| Denia |
Coastal town 100 km south of Valencia, founded as Dianium in ancient times by Greek Phoceans from Asia Minor. The 16th Century Torre de Geno, a defence against the Barbary pirates, looks over the harbor of what is now a seaside resort.
Latitude: 38.85. Longitude: .11.
Now it came to pass that while my Cid was in Zaragoza the days of King Almudafar were fulfilled: and he left his two sons Zulema and Abenalfange, and they divided his dominions between them; and Zulema had the kingdom of Zaragoza, and Abenalfange the kingdom of Denia.
Ten days were they out upon this inroad; and the news was sent everywhere how the exile from Castille was handling them, and tidings went to the King of Denia and to the Count of Barcelona, how my Cid was over-running the country.
Now my Cid was returning with much spoil, and had descended from the Sierra into the valley when tidings were brought him that Count Don Ramon Berenguer and the King of Denia were at hand, with a great power, to take away his booty, and take or slay him.
His brother the King of Denia had taken counsel with Count Ramon Berenguer, and with the Count of Cardona, and with the brother the Count of Urgel, and with the chiefs of Balsadron and Remolin and Cartaxes, that they should besiege the Castle of Almenar, which my Cid had refortified by command of King Zulema.
And the King of Aragon gathered together a great host in his anger, and he and the King of Denia came against my Cid, and they halted that night upon the banks of the Ebro; and King Don Pedro sent letters to the Cid, bidding him leave the castle which he was then edifying.
And in these days King Don Alfonso fought at Consuegra with King Abenalfange of Denia, and in this battle the Christians were defeated, and Diego Rodriguez, the son of my Cid, was slain.
And he covenanted that King Don Alfonso should also put into his hand Santa Maria de Albarrazin, and the kingdom of Denia; and the King assented to the covenant, thinking that in this manner the land would be all his own.
When Abenmazot saw that the King was bent upon destroying him, and that every day he prest him more and more, he sent to Abenalfange who was King of Denia and Tortosa, saying, that if he would come and help him, he would make him Lord of Xativa and of all his other Castles, and would be at his mercy; and this he did to escape from the hands of Yahia.
Then Abenalfange had Xativa and all its Castles, so that it was all one kingdom as far as Denia.
And he took Abenmazot with all his women and his household and all that he had, to Denia, and gave him possessions there, and did him much honour.
And when they who had the keeping of Yahia's Castles saw this they rose against him, so that few remained unto him, and they of his vassals in whom he put the most trust proved false, so that the heart of the King of Denia and Tortosa grew, and he thought to win Valencia.
When the King of Denia heard that he was coming and the Cid with him, he durst not abide them.
This he did because, when the King came to relieve Valencia, Aboeza had covenanted to give up Monviedro unto him, the which he had not done; and the King thought that if he made war upon these Castles they must either yield unto him, or be at his mercy, because they did not belong to the King of Denia.
But when Aboeza knew this he sent to Abenalfange the King of Denia, saying that he would give him the Castle; and the King of Denia incontinently came and took possession of it, and Aboeza became his vassal.
When the Cid had thus set the land in order he went against the King of Denia, and warred against Denia and against Xativa, and he abode there all the winter, doing great hurt, insomuch that there did not remain a wall standing from Orihuela to Xativa, for he laid every thing waste; and all his booty and his prisoners he sold in Valencia.
When Abenalfange the King of Denia and Tortosa heard this, he was so sorely grieved that he fell sick and died.
One of these held Tortosa for the child, and the other held Xativa, and one who was their cousin held Denia.
When the Alcayde of Denia heard of his coming, and that all these Castles had submitted, he durst not abide there, but fled to Xativa; and Ali Abenaxa took possession of Denia, and he sent his Alcayde to Algezira de Xucar, and took possession of that also.
Abeniaf gathered together the knights who were natives of the city and vassals to the King whom he had slain, and sent for others who were in Denia, so that in all they were three hundred knights, and maintained them with the bread which was in the granaries of the Cid Ruydiez and with the rents and possessions of those who had been the King's officers, and who were gone from Valencia, and with the customs; from all these did he give these knights whatsoever they stood in need of And he took no counsel with the Alcayde of the Almoravides concerning any thing which he did, neither with any one, nor did he care a jot for them.
At this time Ali Abenaxa, the Alcayde who was in Denia, sent to Abeniaf, saying unto him that he should send of that treasure, and of those jewels which he had taken from King Yahia, to the Miramamolin beyond sea; with the which he would gather together a great power, and cross the sea, and come against the Cid, to help the people of Valencia, and protect them against the Cid, who did so much evil to them all.
Now came true tidings from Denia that the Almoravides had returned into their own country, and that there was no hope of succour at their hands.
Now the Moors of Valencia being in this great misery because of the siege which the Cid laid unto the town, Abeniaf bethought him that he would send a messenger to the King of Zaragoza, and beseech him to come to his succour, even as he had succoured the grandson of Alimaymon, when the Lord of Denia and Tortosa came against him.
Then the Cid began to treat with a great Moor of the town, named Abenmoxiz that he should rise up against Abeniaf, and kill him or deliver him into his hands, and that he would make him Lord over Valencia, and the country as far as Denia.
Presently on the morrow they sent five good men as messengers to the King of Zaragoza, and as many more to Murcia; and it had been covenanted that neither of these messengers should take with him more than fifty maravedis for his journey, and that they should go by sea as far as Denia, in a ship of the Christians, and from thence by land.
They who were in the ships, when they saw this great overthrow, fled to Denia.
King Yucef, after the pursuit was given over, and he saw that he might come forth from the Castle, fled to Denia, and embarked in his ships, and returned to Morocco.