How a dead Spanish knight saved a besieged city and became a legend (4 photos)

It was over a thousand years ago. But they are still talking about it.





This is now Spain and Portugal - the backyards and the poorest European countries. And at one time they were the rulers of the world, who divided card of your choice.



Fragment of the series "El Cid"

And then the glory of the knight Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar thundered, more known as El Cid Campeador. He became famous during Reconquista - the reconquest of Spanish lands from the rule of the Moors. About it the hero who roamed in the 11th century is known more than about the Spanish monarchs that time.





He fought desperately and won most battles. But in 1099 AD died during the battle of Valencia. Then he was identified bloody coat of arms - the Moors rejoiced and intensified the onslaught. But here's the wife knight, Ximena, decided that he died too soon: it would undermine the spirit fighting. And the loving wife put the dead knight in the saddle and tied him tightly to the horse. After that, she slapped the horse on the rump and he rushed at the enemies. They saw that the knight in bloody armor and with terrible wounds alive and well, and rushes straight at them. Then the Moors frankly they got scared, turned the horses around and gave a fight.



Monument to Rodrigo Diaz

The bloody corpse dangled across the deserted battlefield, but the fact that this is a trick - the Moors realized only after fleeing. And only then monks picked up and spread everywhere the legend of the dead knight, who came to life and drove the enemies near Valencia.