© Mark Wade
| Cid's Spain © Mark Wade |
Major city in central Portugal, dating back to Roman times, on a hillside above the Mondego river. The 12th Century Almedina Gate is one of the last vestiges of the medieval town wall.
The academic traditions at the university run back to 1308. Latitude: 40.25. Longitude: -8.45.
All this while was Coimbra in the power of the misbelievers.
So feigning this to be their errand they set forth, and came to the King in the town of Carrion, and spake unto him in council, saying, Sir King, we come to you through waters and over mountains and by bad ways, to tell you concerning Coimbra in what plight it is, if you desire to know, and in what guise the Moors dwell there, what they are and how many, and with how little heed they keep the city.
Then told they him what they knew: and the King took counsel upon this matter with Rodrigo of Bivar, and Rodrigo said, that certes the Lord would help him to win the city; and he said that he would fain be knighted by the King's hand, and that it seemed to him now that he should receive knighthood at his hand in Coimbra.
Incontinently the King sent to summon his knights and people, and when one part of them had assembled at Santa Maria, he bade them do all the damage they could against Coimbra, and ravage the country, which accordingly they did.
And with the help of Santiago he gathered together a great host, and went up against Coimbra in the month of January, even as he had covenanted, and laid siege to it.
Now it came to pass that while the King lay before Coimbra, there came a pilgrim from the land of Greece on pilgrimage to Santiago; his name was Estiano, and he was a Bishop.
And he said to Estiano, I go to help King Don Ferrando who has lain these seven months before Coimbra, and tomorrow, with these keys which thou seest, will I open the gates of the city unto him at the hour of tierce, and deliver it into his hand.
And the King confirmed them, and he bade them make a writing of all which had passed between him and them at the siege of Coimbra; and when they brought him the writing, they brought him also a crown of silver and of gold, which had been King Bermudo's, and which Gonzalo Moniz had given to the Monastery in honour of God and St. Mamede.
Then King Ferrando knighted Rodrigo of Bivar in the great mosque of Coimbra, which he dedicated to St. Mary.
The King then gave Coimbra to the keeping of Don Sisnando, Bishop of Iria; a man, who having more hardihood than religion, had by reason of his misdeeds gone over to the Moors, and sorely infested the Christians in Portugal.
But then Benalfagi, who was the Lord of many lands in Estremadura, gathered together a great power of the Moors and built up the walls of Montemor, and from thence waged war against Coimbra, so that they of Coimbra called upon the King for help.
But when he saw the King's letters, and knew the peril in which he then stood, setting aside the remembrance of his own wrongs, like a good and true Portugueze, he turned back, and went to the King at Coimbra.
In good time did he arrive, for the captains of King Don Sancho had now gained many lands in Galicia and in the province of Beira, finding none to resist them, and the Count Don Nuno de Lara, and the Count of Monzon, and Don Garcia de Cabra, were drawing nigh unto Coimbra.
And let not the Cid be dishonoured in your time, for blessed be God, he hath never been dishonoured yet, but hath gone on always advancing in honour since King Don Ferrando your father knighted him in Coimbra.