El Campeador

by Griff Hosker

  “I know.” I did not sip the wine I quaffed it. “I will swear an oath for your sake, but I do not trust the man!”

  He looked very sad as he said, “Neither do I.”

  It was three months later, as King Alfonso was travelling back from Navarre where he had been ensuring that his tribute would be paid, that I was summoned to the palace at Burgos. The King made certain that it was a full court who were present. I saw Álvar, he was a friendly face, and I also saw Count Garcia Ordóñez de Nájera and he was clearly an enemy.

  The King said, in my view, too loudly, “William Redbeard, you have yet to swear an oath of loyalty to the crown. Why is that?”

  “I am not a knight, Your Majesty, and as all of the people who swore an oath are knights, I did not think I needed to.”

  I saw Álvar shake his head to make me curb my tongue but that was not my way.

  The King became angry, “The people who did not swear had no need to do so as their lord had done it for them. Have I been remiss in not making Briviesca subject to a lord?”

  It was a direct threat and I could not risk Maria losing the manor. “It is not a problem, King Alfonso. I will so swear.”

  “The question is, can you be trusted? I have heard that you served the Emir of Córdoba for a quarter of a year. You even saved his life!”

  “I am a sword for hire, Your Majesty, and I did not raise my sword against any Castilian.”

  The King waved an arm at his Armiger Regis, Count Garcia Ordóñez de Cabra. “My champion thinks otherwise.”

  My eyes narrowed, “Then he lies!”

  The collective intake of breath showed me that I had taken a step too far. Surprisingly the King smiled and backed down, “You are a brave man, William Redbeard, for few men would risk crossing swords with my Armiger. As you know he cannot defend himself against your accusation of falsehood for he represents me. Let us say that he was misinformed but know that we will be watching you and ensuring that you are a loyal Castilian. Now kneel and swear the oath.”

  Álvar escorted me to the outer bailey. He shook his head and laughed, “God’s blood, Will, but you are a wild man! That was like Salamanca all over again. You get the red mist and just act.”

  “What else could I have done? I was accused of treachery. If I had said nothing it could have gone worse. Do not worry, I can take the King’s Champion.”

  “Aye, you are right, and he knew it. He fears two men, no three, you, Rodrigo and me and of the three of us I think he fears you the most because you are unpredictable.”

  I smiled, “Good!”

  “How is Rodrigo? I have not seen him since that day.” I sensed a great deal of sadness and regret in Álvar’s words.

  “He is a judge and a farmer. The warrior we both knew is hidden. He will emerge again but only when Spain needs him. There have been no wars for some time.”

  He lowered his voice, “And that will change. This new Emir in the south has questioned Castile’s right to demand tribute. He wants a reduction in taxes. The King will not allow it.”

  I nodded, “Then tell the King that the next time I fight for him, he pays!”

  He laughed and clapped me on the back, “You never change, Will, and are like a breath of fresh air. I will tell him but not quite so bluntly as you. I will suggest that you might be worth the hire!”

  I went home via Vivar and told Rodrigo my news. He seemed quite excited about the prospect of war, “Then I shall be ready to draw Tizona and serve Spain again.”

  Chapter 13

  When Rodrigo and I were sent for I should have been more suspicious for it was not a muster of armies. Rodrigo, of course, was totally trusting for he believed in the honour of those who had been knighted. He had put aside his doubts about King Alfonso’s involvement in his brother’s murder. I had not. King Alfonso sent for the two of us and we were accorded a private meeting with just Count Garcia present. I suppose now that I am at the end of my life and look back I can see clearer the way that Rodrigo and I were manipulated but, at the time, it seemed that Alfonso had forgiven us for whatever sins he imagined we had committed and was giving us an easy task. I was wrong, we were both wrong!

