| Valencia |
Suburb of Valencia outside of its walls, to the north across the river. It was occupied predominantly by either Christians or Moslems, depending on who was in control of the city. The modern town of this time lies a day’s ride south of Valencia.
On the morrow the Cid attacked another suburb, which is called Alcudia, and there were a great body of the Moors gathered together there.
And he sent a part of his host against the gate of Alcantara, bidding them attack the gate, while he fought against them in Alcudia; and he thought that by God's mercy peradventure he should enter the town.
And when the Cid had taken food, he returned after the siesta to attack the suburb of Alcudia; and this attack was so vigorous that they who dwelt therein thought the place would be forced, and they began to cry out, Peace! Peace! being in great fear.
Then the Cid bade his men give over the attack, and the good men of the suburb came out to him, and whatsoever terms of security they asked, he granted them; and he took possession of the suburb that night, and set his guards therein; and he commanded his people that they should do no wrong to them of Alcudia, and if any one offended he said that his head should be smitten off: so he returned that night to the camp.
And the murmur which there had been concerning the garden died away; and then the Cid entered it, and took possession of the whole suburb of Alcudia round about it: and this he did peaceably, for the Moors and Christians dwelt there together.
And when the Cid was certain that the Almoravides were not coming, he returned again to lodge in the garden, and gave order to spoil the suburbs, save that of Alcudia, because the inhabitants of that had received him without resistance: and the Moors fled into the city with their wives and children.
And he gave orders to till all the lands which lay round about Alcudia, for this was now become a great place, even like a city, and the Moors who dwelt there were safe; and tents and shops were made there for all kinds of merchandize, and merchants came there safely from all parts to buy and to sell, so that they who dwelt there were greatly enriched.
All this was done before the cry could go forth through the town; and all the kinsmen of the sons of Aboegib were taken also: they were kept that day in prison, and when it was night they were taken to the Cid, to his lodging in Alcudia, and delivered into his hands.
And many men, and many women, and many children watched when the gates were open, and went out and gave themselves into the hands of the Christians, who slew some, and took others, and sold them to the Moors in Alcudia; and the price of a Moor was a loaf and a pitcher of wine: and when they gave them food and they took their fill, they died.
And the Moors of Alcudia, and of the town which the Cid had made there, had plenty of all things, and as great as was their abundance, even so great was the misery of those in the town: and they spake the verse which sayeth, If I go to the right the water will destroy me, and if I go to the left the lion will kill me, and if I turn back there is the fire.
And certain of the King's favourites wrote to Abeniaf also after the same manner, telling him that he would surely come; howbeit one of his favourites who had compassion upon the men of Valencia sent a covert message to warn them, saying, That the King of Zaragoza would build a tower in Alcudia de Tudela; the meaning of this was, that all the King said, was only to put them off.
And if they knew that any who came out, had left kinsmen or friends in the town who would give anything for them, they tortured them before the walls, or hung them from the towers of the Mosques which were without the city, and stoned them; and when they in the town saw this they gave ransom for them, that they might be permitted to dwell in Alcudia with the Moors who were in peace with the Cid.
And hucksters came from Alcudia and brought bread and pulse to sell, and others of the town went out to Alcudia to buy food; and they who were poor, and had not wherewith to buy, plucked of the herbs of the field and ate them, and they held themselves rich because they could go out when they would, and enter in again without fear.
Be ye now secure in your lands, and till your fields, and rear cattle; for I have given order to my men that they offer ye no wrong, neither enter into the town to buy nor to sell; but that they carry on all their dealings in Alcudia, and this I do that ye may receive no displeasure.
And all the rest of the people shall go out of the town and dwell in the suburb of Alcudia, where I was wont to be.
abide there; and as the Moors went out the Christians who dwelt in Alcudia entered in.
And when they reached Valencia, the Cid lodged the Infantes in the suburb of Alcudia, where he had formerly lodged himself; and all the company who were come to the marriage were quartered with them.
On the morrow the Cid mounted his horse and rode into Alcudia, and brought the Infantes his sons-in-law from thence with him into the city to the Alcazar, that they might see their brides Dona Elvira and Dona Sol.
Now therefore, seeing it is so, I hold it good and command that ye quit the town, both ye and your sons and your women, and go into the suburb of Alcudia and the other suburbs, to dwell there with the other Moors, till we shall see the end of this business between me and King Bucar.
Abenalfarax, he who wrote this history in Arabic, saith, that the day when the company of the Cid went out from Valencia, and discomfited King Bucar and the six and thirty Kings who were with him, the Moors of Alcudia and of the suburbs thought that he went out alive, because they saw him on horseback, sword in hand; but when they saw that he went towards Castille, and that none of his company returned into the town, they were astonished.