Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, known as El Cid Campeador, was a Castilian military man who came to dominate with his army the Levant of the Iberian Peninsula in the late eleventh century. He is a historical and legendary figure of the Reconquest (period in which the Christians conquered the peninsula from Arab rule).

Although he later became a national hero in favor of the unity of Spain, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar was placed throughout his life under the orders of different warlords, both Christian and Muslim. In reality, he fought for his own benefit, becoming what some authors define as a mercenary, a professional soldier who provides his services in exchange for pay, rather than a combatant who fights for ideals. His life, however, inspired the most important “cantar de gesta” (an epic poem) of Spanish literature: El Cantar de mío Cid (The Song of the Cid).

The most famous legend of the Cid is the one in which he won a battle after he died. This myth takes place in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula when King Bucar of Morocco tried to reclaim Valencia. El Cid left Valencia on the back of his faithful horse Babieca and with his sword Tizona in his hand, alongside his loyal companions and his wife Jimena. They left the city at midnight with the idea of a surprise attack on the Arab troops. The attack was a success, and neither King Bucar nor his soldiers realized the rigidity of the Cid, who at no time wielded his sword. His mere presence with a sword that, according to them, was of fire, terrified them. How could they know that the Cid had been dead for two days!

A few days before, St. Peter had appeared to the Cid in his room. At first, the Cid did not recognize him, but the Saint had a message for him: “You must leave this world and go to the life that has no end, in thirty days”. The Cid was worried because a Saint had appeared to him and told him that he was going to die in a few days, and just when he had to fight against King Bucar to recover the city of Valencia. But St. Peter assured him that being dead he would win the battle with the help of the apostle Santiago.

 

Shortly after the Cid fell hopelessly ill and little could be done for him. Before dying, he ordered his men that his body be anointed, embalmed, and taken to Castile on the back of his horse Babieca, that is, once they had defeated King Bucar. His body was prepared in such a way that no man or woman in the world did not think that he was alive. King Alfonso himself was amazed when he saw his corpse when he buried him.

This is how the myth of the Cid is told, but the circumstances of his death were very different. Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar died of natural causes since he was not in very good health despite being just over 50 years old. The famous warrior died in peace and Valencia in those years was not subject to any offensive or attack.

Sources:

Arrizabalaga Mónica. (2018). La Batalla que el Cid gano muerto. In España: La Historia Imaginada: De Los Antiguos Mitos a Las Leyendas contemporáneas (pp. 47–52), Espasa.