Cid, << sihd, >> The (1043?-1099), also called El Cid, is one of Spain’s national heroes. His real name was Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar. The Cid comes from the Arabic El Sayyid, meaning the lord. The Cid served in the armies of Sancho II and Alfonso VI of Castile. Alfonso banished The Cid in 1081 after The Cid was unjustly accused of disloyalty. The Cid then gathered a small army and fought for anyone who hired him. He was successful in war and gained great power and wealth. In 1094, he conquered Valencia from the Moors, who had controlled much of Spain since the 700’s.
The Cid’s story became a legend in Poem of the Cid, written in the 1100’s or early 1200’s, and in many later ballads. His story inspired a drama by the French playwright Pierre Corneille. The Cid was born near Burgos and is buried there. He died on July 10,1099.
