El Cid

Spanish soldier and diplomat El Cid was considered one of the most brilliant military commanders of his era. He fought against the Moors as a commander of the Christian armies of Ferdinand I and Sancho II of Castile. In 1081, the new king, Alfonso VI, banished El Cid from Castille, so he entered the service of the Moorish ruler of Zaragoza and went to war with his former Christian allies.

In 1092, El Cid mobilized an army combined of both Christians and Moors. They attacked the coastal Mediterranean kingdom of Valencia and, in 1094, gained control of the city. The citizens were both Christian and Muslim and members of both groups helped to run the kingdom. El Cid ruled Valencia until his death in 1099, after which his wife, Jimena, took over.