Identified with the historical Almoravid general Sir ibn Abu Bakr, the cousin of Almoravid leader Yucef. He is referred elsewhere in the text as the King of Seville (which he conquered in 1091).
There is no historical evidence that he ever led a foray against the Cid in Valencia. In history Yucef sent his nephew Mohammed ibn Ayisa to take Valencia, who was defeated by the Cid there in 1095.
And the history saith, that after the Cid had won the city of Valencia, on the day when they conquered and discomfited the King of Seville, this Martin Pelaez was so good a one, that setting aside the body of the Cid himself, there was no such good knight there, nor one who bore such part, as well in the battle as in the pursuit.
And when Ali Abenaxa the Adelantado of the Almoravides knew it, he sent his son-in-law the King of Seville to besiege him in Valencia, and gave him thirty thousand men at arms.
They say that fifteen thousand Moors died in the river; and the King of Seville fled with three great blows.
But before he died he besought his brother, who was called Bucar, that for the tie there was between them, he would take vengeance for the dishonour which he had received from the Cid Campeador before Valencia; and Bucar promised to do this, and swore also upon the Koran, which is the book of their law.
Now the history relateth that Gilbert, a sage who wrote the history of the Moorish Kings who reigned in Africa, saith, that Bucar remembering the oath which he had made to his brother King Yucef, how he would take vengeance for him for the dishonour which he had received from the Cid Ruydiez before Valencia, ordered proclamation to be made throughout the dominions of his father, and gathered together so great a power of Moors, that among the Captains of his host there were twenty and nine Kings; this he could well do, for his father was Miramamolin, which is as much as to say Emperor.
And one day when he had dined there came a man and told him that a great fleet was arrived in the port of Valencia, wherein there was a great power of the Moors, whom King Bucar had brought over, the son of the Miramamolin of Morocco.
While they were in this discourse, a great cry was heard in the town and a great tumult, and this was because King Bucar was come with his great power into the place which is called the Campo del Quarto, which is a league from Valencia, and there he was pitching his tents; and when this was done the camp made a mighty show, for the history saith that there were full five thousand pavilions, besides common tents.
And when the Cid heard this, he took both his sons-in-law and Suero Gonzalez with them, and went upon the highest tower of the Alcazar, and showed them the great power which King Bucar of Morocco had brought; and when he beheld this great power he began to laugh and was exceeding glad: but Suero Gonzalez and his nephews were in great fear: howbeit they would not let it be seen.
While they were thus saying, word was brought to the Cid that there was a messenger from King Bucar at the gate of the town, who would fain speak with him.
Sir Cid Campeador, King Bucar my Lord hath sent me to thee saying, great wrong hast thou done him in holding Valencia against him, which belonged to his forefathers; and moreover thou hast discomfited his brother King Yucef.
Nevertheless, King Bucar saith, that inasmuch as he hath heard that thou art a wise man and of good understanding, he will show favour unto thee, and let thee leave Valencia with all the lands thereof, and go into Castille, and take with thee all that is thine.
This is the bidding of my Lord King Bucar.
When the Cid heard this, notwithstanding he was wroth at heart, he would not manifest it, but made answer in few words and said, Go tell thy Lord King Bucar I will not give him up Valencia: great labour did I endure in winning it, and to no man am I beholding for it in the world, save only to my Lord Jesus Christ, and to my kinsmen and friends and vassals who aided me to win it.
This King Bucar and his brother King Yucef were kinsmen of Alimaymon, who had been King of Toledo and Valencia, and this was the reason why Bucar said that Valencia had belonged to his forefathers.
No sooner had Ximen, the messenger of King Bucar, left the city, than the Cid ordered the bell to be struck, at the sound of which all the men at arms in Valencia were to gather together.
And then the great multitude of the Moors began to come out of their tents, and they formed their battle in haste, and came against the Christians, with the sound of trumpets and tambours, and with a great uproar; and as they came out upon the alarm, not expecting that the Cid would come against them so soon, they did not advance in order, as King Bucar had commanded.
