Name applied by the Christians of Spain to the Moslems of North Africa that occupied the peninsula for seven centuries.
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.
In those days arose Rodrigo of Bivar, who was a youth strong in arms and of good customs; and the people rejoiced in him, for he bestirred himself to protect the land from the Moors.
And the Moors entered Castille, in great power, for there came with them five Kings, and they past above Burgos, and crost the mountains of Oca, and plundered Carrion, and Vilforado, and Saint Domingo de la Calzada, and Logrono, and Najara, and all that land; and they carried away many captives both male and female, and brood mares, and flocks of all kinds.
Then he went back to his mother, taking the Kings with him, and there he divided the whole spoil with the hidalgos and his other companions, both the Moorish captives and all the spoil of whatever kind, so that they departed right joyfully, being well pleased with what he had done.
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.
And his mother promised him so to do; and then he departed from them and went out against the frontier of the Moors.
After a while, as he was thus musing, there appeared before him one in white garments, who said unto him, Sleepest thou or wakest thou, Rodrigo? and he answered and said, I do not sleep: but who art thou that bringest with thee such brightness and so sweet an odour? Then said he, I am Saint Lazarus, and know that I was the leper to whom thou didst so much good and so great honour for the love of God; and because thou didst this for his sake hath God now granted thee a great gift; for whensoever that breath which thou hast felt shall come upon thee, whatever thing thou desirest to do, and shalt then begin, that shalt thou accomplish to thy heart's desire, whether it be in battle or aught else, so that thy honour shall go on increasing from day to day; and thou shalt be feared both by Moors and Christians, and thy enemies shall never prevail against thee, and thou shalt die an honourable death in thine own house, and in thy renown, for God hath blessed thee;-therefore go thou on, and evermore persevere in doing good; and with that he disappeared.
But when the Counts of Castille saw how Rodrigo increased day by day in honour, they took counsel together that they should plot with the Moors, and fix a day of battle with them on the day of the Holy Cross in May, and that they should invite Rodrigo to this battle, and contrive with the Moors that they should slay him; by which means they should be revenged upon him, and remain masters of Castille, which now because of him they could not be.
This counsel they sent to communicate to the Moors and to the Moorish Kings who were Rodrigo's vassals, being those whom he had made prisoners and set at liberty.
The history relateth that at this time while the King was in Galicia, the Moors entered Estremadura, and the people called upon Rodrigo of Bivar to help them.
Now the greater part of these Moors had been they of Merida, Badajoz, Beja and Evora, and the King was minded to requite them in their own land according to their deeds; and he entered into the heart of their country, carrying with him fire and sword, and pressed them sorely so that they yielded vassalage.
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.
And because he was well beloved and his city well stored and strong, all the chief Moors in that district being dismayed by the fall of Viseu, retired into it, to be under his protection.
And Zadan became tributary to the King, and the King took with him many of the Moors, to be employed in building up the churches which had fallen to ruin since the land was lost.
When the Moors therefore who came to hunt among the mountains took up their lodging in the Monastery as they were wont to do, these twain said unto them, We would go to the holy Dominicum, to say prayers there for our sins.
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.
When the Moors saw this they came to the King, and fell at his feet, and besought him of his mercy that he would let them depart, leaving to him the city and all that they had therein, for they asked for nothing but their lives.
Upon this it pleased God that he should fall asleep, and in his sleep Santiago appeared to him with a good and cheerful countenance, holding in his hand a bunch of keys, and said unto him, Thou thinkest it a fable that they should call me a knight, and sayest that I am not so: for this reason am I come unto thee that thou never more mayest doubt concerning my knighthood; for a knight of Jesus Christ I am and a helper of the Christians against the Moors.
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 during the siege he had come to the King's service, and bestirred himself well against the Moors; and therefore the King took him into his favour, and gave him the city to keep, which he kept, and did much evil to the Moors till the day of his death.
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.
And Ruydiez took the tribute and offered the fifth thereof to the King, in token of his sovereignty; and the King thanked him, but would not receive it, and from that time he ordered that Ruydiez should be called the Cid, because the Moors had so called him.
You shall take with you five thousand knights, all of whom are hidalgos, and the Moorish Kings who are your vassals will give you two thousand knights; and, Sir, you are such a one as God loves, and he will not that your honour should perish.
Now the King of Castille was wroth against the King of Aragon, that he should thus have joined against him without cause; and in despite of him he marched against the Moors of Zaragoza, and laying waste their country with fire and sword, he came before their city and gave orders to assault it, and began to set up his engines.
He sends to bid me break up the siege and depart from his land, and as soon as I should have departed, he would make friends unto himself among Christians and among Moors, and fail me in all which he covenants.
And the Moors seeing that they could not help themselves, made such terms with him as it pleased him to grant, and gave him hostages that they might not be able to prove false.
And Don Garcia took with him three hundred horsemen, and went to the Moors, and besought them to lend him aid against his brother, saying that he would give them the kingdom of Leon.
And the Moors made answer, O King, thou canst not defend thyself; how then canst thou give unto us the kingdom of Leon? Howbeit they did him honour and gave him great gifts, and he returned to his people and recovered many of the castles which he had lost.
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.
Both Kings were in the field that day, and full hardily was the battle contested, and great was the mortality on either side, for the hatred which used to be between Moors and Christians was then between brethren.
And being in the Monastery he spake with Don Peransures, and took counsel with him, and fled away by night from the Monks, and went among the Moors to King Alimaymon of Toledo.
And the Moorish King welcomed him with a good will, and did great honour to him and gave him great possessions many gifts.
And Alimaymon ordered fair palaces to be edified for him, by the wall of the Alcazar, on the outer part, that the Moors of the city might do no displeasure neither to him nor to his companions: and they were hard by a garden of the King's, that he might go out and disport himself therein whensoever it pleased him.
Nevertheless when he saw the great honour of the King of Toledo, and how powerful he was, and that he was the Lord of so great chivalry, and of the noblest city which had belonged unto the Gothic Kings, from whom he himself was descended, it grieved him in his heart to see that city in the hands of the Moors: and he said within his heart, Lord God and Father Jesus Christ, it is wholly in thy power to give and to take away, and right it is that thy will should be done, even as thou hast done it to me, to whom thou gavest a kingdom, and it was thy will to take it away from me, and thou hast made me come hither to serve the enemies who were at the service of the King my father.
In those days King Alimaymon was at war with other Moorish Kings his enemies, and King Don Alfonso fought against them on his side, and did such good service that he quelled their power, and they durst no longer offend him.
And at evening Don Alfonso lay down upon a bed to sleep, and King Alimaymon fell in talk with his favourites concerning his city of Toledo, how strong it was and how well provided with all things, and that he feared neither war of Moor nor Christian against it; and he asked them if it could by any means be lost in war.
Now the Moors knew not that he was lying there.
And when the Easter of the Sheep was come, which the Moors celebrate, the King of Toledo went out of the city to kill the sheep at the place accustomed, as he was wont to do, and King Don Alfonso went with him.
Now Don Alfonso was a goodly personage and of fair demeanour, so that the Moors liked him well.
And as he was going by the side of the King, two honourable Moors followed them, and the one said unto the other, How fair a knight is this Christian, and of what good customs! well doth he deserve to be the lord of some great land.
And while they were thus communing every hair upon King Don Alfonso's head stood up erect, and Alimaymon laid his hand upon them to press them down, but so soon as his hand was taken off they rose again; and the two Moors held it for a great token, and spake with each other concerning it, and one of King Alimaymon's favourites heard all which they said.
And after the sheep had been sacrificed they returned into the city, and the favourite told the King what he had heard the two Moors say; and the King sent for them forthwith, and questioned them, and they repeated to him what they had said, even as ye have heard.
He was a fair knight and of marvellous courage, so that both Moors and Christians were dismayed at what they saw him do, for they saw that nothing which he willed to take by force could stand against him.
And he mounted on horseback with his hidalgos and rode round the town, and beheld how strongly it was situated upon a rock, with strong walls, and many and strong towers, and the River Douro running at the foot thereof; and he said unto his knights, Ye see how strong it is, neither Moor nor Christian can prevail against it; if I could have it from my sister either for money or exchange, I should be Lord of Spain.
Now therefore tell me I beseech you what is it which my brother goes about to do, now that he has called up all Spain in arms, and to what lands he thinks to go, whether against Moors or Christians.
And Don Arias answered that it was well to hear what the King her brother had sent to say: Peradventure, said he, he goeth against the Moors, and requires aid of you, which it would be right to give; and for such service I and my sons would go with him, and I would give fifteen of my people well mounted and armed, and supply them with food for ten years, if he needed them.
When Dona Urraca heard this she was sorely grieved, and in her sorrow she lamented aloud, saying, Wretch that I am, many are the evil messages which I have heard since my father's death! He hath disherited my brother King Don Garcia of his kingdom, and taken him, and now holds him in irons as if he were a thief or a Moor: and he hath taken his lands from my brother King Don Alfonso, and forced him to go among the Moors, and live there exiled, as if he had been a traitor; and would let none go with him except Don Peransures and his brethren, whom I sent: and he hath taken her lands from my sister Dona Elvira against her will, and now would he take Zamora from me also! Now then let the earth open and swallow me, that I may not see so many troubles! And with that, in her strong anger against her brother King Don Sancho, she said, I am a woman, and know that I cannot strive with him in battle; but I will have him slain either secretly or openly.
