Poem of the Cid Page Folio 40V

But when King Don Sancho heard how his brother had fled from the Monastery, he drew out his host and went against the city of Leon.

leon.htm">The Leonese would fain have maintained the city against him, but they could not, and he took the city of Leon, and all the towns and castles which had been under the dominion of his brother King Don Alfonso.

And then he put the crown upon his head, and called himself King of the three kingdoms.

He was a fair knight and of marvellous courage, so that both Moors and Christians were dismayed at what they saw him do, for they saw that nothing which he willed to take by force could stand against him.

And when the Infanta Dona Urraca, and the men of Zamora, saw that he had quiet possession of both his brothers' kingdoms, they feared that he would come against them and disherit his sister also.

And for this reason they took Don Arias Gonzalo to be their chief captain, Dona Urraca's foster-father, that by his means they might protect themselves, if need should be.

And it came to pass as they had feared, for King Don Sancho knew that his sisters greatly loved Don Alfonso, and he thought that by their counsel he had fled from the Monastery, especially by Dona Urraca's, because Don Alfonso guided himself in all things by her counsel, holding her in place of a mother, for she was a lady of great understanding.

And he went forth with his army, and took from the Infanta Dona Elvira the half of the Infantazgo which she possessed, and also from Dona Urraca the other half.

And he went against Toro, the city of Dona Elvira, and took it; and then he went to Zamora to Dona Urraca, bidding her yield him up the city, and saying that he would give her lands as much as she required in the plain country.

But she returned for answer, that she would in no manner yield unto him that which the King her father had given her; and she besought him that he would suffer her to continue to dwell peaceably therein, saying that no disservice should ever be done against him on her part.