Then might you have seen cords broken, and stakes plucked up as the Christians came to the tents; my Cid's people drove King Bucar's through their camp, and many an arm with its sleeve-mail was lopt off, and many a head with its helmet fell to the ground; and horses ran about on all sides without riders.
And while they were thus following their flight the Cid set eyes upon King Bucar, and made at him to strike him with the sword; and the Moorish King knew him when he saw him coming; Turn this way, Bucar, cried the Campeador, you who came from beyond sea, to see the Cid with the long beard.
We must greet each other and cut out a friendship! God confound such friendship, cried King Bucar, and turned his bridle, and began to fly towards the sea, and the Cid after him, having great desire to reach him.
But King Bucar had a good horse and a fresh, and the Cid went spurring Bavieca who had had hard work that day, and he came near his back; and when they were nigh unto the ships, and the Cid saw that he could not reach him, he darted his sword at him, and struck him between the shoulders; and King Bucar being badly wounded rode into the sea, and got to a boat, and the Cid alighted and picked up his sword.
And so many were they who were taken prisoner, that it was a wonder; and of the twenty and nine Kings who came with King Bucar, seventeen were slain.
In the meantime Felez Munoz proceeded on his journey, and it came to pass that he met Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez on the way, going to the King with a present which the Cid had sent him; and the present was this,...two hundred horses, from those which he had won in the battle of Quarto from King Bucar, and a hundred Moorish prisoners, and many good swords, and many rich saddles.
And he received them right well, and asked them for the Cid, and they kissed his hand and said, Sir, the Cid commends himself to your grace; he hath had a good affair with King Bucar of Morocco, and hath defeated him, and nine and twenty Kings came with him, in the field of Quarto, and great booty did he gain there in gold and in silver, and in horses and tents and cattle; and he hath slain many and taken many prisoners.
Now it came to pass after this, that the Great Soldan of Persia, having heard of the great goodness of the Cid, and of his great feats in arms, and how he had never been vanquished by mortal man, and how he had conquered many Kings, Moor and Christian, and had won the noble city of Valencia, and had defeated King Bucar Lord of Africa and Morocco, and twenty nine Kings with him, all these things made him greatly desirous of his love.
And when these five years were over tidings were spread far and near, which reached Valencia, that King Bucar the Miramamolin of Morocco, holding himself disgraced because the Cid Campeador had conquered him in the field of Quarto near unto Valencia, where he had slain or made prisoners all his people, and driven him into the sea, and made spoil of all the treasures which he had brought with him;...King Bucar calling these things to mind, had gone himself and stirred up the whole Paganism of Barbary, even as far as Montes Claros, to cross the sea again, and avenge himself if he could; and he had assembled so great a power that no man could devise their numbers.
And when he saw that the news came thicker and faster, and that it was altogether certain that King Bucar was coming over sea against him, he sent and bade all the Moors of Valencia assemble together in his presence, and when they were all assembled he said unto them, Good men of the Aljama, ye well know that from the day wherein I became Lord of Valencia, ye have always been protected and defended, and have past your time well and peaceably in your houses and heritages, none troubling you nor doing you wrong; neither have I who am your Lord ever done aught unto you that was against right.
And now true tidings are come to me that King Bucar of Morocco is arrived from beyond sea, with a mighty power of Moors, and that he is coming against me to take from me this city which I won with so great labour.
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.
Now after the Moors were all gone out of the city, it came to pass in the middle of the night that the Cid was lying in his bed, devising how he might withstand this coming of King Bucar, for Abenalfarax saith that when he was alone in his palace his thoughts were of nothing else.