When Dona Urraca heard this she was sorely grieved, and in her sorrow she lamented aloud, saying, Wretch that I am, many are the evil messages which I have heard since my father's death! He hath disherited my brother King Don Garcia of his kingdom, and taken him, and now holds him in irons as if he were a thief or a Moor: and he hath taken his lands from my brother King Don Alfonso, and forced him to go among the Moors, and live there exiled, as if he had been a traitor; and would let none go with him except Don Peransures and his brethren, whom I sent: and he hath taken her lands from my sister Dona Elvira against her will, and now would he take Zamora from me also! Now then let the earth open and swallow me, that I may not see so many troubles! And with that, in her strong anger against her brother King Don Sancho, she said, I am a woman, and know that I cannot strive with him in battle; but I will have him slain either secretly or openly.
And if they will hold with you, then give not you up the town, neither for a price, nor in exchange; but if they will not, let us then go to Toledo among the Moors, where your brother King Don Alfonso abideth.
And he set forth with all the knights and esquires of his table, and with all their retainers horse and foot, twelve hundred persons, all men of approved worth, a goodly company;-and they took the road to Toledo, meaning to join King Don Alfonso among the Moors.
And they went to the King and said unto him, Sir, wherefore would you lose so good a vassal, who has done you such great service? If he should go unto your brother Don Alfonso among the Moors, he would not let you besiege this city thus in peace.
And they counselled him that he should return to the King, for it was better to remain in his land and serve God, than to go among the Moors.
And the King said unto them, I beseech all ye who are here present, Counts and Ricos-omes, and all my other vassals, that if my brother King Don Alfonso should come from the land of the Moors, ye beseech him to show favour unto you, my Cid, and that he always be bountiful unto you, and receive you to be his vassal; and if he always doth this and listen unto you, he will not be badly advised.
And when they were gathered together, Don Arias Gonzalo said unto them, Friends, I beseech ye, if there be any here among ye who took counsel for the death of King Don Sancho, or were privy thereunto, that ye now tell me, and deny it not; for rather would I go with my sons to the land of the Moors, than be overcome in the field, and held for a traitor.
Now what was the end of Vellido the history sayeth not, through the default of the Chroniclers; but it is to be believed, that because the impeachment was not made within three days, Don Arias Gonzalo thrust him out of the town as Dona Urraca had requested, and that he fled into other lands, peradventure among the Moors.
And she bade her messengers deliver these privately that the Moors might not discover what had taken place, lest they should seize upon King Don Alfonso, whom she dearly loved.
Howbeit, certain of those spies who discover to the Moors whatever the Christians design to do, when they knew the death of King Don Sancho, went presently to acquaint the Moors therewith.
Now Peransures and his brethren feared that if the Moor knew this he would not let their Lord depart, but would seize him and make hard terms for his deliverance; and on the other hand, they thought that if he should learn it from any other than themselves, it would be yet worse.
And while they were in doubt what they should do, King Don Alfonso, trusting in God's mercy, said unto them, When I came hither unto this Moor, he received me with great honour, and gave to me abundantly all things of which I stood in need, even as if I had been his son; how then should I conceal from him this favour which it hath pleased God to show me? I will go and tell it unto him.
And King Don Alfonso said, that he knew the ways and customs of his brother, and did not fear him, if it pleased the King to give him some Moors to help him.
Howbeit he did not fully believe the tidings, seeing that King Don Alfonso did not speak of it; and he rejoiced in his heart at what the King said, and he said unto him, I thank God, Alfonso, that thou hast told me of thy wish to go into thine own country; for in this thou hast dealt loyally by me, and saved me from that which might else have happened, to which the Moors have always importuned me.
But great was the sorrow in the host of the Castillians, for they never thought to see their Lord again; and they thought that he had committed a great folly in thus putting himself into the power of the Moors.
And after this my Cid did battle in Medina Celi, with a Moor called Faras, who was a good knight in arms, and he defeated and slew him and another also.
After this King Don Alfonso assembled together all his power and went against the Moors.
And while the King was going through Andalusia, having the land at his mercy, a great power of the Moors assembled together on the other side, and entered the land, and besieged the castle of Gormaz, and did much evil.
At this time the Cid was gathering strength; and when he heard that the Moors were in the country, laying waste before them, he gathered together what force he could, and went after them; and the Moors, when they heard this, dared not abide his coming, but began to fly.
And then the Ricos-omes who wished ill to the Cid, had the way open to do him evil with the King, and they said to the King, Sir, Ruydiez hath broken your faith, and the oath and promise which you made to the King of Toledo: and he hath done this for no other reason but that the Moors of Toledo may fall upon us here, and slay both you and us.
And he turned towards the East and knelt and said, Holy Mary Mother, and all Saints, pray to God for me, that he may give me strength to destroy all the Pagans, and to win enough from them to requite my friends therewith, and all those who follow and help me.
And he said to them, Give me your hands that you will not discover me neither to Moor nor Christian! I will make you rich men for ever.
Rachel and Vidas took counsel together and answered, We well knew he got something when he entered the land of the Moors; he who has treasures does not sleep without suspicion; we will take the chests, and place them where they shall not be seen.
Ye say well, replied the Burgalese: come then to the Campeador, and we will help you to bring away the chests, so that neither Moors nor Christians may see us.
I kiss your hand, Cid, and have a gift for you, a red skin; it is Moorish and honourable.
That night my Cid lay at Spinar de Can, and people flocked to him from all parts, and early on the morrow he set out; Santestevan lay on his left hand, which is a good city, and Ahilon on the right, which belongs to the Moors, and he passed by Alcobiella, which is the boundary of Castille.
Now hath my Cid left the kingdom of King Don Alfonso, and entered the country of the Moors.
And Alvar Fanez said unto the Cid, that he would take with him two hundred horsemen, and scour the country as far as Fita and Guadalajara and Alcala, and lay hands on whatever he could find, without fear either of King Alfonso or of the Moors.
And as soon as it was morning, the Moors of Castrejon, knowing nothing of these who were so near them, opened the castle gates, and went out to their work as they were wont to do.
And there was a cry within the castle that the Christians were upon them, and they who were within ran to the gates to defend them, but my Cid came up sword in hand; eleven Moors did he slay with his own hand, and they forsook the gate and fled before him to hide themselves within, so that he won the castle presently, and took gold and silver, and whatever else he would.
And the Cid divided the spoil among the knights and foot-soldiers, to each his due portion; to every horseman a hundred marks of silver, and half as much to the foot-soldiers: and because he could find none to whom to sell his fifth, he spake to the Moors of Castrejon, and sent to those of Fita and Guadalajara, telling them that they might come safely to purchase the spoil, and the prisoners also whom he had taken, both men prisoners and women, for he would have none with him.
And the heart of my Cid was joyous, and he sent to King Don Alfonso, telling him that he and his companions would yet do him service upon the Moors.
Then my Cid assembled together his good men and said unto them, Friends, we cannot take up our abode in this castle, for there is no water in it, and moreover the King is at peace with these Moors, and I know that the treaty between them hath been written; so that if we should abide here he would come against us with all his power, and with all the power of the Moors, and we could not stand against him.
So on the morrow they went to horse and departed, being rich with the spoils which they had won: and they left the castle to the Moors, who remained blessing them for this bounty which they had received at their hands.
And the Moors offered tribute to him if he would leave them in peace; but this he would not do, and he lay before the town.
And when the Moors saw this they rejoiced greatly, and there was a great stir among them, and they praised themselves for what they had done in withstanding him, and said, that the Cid's bread and barley had failed him, and he had fled away, and left one of his tents behind him.
And when my Cid saw them coming he gave orders to quicken their speed, as if he was in fear, and would not let his people turn till the Moors were far enough from the town.
God! what a good joy was theirs that morning! My Cid's vassals laid on without mercy;-in one hour, and in a little space, three hundred Moors were slain, and the Cid and Alvar Fanez had good horses, and got between them and the Castle, and stood in the gateway sword in hand, and there was a great mortality among the Moors; and my Cid won the place, and Pero Bermudez planted his banner upon the highest point of the Castle.
And he said to Alvar Fanez and all his knights, Hear me, we shall get nothing by killing these Moors;-Let us take them and they shall show us their treasures which they have hidden in their houses, and we will dwell here and they shall serve us.
Much did this trouble the Moors of Teca, and it did not please those of Teruel, nor of Calatayud.
And incontinently he spake unto two Moorish Kings who were his vassals, bidding them take three thousand horsemen, and all the men of the border, and bring the Cid to him alive, that he might make atonement to him for having entered his land.
Fariz and Galve were the names of these two Moorish Kings, and they set out with the companies of King Alcamin from Valencia, and halted the first night in Segorve, and the second night at Celfa de Canal.
