| Zamora |
City which had lain desolate since destroyed by Almanzor, repopulated by the King of Leon.
Ancient Occloduri (Ocellus-Duri. "Eye of the Duero"), a crossroads city where three Roman roads met linking Merida, Astorga, and Saragossa. Zamora remained Christian until 981, when it was besieged by a lieutenant of Alamanzor, Abdalla-ben-Abdallasis, and finally taken by Alamanzor himself. The city was completely destroyed, and only repopulated in 999 with Muslims. Ferdinand reconquered it in 1062, and set about repopulating it with Christians. The Infanta Dona Urraca received Zamora after his death. Alfonso later agreed to make Jerenimo, the Bishop of Valencia, Bishop of Zamora as well, but this lasted only so long as the Cid lived. Thereafter Pope Calixtus II re-established the see of Zamora, creating a line of bishops that continues today. Latitude: 41.52. Longitude: -5.75.
Now the men of Leon besought the King that he would repeople Zamora, which had lain desolate since it was destroyed by Almanzor.
To Don Alfonso he gave the kingdom of Leon, and in Asturias as far as the river Deva, which runs by Oviedo, and part of Campos as far as Carrion and the river Pisuerga, with the border, which contained the dioceses of Zamora, Salamanca, and Ciudad Rodrigo, and the city of Astorga, and other lands in Galicia, with the town of Zebreros.
And to Dona Urraca he gave the city of Zamora with all its dependencies, and with half the Infantazgo; and the other half, with the city of Toro and its dependencies, to Dona Elvira.
And when the Infanta Dona Urraca, and the men of Zamora, saw that he had quiet possession of both his brothers' kingdoms, they feared that he would come against them and disherit his sister also.
And he went against Toro, the city of Dona Elvira, and took it; and then he went to Zamora to Dona Urraca, bidding her yield him up the city, and saying that he would give her lands as much as she required in the plain country.
And the day in which they left Burgos they took up their lodging at Fromesta; and the next day they came to Carrion, but the King would not lodge there, and he went on to Sahagun, where the army awaited him, and took up his lodging without the town; and on the following morning he bade the host advance, and they made such speed that in three days they arrived before Zamora, and pitched their tents upon the banks of the Douro; and he ordered proclamation to be made throughout the host that no harm should be done until he had commanded it.
Now therefore I beseech you as my friend and true vassal, that you go to Zamora to my sister Dona Urraca, and say unto her again, that I beseech her to give me the town either for a price, or in exchange, and I will give to her Medina de Rio-seco, with the whole Infantazgo, from Villalpando to Valladolid, and Tiedra also, which is a good Castle; and I will swear unto her, with twelve knights of my vassals, never to break this covenant between us; but if she refuseth to do this I will take away the town from her by force.
And my Cid kissed the hand of the King and said unto him, This bidding, Sir, should be for other messenger, for it is a heavy thing for me to deliver it; for I was brought up in Zamora by your father's command, in the house of Don Arias Gonzalo, with Dona Urraca and with his sons, and it is not fitting that I should be the bearer of such bidding.
And he took with him fifteen of his knights and rode towards Zamora, and when he drew nigh he called unto those who kept guard in the towers not to shoot their arrows at him, for he was Ruydiez of Bivar, who came to Dona Urraca with the bidding of her brother King Don Sancho.
And Dona Urraca said unto him, Cid, you well know that you were brought up with me here in Zamora, in the house of Don Arias Gonzalo, and when my father was at the point of death he charged you that you should always counsel his sons the best you could.
Then said my Cid, The King your brother sends to greet you, and beseeches you to give him this town of Zamora, either for a price or in exchange; and he Will give to you Medina de Rio-seco, with the whole Infantazgo, from Villalpando to Valladolid, and the good castle of Tiedra, and he will swear unto you, with twelve knights his vassals, never to do you hurt or harm; but if you will not give him the town, he will take it against your Will.
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.
Now then, Lady, give order that all the men of Zamora assemble in St. Salvador's and know of them whether they will hold with you, seeing that your father gave them to you to be your vassals.
And she did as her foster-father had advised, and it was proclaimed through the streets that the men of Zamora should meet in council at St. Salvador's.
He hath sent to bid me give him Zamora, either for a price or in exchange.
And we beseech you give not up Zamora, neither for price nor for exchange, for he who besieges you upon the rock would soon drive you from the plain.
The council of Zamora will do your bidding, and will not desert you neither for trouble nor for danger which may befall them, even unto death.