  “Now that you have both sworn an oath to me, I believe I can trust you, once again, to serve the kingdoms of León and Castile.” We both bowed our heads in thanks. “Emir al-Mu’tamid has recently taken over the taifa of Córdoba. He has yet to pay me the pariah, the tribute which he owes. I do not wish an army to fetch it back for me. Both of you are known and respected by the Moors, indeed, William Redbeard, you served the former Emir and are well respected in the land of the Muslim. If the two of you, with your men as escorts for the treasure, Redbeard, go to his court then the peace will still be in place and León and Castile will have their tribute.” He handed Rodrigo a document which gave him authority to collect the pariah. It was obvious that we were not totally forgiven for we were dismissed immediately.

  “I will return to my home and tell Jimena what we are about, and you can bring your men.”

  Perhaps it was just that I trusted no king and especially not Alfonso, but I had a bad feeling about this whole venture, “Rodrigo, something about this does not sit well with me.”

  “Will, I respect you and your instincts which have saved me before, but I cannot see that this is dangerous.”

  “I served in Córdoba and this Emir we go to meet had his predecessor poisoned. Are we being sent as sacrificial lambs?”

  “If the King had just sent you then it is a possibility for we both know that neither he nor his Armiger bear any love towards you.” I was not offended by Rodrigo’s honesty, rather the reverse. He was speaking the truth. “I, however, still have a certain reputation. The Christian and Moorish worlds trust me for I have never broken my word. I know that you have not but we both know that this is not a fair world. King Alfonso has nothing to gain by sacrificing us. Now if King Sancho was still alive…”

  I shook my head, “But he is not, and we know whose hands bear his blood!”

  “No matter what we believe, those are ancient rumours and it is now impossible to prove who paid the killer. Let us do this task and see where it takes us. Perhaps it is a test and when we pass, we may be welcomed back into the fold.”

  When we parted I reflected upon Rodrigo’s words. Unlike me, he was desperate to be at the centre of the Christian world in Spain. It was understandable for he had been the right hand of the King and the second most powerful man in Spain and now he was reduced to being a farmer. I did not trust King Alfonso and Count Garcia, but I would do all in my power to help Rodrigo gain that which he thought he had lost.

  I chose ten men and Abu to accompany me as well as four servants who would drive the wagons. All of my servants were old soldiers who knew how to fight but had been wounded in one battle or another. Some had lost eyes, fingers, one was even lamed but I gave them something they could get nowhere else, dignity at the end of their days and they rewarded me with absolute loyalty. When Rodrigo rejoined me we headed down the long road to Córdoba.

  I saw a change in him as soon as we began to ride. He became more animated and garrulous. His words almost poured out as he spoke, first, with me and then all of the men I led, for he knew them all. When King Sancho had been murdered and then El Campeador had married it had changed him. It explained why he had been almost a recluse for he was adjusting to a new life away from power. That it did not suit him was now obvious and I confess that I liked the return of the man I had known for almost my whole life.

  We made no secret of our identity; indeed, it would have been impossible to do so. Babieca and Tizona were well known throughout Spain as was Rodrigo himself. In addition, I had a certain reputation and it was the lack of livery and a red cloak which marked my men and me as who we were, the protectors of El Campeador. The closer we came to Córdoba the more my star rose for all remembered me as the man who had saved their former Emir from three killers. I wondered how the new Emir would view me for he had sent those ki
llers!

  As we had expected word of our approach had reached Córdoba before we did and there were men waiting for us at the gates. That they did not meet us with drawn blades was a good sign and Rodrigo and I were allowed to keep our weapons when we were taken into the presence of the Emir. I confess that he was not what Rodrigo expected. He was almost effete and as Rodrigo came to know him we realised that the Emir was a poet rather than a warrior. I was no fool and I had met him before and I knew that as he had had his rival killed there was steel beneath that perfumed and oiled exterior. My time as a bodyguard had not been wasted and I was able to identify, for Rodrigo, the men around the Emir who were to be watched.

  Rodrigo presented his credentials and the Emir handed them to his vizier to read aloud. I knew that the Emir could read both his own language and Spanish. The fact that he had it read aloud was for a purpose. Everything this man did was for a reason for he was as cunning as any man I had ever met.