And the Moors beset them so close that they cut off their water, and albeit the Castillians would have sallied against them, my Cid forbade this.
In this guise were my Cid and his people besieged for three weeks, and when the fourth week began, he called for Alvar Fanez, and for his company, and said unto them, Ye see that the Moors have cut off our water, and we have but little bread; they gather numbers day by day, and we become weak, and they are in their own country.
Then Minaya answered and said, We have left the gentle land of Castille, and are come hither as banished men, and if we do not beat the Moors they will not give us food.
Then ordered he all the Moors, both men and women, to be thrust out of the town, that it might not be known what they were preparing to do; and the rest of that day and the night also they passed in making ready for the battle.
Then leaving only two foot-soldiers to keep the gates, they issued out; and the Moorish scouts saw them and hastened to the camp.
Then was there such a noise of tambours as if the earth would have been broken, and the Moors armed themselves in great haste.
And the Campeador called unto him to stop as he loved him, but Pero Bermudez replied he would stop for nothing, and away he spurred and carried his banner into the middle of the great body of Moors.
And the Moors fell upon him that they might win the banner, and beset him on all sides, giving him many and great blows to beat him down; nevertheless his arms were proof, and they could not pierce them, neither could they beat him down, nor force the banner from him, for he was a right brave man and a strong, and a good horseman, and of great heart.
Three hundred lances were they, each with its pendant, and every man at the first charge slew his Moor.
The Misbelievers called on Mahomet, and the Christians on Santiago, and the noise of the tambours and of the trumpets was so great that none could hear his neighbour.
And my Cid and his company succoured Pero Bermudez, and they rode through the host of the Moors, slaying as they went, and they rode back again in like manner; thirteen hundred did they kill in this guise.
Wherever my Cid went, the Moors made a path before him, for he smote them down without mercy.
And while the battle still continued, the Moors killed the horse of Alvar Fanez, and his lance was broken, and he fought bravely with his sword afoot.
When Alvar Fanez was thus remounted, they fell upon the Moors again, and by this time the Moors were greatly disheartened, having suffered so great loss, and they began to give way.
And with that blow was the army of the Moors vanquished, for King Fariz, feeling himself so sorely wounded, turned his reins and fled out of the field, even to Teruel.
A good day was that for Christendom, for the Moors fled on all sides.
And he divided the spoil, giving to each man his fair portion, and the Moors whom they had put out of Alcocer before the battle, they now received again into the castle, and gave to them also a part of the booty, so that all were well content.
You shall go into Castille, and take with you thirty horses, the best which were taken from the Moors, all bridled and saddled, and each having a sword hanging from the saddle-bow; and you shall give them to the King, and kiss his hand for me, and tell him that we know how to make our way among the Moors.
And you shall take also this bag of gold and silver, and purchase for me a thousand masses in St. Mary's at Burgos, and hang up there these banners of the Moorish Kings whom we have overcome.
For since you were wroth against him, and banished him from the land, he being a man disherited, hath helped himself with his own hands, and hath won from the Moors the Castle of Alcocer.
And then holding it better to die like good men in the field, than shut up like bad ones, we went out against them, and fought with them in the open field, and smote them and put them to flight; and both the Moorish Kings were sorely wounded, and many of the Moors were slain, and many were taken prisoners, and great was the spoil which we won in the field, both of captives and of horses and arms, gold and silver and pearls, so that all who are with him are rich men.
Nevertheless, because the horses were won from the Moors, I will take them, and rejoice that my Cid hath sped so well.
My Cid remained awhile in Alcocer, and the Moors of the border waited to see what he would do.
And in this time King Fariz got well of his wound, and my Cid sent to him and to the Moors, saying, that if they would give him three thousand marks of silver, he would leave Alcocer and go elsewhere.
And King Fariz and the Moors of Techa, and of Teruel, and of Calatayud, were right glad of this, and the covenant was put in writing, and they sent him the three thousand marks.
But the Moors of Alcocer were full sorry to see him depart, because he had been to them a kind master and a bountiful; and they said unto him, Wherever you go, Cid, our prayers will go before you: and they wept both men and women when my Cid went his way.
And from thence he did much harm to the Moors of Medina and of the country round about; and he made Daroca pay tribute, and Molina also, which is on the other side, and Teruel also, and Celfa de Canal, and all the country along the river Martin.
And from thence he infested the Moors of Zaragoza, insomuch that they held it best to give him gold and silver and pay him tribute.
Great was the talk thereof among the Moors; and they of Monzon and of Huesca were troubled, but they of Zaragoza rejoiced, because they paid tribute to the Cid, and were safe.
When Don Ramon Berenguer the Count of Barcelona heard this, it troubled him to the heart, and he held it for a great dishonour, because that part of the land of the Moors was in his keeping.
So he and King Abenalfange gathered together a great power both of Moors and Christians, and went in pursuit of the Cid, and after three days and two nights they came up with him in the pine-forest of Tebar, and they came on confidently, thinking to lay hands on him.
They are coming upon us, said he, with a great power both of Moors and Christians, to take from us the spoils which we have so hardly won, and without doing battle we cannot be quit of them; for if we should proceed they would follow till they overtook us: therefore let the battle be here, and I trust in God that we shall win more honour, and something to boot.
So many were slain and so many wounded, that the Moors were dismayed forthwith, and began to fly.
And the Moors of the town rejoiced in his good speed, liking him well, because be protected them so well that they were safe from all harm.
At this time it came to pass that Almofalez, a Moor of Andalusia, rose up with the Castle of Rueda, which was held for King Don Alfonso.
And because he held prisoner there the brother of Adefir, another Moor, Adefir sent to the King of Castille, beseeching him to come to succour him, and recover the Castle.
But the Infante Don Sancho entered, and Don Nuno, and Don Gonzalo, and fifteen other knights; and as soon as they were within the gate, the Moors threw down great stones upon them and killed them all.
And to all this the King accorded, and said to my Cid that he should go back into Castille with him; but my Cid said he would not go into Castille till he had won that castle of Rueda, and delivered the villainous Moors thereof into his hands, that he might do justice upon them.
And he lay before it so long, and beset it so close, that the food of the Moors failed, and they had no strength to defend themselves; and they would willingly have yielded the castle, so they might have been permitted to leave it and go whither they would; but he would have their bodies, to deliver them up to the King.
And he gave him privileges with leaden seals appendant, and confirmed with his own hand, that whatever castles, towns, and places, he might win from the Moors, or from any one else, should be his own, quit and free for ever, both for him and for his descendants.
And when they knew that there was no hope of him, the Moors sent to the King of Badajoz, inviting him to come and be their protector, saying that they would deliver the city into his hands in spite of Yahia.
And Abenalfange gathered together the greatest power of the Moors that he could, and entered the land of the Christians, and past the mountains, and came even to Medina del Campo, and there Alvar Fanez Minaya met him.
Minaya had but five and twenty hundred horse with him, and of the Moors there were fifteen thousand; nevertheless by God's blessing he prevailed against them.
Never had so goodly a force of Christians been assembled in Spain, nor so great an enterprise attempted, since the coming of the Moors.
For not only was Toledo a strong city, both by nature and in its walls and towers, but the flower of the chivalry of all Spain and of all Christendom was there assembled, and the Moors of Spain also, knowing that this was, as it were, the heart of their empire, did all they could to defend it: greatly to be blamed are they who neglected to transmit to us the memory of their deeds, and greatly have they wronged the worthy knights whose exploits should else have gained for them a never-dying renown.
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.
Now, Yahia, when he saw that he could by no means hold Toledo, because on the one hand the Moors would give it to the King of Badajoz, and on the other King Don Alfonso warred against it, he made a covenant with King Don Alfonso to yield the city to him, if he with the help of Alvar Fanez would put him in possession of Valencia, which had belonged unto Hicem and Alimaymon, his fathers, but which the Guazil Abdalla Azis held now as his own, calling himself King thereof.
Abenfarat went his way, and took up his abode in the house of a Moor who was called Abenlupo; and while he sojourned there the marriage of the Guazil's daughter was effected, and the Guazil himself fell sick and died.
And they who held the castles brought great gifts to Yahia, with much humility and reverence, such as the Moors know how to put on.
This they did to set his heart at rest, that he might confide in them, and send away Alvar Fanez into his own country, and not keep him and his people at so great a charge, for it cost them daily six hundred maravedis, and the King had no treasure in Valencia, neither was he so rich that he could support his own company and supply this payment; and for this reason the Moors complained of the great cost.
But on the other hand, Yahia feared that if he should send away Alvar Fanez, the Moors would rise against him; and to maintain him he laid a great tax upon the city and its district, saying that it was for barley.
And he passed by a place which was an oratory of the Moors in their festivals, which they call in Arabic Axera, or Araxea; and he halted near Valencia, so that they in the town might see him; and he went round about the town, to the right and to the left, wheresoever he would.
And when the Moors saw that Alvar Fanez was in such power, all the ruffians and lewd livers in the town flocked unto him, so that Valencia was in the hands of him and his followers; and the Moors being desperate of remedy deserted the town, and went whither they could, setting at nought their inheritances, for no man was safe, neither in his goods nor person.
