El Cid ’The Lord’ – Medieval Castilian Leader Known For His Courage And Extraordinary Military Skills

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - During Rodrigo Díaz's lifetime, many powerful lords, commanders, and chiefs wielded influence in Spain and beyond. He was not singular in his role, but rather representative of a larger group. Who were these eleventh-century leaders?

Yet while there were many prominent figures, only one became the national hero of Spain (and especially Castile): El Cid, the crusading warrior who led campaigns.

Marcos Giráldez de Acosta painting (1864) depicting the "Santa Gadea Oath." In the middle of the scene, Alfonso VI (with red cape) is swearing with his right hand on the Bible that he did not take part in the murder of his brother Sancho II, while El Cid stands as a witness in front of him. Image credit: Marcos Hiráldez Acosta  - Public Domain 

He didn't come from a wealthy or powerful family. His real name was Rodrigo Díaz, Count of Bivar. Later, he became known as El Cid from the Spanish Arabic as-sid, meaning 'The Lord.' He was also known as El Campeador – 'The Champion' in Spain.

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See also:

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