ghtily
withdrew, and, when Alfonso came down into Valencia, demanding that
the cities which had hitherto paid tribute to his subject should now
do so to him, the Cid retaliated by invading Alfonso's realm. None of
the courtiers daring to oppose him, Alfonso had cause bitterly to
repent of what he had done, and humbly assured his powerful subject he
would never molest him again. Ever ready to forgive an ungrateful
master, the Cid withdrew, and for a time king and subject lived in
peace.

Although the Cid had permitted the Moors to remain in the cities he
had conquered, they proved rather restive under the Christian yoke,
and guided by Abeniaf finally told the Moors in Northern Africa that
if they would only cross the sea they would deliver Valencia into
their hands. But this conspiracy soon became known to the Moors who
favored the Cid, and they immediately notified him, holding their
town which was in dire peril for twelve days.

To keep his promise, Abeniaf finally hauled some of the Moors up over
the walls by means of ropes, and the presence of these foes in their
midst compelled the Moors who favored the Cid to leave the city in
disguise, thus allowing Abeniaf and his allies to plunder right and
left and even to murder the Moorish king. This done, Abeniaf himself
assumed the regal authority, and began to govern the city in such an
arbitrary way that he soon managed to offend even his own friends.

Meantime the Moors who had fled rejoined the Cid, and, when they
reported what had occurred, Rodrigo wrote to Abeniaf, reproaching him
for his treachery and demanding the surrender of the property he had
left in town. Because Abeniaf replied that his allies had taken
possession of it, the Cid termed him a traitor and swore he would
secure revenge. Thereupon our hero set out with an army, and, finding
himself unable to take the city by assault, began to besiege it,
pulling down the houses in the suburbs to secure necessary materials
to construct his camp. Then he began a systematic attack on the city,
mastering one of its defences after another, and carrying on the siege
with such vigor that he thereby won additional glory. All the Moorish
captives taken were sent out through his lines into the open country,
where they were invited to pursue their agricultural avocations, and
assured protection, provided they would pay tribute of one-tenth of
the produce of their lands.

Meantime the people in the besieged city suffered