Then Alvar Fanez made an inroad into the lands of Abenalfange, and overran the lands of Buriana, and other parts; and there went with him a great company of those Moorish desperadoes who had joined him, and of other Moorish Almogavares, and they stormed towns and castles, and slew many Moors, and brought away flocks and herds both of cattle and of brood mares, and much gold and silver, and store of wearing apparel, all which they sold in Valencia.
Then sent he letters to King Don Alfonso, in which he besought him of his mercy not to think it ill that the people who were with him should remain with him, for he would do God service, and maintain them at the cost of the Moors, and whensoever the King stood in need of their service, he and they would go unto him and serve him freely; and at other times they would make war upon the Moors, and break their power, so that the King might win the land.
Then the Cid went to Valencia, and King Yahia received him full honourably, and made a covenant with him to give him weekly four thousand maravedis of silver, and he on his part was to reduce the Castles to his obedience, so that they should pay the same rents unto him as had been paid unto the former Kings of Valencia; and that the Cid should protect him against all men, Moors or Christians, and have his home in Valencia, and bring all his booty there to be sold, and that he should have his granaries there.
This was so great a power when the Moors had joined, that they surely thought the Cid would fly before them; for the Moors held that these Frenchmen were the best knights in the world, and the best appointed, and they who could bear the most in battle.
But I know you dare not come, for Moors and Christians know that I conquered you once, and took you and your vassals, and took from ye all that ye had with ye: and if ye come now ye shall receive the same payment at my hands as heretofore.
The Cid was ready with all his company, and he had sent the Moors who were with him forward to the passes whither his men had directed the Frenchmen, and they lay in ambush there; and when the Frenchmen were in the strong places, and had begun to ascend, little by little, as they could, they rose upon them from the ambush and slew many, and took others of the best, and among the prisoners was Guirabent, the brother of Giralte the Roman, who was wounded in the face.
And he put them all in irons, and reproached them saying, that he well knew what his chivalry was, and his hardihood, and that he should thus beat them all down; and he said to them that he was in God's service, taking vengeance for the ills which the Moors had done unto the Christians, and had done them no wrong; but they being envious of him, had come to help the Moors, therefore God had helped him, because he was in his service.
For every thousand maravedis a hundred more were paid for a Bishop, whom the Moors called Alat Almarian.
Yet were they withal abundantly supplied with bread, and with flocks which the Christians brought in, and with captives both male and female, and with Moorish men and women, who gave great sums for their ransom.
Now at this time a Moor called Ali Abenaxa, the Adelantado of the Almoravides, that is to say, of the Moors from beyond sea, came with a great power of the Moors of Andalusia to besiege the Castle of Aledo.
And when the Moors knew that King Don Alfonso was coming with so great a host to relieve the Castle, they departed, flying.
Now they who hated the Cid spake leasing of him to King Don Alfonso, saying that he had tarried in Requena, knowing that the King was gone another way, that so he might give the Moors opportunity to fall upon him.
And the Moors did not venture to give him battle, but left the Castle of Aledo and retreated to Murcia, and the King returned to Ubeda.
And presently the Cid gathered together a full great host both of Moors and of Christians, and entered the land of King Don Alfonso, burning and destroying whatever he found, and he took Logrono, and Alfaro also, and sacked it.
Albeit he was of good parentage, for his fathers before him had all been Alcaydes ever since Valencia was in the hands of the Moors.
And the Cid lay before Juballa, and sent out his foragers towards Valencia twice a day; one party went in the morning, and another towards night; and they slew many Moors, and made many prisoners, and made prey of all the flocks which they found without the walls; nevertheless the Cid commanded that no hurt should be done to those of the land of Moya, nor to the husbandmen, but that they who laboured to produce bread and wine should be protected and encouraged; and this he did thinking that what they raised would be for him when he should lay siege unto the town; and he said this to his knights and Adalides and Almocadenes, and took homage of them that they should obey him therein.
All this time the Cid held that Castle besieged, so that none could enter in nor come out thereof; and it is said that terms had secretly been made with him to yield it up, but that it was so to be done that the other Moors might believe they had yielded from great necessity, for it was not stored so as to be able to hold out long.
And in one of these skirmishes, a rich Moor was taken who was Alcayde of Acala, which is near Torralva, and they gave him grievous torments till he ransomed himself for ten thousand marks of silver; and moreover he gave the houses which he had in Valencia, which were called the houses of Anaya, to be theirs if peradventure the town should be yielded up.
Greatly did he thank Abenalfarax for having served him so well at that season, and putting the treasure into his hands, and he promised him goodly guerdon; and he made him chief over all the Moors who were his subjects.
On the second day after this Guazil had arrived, the Cid attacked the suburb which is called Villa Nueva, and entered it by force, and slew many Moors, both men of Andalusia and Almoravides, and plundered all that they found, and pulled down the houses, and the wood and stone the Cid sent to Juballa, and he set a guard there that the Moors might not recover the place.
On the morrow the Cid attacked another suburb, which is called Alcudia, and there were a great body of the Moors gathered together there.
And the Cid with his company rode among that great multitude of the Moors, smiting and slaying without mercy, and the Cid's horse trampled over the dead, and stumbled among them and fell, and the Cid remained afoot.
Howbeit they brought him to horse again, and he continued smiting and laying on strenuously, so that the Moors were amazed at the great mortality which he made among them, and maugre all they could do, were fain to fly into the town.
And on the morrow he came there, and assembled together the Moors of that place, and comforted them much with his speeches, and promised that he would favour them greatly and not oppress them, and bade them till their fields and tend their flocks securely, saying that he would take only a tenth of the fruit thereof, as their law directed.
And he placed a Moor there named Yucef, to be his Almoxarife, that is to say, his Receiver.
And he gave orders that all Moors who would come and dwell therein might come securely, and they also who would bring food thither for sale, and other merchandize.
And the Almoravides departed from Valencia, and horsemen were sent with them, who conducted them in safety, and the Moors of Valencia were left in peace.
Now this was the season for gathering in the fruit, and he appointed men in every place who should look to it, and see it valued, and receive the tenth; a Moor and a Christian did he appoint in every place, who were to receive this, and to gather the corn also into the granaries: and this was done after such manner that the Cid had his tribute well paid.
This did they thinking that he would be dismayed and turn back: but the Moor did not cease to advance, notwithstanding this letter.
And the murmur which there had been concerning the garden died away; and then the Cid entered it, and took possession of the whole suburb of Alcudia round about it: and this he did peaceably, for the Moors and Christians dwelt there together.
And then the Christians drew nigh unto the walls, crying out unto the Moors with a loud voice like thunder, calling them false traitors and renegados, and saying, Give up the town to the Cid Ruydiez, for ye cannot escape from him.
And the Moors were silent, and made no reply because of their great misery.
Then Abenalfarax, a Moor of Valencia, he who wrote this history in Arabic, took account of the food which was in the city, to see how long it could hold out.
And he says that the cafiz of wheat was valued at eleven maravedis, and the cafiz of barley at seven maravedis, and that of pulse or other grain at six; and the arroba of honey at fifteen dineros; and the arroba of carobs the third of a maravedi, and the arroba of onions two thirds of a maravedi, and the arroba of cheese two maravedis and a half, and the measure of oil which the Moors call maron, a maravedi, and the quintal of figs five maravedis, and the pound of mutton six dineros of silver, and the pound of beef four.
The Moors who dwelt in the suburbs carried all the best of their goods into the city, and the rest they buried.
And when the Cid was certain that the Almoravides were not coming, he returned again to lodge in the garden, and gave order to spoil the suburbs, save that of Alcudia, because the inhabitants of that had received him without resistance: and the Moors fled into the city with their wives and children.
And when the Christians began to plunder the suburbs they of the town came out and plundered also those houses which were nearest unto the walls, so that every thing was carried away and nothing but the timbers left: and then the Christians took that to build them lodgments in the camp; and when the Moors saw this they came out, and carried away what timber they could into the city.
And when all had been dug up the Cid drew nearer to the city, and girt it round about, and there was fighting every day at the barriers, for the Moors came out and fought hand to hand, and many a sword-stroke was given and many a push with the spear.
While the Moors were thus beleagered came letters from the Captain of the Almoravides, saying that he had not turned back to Algezira de Xucar for fear, nor for cowardice, neither as one who fled, but for lack of food, and also by reason of the waters; and that it was his set purpose at all events to succour them and deliver them from the oppression which they endured, and he was preparing to do this with all diligence.
And when the Moors of Valencia heard these letters they took heart, and joined with the sons of Aboegib, and their resolve was that they would be firm and maintain the city.
And he gave orders to till all the lands which lay round about Alcudia, for this was now become a great place, even like a city, and the Moors who dwelt there were safe; and tents and shops were made there for all kinds of merchandize, and merchants came there safely from all parts to buy and to sell, so that they who dwelt there were greatly enriched.
And justice was administered to all full righteously, so that there was none who could complain of the Cid nor of his Almoxarife, nor of any of his people; and the Moors were judged by their own law, and were not vexed, and he took from them only a tenth.
