El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary
By Nora Berend
Pegasus Books
ISBN: 978-1-63936-646-0
The original Rodrigo Diaz was a mercenary who fought for Christian and Muslim rulers, and for himself. This book tracks how, over the centuries, this figure becomes El Cid, the Christian and Spanish hero.
Excerpt:
How could a medieval mercenary become a hero for all seasons? Celebrated or condemned for his brutal actions in his life, he was acknowledged as a very successful warrior leader, who could reward his followers with booty. Perhaps, had he not died without a male heir, his incipient principality of Valencia even would have become a kingdom. His military achievements were certainly remarkable, yet they do not explain his many transformations in legend. How could a man fighting indiscriminately against Muslims and Christians be depicted as a Christian saviour sent by God within his own lifetime? And how could he, whose insubordination to royal commands in life led to a complete break with the king, be posthumously transformed not merely into a devout Christian motivated by his religious beliefs, but also a steadfast vassal who fought for his lord the king?
In the thirteenth century, an epic poem was written about his deeds, and the Cid of the poem was a superhero: never defeated in battle, he accomplished stupendous feats, yet remained loyal to his king despite having been unjustly exiled. Later in the same century, he became a quasi-saint thanks to the imagination of the monks of San Pedro de Cardeña: his dead body led the troops to victory over the Muslims, helped by a heavenly host, and his uncorrupted body even produced a miracle. Why would medieval monks venerate a brutal warrior?
Who is this book for?
El Cid is a popular and intriguing topic, and this book should find a large audience. It will be particularly interesting to those studying literature and medievalism, as it follows the course of how Rodrigo Diaz becomes a fictionalized character and the images of him presented of him over time.
“An enthralling study. Berend aims to dismantle various ahistorical distortions and idealizations. Rodrigo, as she calls him throughout, was an easily customizable hero. For the most part, the real Cid was nothing like the saintly crusader and loyal vassal played by Charlton Heston in the 1961 film El Cid. Exceptionally fascinating. Being a careful, evidence-based work of scholarship, El Cid demonstrates again and again how insidiously political and religious institutions distort history for their own ends.” – review by Michael Dirda in The Washington Post
The Author
Nora Berend is Professor of European History at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on the use of medieval themes in modern nationalism.
El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary
By Nora Berend
Pegasus Books
ISBN: 978-1-63936-646-0
The original Rodrigo Diaz was a mercenary who fought for Christian and Muslim rulers, and for himself. This book tracks how, over the centuries, this figure becomes El Cid, the Christian and Spanish hero.
Excerpt:
How could a medieval mercenary become a hero for all seasons? Celebrated or condemned for his brutal actions in his life, he was acknowledged as a very successful warrior leader, who could reward his followers with booty. Perhaps, had he not died without a male heir, his incipient principality of Valencia even would have become a kingdom. His military achievements were certainly remarkable, yet they do not explain his many transformations in legend. How could a man fighting indiscriminately against Muslims and Christians be depicted as a Christian saviour sent by God within his own lifetime? And how could he, whose insubordination to royal commands in life led to a complete break with the king, be posthumously transformed not merely into a devout Christian motivated by his religious beliefs, but also a steadfast vassal who fought for his lord the king?
In the thirteenth century, an epic poem was written about his deeds, and the Cid of the poem was a superhero: never defeated in battle, he accomplished stupendous feats, yet remained loyal to his king despite having been unjustly exiled. Later in the same century, he became a quasi-saint thanks to the imagination of the monks of San Pedro de Cardeña: his dead body led the troops to victory over the Muslims, helped by a heavenly host, and his uncorrupted body even produced a miracle. Why would medieval monks venerate a brutal warrior?
Who is this book for?
El Cid is a popular and intriguing topic, and this book should find a large audience. It will be particularly interesting to those studying literature and medievalism, as it follows the course of how Rodrigo Diaz becomes a fictionalized character and the images of him presented of him over time.
“An enthralling study. Berend aims to dismantle various ahistorical distortions and idealizations. Rodrigo, as she calls him throughout, was an easily customizable hero. For the most part, the real Cid was nothing like the saintly crusader and loyal vassal played by Charlton Heston in the 1961 film El Cid. Exceptionally fascinating. Being a careful, evidence-based work of scholarship, El Cid demonstrates again and again how insidiously political and religious institutions distort history for their own ends.” – review by Michael Dirda in The Washington Post
The Author
Nora Berend is Professor of European History at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on the use of medieval themes in modern nationalism.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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