El Campeador

by Griff Hosker

  I rode with Rodrigo and I could see that he was badly affected by the death. “I should have been at his side, William.”

  “You were dismissed, as was I. Had I not put a guard on the tent then the killer might have escaped.”

  “You say Abu recognised him?”

  “He had been at the court of King Alfonso when we went to Oviedo.”

  Rodrigo’s eyes narrowed, “Then was King Alfonso behind this?”

  I lowered my voice and leaned in, “Don Rodrigo, that is a dangerous road to travel for there is no proof and you cannot accuse a King. Besides, it could have been Urraca, we know the bitch did not like her brother.”

  He lapsed into silence until we reached the King’s home. His knights and my men would stay there until he was buried. That night we both drank more than was good for us. Rodrigo could never handle his wine. “What now, old friend?”

  I smiled, “For me it is easy. I go back to Briviesca and train my men. We tend our animals and we fight for any lord who will hire us. We have a reputation. The Emir of Zaragoza thinks highly of us and he may wish us to fight for him.”

  “He is a Muslim!”

  “And we have fought for him before. You taught me that Spain needs to be united under one leader. Perhaps that will be King Alfonso, who knows. Until someone says other then I will train men and fight wars for coin. I will not fight an unjust war, but it matters not who pays for my blade. And you, Rodrigo? What of you?”

  “I cannot see King Alfonso or Count Garcia Ordóñez de Nájera welcoming me to his court. I will marry Jimena and make sons and daughters. As you have often told me, William, I have many estates. I should enjoy them.”

  I laughed, “And yet you are a soldier and I cannot see your sword staying sheathed for too long.”

  “Who knows? Let us see what married life does for me. You will, of course, come to the wedding?”

  I could not refuse and yet when he married it would be like having my own heart torn from me. “Aye, El Campeador, I will be there!”

  Chapter 12

  The new King was crowned but neither Rodrigo nor I attended for the simple reason that we were not invited. King Garcia made the foolish attempt to return to his own land, but King Alfonso had him imprisoned in the castle of Luna; he never left the castle! King Alfonso’s hand gripped Northern Spain with a vice-like grip. He had endured exile and would not go willingly there again. It was as if El Campeador and his faithful William had never existed. The situation was made worse when Don Álvar, Minaya, had been accorded great honour at King Alfonso’s new court and was considered one of the King’s closest counsellors.

  I attended Rodrigo’s wedding with my men and the experience was as bad as I had expected it to be. Jimena tried to make it easier for me. I suspect she had that woman’s intuition which told her I held her in high regard. For his part Rodrigo was just happy for me to be there. Now that Álvar had, apparently, deserted him, I was the nearest thing he had to a friend.

  He now lived in Vivar and we did not have far to travel for the wedding. I wondered if we would see each other regularly. It was not to be and we lived, for a while, largely separate lives but there was no falling out. I did not travel much to Vivar for it pained me to see Jimena and Rodrigo was busy with his estates. Upon his marriage he had given half to his wife; he had plenty to give. The politics of the taifa had also changed. In addition, there were plots and machinations further south. I discovered that my reputation and the fact that I was a close confederate of El Campeador meant that I was called upon to travel to the taifa for I was offered work. Al-Muqtadir who had been Emir of Toledo as well as Zaragoza had taken advantage of the internal struggles of Christian Spain to enlarge his empire. Our victory in Valencia and the death of King Ferdinand had allowed him to seize Valencia. He had then gone on to take the former jewel of al-Andalus, Córdoba. A messenger arrived at Briviesca asking me to go to Córdoba for the Emir had need of me. I was intrigued and, perhaps, I should not have gone but the chest of gold which was sent by the Emir of the most important taifa in Spain, persuaded me and, leaving the chest in Briviesca for Maria to use I left, with some of my men, to travel south to Córdoba.