Thus was Valencia left desolate, and forsaken by all the Moorish people; and it was attacked every day, and none could enter in, neither could any come out; and they were sore distressed, and the waves of death compassed them round about.
Then was there a Moor in the city who was a learned man and a wise, and he went upon the highest tower, and made a lamentation, and the words with which he lamented he put in writing, and it was rendered afterwards from the Arabic into the Castillian tongue, and the lamentation which he made was this:
But if ever God hath shown mercy to any place, let him be pleased to show mercy unto thee; for thy name was joy, and all Moors delighted in thee and took their pleasure in thee.
And one of the chief persons of Abeniaf's household went out with a great company of horse and foot to seize the sons of Aboegib; and they when they knew this, took shelter in the house of an Alfaqui, that is to say, one learned in the law, who was held in much honour by the Moors; and in this house, which was surrounded with an embattled wall, they thought with the little company that they had with them, to defend themselves, till the cry could go forth through the city, and their friends come to their succour.
And the Cid sent unto that Moor who had taken the sons of Aboegib and bade him leave the town, and go unto the Castle which was called Alcala; and he obeyed and went thither, for he dared not do otherwise than as the Cid commanded.
And the Cid having it at heart to take the town, let make an engine, and placed it at one of the gates, and it did great hurt both to the walls and within the town; and the Moors made other engines, with the which they brake that of the Cid.
And many men, and many women, and many children watched when the gates were open, and went out and gave themselves into the hands of the Christians, who slew some, and took others, and sold them to the Moors in Alcudia; and the price of a Moor was a loaf and a pitcher of wine: and when they gave them food and they took their fill, they died.
And the Moors of Alcudia, and of the town which the Cid had made there, had plenty of all things, and as great as was their abundance, even so great was the misery of those in the town: and they spake the verse which sayeth, If I go to the right the water will destroy me, and if I go to the left the lion will kill me, and if I turn back there is the fire.
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.
And he called a Moor who spake the mixed language, and instructed him how to get out of the city by night, so that the Christians might not see him, and told him that when he had given that letter to the King of Zaragoza, the King would give him garments, and a horse, and a mule to ride on, and that he himself would show favour unto him as long as he lived.
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.
Sometimes it troubled him, and at other times he seemed pleased that the Moors should come out and give themselves prisoners to his people.
So he ordered proclamation to be made so loud that all the Moors upon the walls could hear, bidding all who had come out from the town to return into it, or he would burn as many as he should find; and saying also that he would slay all who came out from that time forth.
But as many as he found he burnt alive before the walls, so that the Moors could see them; in one day he burnt eighteen, and cast others alive to the dogs, who tore them in pieces.
And if they knew that any who came out, had left kinsmen or friends in the town who would give anything for them, they tortured them before the walls, or hung them from the towers of the Mosques which were without the city, and stoned them; and when they in the town saw this they gave ransom for them, that they might be permitted to dwell in Alcudia with the Moors who were in peace with the Cid.
Here the history relates that at this time Martin Pelaez the Asturian came with a convoy of laden beasts, carrying provisions to the host of the Cid; and as he passed near the town the Moors sallied out in great numbers against him; but he, though he had few with him, defended the convoy right well, and did great hurt to the Moors, slaying many of them, and drove them into the town.
One day it fell out that the Cid and his kinsmen and friends and vassals were engaged in a great encounter, and this Martin Pelaez was well armed; and when he saw that the Moors and Christians were at it, he fled and betook himself to his lodging, and there hid himself till the Cid returned to dinner.
And the Cid saw what Martin Pelaez did, and when he had conquered the Moors he returned to his lodging to dinner.
On the morrow the Cid and his company rode towards Valencia, and the Moors came out to the tourney; and Martin Pelaez went out well armed, and was among the foremost who charged the Moors, and when he was in among them he turned the reins, and went back to his lodging; and the Cid took heed to all that he did, and saw that though he had done badly he had done better than the first day.
And when the Cid had driven the Moors into the town he returned to his lodging, and as he sate down to meat he took this Martin Pelaez by the hand, and seated him with himself, and bade him eat with him in the same dish, for he deserved more that day than he had the first.
Another day the Cid and his company and Martin Pelaez rode towards Valencia, and the Moors came out to the tourney full resolutely, and Martin Pelaez was among the first, and charged them right boldly; and he smote down and slew presently a good knight, and he lost there all the bad fear which he had had, and was that day one of the best knights there: and as long as the tourney lasted there he remained, smiting and slaying and overthrowing the Moors, till they were driven within the gates, in such manner that the Moors marvelled at him, and asked where that Devil came from, for they had never seen him before.
And when the Moors were shut up within the town, the Cid and all his people returned to their lodging, and Martin Pelaez full leisurely and quietly went to his lodging also, like a good knight.
And so great was the mortality which he made among the Moors that day, that when he returned from the business the sleeves of his mail were clotted with blood, up to the elbow; insomuch that for what he did that day his name is written in this history, that it may never die.
Abeniaf sent three good men with him to confirm the terms which were made, and the covenant was after this manner, that they of Valencia should send messengers to the King of Zaragoza, and to Ali Abenaxa who was Adelantado of the Almoravides and Lord of Murcia, beseeching them to succour them within fifteen days; and if within that time they were not succoured they should then give up the city to the Cid, with such conditions, that Abeniaf should remain mighty in the town, as he had been before, his person being secure and all that he had, and his wives, and his children, and that he should remain Veedor, that is to say, Overseer, of all the rents of the town, he and the Almoxarife of the Cid, and a Moor who was called Musa should be Guazil of the town; this Musa had looked after the affairs of the Cid in the time of King Yahia, and never forsook him after the death of the King his Lord; and the Cid made him Alcayde of a Castle, and always found him loyal, and at his service, and for this reason trusted he in him so as to make him Guazil, who should keep the keys of the town, with a guard of Almocadenes, and of Christian foot-men of Almogavares who had been born in the land of the Moors.
Abeniaf sent three good men with him to confirm the terms which were made, and the covenant was after this manner, that they of Valencia should send messengers to the King of Zaragoza, and to Ali Abenaxa who was Adelantado of the Almoravides and Lord of Murcia, beseeching them to succour them within fifteen days; and if within that time they were not succoured they should then give up the city to the Cid, with such conditions, that Abeniaf should remain mighty in the town, as he had been before, his person being secure and all that he had, and his wives, and his children, and that he should remain Veedor, that is to say, Overseer, of all the rents of the town, he and the Almoxarife of the Cid, and a Moor who was called Musa should be Guazil of the town; this Musa had looked after the affairs of the Cid in the time of King Yahia, and never forsook him after the death of the King his Lord; and the Cid made him Alcayde of a Castle, and always found him loyal, and at his service, and for this reason trusted he in him so as to make him Guazil, who should keep the keys of the town, with a guard of Almocadenes, and of Christian foot-men of Almogavares who had been born in the land of the Moors.
In the whole town there was only one mule of Abeniaf's, and one horse: another horse which belonged to a Moor he sold to a butcher for three hundred and eighty doblas of gold, bargaining that he should have ten pounds of the flesh.
The Moors of Valencia were now something comforted, for they weened that they should receive help, and the Christians did not now war upon them; nevertheless they kept guard, and went the rounds, as before, and waited for the day appointed, as one who looked to be released from prison.
And Abeniaf and other good men came out, and the writings were made and were confirmed on both sides, by the Chiefs of the Christians and of the Moors, and the gates were opened at the hour of noon, upon Thursday the last day of June, after the feast of St. John, which the Moors call Alhazaro.
On the following day after the Christians had taken possession of the town, the Cid entered it with a great company, and he ascended the highest tower of the wall, and beheld all the city; and the Moors came unto him, and kissed his hand, saying he was welcome.
And then he gave order that all the windows of the towers which looked in upon the town should be closed up, that the Christians might not see what the Moors did in their houses; and the Moors thanked him for this greatly.
And he commanded and requested the Christians that they should show great honour to the Moors, and respect them, and greet them when they met: and the Moors thanked the Cid greatly for the honour which the Christians did them, saying that they had never seen so good a man, nor one so honourable, nor one who had his people under such obedience.
He who shall find his field, or his vineyard, or his garden, desert, let him incontinently enter thereon; and he who shall find his husbanded, let him pay him that hath cultivated it the cost of his labour, and of the seed which he hath sown therein, and remain with his heritage, according to the law of the Moors.
Moreover I have given order that they who collect my dues take from you no more than the tenth, because so it is appointed by the custom of the Moors, and it is what ye have been wont to pay.
Well pleased were the Moors when they departed from him, and they marvelled at the greatness of his promises, and they set their hearts at rest, and put away the fear which they had had, thinking all their troubles were over; for in all the promises which the Cid had made unto them, they believed that he spake truth; but he said these things only to quiet them, and to make them come to what he wished, even as came to pass.