  He smiled when he addressed El Campeador, “It is an honour that King Alfonso sends, as his emissary, such a noble man, a warrior who is respected by all in this land of al-Andalus.” Rodrigo nodded but said nothing for, like me, he knew that more was coming. “But the pariah which we have to pay is too much. My predecessor agreed to that sum and not I. We have a new Emir here and things must change.”

  The first thought that raced through my mind was, did King Alfonso anticipate this barrier?

  Rodrigo must have had the same thought for he said, “Emir, I am sure that King Alfonso would be willing to negotiate with you but the pariah for which we are come is last year’s tribute and Emir al-Muqtadir still ruled this taifa.”

  Emir al-Mu’tamid was a silkily smooth man and he rarely raised his voice, “And now I rule here, and we would negotiate a lesser sum for I am not al-Muqtadir and I have many more armies at my disposal.”

  This was a direct threat to King Alfonso, and I confess that Rodrigo handled it better than I would have done. He had obviously paid attention to me as we had headed south for his words showed that he understood the political situation in the land controlled by the Moors. “And yet Emir Abdullah of Granada has an army to the south of you and allies in North Africa. If they were to attack you then you would be reliant on the aid which King Alfonso would send to you.”

  “And by the time he reached us either we would have been defeated by our enemies or we would have defeated them. León and Castile are a long way from here. It would be better, Don Rodrigo, if you sent a messenger back to your King with our assessment of how much pariah we have to pay. Until then you and your men may remain here as my guests.”

  We were prisoners and I guessed that King Alfonso had eliminated El Campeador as a threat. His reasoning became clear and we had been outwitted. Rodrigo kept an impassive face, “Very well, Emir. How much pariah are you willing to pay?”

  The Emir’s silky smile stayed on his face as he said, “Half would be acceptable and as a sign of good faith, I will gather just that amount and place it in your possession in anticipation of the King’s answer.”

  I had to admire the Emir for he had thought all of this out well. “I will send four men back for the roads can be dangerous.”

  “And I will have them escorted by my man as far as the border of León.”

  While Rodrigo penned the document, I selected Christos, Sebastian, Juan and Pablo to deliver the message. “When you near the city of León, I want Juan and Pablo to ride to Donna Jimena and my foster mother. Tell them that we are held in Córdoba, but they are not to worry. Juan and Pablo will remain in Briviesca and just Christos and Sebastian will return here.”

  “Will you not need us, lord?”

  “Perhaps but Briviesca will need you more. I cannot see the end to this tunnel, and I know not how long we will be here.”

  When Rodrigo had given the sealed parchment to them, they left and headed north escorted by forty horsemen. They would reach León safely. That done Rodrigo took me to the fighting platform of the stronghold where we could talk.

  “Well, William, we have been duped and I ask your forgiveness for placing you and your men in this position.”

  “Our fates are entwined, Rodrigo, and I believe that this punishment is intended for us equally. I am guessing that King Alfonso knew what the Emir would say before we left. You were chosen because of your reputation and because he wishes the rest of Spain to be on his side. He makes the Muslim appear to be the aggressor. He is a clever man. The question is, what will King Alfonso do?”

  Rodrigo looked disappointed in himself, “I do not know the man; I wonder if I ever did. It seems to me that we can make certain predictions. Either this is going to result in war and King Alfonso will bring an army down to reduce Córdoba in which case our lives will be forfeit, or King Alfonso will abandon us here to our fate.”

  “What if he agrees to the new pariah?”

  Rodrigo shook his head, “That he will not do. We need to think of a way to extricate ourselves from this position, but we will have to wait until your men return. Let us use our time wisely as you did when you were here as a bodyguard!”

  We were treated well and allowed to retain our weapons. We even had the freedom of the city and were not barred from moving anywhere save out of the city. That we were watched was obvious but apart from the constant surveillance it was a gilded cage in which we were kept. Our men, however, were unhappy. This was a Muslim world and we had neither ale nor wine! To ordinary men such things were far more important than politics.

