As portrayed by Ralph Truman in El Cid
| Ferrando As portrayed by Ralph Truman in El Cid |
(1016 or 1018 - 27 December 27 1065). Ferrando succeeded to the Castillian throne in 1035. His queen was Dona Sancha of Leon. Like Lear, he split his kingdom on his death between his children.
On the death of Ferrando's father, King Don Sancho el Mayor of Navarre, in 1035, Navarre went to Garcia and Castile to Ferrando. Ferrando was already married to Sancha, sister of King Bermudo of Leon. Ferrando defeated and killed Bermudo at Tamaron in 1037. Thereby Ferrando was proclaimed King of Leon in 1039. He defeated Garcia at Atapuerca in 1054, and thereby became King of Navarre as well. By 1062 he was receiving tribute from the Muslim Kings of Toledo, Zaragoza, and Seville. He conquered Coimbra in 1064. He attempted to conquer Valencia, but had to lift the siege before it could fall.
On his death, he followed the same pattern as his father, despite the demonstrably disastrous consequences. Don Sancho received Castile, Don Alfonso received Leon, Don Garcia received Galicia, Dona Urraca received Zamora, Dona Elvira received Toro. This would result in an enormous civil war until Don Alfonso emerged as the winner and King of Spain.
King Don Ferrando succeeded to the states of Castille after the death of his father King Don Sancho el Mayor, in the aera 1072, which was the year of the Incarnation 1034, and from the coming of the Patriarch Tubal to settle in Spain 3197, and from the general deluge 3339, and from the creation of the world 4995, according to the computation of the Hebrews, and from the beginning of the false sect of the Moors 413.
And in the year 1037 Ferrando slew Bermudo the King of Leon in battle, who was his wife's brother, and conquered his kingdom, and succeeded to it in right of his wife Dona Sancha.
From Nuno Rasuera King Don Ferrando descended, and from Layn Calvo, Diego Laynez, who took to wife Dona Teresa Rodriguez, the daughter of Don Rodrigo Alvarez, Count and Governor of Asturias, and had by her this Rodrigo.
King Don Ferrando was going through Leon, putting the Kingdom in order, when tidings reached him of the good speed which Rodrigo had had against the Moors.
Now the history relates that King Don Ferrando contended with King Don Ramiro of Aragon for the city of Calahorra, which each claimed as his own; in such guise that the King of Aragon placed it upon the trial by combat, confiding in the prowess of Don Martin Gonzalez, who was at that time held to be the best knight in all Spain.
King Don Ferrando accepted the challenge, and said that Rodrigo of Bivar should do battle on his part, but that he was not then present.
And immediately Ferrando sent for Rodrigo of Bivar, and told him all the matter as it then stood, and that he was to do battle.
Then came the King Don Ferrando to him, and alighted by him, and helped to disarm him, and embraced him much; and when he was disarmed he went with him from the field, he and all the Castillians greatly rejoicing; but as great as was the pleasure of King Don Ferrando and his people, so great was the sorrow of King Don Ramiro of Aragon and of his.
And he ordered them to take up Don Martin Gonzalez, and they carried the body into his own lands, and he went with it, and Calahorra remained in the power of King Don Ferrando.
King Don Ferrando therefore ordered mantles to be made, and also pavaises to protect his people; and moreover he enjoined them to fasten boards upon their shields, so that the quarrels from the cross-bows might not pierce through.
And the Moor who had slain King Don Alfonso fell into Ferrando's power, and the King took vengeance and punished him in all the parts which had offended; he cut off the foot which had prest down the Armatost, and lopt off the hands which had held the bow and fitted the quarrel, and plucked out the eyes which had taken the mark; and the living trunk was then set up as a butt for the archers.
But maugre all their power, King Don Ferrando girt the city round about, and brought against it so many engines, and so many bastilles, that Zadan submitted, and opened his gates on the twenty-second of July, the day of St. Mary Magdalene, being twenty-five days after the capture of Viseu.
And the Abbot of Lorvam took counsel with his Monks, and they said, Let us go to King Ferrando and tell him the state of the city.
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.