And when the Cid had given order concerning his own affairs at his pleasure, the Moors would fain have entered again into possession of their heritages as he told them; but they found it all otherwise, for of all the fields which the Christians had husbanded, they would not yield up one; albeit they let them enter upon such as were left waste: some said that the Cid had given them the lands that year, instead of their pay, and other some that they rented them and had paid rent for the year.
So the Moors seeing this, waited till Thursday, when the Cid was to hear complaints, as he had said unto them.
And when it was Monday they assembled again in the Garden, and the Cid came out to them, and took his seat upon the estrado, and the Moors made their complaint.
When the honourable Moors heard this they were dismayed; verily they knew that he spake truth touching the death of the King, but it troubled them that he departed from the promise which he had made; and they made answer that they would take counsel concerning what he had said, and then reply.
When the Moors heard this they were well pleased, and since they were to remain in the town, and in their houses and their inheritances, and with their uses and customs, and that their Mosques were to be left them, they held themselves not to be badly off.
Then they asked the Cid to let their Guazil be the same as he had first appointed, and that he would give them for their Cadi the Alfaqui Alhagi, and let him appoint whom he would to assist him in distributing justice to the Moors; and thus he himself would be relieved of the wearisomeness of hearing them, save only when any great occasion might befall.
And one month he was practising with the Moors that he might keep them quiet, till Abeniaf was delivered into his hands; and thus ten months were fulfilled, and they were fulfilled on Thursday the last day of June, in the year of the aera one thousand one hundred and thirty and one, which was in the year one thousand ninety and three of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And when the Cid had finished all his dealings with the Moors, on this day he took horse with all his company in good array, his banner being carried before him, and his arms behind: and in this guise, with great rejoicings he entered the city of Valencia.
And the Cid sent for certain Moors who were good and honourable men, and made Abeniaf be brought before him, and demanded of him.
if he had nothing more than what was there written down; and he answered that he had not: and he bade him swear this before the Moors, and Abeniaf swore accordingly.
And when the Cid saw it all before him it pleased him much, and he called for the Moors before whom Abeniaf had taken the oath, and he took his seat upon the estrado full nobly, and there in the presence of Christians and Moors he ordered Abeniaf and all the other prisoners to be brought forth.
And he bade that Alfaqui whom he had made Cadi, and the other good men, judge by what death he who had slain his Lord deserved to die, according to their law, and who moreover was perjured, for he had sworn that he possessed nothing more than what he had set down in writing: and the Cadi and the other Moors said that according to their law, he and his accomplices should be stoned: This, they said, we find in our law, but you will do as you think good.
Then the honourable Moors rose and kissed his feet and his hands for the mercy which he had shown to the son of Abeniaf; and they took out Abeniaf to stone him, and other twenty and two with him.
That night the Cid spake with Alvar Fanez and with Pero Bermudez, and all them who were of his council, and they resolved in what manner they would live among the Moors.
And on the morrow the honourable Moors of Valencia assembled together in the Alcazar as they had been commanded to do, and the Cid took his seat upon the estrado, and all the honourable men round about him, and he spake unto them after this manner: Good men of the Aljama of Valencia, ye know how I served and defended King Yahia your Lord, and ye also, until his death.
When the Moors of Valencia heard this they were full sorrowful; howbeit it was now a time when they could do no otherwise than as he commanded.
abide there; and as the Moors went out the Christians who dwelt in Alcudia entered in.
And at the passage of the Xucar there might you have seen confusion, and there the Moors without liking it drank plenty of water.
They say that fifteen thousand Moors died in the river; and the King of Seville fled with three great blows.
My Cid said of his chin, For the love of King Don Alfonso, who hath banished me from his land, no scissors shall come upon it, nor shall a hair be cut away, and Moors and Christians shall talk of it.
At this time there came a crowned one from the parts of the East, that is to say, one who was shaven and shorn; his name was the Bishop Don Hieronymo, a full learned man and a wise, and one who was mighty both on horseback and afoot: and he came enquiring for the Cid, wishing that he might see himself with the Moors in the field, for if he could once have his fill of smiting and slaying them, Christians should never lament him.
Five pitched battles hath he won since that time, some with Moors and some with bad Christians; and he hath taken Xerica, and Ondra, and Almenar, and Monviedro which is a bigger place, and Cebola also, and Castrejon, and Pena Cadiella which is a strong eminence, and with all the right noble city of Valencia, for the honour of the faith of Jesus Christ, and of you our Lord and King; and he hath made it a Bishopric, and made the Honourable Don Hieronymo Bishop thereof with his own hand.
But though this pleased the King it did not please Garcia Ordonez, and he said, It seemeth there is not a man left in the land of the Moors, that the Cid can thus do his pleasure! And the King said unto him, Hold thy peace, for in all things he serves me better than thou.
And they said they heartily forgave him, and held themselves well paid; and they prayed God to, grant him long life and good health, and to give him power to advance Christendom, and put down Pagandom.
And Alvar Fanez said he had left him safe and sound in Valencia; and he bade her and her daughters thank God for the great favour that he had shown him, for he had won sundry castles from the Moors, and the noble city of Valencia, whither he was now come to carry her and her daughters, for the Cid had sent for them, and when he should see them his heart's desire would be accomplished.
They came to Molina and there were lodged in a good and rich house, and Abencano the Moor waited on them.
Nothing did they want which they could wish to have; he even had all their beasts new shod, and for Minaya and the ladies, Lord! how he honoured them! On the morrow they left Molina, and the Moor went with them.
And he had the walls of the city prepared, and stored it well with food and with all things needful for war, and gathered together a great power of Christians and of the Moors of his seignory.
We will go out against the Moors and give them battle, and God who hath thus far shown favour unto us will still continue to be our helper.
When they heard this they cried out with one accord that they would do his bidding, and go out with him and fight under his banner, for certain they were that by his good fortune the Moors would be overthrown.
On the morrow the Cid took Dona Ximena by the hand, and her daughters with her, and made them go up upon the highest tower of the Alcazar, and they looked towards the sea and saw the great power of the Moors, how they came on and drew nigh, and began to pitch their tents round about Valencia, beating their tambours and with great uproar.
Fear not, for you shall see me fight by the help of God and holy Mary Mother; my heart kindles because you are here! The more Moors the more gain! The tambours sounded now with a great alarum, and the sun was shining...Cheer up, said my Cid;...this is a glorious day.
Now the Moors began to enter the gardens which were round about the town, and the watchman saw them and struck the bell.
My Cid looked back and saw Alvar Salvadores beside him, and he said, Go now, take two hundred horse, and sally upon yonder Moors who are entering the gardens; let Dona Ximena and her daughters see the good will you have to serve them.
Presently they were ready at the place of meeting, and the gate was opened which was nearest the gardens where the Moors had entered, without order; and they fell fiercely upon them, smiting and slaying.
The others returned to the city, falling back in brave order till they were out of reach of the enemy: and they had done no little in that exploit, for they slew above two hundred and fifty Moors.
When my Cid saw that they who eat his bread were returned, he went down from the tower, and received them right well, and praised them for what they had done like good knights: howbeit he was full sorrowful for Alvar Salvadores that he should be in the hands of the Moors, but he trusted in God that he should deliver him on the morrow.
Then being all ready they went out through the gate which is called the Gate of the Snake, for the greatest power of the Moors was on that side, leaving good men to guard the gates.
They went through all the narrow places, and bad passes, and leaving the ambush on the left, struck to the right hand, so as to get the Moors between them and the town.
When the Moors saw this they were greatly amazed; and they harnessed themselves in great haste, and came out of their tents.
Great was the smiting and slaying in short time; but by reason that the Moors were so great a number, they bore hard upon the Christians, and were in the hour of overcoming them.
And the Cid began to encourage them with a loud voice, shouting God and Santiago! And Alvar Fanez at this time issued out from ambush, and fell upon them, on the side which was nearest the sea; and the Moors thought that a great power had arrived to the Cid's succour, and they were dismayed, and began to fly.
And the Cid Ruydiez did so well, and made such mortality among the Moors, that the blood ran from his wrist to his elbow! great pleasure had he in his horse Bavieca that day, to find himself so well mounted.
Look, with a bloody sword, and a horse all sweat, this is the way that we conquer the Moors! Pray God that I may live yet awhile for your sakes, and you shall enter into great honour, and they shall kiss your hands.
Alvar Fanez this while was in the field writing and taking account of the spoil: but the tents and arms and precious garments were so many that they cannot be told, and the horses were beyond all reckoning; they ran about the field, and there was no body to take them, and the Moors of the land got something by that great overthrow.
And know, Sir, that since they arrived, he hath achieved a great victory over the Moors, and their King Yucef of Morocco, the Miramamolin, who besieged him in Valencia with fifty thousand men.
And Alvar Fanez said moreover, Sir, he hath sent you a tent, the noblest that ever man saw, which he won in this battle: and the King gave order that the tent should be spread, and he alighted and went into it, he and all his people, and he was greatly pleased; and they all said that they had never seen so noble a tent as this: and the King said he had won many from the Moors, but never such as this.