  One man we came to know was the commander of the Emir’s bodyguard. For some reason he liked us and made our stay far more pleasant than we might have expected. His nickname was Blackbeard and I think that was part of it. I was Redbeard and he was Blackbeard. He was, like me, not from a noble family and had risen through the ranks to be the most trusted of all the Emir’s men. He also admired Rodrigo and often asked him of the battles in which he had fought. As we walked the walls of the city each morning, Rodrigo and I would speak of the battles we had fought against both Moor and Christian.

  One morning, after we had told him of the battle against the Valencians he said, “It is quite remarkable that you have never lost a battle. Why is that?”

  Rodrigo was too modest to answer and so I answered for him, “It is El Campeador’s skill. He prepares well and takes nothing for granted. He chooses his battlefield and his tactics with great precision and then he relies on the men he leads to obey him and do as he asks.”

  “Ah, there is the trick, for there are some men with whom I have fought that I did not trust.”

  Rodrigo nodded, “And me but I have been fortunate. Few men have let me down and this one, Redbeard, will never do so.”

  It was the greatest compliment I could receive.

  A month later and our men had still to return. I began to worry that the Emir would lose patience, but he did not. It was almost as though he expected the delay. My men were also concerned but that was because they feared for our comrades. We knew from the Emir that they had reached the border safely and so we wondered why they had not returned. I suspected foul play, but Rodrigo corrected me, “King Alfonso may choose to try to cause them harm but remember my cousin, Álvar, he is there, and I cannot believe that he would allow anything to happen to our men. He fought with them. The paths we tread may have diverged but you know Álvar, can he have changed that much?”

  I remembered the last conversation I had had with him and knew that he was right and two days later we were summoned to the Emir. His normal silky smile was absent, and Blackbeard also looked serious. “It has come to my attention that the Emir of Granada is massing an army to the south of my land. I fear he intends to attack us.” Rodrigo remained silent for he had already warned the Emir of such an attack. The Emir went on. “With them are Christian knights.” Rodrigo kept his impassive face, but I am sure that I showed surprise upon my face for the Emir allowed himself a smile. “More than that, Redbeard, they are King Alfonso’s knights and the
y are led by Count Garcia Ordóñez de Nájera. The Armiger Regis!”

  Even Rodrigo could not hide his dismay at those words for this meant we had been sent here deliberately to discredit us. The King had no intention of having us collect the pariah and I had sent two men to… the fact that I did not know made me angry. They could be prisoners, or they could be dead. Any other outcome would have seen them return to me!

  Rodrigo recovered his composure first, “You have told us this for a reason, Emir. Are we to be held as hostages and bartered? Or is there another purpose in your words?”

  “You are clever, Don Rodrigo, and I have not been totally honest with you. Since you have been here you and your men have been treated as honoured guests and that will continue. No doubt William Redbeard, who knows us well, will have told you that I am both cunning and ruthless.” There was little point in denying it and I was not embarrassed by my words. “I am and, like you, Don Rodrigo, I know strategy, but I am a poet and not a warrior. More than that I am unused to fighting Christians. The fact that most of the taifa pay pariah to King Alfonso tells you that Christian armies normally defeat our armies. My lords tell me that you have led Muslim armies before. I ask you to lead my army and defeat the invaders from Granada!”

  There are monumental moments in men’s lives. I had enjoyed one such moment when I had gone berserk at Salamanca. Don Rodrigo had defeated not one champion but three and each one was huge but the decision we now made was irrevocable. The Emir had been clever; we were not going to be fighting Christians as such; we would be fighting the Grenadines and they were not allies of King Alfonso. On the other hand if his Armiger Regis was present then it meant that this campaign was sanctioned by King Alfonso.

  I saw Rodrigo glance at me and then he stood, “Emir, you have given me much to think on and I do not think that you expect an instant answer.”

  “No, but nor do I give you long. You have until we enjoy our evening meal to make your decision. I do not hold a sword over your head, but I need an answer.”