the Christians; and there were many good arbalisters
in the city, who shot so strong that neither shield nor armour availed
against their quarrels. King Don Ferrando therefore ordered mantles to
be made, and also pavaises to protect his people; and moreover he
enjoined them to fasten boards upon their shields, so that the quarrels
from the crossbows might not pierce through. And he continued for
eighteen days to combat the city, keeping such good watch, that neither
could they within receive help from without, nor themselves issue
forth; and on the eighteenth day, which was the Vesper of St. Peter's,
he won the city by force of arms; and few were they who escaped from
the sword of the conquerors, except those who retreated with Alafum
into the castle. And on the following day at the hour of tierce they
also came to terms, and yielded themselves to his mercy, saving their
lives. In this manner was Viseu recovered by the Christians, and never
after did that city fall into the hands of the barbarians. And the Moor
who had slain King Don Alfonso fell into Ferrando's power, and the King
took vengeance and punished him in all the parts which had offended; he
cut off the foot which had prest down the Armatost, and lopt off the
hands which had held the bow and fitted the quarrel, and plucked out
the eyes which had taken the mark; and the living trunk was then set up
as a butt for the archers.
XIV. In all these wars there was not a man who bore greater part, or
did better feats in arms, than Rodrigo of Bivar. And the King went up
against Lamego, and besieged it. Now Zadan Aben Huim, son of Huim
Alboazem, the King thereof, was mightier than all the Kings who had
reigned before him in Lamego, and he had peopled many places from the
Douro even to the rivers Tavora and Vouga. And because he was well
beloved and his city well stored and strong, all the chief Moors in
that district being dismayed by the fall of Viseu, retired into it, to
be under his protection. But maugre all their power. King Don Ferrando
girt the city round about, and brought against it so many engines, and
so many bastilles, that Zadan submitted, and opened his gates on the
twenty-second of July, the day of St. Mary Magdalene, being twenty-five
days after the capture of Viseu. And Zadan became tributary to the
King, and the King took with him many of the Moors, to be employed in
building up the churches which had fallen to ruin since the land was
lost.
XV. All this while was Coimbra in the power of the misbelievers. And
the Abbot of Lorvam took counsel with his Monks, and they said, Let us
go to King Ferrando and tell him the state of the city. And they chose
out two of the brethren for this errand. When the Moors therefore who
came to hunt among the mountains took up their lodging in the Monastery
as they were wont to do, these twain said unto them, We would go to the
holy _Dominicum_, to say prayers there for our sins. So feigning this
to be their errand they set forth, and came to the King in the town of
Carrion, and spake unto him in council, saying, Sir King, we come to
you through waters and over mountains and by bad ways, to tell you
concerning Coimbra in what plight it is, if you desire to know, and in
what guise the Moors dwell therein, what they are and how many, and
with how little heed they keep the city. And he said unto them. I
beseech ye, for the love of God, say on. Then told they him what they
knew: and the King took counsel upon this matter with Rodrigo of Bivar,
and Rodrigo said, that certes the Lord would help him to win the city;
and he said that he would fain be knighted by the King's hand, and that
it seemed to him now that he should receive knighthood at his hand in
Coimbra. A covenant was then made with the two Monks, that they should
go with the army against the city in the month of January without fail.