King Don Ferrando then assembled his Counts and chief captains, and told them all that the Monks of Lorvam had done, in bringing him to besiege the city, and in supplying his army in their time of need: and the Counts and chief captains made answer and said, Certes, O King, if the Monks had not given us the stores of their Monastery, thou couldest not have taken the city at this time.
Then King Ferrando knighted Rodrigo of Bivar in the great mosque of Coimbra, which he dedicated to St. Mary.
In those days Pope Victor II held a council at Florence, and the Emperor Henry there made his complaint against King Don Ferrando, that he did not acknowledge his sovereignty, and pay him tribute like all other Kings; and he besought the Pope to admonish him so to do.
Then Count Remon, Lord of Savoy, with the power of the King of France, gathered together twenty thousand knights and came beyond Tolosa, to hold the road against King Don Ferrando.
And by this woman King Don Ferrando had his son the Cardinal Ferrando, who was so honourable a man.
And she was delivered of the Abbot Don Ferrando; the Pope was his godfather, and brought him up right honourably, and dispensed with his bastardy that he might hold any sacred dignity; and in process of time he was made an honourable Cardinal.
So the King returned with great honour into his own land, and from that time he was called Don Ferrando the Great, the Emperor's Peer; and it was said of him in songs that he had passed the passes of Aspa in despite of the Frenchmen.
Many other things did King Don Ferrando, which are written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Spain, enriching churches and monasteries, and honouring the saints and martyrs, and making war upon the misbelievers.
From thence they carried him to Cabezon, and there the Abbot Don Ferrando came to him, an honourable man, and many other honourable men of his realms, and the Cid Ruydiez, whom the King commended to the Infante Don Sancho, his son.
Thirty and one years did King Don Ferrando the Great, who was peer with the Emperor, reign over Castille.
The history relates how after the death of King Don Ferrando, the three Kings his sons reigned each in his kingdom, according to the division made by their father, who had divided that which should all by right have descended to the King Don Sancho.
And now seeing that the kingdom of Ferrando was divided, he asked help of his uncle Don Ramiro, King of Aragon; and the men of Aragon and of Navarre entered Castille together.
And when she heard this she began to lament aloud, saying, Ah! King Don Ferrando, in an evil hour didst thou divide thy kingdom, for thereby will all the land be brought to destruction.
In all the conquests which King Don Ferrando had made from the Moors of Portugal, great part had he borne, insomuch that that King was wont to say that other Princes might have more dominions than he, but two such knights as his two Rodrigos, meaning my Cid and this good knight, there was none but himself who had for vassals.
Then he and his sons mounted their horses, and as they rode through the gates of their house, Dona Urraca, with a company of dames met them, and said to Don Arias, weeping, Remember now how my father, King Don Ferrando, left me to your care, and you swore between his hands that you would never forsake me; and lo! now you are forsaking me.
And when King Don Alfonso saw that the Cid did not do homage and kiss his hand, as all the other chief persons and prelates and Councils had done, he said, Since now ye have all received me for your Lord, and given me authority over ye, I would know of the Cid Ruydiez why will he not kiss my hand and acknowledge me; for I would do something for him, as I promised unto my father King Don Ferrando, when he commended him to me and to my brethren.
Diego and Ferrando, the Infantes of Carrion, have said unto me that they would fain wed with his daughters, if it seemeth good to him; and methinks this would be a good marriage.
When this was done, the Cid went and seated himself on the estrado with the ladies, he and Dona Ximena in the middle, and beside him he placed Dona Elvira his eldest daughter, and by her, her spouse the Infante Diego Gonzalez; and Dona Sol was seated on the other side, by her mother, and the Infante Ferrando by her.
And the women said, Don Diego and Don Ferrando, ye have strong swords and of sharp edge; the one is called Colada and the other Tizona; cut off our heads and we shall become martyrs! But set not this evil example upon us, for whatever shame ye do unto us shall be to your own dishonour.
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.
But the Cid answered, That, Sir, would not please God, but I will be at your feet: for by the favour of the King your father Don Ferrando was I made, his creature and the creature of your brother King Don Sancho am I, and it behoveth not that he who receiveth bounty should sit with him who dispenseth it.