Cantar de Mio Cid

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (ca. 1043–1099), better known as El Cid, is the greatest hero in the history of medieval Spain. He rose in the service of the kings of Castile, founded his own mercenary troop after his ignoble banishment, fought against the Almoravid dynasty, and finally became the ruler of Valencia. Numerous legends and tales have wrapped themselves around the person of El Cid, he is considered to be a Spanish national hero and is the main character of numerous novels and films. The son of a minor nobleman from Castile, he was closely befriended with the late King Sancho II (1036/38–1072), with whom he was raised at the court of King Ferdinand the Great (ca. 1015–1065). Already in his youth, he gained fame as a warrior and was named “First Knight of Castile”.

A Real Hero of Legendary Proportions

The nickname El Cid is from Arabic and means “the lord” or “sir”. The Cantar de Mio Cid, or “Song of My Cid” was composed sometime in the mid–12th century, but the identity of its author remains unknown. The only surviving manuscript of the work was made in 1207 by a certain Per Abbat (Abbot Peter) and later incorporated into a 14th century manuscript. It is the first important literary monument of the Castilian language, one of the highpoints of the medieval epic, and a fundamental work of Spanish literary culture. The work may have originally been recited in public until someone wrote it down. First and foremost the story of an archetypal epic hero who recovers his honor through his prowess as a warrior. It is modelled on the French Song of Roland, elevating this historical hero to the mythic status of the German Siegfried, the Greek Achilles, or the Roman Aeneas.