El Cid

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar was an 11th-century Castilian military leader who served Christian and Muslim rulers and ruled Valencia from 1094 until his death.

Kingdom of Castile: A medieval Iberian kingdom that emerged from the county of Castile and later formed part of Spain. Díaz de Vivar was born into Castilian society and served its kings.
Mercenary: A combatant who serves for payment rather than as a permanent member of a state’s armed forces. Díaz de Vivar’s paid service to Muslim rulers complicates simple accounts of religious warfare.
Battle of Cabra: A 1079 battle in which Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar defeated forces associated with the Granada taifa. The victory made his military reputation prominent before his exile.
Cid (title): A medieval Spanish honorific derived from an Arabic word meaning lord or master. The title by which Rodrigo Díaz became famous reflects cultural contact across Iberia.
Sancho II of Castile: King of Castile from 1065 until his assassination in 1072. Díaz de Vivar served Sancho II during the wars among the sons of Ferdinand I.
Parias: Tributes paid by some taifa rulers to Christian kings in medieval Iberia. These payments shaped the alliances and rivalries in which he operated.
Battle of Sagrajas: A 1086 battle in which Almoravid forces defeated Alfonso VI’s army near Badajoz. Its aftermath altered the political conditions surrounding Díaz de Vivar’s return to Iberian warfare.
Moor: A historical European term for Muslim peoples of North Africa and Iberia, used with varying meanings. The Cid’s alliances with Muslim rulers challenge later depictions of an uncomplicated Christian-Muslim divide.
Alfonso VI of León and Castile: King of León and Castile whose reign included the conquest of Toledo in 1085. His changing relationship with Alfonso VI shaped Díaz de Vivar’s exile and later career.
Siege of Valencia: The prolonged campaign by which Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar captured Valencia in 1094. The city’s conquest established the territorial base of his independent rule.

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CastileRelated: His career and later legend became closely tied to Castilian identity.