.

Then the Cid aided Ferdinand in defeating the hostile Moors in
Estremadura, after a siege of Coimbra lasting seven months. Several
other victories over his country's enemies were added to this, and then
Rodrigo returned to his beloved wife.

But not for long was he permitted to remain in the quiet of home. Henry
III, Emperor of Germany, complained to the Pope that King Ferdinand had
refused to acknowledge his superiority. The Pope sent a message to
Ferdinand, demanding homage and tribute. The demand angered both
Ferdinand and the Cid.

"Never yet have we done homage," cried the Cid, "and shall we now bow to
a stranger?"

A proud refusal was then sent to the Pope, and he, knowing of no better
way to settle the dispute, bade Henry send a champion to meet Rodrigo.
The emperor's champion was, of course, defeated, and all of Ferdinand's
enemies were so awed by the outcome of the fight that none ever again
demanded homage or tribute. Rodrigo was, indeed, a very useful subject.
When Ferdinand died, he was succeeded by his son, Don Sancho. The
latter, planning a visit to Rome, selected the Cid to accompany him.
Arriving, they found that in the preparations that had been made for
their reception a lower seat had been prepared for Don Sancho than for
the King of France. The Cid would not suffer such a slight, and became
so violent that the Pope excommunicated him. Nevertheless, the seats
were made of equal height, and the Cid, who was a good Catholic, humbled
himself before the Pope and was forgiven.

It was an age of great wars, and the Cid aided his king in many a brave
fight. At last, in the siege of Zamora, the king was treacherously
murdered, and, as he had no sons, Don Alfonso, his brother, succeeded.
When he arrived at Zamora the Cid refused to acknowledge Alfonso until
he should swear that he had no part in the murder. The king, angered by
the Cid's attitude, plotted revenge. Opportunity came during a war with
the Moors, and the Cid was banished upon a slight pretext.

"I obey, O king," replied the Cid, when he heard the decree. "I am more
ready to serve you than you are to reward me. I pray that you may never
more in battle need the right arm and sword that so often served your
father."

Then the Cid rode away, through a crowd of weeping people, and camped
outside of the city until he could make definite plans. The people
longed to bring him food or offer him shelter, but they feared the
displeasure of the ki