ubmitted to the Christian
yoke. The kings of Aragon and Navarre, and the Count of Barcelona,
incessantly harassed and besieged the petty Mussulman princes who still
remained in the north of Spain. The attacks of the kings of Castile
and Leon afforded sufficient occupation for those of the south,
effectually to prevent their rendering any assistance to their
brethren. Above all, the Cid, the famous Cid, flew from one part of
Spain to another, at the head of the invincible band with whom his fame
had surrounded him, everywhere achieving victories for the Christians,
and even lending the aid of his arms to the Moors when they were
internally divided, but always securing success to the party he
favoured.

This hero, one of the most truly admirable of those whom history has
celebrated, since in his {90} character were united the most exalted
virtue and the highest qualities of the soldier; this simple Castilian
cavalier, upon whom his reputation alone bestowed the control of
armies, became master of several cities, assisted the King of Aragon to
seize upon Huesca, and conquered the kingdom of Valencia without any
other assistance than that of his men-at-arms. Equal in power with his
sovereign, of whose treatment he frequently had reason to complain, and
envied and persecuted by the jealous courtiers, the Cid never forgot
for a moment that he was the subject of the King of Castile. Banished
from court, and even exiled from his estates, he hastened, with his
brave companions, to attack and conquer the Moors, and to send those of
them whom he vanquished to render homage to the king who had deprived
him of his rights.

Being soon recalled to the presence of Alphonso, in consequence of the
king's needing his military aid, the Cid left the scenes of his martial
triumphs, and, without demanding reparation for the injuries he had
sustained, returned to defend his persecutors; ever ready, while in
disgrace, to forget everything in the performance of his duty to his
king, and equally ready, when enjoying {91} the favour of the
sovereign, to displease him, if it should be necessary to do so, by
advocating the cause of truth and justice.[2]

While the prowess of the Cid maintained the contest, the Christians had
the advantage; but a few years after his death, which occurred in the
year 1099 and the 492d of the Hegira, the Moors of Andalusia changed
masters, and became, for a time, more formidable than ever to their
Spanish foes