  I had been there before. It was the place Rodrigo had had Tizona made. The last time I had spoken with the Emir had been when Rodrigo and I had gone there on behalf of King Ferdinand and Prince Sancho. That seemed a lifetime ago. I now had more than thirty men who followed me. The chest of gold which had been sent to me would guarantee at least two years’ payment for my men. Then we would need to fight a war. I had Abu with me although I could now speak with the Arabs of Spain as easily as I could the Christians. I left half of my men at home and took my most experienced ones. They would guard my home for while there was peace there my foster mother had made such a success of the estate that I wanted nothing to detract from her joy of life!

  Muhammad ibn Hassan greeted me like an old friend. I saw that he had gone grey, but the Emir’s lieutenant was still both fit and in his prime.

  “It is good to see you, Redbeard. And how is El Cid?”

  I smiled at the use of the name for only those who were not Christians used it. Now even Christians did not use El Campeador. “He is well and has a son, Diego. He appears to have given up the sword and taken up the mantle of farmer!”

  He laughed, as he led me to the palace, “You, I can see, have still retained hold of your steel. That is good. And you have not married?”

  “I am too ugly and set in my ways, old friend!”

  The Emir, when I was ushered into his presence, had aged. All of his plotting and machinations for power had taken their toll. I guessed that he had been ruthless to get where he was. He had the three most powerful taifa in his grasp. Why did he need me?

  Muhammad ibn Hassan stayed when the other courtiers and servants were dismissed. “William the Redbeard, I have need of a Christian blade and as Rodrigo de Vivar seems preoccupied with his new wife I have sent for you.”

  That surprised me. Had Rodrigo been offered this task first? It did not worry me, but I was intrigued. “A Christian blade? I am not an assassin, my lord.”

  “I know but I have enemies who seek my life. I ask you to give me three months of protection while I discover whom I can trust. The ones who are with me now are the only ones I can truly trust.”

  I was surprised, “Me, but I am not of your people?”

  “In all my dealings with you and Rodrigo de Vivar, you have never once broken your word and what you have said you will do, you have done. If you say that you will keep me safe, then I will believe you. Three months, my friend, it is not much to ask and as it is now winter in the north then our clement climate makes life more bearable.”

  I smiled, “I had not thought to refuse but I wanted to know the reason.” He nodded. “I assume that all who come into your presence are to be suspected of wishing you harm.”

  “That is true, but I do not want those who come to me to feel as though they are under scrutiny. It is not an easy task for you will have to watch for the sudden blade and you will need quick reactions.”

  “And your food?”

  “That need not concern you. I have food tasters. Your task will be to watch all who come close to me. If Muhammad ibn Hassan is here then you will not need to watch but my friend here is not getting any younger and like all warriors of his age, he has ailments. So, can you do this for me?”

  “I can. I will watch during the day and I will have my men sleep outside of your chamber and your windows at night.”

  “Will that not be too onerous?”

  “If we agree to take a contract then we will do so to the best of our ability and besides, as you say, it is for three months and who knows, I may learn much about the people of this land.”

  “You are wise, Redbeard. You do not look wise but, perhaps, that helps you for men will underestimate you.”

  I think I had been insulted but it did not matter to me. I had a thick skin. We agreed on a price which would be p
ayable at the end of three months. Of course, if he died before then, of any cause, then I would not be paid! Muhammad ibn Hassan stayed with the Emir to discuss other matters while I went to tell my men the new arrangements. One condition was that they would bathe every day as the Emir found our smell offensive. They would not, however, have to use oils or perfume as many of the men around Emir al-Muqtadir. For myself, it was not a hard task as I enjoyed bathing. Then I took them to show them where they would be. “It means you will be like the owl; when others rise you will be going to bed but you have an easier task than me. If any try to gain entry to Emir al-Muqtadir’s chambers then they will wish him harm and you can take them or if that is impossible, then kill them. We will make it clear to all that the Emir is guarded and guarded by us.”

  What the Emir was doing was not unusual. Rodrigo had told me how the ancient Roman emperors had hired wild barbarians to guard them and the Byzantine Emperor had his Varangian Guard. It was pay!