Now this was in October. Incontinently the King sent to summon his
knights and people, and when one part of them had assembled at Santa
Maria, he bade them do all the damage they could against Coimbra, and
ravage the country, which accordingly they did. In the meantime the
King made a pilgrimage to Santiago, as Rodrigo had exhorted him to do;
and he remained there three days and nights in prayer, offering great
gifts, and taking upon himself great devotion, that it might please God
to fulfil his desire. And with the help of Santiago he gathered
together a great host, and went up against Coimbra in the month of
January, even as he had covenanted, and laid siege to it. And he fought
against the city all February, and March, and April, May and June, five
months did he fight, and could not prevail against it. And when July
came the food of the besiegers failed them, insomuch that they had only
the dole for a few days left; then the baggage was made ready, and the
sumpter-beasts and serving-men were ordered to depart for Leon, and
proclamation was made in the camp that the army should remain yet four
days, and on the fifth they might break up and depart every one to his
own house. But then the Monks of Lorvam and the Abbot consulted
together and said, Let us now go to the King and give him all the food
which we have, both oxen and cows, and sheep and goats and swine, wheat
and barley and maize, bread and wine, fish and fowl, even all that we
have; for if the city, which God forbid, should not be won, by the
Christians, we may no longer abide here. Then went they to the King and
gave him all their stores, both of flocks and herds, and pulse, and
wine beyond measure, which they had for a long time stored. Then was
there abundance in the camp; but they who were within the city waxed
feeble for hunger long suffering, because the Christians beset them on
all sides, and warred upon them hotly, and brought their engines to
bear on every part, and the walls of the city were broken down. When
the Moors saw this they came to the King, and fell at his feet, and
besought him of his mercy that he would let them depart, leaving to him
the city and all that they had therein, for they asked for nothing but
their lives. And the King had compassion upon them and granted their
prayer; and the city was yielded to him on a Sunday at the hour of
tierce, which was before a week had run out since the Monks of Lorvam
had succoured the host.
XVI. Now it came to pass that while the King lay before Coimbra, there
came a pilgrim from the land of Greece on pilgrimage to Santiago; his
name was Estiano, and he was a Bishop. And as he was praying in the
church he heard certain of the townsmen and of the pilgrims saying that
Santiago was wont to appear in battle like a knight, in aid of the
Christians. And when he heard this it nothing pleased him, and he said
unto them, "Friends, call him not a knight, but rather a fisherman."
Upon this it pleased God that he should fall asleep, and in his sleep
Santiago appeared to him with a good and cheerful countenance, holding
in his hand a bunch of keys, and said unto him, "Thou thinkest it a
fable that they should call me a knight, and sayest that I am not so:
for this reason am I come unto thee that thou never more mayest doubt
concerning my knighthood; for a knight of Jesus Christ I am, and a
helper of the Christians against the Moors." While he was thus saying a
horse was brought him the which was exceeding white, and the Apostle
Santiago mounted upon it, being well clad in bright and fair armour,
after the manner of a knight. And he said to Estiano, "I go to help
King Don Ferrando who has lain these seven months before Coimbra, and
to-morrow, with these keys which thou seest, will I open the gates of
the city unto him at the hour of tierce, and deliver it into his hand."
Having said this he departed. And the Bishop when he awoke in the
morning called together the clergy and people of Compostella, and told
them what he had seen and heard. And as he said, even so did it come to
pass; for tidings came that on that day, and at the hour of tierce, the
gates of the city had been opened.
