CORREOS ESPANA in 1962 issued three first day cover stamps of El Cid: profile of him in armour, mounted on his horse and his treasure chest.
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar was a Spanish knight born in the year 1043, and he is the national hero of Spain. He is perhaps more widely known as “El Cid Campeador”, (El Cid, from Arabic meaning The Lord, or Master, and Campeador meaning The Champion, an honorable title rarely given to a man during his lifetime). He served as a mercenary for both Christian and Muslim kingdoms.
Once he became a knight, Rodrigo soon distinguished himself in such a manner that he was appointed to be the commander of the Castilian army under King Sancho II. Rodrigo proved himself in several battles in which the Castilian army was always victorious under his capable leadership, and it was during this time that he earned the title El Cid, as well as the honorific title of Campeador.
When El Cid was eventually exiled for a falling out with the succeeding king, he offered his services to the Muslim dynasty that ruled Zaragoza and with which he had first made contact in 1065. The king of Zaragoza, in northeastern Spain, al-Muʿtamin, welcomed the chance of having his vulnerable kingdom defended by so prestigious a Christian warrior. The Cid now loyally served al-Muʿtamin and his successor, al-Mustaʿīn II, for nearly a decade. As a result of his experience he gained that understanding of the complexities of Hispano-Arabic politics and of Islamic law and custom that would later help him to conquer and hold Valencia.
El Cid’s first step was to eliminate the influence of the counts of Barcelona in that area. This was done when Berenguer Ramón II was humiliatingly defeated at Tébar, near Teruel (May 1090). During the next years El Cid gradually tightened his control over Valencia and its ruler, al-Qādir, now his tributary. His moment of destiny came in October 1092 when the qāḍī (chief magistrate), Ibn Jaḥḥāf, with Almoravid political support rebelled and killed al-Qādir. El Cid responded by closely besieging the rebel city. The siege lasted for many months; an Almoravid attempt to break it failed miserably (December 1093). In May 1094 Ibn Jaḥḥāf at last surrendered, and El Cid finally entered Valencia as its conqueror. To facilitate his takeover he characteristically first made a pact with Ibn Jaḥḥāf that led the latter to believe that his acts of rebellion and regicide were forgiven; but when the pact had served its purpose, El Cid arrested the former qāḍī and ordered him to be burnt alive. El Cid now ruled Valencia directly, himself acting as chief magistrate of the Muslims as well as the Christians.
Soon after El Cid's death Valencia was besieged by the Almoravids, and Alfonso VI had to intervene in person to save it. But the king rightly judged the place indefensible unless he diverted there permanently large numbers of troops urgently needed to defend the Christian heartlands against the invaders. He evacuated the city and then ordered it to be burned. On May 5, 1102, the Almoravids occupied Valencia, which was to remain in Muslim hands until 1238.
Once he became a knight, Rodrigo soon distinguished himself in such a manner that he was appointed to be the commander of the Castilian army under King Sancho II. Rodrigo proved himself in several battles in which the Castilian army was always victorious under his capable leadership, and it was during this time that he earned the title El Cid, as well as the honorific title of Campeador.
When El Cid was eventually exiled for a falling out with the succeeding king, he offered his services to the Muslim dynasty that ruled Zaragoza and with which he had first made contact in 1065. The king of Zaragoza, in northeastern Spain, al-Muʿtamin, welcomed the chance of having his vulnerable kingdom defended by so prestigious a Christian warrior. The Cid now loyally served al-Muʿtamin and his successor, al-Mustaʿīn II, for nearly a decade. As a result of his experience he gained that understanding of the complexities of Hispano-Arabic politics and of Islamic law and custom that would later help him to conquer and hold Valencia.
El Cid’s first step was to eliminate the influence of the counts of Barcelona in that area. This was done when Berenguer Ramón II was humiliatingly defeated at Tébar, near Teruel (May 1090). During the next years El Cid gradually tightened his control over Valencia and its ruler, al-Qādir, now his tributary. His moment of destiny came in October 1092 when the qāḍī (chief magistrate), Ibn Jaḥḥāf, with Almoravid political support rebelled and killed al-Qādir. El Cid responded by closely besieging the rebel city. The siege lasted for many months; an Almoravid attempt to break it failed miserably (December 1093). In May 1094 Ibn Jaḥḥāf at last surrendered, and El Cid finally entered Valencia as its conqueror. To facilitate his takeover he characteristically first made a pact with Ibn Jaḥḥāf that led the latter to believe that his acts of rebellion and regicide were forgiven; but when the pact had served its purpose, El Cid arrested the former qāḍī and ordered him to be burnt alive. El Cid now ruled Valencia directly, himself acting as chief magistrate of the Muslims as well as the Christians.
Soon after El Cid's death Valencia was besieged by the Almoravids, and Alfonso VI had to intervene in person to save it. But the king rightly judged the place indefensible unless he diverted there permanently large numbers of troops urgently needed to defend the Christian heartlands against the invaders. He evacuated the city and then ordered it to be burned. On May 5, 1102, the Almoravids occupied Valencia, which was to remain in Muslim hands until 1238.
Source: Britannica
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