  For the first month I sensed resentment from the men who sought an audience. The sight of a mailed Spanish and Christian warrior with a drawn sword standing behind the Emir was intimidating but they gradually accepted me, and I became a fly on the wall for I rarely moved, and I was ignored. I watched with my eyes and I came to know many of the important men in the world of Emir al-Muqtadir. I met the Emir of Granada, Abdullah, as well as the emissaries of Yusuf al-Mu'taman ibn Hud who came to ask for al-Muqtadir ‘s help against his brother. It was an education int the world of Moorish politics. I discovered who held power and who wished to steal power! I also learned much about that world outside of the Iberian Peninsula and so it was that I came to meet Muhammad al-Mu'tamid who was caliph of Sevilla and, effectively, controlled the southern half of this land. I did not like the man, but I saw that he was a great strategist. I saw that he wished to take over Córdoba and the rest of the lands controlled by my new master. I told the Emir of this and he said that he knew.

  “He is my enemy but by keeping him close I can watch him. His armies cannot defeat mine but if we did not have to pay the tribute to Castile then I would be able to hire more men such as you and Don Rodrigo and defeat him. I bide my time. He is the main reason I hired you. When he is in my presence then there is no danger but when he is in his own lands that is when he would hire someone to end my life.”

  When I was not on duty, I explored the town and my position meant that I was treated well. I dressed as a local and I could speak to all, easily. I went to the best weaponsmith and was able to negotiate for a sword which would be the equal of El Campeador’s for it was made by the same man. The man had an Arab name which I was told translated as ‘he who makes the sword’. I quite liked that name. I got to know the man, for I visited his workshop every couple of days. He eventually confided in me that Tizona was not the only sword with that design. He had made one almost identical for two other important men. Despite my entreaties he refused to divulge their identities. I did not think that Rodrigo would mind; I certainly didn’t. I did not call mine Tizona I named my new sword, Thor, after one of the gods my ancestors had worshipped. I hoped that God would not take offence, but I did not wish to blaspheme by naming it after a saint. I retained my father’s blade. I would never cease to carry it, but my new blade would be easier to use for it had a fuller down its length which meant it was a strong as my father’s but much lighter. In addition, the blade was longer and had a better balance. I could, if I was without my shield, use two swords at the same time!

  Of all the tasks I took on this was the easiest. I had to rise early and then wait while the Emir went to his prayers. I normally took my food then. For the rest of the time I just watched, and I came to know all of those who visited. This was my education. I had learned much serving El Campeador at the court of King Sancho but now that I was alone, I learned even more. I was a silent watcher who listened and learned. I do not think there was another Christian, and that includes El Campeador himself, who had such a familiarity with the warlords of the taifa. When war came, I was able to give that knowledge to Rodrigo.

  I was halfway through my contract when I had to use my sword. The Emir of Sevilla had been to visit, ostensibly to talk of the tribute they both paid to King Alfonso but in reality he was there to complain about some of the men who served Emir al-Muqtadir. Some towns had been raided and prisoners taken. I knew that it was the work of men from Córdoba but Emir al-Muqtadir had feigned ignorance. Five days later three men arrived from the taifa of Badajoz. I was suspicious as soon as they entered for Badajoz kept to itself, so unless the three came to broker an alliance with al-Muqtadir then there was little point to their journey. I was alone in the chamber with the Emir. I did as I had done with every visitor. I stared at them and identified the weapons they carried. Like many men they each had a long dagger in their belts but these three also had concealed blades. I now knew where to look. I had developed an impassive face and I saw that two of the three ignored me as they told an improbable story of a plot they had heard to slay King Alfonso. It was when they said that they had heard that El Campeador was involved that I knew they were lying. Rodrigo would never do that. The man who had been staring at me was waiting for my attention to wander. When one of the other two suddenly clutched his chest then I knew what was coming.