Now the history relateth that Gilbert, a sage who wrote the history of the Moorish Kings who reigned in Africa, saith, that Bucar remembering the oath which he had made to his brother King Yucef, how he would take vengeance for him for the dishonour which he had received from the Cid Ruydiez before Valencia, ordered proclamation to be made throughout the dominions of his father, and gathered together so great a power of Moors, that among the Captains of his host there were twenty and nine Kings; this he could well do, for his father was Miramamolin, which is as much as to say Emperor.
And one day when he had dined there came a man and told him that a great fleet was arrived in the port of Valencia, wherein there was a great power of the Moors, whom King Bucar had brought over, the son of the Miramamolin of Morocco.
And when the Cid heard this, his heart rejoiced and he was glad, for it was nigh three years since he had had a battle with the Moors.
And when they were all assembled in the Alcazar and his sons-in-law with them, the Cid told them the news, and took counsel with them in what manner they should go out against this great power of the Moors.
Now at this time the men who were keepers of the lion were cleaning the court, and when they heard the cry that the Moors were coming, they opened the den, and came down into the palace where the Cid was, and left the door of the court open.
And he counselled them to keep their wrath secret, as they said, till this stir of the Moors from beyond sea was over, and then they should demand their wives of the Cid that they might take them to their own country; This, said he, the Cid can have no reason to deny, neither for detaining ye longer with him; and when ye are got away far out of his land, then may ye do what ye will with his daughters, and ill will ye do if ye know not how to revenge yourselves; so shall ye remove the dishonour from yourselves, and cast it upon him and his children.
The name of this Moor was Ximen de Algezira, and the Cid gave order that he should be admitted.
Now the history saith, God had given such grace to my Cid that never Moor beheld his face without having great fear of him; and this Ximen began to gaze upon his countenance, and said nothing, for he could not speak.
And when the Moor heard this he laid aside his fear, and recovered heart, and delivered his bidding fully, after this wise.
Tell him that I am not a man to be besieged, and when he does not expect it I will give him battle in the field; and would that even as he has brought with him twenty and nine Kings, so he had brought all the Moors of all Pagandom, for with the mercy of God in which I trust, I should think to conquer them all.
Tell him that I am not a man to be besieged, and when he does not expect it I will give him battle in the field; and would that even as he has brought with him twenty and nine Kings, so he had brought all the Moors of all Pagandom, for with the mercy of God in which I trust, I should think to conquer them all.
When Ximen de Algezira, the Moorish messenger, heard this, he left Valencia, and went unto his Lord and told him before the twenty and nine Kings all that the Cid had said.
Incontinently they all assembled before the Cid, and he told them all to be ready full early on the morrow to go out and give battle to the Moors.
And in this array they proceeded till they came in sight of the Moors.
I left my own country and came to seek you, for the desire I had to kill some Moors, and to do honour to my order and to my own hands.
And then the great multitude of the Moors began to come out of their tents, and they formed their battle in haste, and came against the Christians, with the sound of trumpets and tambours, and with a great uproar; and as they came out upon the alarm, not expecting that the Cid would come against them so soon, they did not advance in order, as King Bucar had commanded.
The Bishop Don Hieronymo he pricked forward; two Moors he slew with the two first thrusts of the lance; the haft broke, and he laid hand on his sword.
God,...how well the Bishop fought! two he slew with the lance and five with the sword; the Moors came round about him and laid on load of blows, but they could not pierce his arms.
Now it came to pass in this battle that the Infante Diego Gonzalez encountered a Moor of Africa who was of great stature and full valiant withal, and this Moor came fiercely against him; and when the Infante saw how fiercely he was coming, he turned his back and fled.
No one be this but Felez Munoz the nephew of the Cid, who was a squire; he set himself against the Moor with his lance under his arm, and gave him such a thrust in the breast, that the streamer of the lance came out all red with blood between his shoulders, and he down'd with the dead man and took his horse by the bridle, and began to call the Infante Diego Gonzalez.
And Felez Munoz said, Take this horse, cousin Diego Gonzalez, and say that you killed the Moor; nobody shall ever know otherwise from me, unless you give just cause.
While they were talking the Cid came up, after another Moorish knight, whom he reached just as he came up to them, and smote him with his sword upon the head, so that he split it down to the teeth.
When Felez Munoz saw the Cid, he said, Sir, your son-in-law Don Diego Gonzalez hath great desire to serve and help you in this day's work, and he hath just slain a Moor from whom he hath won this horse: and this pleased the Cid much, for he weened that it was true.
Who can tell how marvellously the Bishop Don Hieronymo behaved himself in this battle, and how well all the rest behaved, each in his way, and above all, the Cid Campeador, as the greatest and best of all! nevertheless the power of the Moors was so great that they could not drive them to flight, and the business was upon the balance even till the hour of nones.
Many were the Christians who died that day among the foot-soldiers; and the dead, Moors and Christians together, were so many, that the horses could scant move among their bodies.
But after the hour of nones the Cid and his people smote the Moors so sorely that they could no longer stand against them, and it pleased God and the good fortune of the Cid that they turned their backs; and the Christians followed, hewing them down, and smiting and slaying; and they tarried not to lay hands on those whom they felled, but went on in the pursuit as fast as they could.
And while they were thus following their flight the Cid set eyes upon King Bucar, and made at him to strike him with the sword; and the Moorish King knew him when he saw him coming; Turn this way, Bucar, cried the Campeador, you who came from beyond sea, to see the Cid with the long beard.
And his people came up, hewing down the Moors before them, and the Moors in their fear of death ran into the sea, so that twice as many died in the water as in the battle; nevertheless so many were they who were slain in the field, that they were thought to be seventeen thousand persons and upward: but a greater number died in the sea.
And when the Cid saw that of the Moors some had gotten to the ships and the others were slain or taken, he returned towards their tents.
Presently Alvar Fanez came up: the shield which hung from his neck was all battered: more than twenty Moors had he slain, and the blood was running from his wrist to his elbow.
And Moors and Christians both fear me.
God, how well he served them! and on the morrow the Moor gave full rich and noble gifts to the daughters of his Lord the Cid, and to each of the Infantes he gave a goodly horse.
They crossed the mountains of Luzon and passed Arbuxuelo, and came to Salon, and the Moor lodged them in the place which is called Ansarera; all this he did for the love of the Cid Campeador.
Now the Infantes seeing the riches which this Moor had with him, took counsel together for treason, and said, Lo now if we could slay this Moor Abengalvon, we should possess all these riches as safely as if we were in Carrion, and the Cid could never take vengeance.
And a Moor who understood the Latin of the country, heard them and knew what they said, and he went to Abengalvon, and said unto him, Acaiaz, that is to say, Sire, take heed, for I heard the Infantes of Carrion plotting to kill thee.
Abengalvon the Moor was a bold Baron, and when this was told him, he went with his two hundred men before the Infantes, and what he said to them did not please them.
God grant that this marriage may please your father! Having said this the good Moor returned to Molina.
In the meantime Felez Munoz proceeded on his journey, and it came to pass that he met Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez on the way, going to the King with a present which the Cid had sent him; and the present was this,...two hundred horses, from those which he had won in the battle of Quarto from King Bucar, and a hundred Moorish prisoners, and many good swords, and many rich saddles.
And in acknowledgment of you as his natural Lord, he sends you two hundred horses, and a hundred black Moors, and many rich saddles and precious swords, beseeching you to accept them at his hand, in token of the desire he hath to do service to God and to you, maintaining the faith of Jesus Christ.
And when the Cid knew that they were drawing nigh he rode out two leagues to meet them, and when they saw him they made great lamentation, they and all his company, not only the Christians but the Moors also who were in his service.
This seat he won in Valencia, where it had belonged to the Kings thereof: and much gold and silver, and many precious stones hath he won; and many a battle hath he won both against Christians and Moors: and of all the spoil which he hath won, he hath always sent me part, and great presents and full rich, such as never other vassal sent to his Lord; and this he hath done in acknowledgment that I am his Lord.
And the King answered, Since you will not sit with me, sit on your ivory seat, for you won it like a good man; and from this day I order that none except King or Prelate sit with you, for you have conquered so many high-born men, and so many Kings, both Christians and Moors, that for this reason there is none who is your peer, or ought to be seated with you.
cabra.htm">Then Count Don Garcia rose and said, Come away, Infantes, and let us leave the Cid sitting like a bridegroom in his ivory chair:...he lets his beard grow and thinks to frighten us with it!...The Campeador put up his hand to his beard, and said, What hast thou to do with my beard, Count? Thanks be to God, it is long because it hath been kept for my pleasure; never son of woman hath taken me by it; never son of Moor or of Christian hath plucked it, as I did yours in your castle of Cabra, Count, when I took your castle of Cabra, and took you by the beard; there was not a boy of the host but had his pull at it.
And if it please you I would fain return to Valencia, where I have left my wife and daughters, and my other companions; for I would not that the Moors should rise up against me during my absence, thinking peradventure that I have not sped so well in this matter as I have done, praised be God and you.
