In royal service
Rodrigo Díaz was a Castilian nobleman and military leader. He served Sancho II and then Alfonso VI, but his career did not remain within one royal court. After exile from Alfonso’s kingdom, he entered the service of the Muslim rulers of Zaragoza. A Christian warrior could fight for a Muslim ruler: political loyalties did not always follow religious boundaries.
Ruler of Valencia
In 1094 Rodrigo captured Valencia and established his own rule there. He held the city until his death in 1099. Valencia was the culmination of a career in which service to other rulers gave way to the pursuit of a territorial power base of his own.
The man and the legend
The historical Rodrigo and the hero of later literature are not interchangeable. His reputation as a Christian champion grew into a powerful legend, while his documented career reveals changing patrons, rivalries and alliances. Reading his life alongside the history of his time helps explain why medieval Iberia cannot be reduced to two permanently united religious camps.