Definition of Cid Campeador

In the history of most countries there is usually a legendary warrior who is remembered for his heroics and deeds. In the case of Spain, the Cid Campeador represents the prototype of a national hero.

The "Roderici History" written in the thirteenth century was the first Biography about this character and most historians argue that his contents of it is based on tradition oral of the town.

A character with lights and shadows

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, better known as the Cid Campeador, was the son of a nobleman from Castile. He lived in the 11th century, when the Iberian Peninsula was divided into Christian and Muslim kingdoms.

King Sancho ll of Castile appointed him head of his guard and in this way he became the right hand of the monarch. Thanks to your skill and courage in combat, Sancho ll emerged victorious in his confrontations with the kingdoms of Navarra and León. After the death of Sancho ll in the siege of Zamora, El Cid served King Alfonso Vl de León until he was dismissed for unfair behavior.

His conduct He led him into exile and put himself in the service of Almutamid, the Muslim king of Zaragoza who was in conflict with Count Berenguer of Barcelona. By then he was already popularly known by the nickname of El Cid (this word comes from the word sidi in Arabic, which means lord).

With the passage of time he offered his services to Aragonese and Catalans and managed to defend Valencia from the Muslim siege. Settled in the eastern peninsula, he built a personal manor despite not having royal blood.

His life as a warrior drew the attention of the minstrels, who told legends and romances about his heroic life (his exploits of him as a warrior were reflected in the Cantar del mio Cid, an anonymous poem epic that was written at the beginning of the 13th century). Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar contracted marriage with Jimena Díaz, one of the nieces of King Alfonso Vl de León. In 1099 he died a natural death at age 55. His life is a mixture of myths and true stories.

Some historians affirm that the figure of the Cid Campeador is the result of a historical manipulation full of fables.

El Cid and the Franco regime

In the city of Burgos there is an equestrian statue that recalls the figure of the Cid Campeador. The statue was erected in 1955 in the midst of the Franco era. During the inauguration of the monument Francisco Franco himself spoke a few words extolling the heroism of the Cid.

For some scholars of the Franco period, it was not a simple statue in memory of a historical figure, but the manipulation of history for the benefit of a dictator.

Photo: Fotolia - uzkiland