XVII. King Don Ferrando then assembled his Counts and chief captains,
and told them all that the Monks of Lorvam had done, in bringing him to
besiege the city, and in supplying his army in their time of need: and
the Counts and chief captains made answer and said, Certes, O King, if
the Monks had not given us the stores of their Monastery, thou couldest
not have taken the city at this time. The King then called for the
Abbot and the brethren, for they were with him in the host, and said
the hours to him daily, and mass in St. Andre's, and buried there and
in their Monastery as many as had died during the siege, either of
arrow-wounds or by lances, or of their own infirmities. So they came
before him and gave him joy of his conquest; and he said unto them,
Take ye now of this city as much as ye desire, since by God's favour
and your council I have won it. But they made answer, Thanks be to God
and to you, and to your forefathers, we have enough and shall have, if
so be that we have your favour and dwell among Christians. Only for the
love of God, and for the remedy of your own soul, give us one church
with its dwelling-houses within the city, and confirm unto us the gifts
made to us in old times by your forefathers, and the good men to whom
God give a happy rest. With that the King turned to his sons and his
soldiers, and said, Of a truth, by our Creator, these who desire so
little are men of God. I would have given them half the city, and they
will have only a single church! Now therefore, since they require but
this, on the part of God Almighty let us grant and confirm unto them
what they ask, to the honour of God and St. Mamede. And the brethren
brought him their charters of King Ramiro, and King Bermudo, and King
Alfonso, and of Gonzalo Moniz, who was a knight and married a daughter
of King Bermudo, and of other good men. And the King confirmed them,
and he bade them make a writing of all which had passed between him and
them at the siege of Coimbra; and when they brought him the writing,
they brought him also a crown of silver and of gold, which had been
King Bermudo's and which Gonzalo Moniz had given to the Monastery in
honour of God and St. Mamede. The King saw the crown, how it was set
with precious stones, and said to them, To what end bring ye hither
this crown? And they said, That you should take it, Sire, in return for
the good which you have done us. But he answered, Far be it from me
that I should take from your Monastery what the good men before me have
given to it! Take ye back the crown, and take also ten marks of silver,
and make with the money a good cross, to remain with you for ever. And
he who shall befriend you, may God befriend him; but he who shall
disturb you or your Monastery, may he be cursed by the living God and
by his Saints. So the King signed the writing which he had commanded to
be made, and his sons and chief captains signed it also, and in the
writing he enjoined his children and his children's children, as many
as should come after him, to honour and protect the Monastery of
Lorvam, upon his blessing he charged them so to do, because he had
found the brethren better than all the other Monks in his dominions.
XVIII. Then King Don Ferrando knighted Rodrigo of Bivar in the great
mosque of Coimbra, which he dedicated to St. Mary. And the ceremony was
after this manner: the King girded on his sword, and gave him the kiss,
but not the blow. To do him more honour the Queen gave him his horse,
and the Infanta Doņa Urraca fastened on his spurs; and from that day
forth he was called Ruydiez. Then the King commanded him to knight nine
noble squires with his own hand; and he took his sword before the
altar, and knighted them. The King then gave Coimbra to the keeping of
Don Sisnando, Bishop of Iria, a man, who having more hardihood than
religion, had by reason of his misdeeds gone over to the Moors, and
sorely infested the Christians in Portugal. But during the siege he had
come to the King's service, and bestirred himself well against the
Moors; and therefore the King took him into his favour, and gave him
the city to keep, which he kept, and did much evil to the Moors till
the day of his death. And the King departed and went to Compostella to
return thanks to Santiago.
XIX. But then Benalfagi, who was the Lord of many lands in Estremadura,
gathered together a great power of the Moors and built up the walls of
Montemor, and from thence waged war against Coimbra, so that they of
Coimbra called upon the King for help. And the King came up against the
town, and fought against it, and took it. Great honour did Ruydiez win
at that siege; for having to protect the foragers, the enemy came out
upon him, and thrice in one day was he beset by them; but he, though
sorely prest by them, and in great peril, nevertheless would not send
to the camp for succour, but put forth his manhood and defeated them.
And from that day the King gave more power into his hands, and made him
head over all his household.
XX. Now the men of Leon besought the King that he would repeople
Zamora, which had lain desolate since it was destroyed by Almanzor. And
he went thither and peopled the city, and gave to it good privileges.
And while he was there came messengers from the five Kings who were
vassals to Ruydiez of Bivar, bringing him their tribute; and they came
to him, he being with the King, and called him Cid, which signifyeth
Lord, and would have kissed his hands, but he would not give them his
hand till they had kissed the hand of the King. And Ruydiez took the
tribute and offered the fifth thereof to the King, in token of his
sovereignty; and the King thanked him, but would not receive it, and
from that time he ordered that Ruydiez should be called the Cid,
because the Moors had so called him.