Now it came to pass after this, that the Great Soldan of Persia, having heard of the great goodness of the Cid, and of his great feats in arms, and how he had never been vanquished by mortal man, and how he had conquered many Kings, Moor and Christian, and had won the noble city of Valencia, and had defeated King Bucar Lord of Africa and Morocco, and twenty nine Kings with him, all these things made him greatly desirous of his love.
And the Cid said that he was welcome, and went towards him to embrace him; but the Moor made him no reply, being amazed.
And the Cid gave order that the beasts should be taken care of, and he went to the Alcazar and took the Moor with him; and when they came to Dona Ximena the Moor humbled himself before her and her daughters, and would have kissed her hand, but she would not give it him.
When the Moor had produced all these things before the Cid, he said unto him, All this, Sir, with the animals which thou hast seen, my Lord the Soldan of Persia hath sent unto thee, because of the great fame which he hath heard of thy goodness and loyalty; and, Sir, he beseecheth thee to accept it for the love of him.
And then he embraced him in the name of the Soldan, and said, that if he were a Christian he would give him the kiss of peace; and he asked whether among those things there was aught which had belonged to the person of the Soldan, that if so he might kiss it in his honour, and in token that if he were there present, he would kiss him on the shoulder, according to the custom of the Moors, for he knew that his Lord was one of the noblest men in all Pagandom.
And then he embraced him in the name of the Soldan, and said, that if he were a Christian he would give him the kiss of peace; and he asked whether among those things there was aught which had belonged to the person of the Soldan, that if so he might kiss it in his honour, and in token that if he were there present, he would kiss him on the shoulder, according to the custom of the Moors, for he knew that his Lord was one of the noblest men in all Pagandom.
And the Cid accepted the horse, and gave consent to the Moor that he should kiss his hand.
And this, said the Almoxarife, I have many times witnessed, for when any messengers of the Moors come before him, they are so abashed that they know not where they are.
And the Moors also exhibited their sports and rejoicings, after such divers manners, that men knew not which to go to first.
After this the Cid abode in Valencia, and he laboured a full year in settling all the Castles of the Moors who were subject unto him in peace, and in settling the Moors of Valencia well with the Christians; and this he did so that their tribute was well paid from this time till his death.
And it came to pass one day, the Cid having risen from sleep and being in his Alcazar, there came before him an Alfaqui whom he had made Alcalde of the Moors; his name was Alfaraxi, and he it was who made the lamentation for Valencia, as is recorded in this history.
This Alfaqui had served the Cid well in his office of Alcalde over the Moors of Valencia: for he kept them in peace, and made them pay their tribute well, being a discreet man and of great prudence, so that for this and for his speech he might have been taken for a Christian; and for this reason the Cid loved him and put great trust in him.
And God showed me such favour, and gave me such understanding and so subtle, that I learnt all the learning of the Moors, and was one of the most honourable and best Alfaquis that ever was in Valencia till this time, and of the richest, as you know, Sir; and you in your bounty made me Alcalde, and gave me your authority over the Moors, of which peradventure I was not worthy.
And now, Sir, thinking in my heart concerning the law in which I have lived, I find that I have led a life of great error, and that all which Mahommed the great deceiver gave to the Moors for their law, is deceit: and therefore, Sir, I turn me to the faith of Jesus Christ, and will be a Christian and believe in the Catholic faith.
It is written in the history which Abenalfarax, the nephew of Gil Diaz, composed in Valencia, that for five years the Cid Ruydiez remained Lord thereof in peace, and in all that time he sought to do nothing but to serve God, and to keep the Moors quiet who were under his dominion; so that Moors and Christians dwelt together in such accord, that it seemed as if they had always been united; and they all loved and served the Cid with such good will that it was marvellous.
And when these five years were over tidings were spread far and near, which reached Valencia, that King Bucar the Miramamolin of Morocco, holding himself disgraced because the Cid Campeador had conquered him in the field of Quarto near unto Valencia, where he had slain or made prisoners all his people, and driven him into the sea, and made spoil of all the treasures which he had brought with him;...King Bucar calling these things to mind, had gone himself and stirred up the whole Paganism of Barbary, even as far as Montes Claros, to cross the sea again, and avenge himself if he could; and he had assembled so great a power that no man could devise their numbers.
And when he saw that the news came thicker and faster, and that it was altogether certain that King Bucar was coming over sea against him, he sent and bade all the Moors of Valencia assemble together in his presence, and when they were all assembled he said unto them, Good men of the Aljama, ye well know that from the day wherein I became Lord of Valencia, ye have always been protected and defended, and have past your time well and peaceably in your houses and heritages, none troubling you nor doing you wrong; neither have I who am your Lord ever done aught unto you that was against right.
And now true tidings are come to me that King Bucar of Morocco is arrived from beyond sea, with a mighty power of Moors, and that he is coming against me to take from me this city which I won with so great labour.
Now therefore, seeing it is so, I hold it good and command that ye quit the town, both ye and your sons and your women, and go into the suburb of Alcudia and the other suburbs, to dwell there with the other Moors, till we shall see the end of this business between me and King Bucar.
Then the Moors, albeit they were loth, obeyed his command; and when they were all gone out of the city, so that none remained, he held himself safer than he had done before.
Now after the Moors were all gone out of the city, it came to pass in the middle of the night that the Cid was lying in his bed, devising how he might withstand this coming of King Bucar, for Abenalfarax saith that when he was alone in his palace his thoughts were of nothing else.
And God hath shown such mercy to you and to me, that we have won many battles against Moors and Christians; those which were against Christians, God knows, were more through their fault than my will, for they strove to set themselves against the good fortune which God had given me, and to oppose his service, helping the enemies of the faith.
Now ye know for certain that King Bucar is coming against us, and they say that thirty and six Moorish Kings are coming with him; and since he bringeth so great a power of Moors, and I have to depart so soon, how can ye defend Valencia! But be ye certain, that by the mercy of God I shall counsel ye so, that ye shall conquer King Bucar in the field, and win great praise and honour from him, and Dona Ximena, and ye and all that ye have, go hence in safety; how ye are to do all this I will tell ye hereafter, before I depart.
On the twenty-ninth day, being the day before he departed, he called for Dona Ximena, and for the Bishop Don Hieronymo, and Don Alvar Fanez Minaya, and Pero Bermudez, and his trusty Gil Diaz; and when they were all five before him, he began to direct them what they should do after his death; and he said to them, Ye know that King Bucar will presently be here to besiege this city, with seven and thirty Kings whom he bringeth with him, and with a mighty power of Moors.
And you my Sister Dona Ximena, and your women, see that ye utter no cries, neither make any lamentation for me, that the Moors may not know of my death.
And when ye would set out for Castille, let all the people know in secret, that they make themselves ready, and take with them all that they have, so that none of the Moors in the suburb may know thereof; for certes ye cannot keep the city, neither abide therein after my death.
And when ye have won the fight, and the Moors are discomfited, ye may spoil the field at pleasure.
Three days after the Cid had departed King Bucar came into the port of Valencia, and landed with all his power, which was so great that there is not a man in the world who could give account of the Moors whom he brought.
And there came with him thirty and six Kings, and one Moorish Queen, who was a Negress, and she brought with her two hundred horsewomen, all Negresses like herself, all having their hair shorn save a tuft on the top, and this was in token that they came as if upon a pilgrimage, and to obtain the remission of their sins; and they were all armed in coats of mail and with Turkish bows.
King Bucar ordered his tents to be pitched round about Valencia, and Abenalfarax who wrote this history in Arabic, saith, that there were full fifteen thousand tents; and he bade that Moorish Negress with her archers to take their station near the city.
And on the morrow they began to attack the city, and they fought against it three days strenuously; and the Moors received great loss, for they came blindly up to the walls and were slain there.
Now Alvar Fanez Minaya had set the host in order, and while the Bishop Don Hieronymo and Gil Diaz led away the body of the Cid, and Dona Ximena, and the baggage, he fell upon the Moors.
First he attacked the tents of that Moorish Queen the Negress, who lay nearest to the city; and this onset was so sudden, that they killed full a hundred and fifty before they had time to take arms or go to horse.
But that Moorish Negress was so skilful in drawing the Turkish bow, that it was held for a marvel, and it is said that they called her in Arabic Nugueymat Turya, which is to say, the Star of the Archers.
And it seemed to them that there came against them on the part of the Christians full seventy thousand knights, all as white as snow: and before them a knight of great stature upon a white horse with a bloody cross, who bore in one hand a white banner, and in the other a sword which seemed to be of fire, and he made a great mortality among the Moors who were flying.
And King Bucar and the other Kings were so greatly dismayed that they never checked the reins till they had ridden into the sea; and the company of the Cid rode after them, smiting and slaying and giving them no respite; and they smote down so many that it was marvellous, for the Moors did not turn their heads to defend themselves.
Then Alvar Fanez and his people, when they had discomfited the Moors, spoiled the field, and the spoil thereof was so great that they could not carry it away.
And they loaded camels and horses with the noblest things which they found, and went after the Bishop Don Hieronymo and Gil Diaz, who, with the body of the Cid, and Dona Ximena, and the baggage, had gone on till they were clear of the host, and then waited for those who were gone against the Moors.
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.
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 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.
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.