Castilian Legends: Four Epic Tales
Summary of the Destruction of Spain
The Fall of Rodrigo
In a palace tower, Cava Florinda and her maidservant enjoyed a beautiful garden. By a fountain, Cava disrobed. Unseen, King Rodrigo watched, fell in love, and raped her. He then professed his love and proposed marriage, but Cava, believing it a lie, begged him to stop. Rodrigo, refusing, forced himself upon her. Cava’s father, Julian, in Ceuta, received a letter detailing the outrage. His message to Rodrigo: any wrongdoing would be avenged upon Spain. Later, a servant informed Rodrigo that Count Julian was attacking. Rodrigo, defeated, fled. He found a shepherd and, seeking solace, went to a nearby hermitage where he confessed and died peacefully.
Bernardo del Carpio
A Son’s Vendetta
King Alfonso of León’s sister, Jimena, bore Bernardo del Carpio to Count Saldaña. The king imprisoned and killed the count. Bernardo, raised in court, eventually learned the truth and pleaded with the king for justice. Enraged, Alfonso banished Bernardo. Years later, the king, invaded by Moors, finally granted Bernardo’s request, but only after Bernardo had already received letters ordering him to court to face charges of treason. The king accused Bernardo of being a traitor like his father, but Bernardo denied the charges. Alfonso, attempting to appease him, offered him the castle of Carpio. Bernardo, however, demanded the release of his father’s remains. It was too late; his father was dead. Bernardo, with his mother’s blessing, led his knights to battle the Moors and French at Zaragoza. Despite fierce fighting, the Moors’ numbers overwhelmed them, and the French fled. Roldan, however, fought valiantly alongside Bernardo.
The Seven Infants of Lara
A Family’s Tragedy
Rodrigo de Lara, victorious against the Moors, arranged his marriage to Doña Lambra. The wedding was attended by many, including the seven Infantes de Lara and their mother, Doña Sancha. Doña Lambra’s infidelity was discovered and reported to the Infantes. They, in turn, told Don Rodrigo, who plotted revenge. The Infantes, while crossing the River Canicosa, encountered Moors who attacked them. Alicante, a Moor, spared their lives and cared for them. Rodrigo, however, later had the Infantes killed. Gonzalo, the father of the Infantes’ mother, had a son, Mudarra, who avenged their deaths by killing Rodrigo in a duel.
El Cid, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar
The Exile and Rise of a Hero
Banished by King Alfonso VI, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (El Cid) bid farewell to his family. He gathered men and fought the Moors, gaining wealth and territory. He conquered Valencia and offered it to the king, requesting his family’s return. The king agreed and arranged his daughters’ marriages to the heirs of Carrión. The heirs of Carrión, however, proved cowardly and abused El Cid’s daughters. El Cid, with the king’s support, secured justice. In a trial by combat, El Cid’s warriors defeated the heirs of Carrión, and El Cid’s daughters later married princes of Navarre and Aragon.