XXI. In those days Pope Victor II. held a council at Florence, and the
Emperor Henry there made his complaint against King Don Ferrando, that
he did not acknowledge his sovereignty, and pay him tribute like all
other Kings; and he besought the Pope to admonish him so to do. And the
Pope being a German, and the friend of Henry, sent to the King to
admonish him, and told him that unless he obeyed he would proclaim a
crusade against him; and in like manner the Emperor, and the King of
France, and the other Kings, sent to exhort him to obedience, defying
him if he should refuse. When the King saw their letters he was
troubled, for he knew that if this thing were done, great evil would
follow to Castille and Leon. And he took counsel with his honourable
men. They seeing on the one hand the great power of the Church, and on
the other the great evil that it would be if Castille and Leon should
be made tributary, knew not what counsel to give: howbeit at length
they said to him that he should do the Pope's bidding. At this council
the Cid was not present, for he had lately completed his marriage with
Doņa Ximena Gomez, and was then with her; but at this time he arrived,
and the King showed him the letters, and told him the matter how it
then stood, and what had been the advice of his good men, and besought
him to speak his advice, as a good and true vassal to his Lord. When
the Cid heard what had passed it grieved him to the heart, more for the
counsel which had been given to the King, than because of the Pope's
commands; and he turned to the King and said, In an ill day, Sir, were
you born in Spain, if it be in your time to be made tributary, which it
never was before; for all the honour which God hath given you, and
whatever good he hath done to you, is lost if it should be so. And,
Sir, whoever hath given you this counsel is not a true man, neither one
who regardeth your honour nor your power. But send to defy them since
they will have it so, and let us carry the war home to them. You shall
take with you five thousand knights, all of whom are hidalgos, and the
Moorish Kings who are your vassals will give you two thousand knights;
and, Sir, you are such a one as God loves, and he will not that your
honour should perish. And the King thought that he was well counselled
by him, for the King was of a great heart.
XXII. Then the King ordered letters to be written, in which he besought
the Pope not to proceed farther against him without just cause, for
Spain had been conquered by those who dwelt therein, by the blood of
them and of their fathers, and they had never been tributary, and never
would be so, but would rather all die. Moreover he sent his letters to
the Emperor and to the other Kings, telling them that they well knew
the wrong which the Emperor did him, having no jurisdiction over him,
nor lawful claim; and he besought them to let him alone that he might
continue to wage war against the enemies of the faith; but if they
persisted to speak against him he then sent them back their friendship,
and defied them, and where they all were there would he go seek them.
While this reply was on its way he gathered together his people, as he
and the Cid had advised, and set forward with eight thousand and nine
hundred knights, both of his own and of the Cid, and the Cid led the
advanced guard. When they had passed the passes of Aspa they found that
the country was up, and the people would not sell them food; but the
Cid set his hand to, to burn all the country before him, and plunder
from those who would not sell, but to those who brought food he did no
wrong. And after such manner did he proceed, that wherever the King and
his army arrived they found all things of which they could stand in
need; and the news went sounding throughout all the land, so that all
men trembled.
XXIII. Then Count Remon, Lord of Savoy, with the power of the King of
France, gathered together twenty thousand knights and came beyond
Tolosa, to hold the road against King Don Ferrando. And he met with his
harbinger the Cid, who went before him to prepare lodgings, and they
had a hard battle; and the men of the Count were discomfited, and he
himself made prisoner and many with him, and many were slain. And the
Count besought the Cid of his mercy to set him free, saying that he
would give him a daughter he had, the which was right fair; and the Cid
did as he besought him, and the daughter was given to him, and he set
the Count free. And by this woman King Don Ferrando had his son the
Cardinal Ferrando, who was so honourable a man.
XXIV. After this the Cid had another battle with all the power of
France, and discomfited them, and at neither of these battles did the
King and his main army arrive. So the news went sounding before them to
the council, of the fierceness of the Cid; and as they all knew that he
was the conqueror of battles, they knew not what to advise; and they
besought the Pope that he would send to them, begging them to turn
back, and saying that they did not require tribute. These letters came
to the King when he had past Tolosa, and he took counsel with the Cid
and with his good men, and they advised that he should send two of his
good men to the Pope, who should tell him to send a Cardinal with power
to make a covenant, that this demand should never again be made upon
Spain; and that persons from the Emperor and from the other Kings also
should come to ratify this, and meanwhile he would abide where he was.
