© Mark Wade
| Cid's Spain © Mark Wade |
Spanish kingdom in the mountains of the extreme north of Spain. It was the last redoubt of Christendom in Spain after the Moslem invasion.
From here the Christians began the Reconquista, gaining territory from the Moors until the last Moslems were expelled from Spain or converted in 1492. The former kingdom is now autonomous community of Spain, with the capital at Oviedo. Area 10,565 square kilometers. Estimated population in AD 1100, 190 thousand and population density 18.0 per square km.
From Nuno Rasuera King Don Ferrando descended, and from Layn Calvo, Diego Laynez, who took to wife Dona Teresa Rodriguez, the daughter of Don Rodrigo Alvarez, Count and Governor of Asturias, and had by her this Rodrigo.
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.
Then King Don Sancho gathered together a great host, Castillians and Leonese, and they of Navarre and Biscay, Asturians, and men of Aragon and of the border.
Then King Don Garcia called unto him a knight of Asturias, whose name was Ruy Ximenez, and bade him go to his brother King Don Alfonso and tell him what had past, and how King Don Sancho would take away his kingdom from him; and to beseech him as a brother that he would not let him pass through his dominions.
Count Don Garcia came in the front of King Don Sancho's army, and in the one wing was the Count de Monzon and Count Don Nuno de Lara; and the Count Don Fruela of Asturias in the other; and the King was in the rear, with Don Diego de Osma, who carried his banner: and in this manner were they arrayed on the one side and on the other, being ready for the onset.
The tidings of this great enterprise spread far and wide, and adventurers came from all parts to be present, not only they of Castille and Leon, Asturias and Nagera, Galicia and Portugal, but King Sancho Ramirez of Aragon came also, with the flower of Aragon and Navarre and Catalonia, and Franks and Germans and Italians, and men of other countries, to bear their part in so great and catholic a war.
Here the history relates that at this time Martin Pelaez the Asturian came with a convoy of laden beasts, carrying provisions to the host of the Cid; and as he passed near the town the Moors sallied out in great numbers against him; but he, though he had few with him, defended the convoy right well, and did great hurt to the Moors, slaying many of them, and drove them into the town.
When the Cid first began to lay siege to the city of Valencia, this Martin Pelaez came unto him; he was a knight, a native of Santillana in Asturias, a hidalgo, great of body and strong of limb, a well made man and of goodly semblance, but withal a right coward at heart, which he had shown in many places when he was among feats of arms.
This day did Martin Pelaez the Asturian approve himself a right good one: there was no knight so good that day in arms as he, nor who bore away such honour.
My Cid the Campeador made ready to appear at the Cortes in Toledo, and he left the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Martin Pelaez the Asturian, to command in Valencia, and five hundred knights with them, all hidalgos.