Calatanazor © Mark Wade

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.

When it was morning they looked towards the town, and heard no noise there; and Abenalfarax then took horse, and taking a man with him, went towards the town, and found all the gates thereof shut, till he came to that through which the company of the Cid had gone forth; and he went into the city and traversed the greater part thereof, and found no man therein, and he was greatly amazed.

Then he went out and called aloud to the Moors of the suburbs, and told them that the city was deserted by the Christians; and they were more amazed than before: nevertheless they did not yet dare either to go out to the camp or to enter into the town, and in this doubt they remained till it was mid-day.

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.

And when the Moors saw this they rejoiced and were exceeding glad, and they opened the gates of the town, and sent to tell these tidings to those in the suburbs.

And they came with their wives and children into the town, each to the house which had been his before the Cid won it.

And from that day Valencia remained in the power of the Moors till it was won by King Don Jayme of Aragon, he who is called the Conqueror, which was a hundred and seventy years.

But though King Jayme won it, it is always called Valencia del Cid.

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.

And the dead were so many that they could scarcely make way among them.

And they went on through this great mortality to the port, and there they saw no ships, but so many Moors lying dead that tongue of man cannot tell their numbers; and they began to gather up the spoils of the field, which were tents, and horses, and camels, and buffaloes, and flocks, and gold and silver, and garments, and store of provisions, out of all number, so that they had wherewith to suffice the city of Valencia for two years, and to sell to their neighbours also; and they were full rich from that time.