But if they did not come he would go on to them. Count Don Rodrigo, and
Alvar Faņez Minaya, and certain learned men, were sent with this
bidding. And when they came to the Pope and gave him their letters, he
was much dismayed, and he assembled the good and honourable men of the
council, and asked of them what he should do. And they made answer that
he must do as the King willed him, for none was so hardy as to fight
against the good fortune of his vassal the Cid. Then the Pope sent
Master Roberto, the Cardinal of St. Sabina, with full powers, and the
representatives of the Emperor and of the other Kings came also and
signed the covenant, that this demand should never again be made upon
the King of Spain. And the writings which they made were confirmed by
the Pope and by the Emperor and the other Kings, and sealed with their
seals.
XXV. While this was doing the King abode where he was, beyond Tolosa;
six months did he abide there. And the Pope sent to ask of him the
daughter of Count Remon; and she was then five months gone with child;
and by the advice of his vassal the Cid the King sent her, and sent to
tell the Pope the whole truth, requesting that he would see she was
taken care of; and the Pope ordered that she should be taken care of
till the event should be. And she was delivered of the Abbot Don
Ferrando; the Pope was his godfather, and brought him up right
honourably, and dispensed with his bastardry that he might hold any
sacred dignity; and in process of time he was made an honourable
Cardinal. So the King returned with great honour into his own land, and
from that time he was called Don Ferrando the Great, the Emperor's
Peer; and it was said of him in songs that he had passed the passes of
Aspa in despite of the Frenchmen.
XXVI. Many other things did King Don Ferrando, which are written in the
book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Spain, enriching churches and
monasteries, and honouring the saints and martyrs, and making war upon
the misbelievers. And it came to pass when he was waxed old, that as he
was one day saying his prayers, the confessor St. Isidro appeared unto
him, and told him the day and hour when he should die, to the intent
that he might make ready and confess his sins, and make atonement for
them, and take thought for his soul, that so he might appear clean from
offence before the face of God. From that day he, being certain that
his end was at hand, began to discharge his soul. And he devised within
himself how to dispose of the kingdoms which God had given him, that
there might be no contention between his sons after his death; and he
thought it best to divide his lands among them; but this which he
thought best proved to be the worst, and great evil came thereof, for
better had it been that he had left all to the eldest. Howbeit it was
his pleasure to divide them: he had three sons, Don Sancho who was the
eldest, and Don Alfonso who was the second born, and Don Garcia who was
the youngest; and two daughters, Doņa Urraca and Doņa Elvira. The
manner in which he divided his lands was this: he gave to Don Sancho
the kingdom of Castille as far as to the river Pisuerga, on the side of
Leon, with the border, which included the dioceses of Osma, and
Segovia, and Avila, and on the side of Navarre as far as the Ebro, as
he had won it from his nephew Don Sancho Garcia, King of Navarre. To
Don Alfonso he gave the kingdom of Leon, and in Asturias as far as the
river Deva, which runs by Oviedo, and part of Campos as far as Carrion
and the river Pisuerga, with the border, which contained the dioceses
of Zamora, Salamanca, and Ciudad Rodrigo, and the city of Astorga, and
other lands in Galicia, with the town of Zebreros. To Don Garcia he
gave the kingdom of Galicia, and all the lands which he had won in
Portugal, with the title of King of Galicia, which country had had no
King of its own since the kingdom of the Suevi had been overthrown by
King Leovegildo. And to Doņa Urraca he gave the city of Zamora with all
its dependencies, and with half the Infantazgo: and the other half,
with the city of Toro and its dependencies, to Doņa Elvira.
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