© Mark Wade
| Cid's Spain © Mark Wade |
The greatest pilgrimage site in Spain, the location of the relics of the Apostle Santiago (Saint James), patron saint of the Spanish reconquest.
The Spanish believed that the apostle James the Greater, came to Roman Hispania to convert it to Christianity. He returned to Palestine, later to be martyred by Herod. His disciples brought his body and buried it in Spain, but its location was lost to memory after the Moorish invasion. In the early ninth century a star showed some shepherds the location of the tomb. In 844, during a fight between Don Ramiro and some Moors near Logrono, a knight in armor appeared and beat off the Muslims, and Ramiro recongnized him to be Saint James, thereafter known as Matemore, Slayer of the Moors. His church became the major pilgrimage site in Europe during the middle ages. Today, of the immense cathedral, only the Romanesque Old Cathedral, beneath the steps leading to the immense baroque Obradoiro Facade, would have been familiar to the Cid. Latitude: 42.88. Longitude: -8.54.
Well pleased was Rodrigo when he heard this, and he accorded to all that the King had said that he should do battle for him upon that cause; but till the day arrived he must needs, he said, go to Compostella, because he had vowed a pilgrimage; and the King was content therewith, and gave him great gifts.
When the King saw this as it was, he was astonished at their great falsehood, and he issued his letters in which he ordered them to leave his dominions; then he went to Santiago on a pilgrimage, and ordered Rodrigo to cast these Counts out of the land; and Rodrigo did as the King commanded him.
In the meantime the King made a pilgrimage to Santiago, as Rodrigo had exhorted him to do; and he remained there three days and nights in prayer, offering great gifts, and taking upon himself great devotion, that it might please God to fulfil his desire.
Now it came to pass that while the King lay before Coimbra, there came a pilgrim from the land of Greece on pilgrimage to Santiago; his name was Estiano, and he was a Bishop.
And the Bishop when he awoke in the morning called together the clergy and people of Compostella, and told them what he had seen and heard.
And the King departed and went to Compostella to return thanks to Santiago.
And the King departed and went to Compostella to return thanks to Santiago.
This was the battle whereof the Black Book of Santiago speaketh, saying, that in this year, on the day of the Conversion of St. Paul, was the great slaughter of the Christians in Porca.
King Don Alfonso made no delay, but sent out his letters through Leon and Santiago, to the Portugueze and the Galicians, and they of Carrion, and the Castillians, that he would hold a Cortes in Toledo at the end of seven weeks, and that they who did not appear should no longer be accounted his vassals.