  The man who had been watching me assumed I would move my eyes to the man feigning illness. I did not. As he lunged at me with the short sword he had concealed in the sleeves of his voluminous robes I swept my own weapon upwards to cut across his chest and his neck. The other two were fast but not fast enough. One lunged at the Emir while the other came for me. My sword hacked into the neck of the would-be assassin. The other, who attacked me, actually managed to stab me with his sword but my jubbah and mail were good protection. I used the flat of my sword to lay him out.

  As I wiped my sword on their cloaks I said, “I assumed you would want a prisoner to discover who sent them.”

  He smiled, “I know who it was, but my torturers can always find out other details which may prove useful.” As the guards he had summoned took away the prisoner and the bodies he said, “You have earned your money in three blows, Redbeard. Muhammed ibn Hassan is a good warrior but compared with you he is slow. The one who tried to stab me would have succeeded. Thank you, I am in your debt.”

  That was the only time I had to draw my sword in anger. I was instantly rewarded; my sword was finished within days and paid for by the Emir. The bodyguard of the Emir also swore to repay me for saving the life of their lord and Muhammed gave me the names of the most important men in Córdoba, the loyal ones whom he trusted. At the time I did not know the reason, but they proved useful. At the end of my contract I left with horses laden with treasure and my new sword in a beautiful scabbard paid for by Muhammad ibn Hassan. Al-Muqtadir had enough men to attack Sevilla and he had served notice that visitors from Sevilla would not be welcome in Córdoba.

  Sadly, within two months of my departure he had been poisoned along with Muhammad ibn Hassan. To this day I knew not how they did it, but it meant that Muhammad al-Mu'tamid took over all of the taifa which had been controlled by al-Muqtadir and became the most powerful man in Spain… apart from King Alfonso. That too, was like the throwing of a stone into a pond and the ripples ran far further than I could see.

  I had been away a long time and, on the way home I discovered that there had been a meeting between Rodrigo and King Alfonso. During that meeting and with many knights watching, Rodrigo had sworn fealty to the King. It was inevitable that he should have to do so for his lands were in Castile. It was as I headed to Briviesca that I realised I had not sworn fealty to the new King. In theory I did not think that I needed to do so for I was not a knight but I held Briviesca and I knew it was expected. I put it from my mind as I used some of the vast sums of money I had made to make Briviesca an even better home for my foster mother. Life would have been perfect had not Iago become ill. He had the coughing sickness and one of the last men who had fought with me when I was stil
l a boy, died. I told Anna that she and her children would be looked after by me and I meant it. That day was sobering. I was used to men dying in war although, to be fair I had lost fewer than any other man I knew. Don Fernando had died of an ailment and now Iago. I never believed that I could die in battle but I knew that I could die of some ailment and against that there was no defence!

  Rodrigo came to the funeral for he lived close to me now. I took the opportunity to ask him about the Emir of Córdoba and if he had been offered the job first. He smiled, “I would have taken the job, Will, but I knew that you could use the coin. Besides, I have been learning about the law and I have sat in a number of courts to give my judgement.”

  I laughed, “El Campeador prefers sitting and listening to lawyers argue rather than fighting?”

  “No, I would still rather lead armies, but this was not such a job and you were the perfect man for it. Whenever you watched my back then I knew that I was safe.”

  I nodded and looked out over my lands. Iago’s farm had done well. Despite being a warrior, and one of the best, he had proved to have good skills when it came to farming. I was not sure if his sons would become warriors. Anna had wanted them to be farmers and I dare say she would win.

  “The King needs you to swear fealty to him.”

  I turned for I had been lost in my thoughts, “What?”

  “He needs you to swear that you are his man. Serving the Emir has made him suspicious.” He held up his hand, “I know that you are loyal to Castile, but he sent for me when he heard where you were and demanded that I swear an oath.”

  “He had his brother murdered.” I was still the plain-spoken Will I had always been.

  “We do not know that for certain!”

  I waved an angry arm, “Out there, say what you will, Rodrigo, but in here do me the courtesy of speaking the truth. What do you believe?”

  He sighed and said, “That King Alfonso hired Vellido Adolfo to kill his brother; but we cannot prove it.”