Sooner, Lady, will we expend all our possessions, and eat our mules and horses, yea sooner feed upon our children and our wives, than give up Zamora, unless by your command.
When the Infanta Dona Urraca heard this she was well pleased, and praised them greatly; and she turned to the Cid and said unto him, You were bred up with me in this town of Zamora, where Don Arias Gonzalo fostered you by command of the King my father, and through your help it was that the King my father gave it unto me to be my inheritance.
I beseech you help me now against my brother, and intreat him that he will not seek to disherit me; but if he will go on with what he hath begun, say to him that I will rather die with the men of Zamora, and they with me, than give him up the town, either for price or exchange.
Howbeit, O King, I will not bear arms against the Infanta your sister, nor against Zamora, because of the days which are passed;-and I beseech you do not persist in doing this wrong.
And when they came to the army great was the joy because of the Cid's return, and great were the rejoicings which were made: but as great was the sorrow in Zamora, for they who were in the town held that the siege was broken up by his departure.
Nevertheless my Cid would not bear arms against the Infanta, nor against the town of Zamora, because of the days which were past.
And when Don Arias Gonzalo saw the misery, and the hunger, and the mortality which were there, he said to the Infanta Dona Urraca, You see, Lady, the great wretchedness which the people of Zamora have suffered, and do every day suffer to maintain their loyalty; now then call together the Council, and thank them truly for what they have done for you, and bid them give up the town within nine days to the King your brother.
And we, Lady, will go to Toledo to your brother King Don Alfonso, for we cannot defend Zamora; King Don Sancho is of so great heart and so resolute, that he will never break up the siege, and I do not hold it good that you should abide here longer.
And Dona Urraca gave orders that the good men of Zamora should meet together in Council; and she said unto them, Friends, ye well see the resoluteness of King Don Sancho my brother; and already have ye suffered much evil and much wretchedness for doing right and loyally, losing kinsmen and friends in my service.
The men of Zamora when they heard this had great sorrow, because they had endured the siege so long, and must now give up the town at last; and they determined all to go with the Infanta, and not remain in the town.
When Vellido Dolfos heard this, he went to Dona Urraca and said, Lady, I came here to Zamora to do you service with thirty knights, all well accoutred, as you know; and I have served you long time, and never have I had from you guerdon for my service, though I have demanded it: but now if you will grant my demand I will relieve Zamora, and make King Don Sancho break up the siege.
I do not bid the commit any evil thing, if such thou hast in thy thought; but I say unto you, that there is not a man in the world to whom if he should relieve Zamora, and make the King my brother raise the siege, I would not grant whatsoever he might require.
Then went he to his lodging, and armed himself, and mounted his horse, and rode to the house of Don Arias Gonzalo, and cried with a loud voice, We all know the reason, Don Arias Gonzalo, why you will not let Dona Urraca exchange Zamora with her brother; it is because you deal with her as a harlot, like an old traitor.
And Vellido went to the King and kissed his hand, and said unto him these false words with a lying tongue: Sir, because I said to the Council of Zamora that they should yield the town unto you, the sons of Arias Gonzalo would have slain me, even as you have seen.
And I will show you how in a few days you may have Zamora, if God pleases; and if I do not as I have said, then let me be slain.
And all that night they talked together of his secrets, and he made the King believe that he knew a postern by means of which he would put Zamora into his hands.
I say unto you, that from this town of Zamora there is gone forth a traitor to kill you; his name is Vellido Dolfos; he is the son of Adolfo, who slew Don Nuno like a traitor, and the grandson of Laino, another traitor, who killed his gossip and threw him into the river; and this is as great a traitor as the rest of his race; look to yourself therefore and take heed of him.
And the men of Zamora sent also to the King to bid him beware of Vellido, and the King took their warning in good part, and sent to say unto them, that when he had the town he would deal bountifully with them, for this which they had done; nevertheless he gave no heed to the warning.
But the King took him by the hand and said, Friend and vassal, take no thought for this; I say unto you, that if I may have Zamora, I will make you chief therein, even as Arias Gonzalo is now.
After this Vellido took the King apart and said to him, If it please you, Sir, let us ride together alone; we will go round Zamora, and see the trenches which you have ordered to be made; and I will show unto you the postern which is called the Queen's, by which we may enter the town, for it is never closed.