And as he was marvelling what it might be, there appeared before him a man as white as snow; he was in the likeness of an old man, with grey hair and crisp, and he carried certain keys in his hand; and before the Cid could speak to him he said, Sleepest thou, Rodrigo, or what are thou doing? And the Cid made answer, What man art thou who askest me? And he said, I am St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, who come unto thee with more urgent tidings than those for which thou art taking thought concerning King Bucar, and it is, that thou art to leave this world, and go to that which hath no end; and this will be in thirty days.
But God will show favour unto thee, so that thy people shall discomfit King Bucar, and thou, being dead, shalt win this battle for the honour of thy body: this will be with the help of Santiago, whom God will send to the business: but do thou strive to make atonement for thy sins, and so thou shalt be saved.
Now ye know for certain that King Bucar is coming against us, and they say that thirty and six Moorish Kings are coming with him; and since he bringeth so great a power of Moors, and I have to depart so soon, how can ye defend Valencia! But be ye certain, that by the mercy of God I shall counsel ye so, that ye shall conquer King Bucar in the field, and win great praise and honour from him, and Dona Ximena, and ye and all that ye have, go hence in safety; how ye are to do all this I will tell ye hereafter, before I depart.
On the twenty-ninth day, being the day before he departed, he called for Dona Ximena, and for the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Don Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, and his trusty Gil Diaz; and when they were all five before him, he began to direct them what they should do after his death; and he said to them, Ye know that King Bucar will presently be here to besiege this city, with seven and thirty Kings whom he bringeth with him, and with a mighty power of Moors.
And when the day shall come in which King Bucar arrives, order all the people of Valencia to go upon the walls, and sound your trumpets and tambours, and make the greatest rejoicings that ye can.
And go ye forth and fight with King Bucar: for be ye certain and doubt not that ye shall win this battle; God hath granted me this.
And he commanded Alvar Fanez and Pero Bermudez, when they had conquered King Bucar, to proceed forthwith into Castille and fulfil all that he had enjoined.
Three days after the Cid had departed King Bucar came into the port of Valencia, and landed with all his power, which was so great that there is not a man in the world who could give account of the Moors whom he brought.
King Bucar ordered his tents to be pitched round about Valencia, and Abenalfarax who wrote this history in Arabic, saith, that there were full fifteen thousand tents; and he bade that Moorish Negress with her archers to take their station near the city.
And King Bucar and his people thought that the Cid dared not come out against them, and they were the more encouraged, and began to think of making bastilles and engines wherewith to combat the city, for certes they weened that the Cid Ruydiez dared not come out against them, seeing that he tarried so long.
And when King Bucar and his Kings saw this they were astonished.
And King Bucar and the other Kings were so greatly dismayed that they never checked the reins till they had ridden into the sea; and the company of the Cid rode after them, smiting and slaying and giving them no respite; and they smote down so many that it was marvellous, for the Moors did not turn their heads to defend themselves.
And King Bucar and they who escaped with him hoisted sails and went their way, and never more turned their heads.
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.
And all that day they remained in such amaze, that they neither dared go into the tents which King Bucar's host had left, nor enter into the town, thinking that the Cid did this for some device; and all night they remained in the same doubt, so that they dared not go out from the suburbs.
And when they saw that no person appeared on any side, Abenalfarax returned again into the town, and there went with him a great company of the best Moors; and they went into the Alcazar, and looked through all the halls and chambers, and they found neither man nor living thing; but they saw written upon a wall in Arabic characters by Gil Diaz, how the Cid Ruydiez was dead, and that they had carried him away in that manner to conquer King Bucar, and also to the end that none might oppose their going.
On the morrow they went into the tents of King Bucar, and found there many arms; but the tents were deserted, save only that they found certain women who had hid themselves, and who told them of the defeat of King Bucar.
At this time King Don Alfonso abode in Toledo, and when the letters came unto him saying how the Cid Campeador was departed, and after what manner he had discomfited King Bucar, and how they brought him in this goodly manner upon his horse Bavieca, he set out from Toledo, taking long journies till he came to San Pedro de Cardena to do honour to the Cid at his funeral.