In the chronicle and song of the Cid, Jews appear as moneylenders, pawnbrokers, and corrupt tax receivers. This reflected the basically negative attitude and handling of the Jews by the Christians of Medieval Spain.
This would culminate in the Jew’s expulsion from the Kingdom once the reconquest was completed in 1492. In the Cid’s time, Jews under Christian control were considered to owe allegiance to the King rather than their local lord. They were subject to restrictions and had to dwell in ghettos called Alfamas. It was generally considered that the Jews of Spain in areas under Moslem control were better treated, although, in accordance with the tenets of Islam, they and Christians had second-class rights.
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.
Now Rachel and Vidas were rich Jews, from whom the Cid used to receive money for his spoils.
And the Jews said, We will advance him so much.
And the Jews said to each other, Let us give him a good gift for this which he has done; and they said to him, We will give you enough for hose and for a rich doublet and a good cloak; you shall have thirty marks.
Of the terms granted unto the Moors, and how they were set aside for the honour of the Catholic faith, and of the cunning of the Jews who dwelt in the city, and how the Romish ritual was introduced therein, this is not the place to speak; all these things are written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Spain.
Then the King understood that he had been ill advised, and for this reason he condemned one of the sons of Abdalla Azis to pay Alvar Fanez for thirty days; and he seized a Jew who was one of his Almoxarifes in Valencia, that is to say, one who collected the taxes, and took from him all that he had, because he had advised him ill, and while this lasted the people of Valencia had some respite.
Now when one of the sons of Abdalla Azis was loosed from prison, he placed his love upon Alvar Fanez and gave him goodly gifts, and upon Aboeza the King's Guazil, and upon a Jew who was a messenger from King Don Alfonso.
When the Guazil knew this he took his son and his uncle as sureties for him for the thirty thousand maravedis, which the Jew was now come to receive for King Don Alfonso.
And they went to Monviedro to him, and communed with him, and accorded with him that he should pay the one-half immediately, and whenever he returned to Valencia and was safe there in possession of all his rents and inheritances, that then he should pay the remainder: so he paid the fifteen thousand forthwith in silver, and in rings of gold, and in cloth, and in strings of pearls, and the Jew returned therewith to King Don Alfonso.
And he ordered three hundred marks of gold to be given them, and three hundred marks of silver, to redeem the chests full of sand which he had pledged in Burgos to the Jews; and he bade them ask Rachel and Vidas to forgive him the deceit of the sand, for he had done it because of his great need: and he said, You, Martin Antolinez, were aiding and abetting herein, but praised be the name of the Lord for ever, he hath let me quit myself truly; tell them that they shall have more profit than they asked.