When it is night you shall give me a hundred knights who are hidalgos, well armed, and we will go on foot, and the Zamorans because they are weak with famine and misery, will let us conquer them, and we will enter and open the gate, and keep it open till all your host shall have entered in; and thus shall we win the town of Zamora.
And when Don Arias Gonzalo knew this, he went unto the Infanta and said, Lady, I beseech you that you give up this traitor to the Castillians, otherwise be sure that it will be to your own harm; for the Castillians will impeach all who are in Zamora, and that will be greater dishonour for you and for us.
Now when the King was dead, the townsmen who were in the camp forsook their tents and fled, and much did they lose in their flight; but the noble Castillians, thinking rather of what they were bound to do as men who had always preserved their loyalty, like their ancestors before them, would not depart from Zamora, nor break up the siege thereof, but remained bravely before it, though they had lost their Lord.
And they summoned all the Bishops, and took the body of the King and sent it full honourably to the Monastery of Ona, and buried him there as beseemed a King: and while one part of the chief men of the host accompanied the body, the rest remained in the camp before Zamora.
And when the prelates and good men had returned to the army, they took counsel together how they should proceed against the men of Zamora for this great treason which had been committed.
Then Count Don Garcia de Cabra arose and said, Friends, ye see that we have lost our Lord the King Don Sancho; the traitor, Vellido, being his vassal, slew him, and they of Zamora have received and harboured him within their walls; and therefore as we think, and as has been said unto us, he did this treason by their counsel.
Then Don Diego Ordonez arose, the son of Count Don Ordono, a man of royal lineage and great hardihood; and he said unto them, If ye will all assent to this which ye have heard, I will impeach the men of Zamora, for the death of the King our Lord: and they all assented, promising to fulfil what had been said.
Now my Cid did not make this impeachment against the people of Zamora, because of the oath which he had sworn.
When Don Diego Ordonez went to his lodging and armed himself well, and armed his horse also, and mounted and rode towards Zamora.
And Don Arias Gonzalo went with his sons upon the wall to see who called for him, and he spake to the knight, saying, Friend, what wouldest thou? And Don Diego Ordonez answered, The Castillians have lost their Lord; the traitor Vellido slew him, being his vassal, and ye of Zamora have received Vellido and harboured him within your walls.
And for this I impeach the people of Zamora, the great as well as the little, the living and the dead, they who now are and they who are yet unborn; and I impeach the waters which they drink and the garments which they put on; their bread and their wine, and the very stones in their walls.
If there be any one in Zamora to gainsay what I have said, I will do battle with him, and with God's pleasure conquer him, so that the infamy shall remain upon you.
When Don Diego heard this it troubled him; howbeit he dissembled this right well, and said unto Don Arias Gonzalo, I will bring twelve Castillians, and do you bring twelve men of Zamora, and they shall swear upon the Holy Gospel to judge justly between us, and if they find that I am bound to do battle with five, I will perform it.
And the four and twenty alcades accorded concerning what was the law in this case; and two of them who were held the most learned in these things arose, the one being a Castillian and the other of Zamora, and said that they had found the law as it was written to be this: That whosoever impeacheth the Council of a town which was a bishop's seat, must do battle with five in the field, one after another; and that after every combat there should be given unto him fresh arms and horse, and three sops of bread, and a draught either of wine or of water, as he chose.
And when all was appointed as ye have heard, Don Arias returned to Zamora, and told the Infanta Dona Urraca all that had been done, and she ordered a meeting to be called, at which all the men of the town assembled.
And Don Arias armed him compleatly with his own hands, and instructed him how to demean himself, and gave him his blessing with his right hand, and said unto him, that in such a point he went to save the people of Zamora, as when our Lord Jesus Christ came through the Virgin Mary, to save the people of this world, who were lost by our father Adam.
And Don Arias said unto him, Son, go now and do battle with Diego Ordonez, to save Dona Urraca your Lady, and yourself, and the Council of Zamora; and if you do this, in happy hour were you born.
Then Don Diego Ordonez would have returned into the field to do battle with the other two, but the judges would not permit this, neither did they think good to decide whether they of Zamora were overcome in this third duel or not.
Nevertheless, though no sentence was given, there remained no infamy upon the people of Zamora.
As soon as King Don Alfonso arrived at Zamora, he pitched his tents in the field of Santiago, and took counsel with his sister.
And when the Leonese and the Gallegos knew that their Lord King Don Alfonso was come, they were full joyful, and they came to Zamora and received him for their Lord and King.