© Mark Wade
| Map of Burgos Area © Mark Wade |
The small castle and town controlled the medieval bridge that crosses the Duero here. It was part of the frontier fortifications that changed hands repeatedly between Christian and Moor in the tenth and eleventh centuries.
The town was colonized by Gonzalo Fernandez in 912, attacked by Abderrahman III in the 917 and falling to him and the Moors in 920. In the 955 Fernan Gonzalez again captured it for the Christians, only for it to fall to Alhaquem II in 963. It finally passed to the Christians again when Soleyman ceded it to Sancho Garcia in 1011 as a reward for Sancho's assistance in the war against the Caliph of Cordoba. The narrow castle is built along the crest of the steep hill over the town. It is of primarily of Moorish construction with later Christian renovations. The town attained importance after the Cid's death, with Alfonso VIII holding the first Cortes of Castile and Europe here in 1187. Dating from the Cid's time is the church of San Miguel, built in 1081, with an arcade of seven arches. The bridge on the Duero is of medieval origin, renovated in 1526 and 1717. That the town dates back to Roman times is attested by numerous funerary inscriptions found around the town. Latitude: 41.57561. Longitude: -3.20071.
And he came up with them between Atienza and San Estevan de Gormaz, as they were carrying away a great booty in captives and in flocks, and there he had a brave battle with them in the field; and in fine Rodrigo conquered, smiting and slaying, and the pursuit lasted for seven leagues, and he recovered all the spoil, which was so great that two hundred horses were the fifth, for the whole spoil was worth a hundred times a thousand maravedis.
And the Cid followed them to Atienza, and to Ciguenza, and Fita, and Guadalajara, and through the whole land of St. Esteban, as far as Toledo, slaying and burning, and plundering and destroying, and laying hands on all whom he found, so that he brought back seven thousand prisoners, men and women; and he and all his people returned rich and with great honour.
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.
And Felez Munoz went his way towards Valencia; and when he came to Santesteban he spake with Diego Tellez, who had been of the company of Alvar Fanez, and told him of what had befallen.
He, so soon as he heard this great villainy, took beasts and seemly raiment, and went for those dames, and brought them from the house of that good man to Santesteban, and did them all honour that he could.
They of Santesteban were always gentlemen; and they comforted the daughters of the Cid, and there they were healed of their hurts.
So he told them the name of the good man with whom he had left the dames, and the place where he dwelt, and also how he had spoken with Diego Tellez at Santesteban, and then they parted.
When it was known at Santesteban that Minaya was coming for his kinswomen, the men of that town welcomed him and his company, and they brought him in payment the efurcion, that is to say, the supper-money, and it was full great.
But Minaya would not accept it at their hands, and he thanked them, and said, Thanks, men of Santesteban, for what ye have done, and my Cid the Campeador will thank ye, as I do, and God will give ye your guerdon.
That night they rested at Santesteban, and on the morrow they set forward and took the road towards Atienza, and the men of Santesteban escorted them as far as the river Damor, to do them pleasure.
Then they moved on from Osma, and came to Santesteban de Gormaz.
And when they were within half a league of Santesteban, the company of the Cid went out to meet them, as they had the Infante of Aragon; and they made no other lamentation, save that they wept with Dona Elvira; and when she came up to the body of her father she kissed his hand, and the hand of Dona Ximena her mother.
And they moved on from Santesteban, towards San Pedro de Cardena.