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Depending on which version of the legend you hear, the heroic Lady of Arintero either died fighting the Queen's soldiers or survived to marry an Asturian Lord. Medieval Spain was the birtplace of many legendary heroes such as El Cid. Visit Medieval Spain tells you the story of some of them !
- Medieval Timeline
756 A.D. Muslim Spain becomes an independent emirate called...
- Spanish Legends
The Legend of How King Roderick Lost Spain to the Moors....
- Galicia
Travel information for independent travel to Galicia and...
- Aragon
Places to Visit in Aragon AINSA (HUESCA) What to See: Aínsa...
- Cantabria
Travel information for independent travel to Cantabria and...
- Catalonia
BARCELONA What to See: Although Barcelona is perhaps most...
- Valencia
MORELLA (CASTELLON) What to See: Approaching Morella by road...
- Extremadura
Places to Visit in Extremadura HERVAS (Caceres) What to See:...
- Events
Medieval Fairs and Markets take place across Spain...
- Gallery
Pals is built on a natural vantage point affording great...
- Medieval Timeline
From the Roman Empire to the Spanish Civil War, we delve into the key events and figures that have shaped the history of Spain, such as the queens and kings of Spain, the first pilgrim of the Camino de Santiago, and so on.
The Mythical Heroes of Spain: A Historical Perspective. From the legendary exploits of El Cid to the mystical powers of the sorceress Circe, the mythical heroes of Spain offer a unique glimpse into the country’s rich cultural heritage. These heroes have been celebrated in art, literature, and music, serving as symbols of national pride and ...
- El CID
- Christopher Columbus
- Hernán Cortés
- Pelagius of Asturias
- Alfonso X
- Catholic Monarchs of Spain
- Joanna of Castile
- Charles I of Spain
- Francisco Franco
- Juan Carlos I
His real name was Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, also referred to as “El Cid Campeador” or “The Champion”. He’s a Castilian knight and military leader halfway between historical reality and legend. Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, known as the Cid (“lord” in Arabic) Campeador (“expert in pitched battles”), really existed and is considered the greatest hero of the Re...
Christopher Columbus was a Genoese navigator who believed that the earth was spherical, unlike the rest of society, who thought it was flat and that when ships reached a point, they fell into the void. Columbus wanted to reach the East Indies and present-day Japan by a new maritime route, this time through the west and not the east. So he put his p...
He was the Spanish military born in Medellín (Extremadura), who initiated the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century, which meant the end of the Aztec empire.Mexico became part of the Crown of Castile, receiving the name of New Spain. Cortés tried to seek fortune in his travels to the New World and Cuba. He allied himself with indigenous grou...
Known in Spanish as “Don Pelayo,” he was a Spanish-Visigothic nobleman who founded the Kingdom of Asturias in 718. He also led the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, which the Muslims occupied. He was a heroic character who established the Asturian monarchy becoming the forerunner of all future Iberian monarchies. These monarchies include the Kin...
Alfonso X was king of Castile, Leon and Galicia from 1252 until his death in 1284.He received the nickname of The Wise Man, “El Sabio,” and he was the eldest son of Fernando III “El Santo.”What refers to his nickname is his great interest in culture. He’s considered the founder of Castilian prose. Alfonso X always encouraged everyone to learn to cr...
The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon.It was their marriage that consolidated the union of the kingdom of Spain. However, Spain was formed as a dynasty of two crowns and not a unitary state until the “Nueva Planta” decrees of 1707-16. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand belonged to the House of Trastám...
Joanna of Castile, historically known as “Joanna the Mad”(Juana la Loca in Spanish), was the third daughter of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. She married the Austrian archduke Philip “the Handsome,”who would later become Philip I of Castile.Due to the death of her two older siblings, Joanna became the successor to the crowns of Castile and Aragon....
Also known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, he was the son of Joanna the Mad and Philip the Handsome,and received his education in the Netherlands under the influence of the Renaissance.In 1515 he assumed the governments of the states of the Burgundian family (Netherlands, Franche-Comte, Burgundy, and Charolais), which corresponded to the successi...
Born into a middle-class family, Francisco Franco chose to study for a military career at the Toledo Infantry Academy, which would give him the necessary training to quickly climb the ranks for war merits, taking advantage of the war situation in Morocco. In 1923, at 31, he was already head of the Legion. And in 1926, he became the youngest general...
Juan Carlos became King of Spain, appointed by Franco, in 1975. Juan Carlos was fundamental in Spain’s transition after Franco’s death, leaving behind a dictatorial regime and leading Spain to democracy. He was the grandson of Alfonso XIII, the last king of Spain before the abolition of the monarchy in 1931 and the subsequent declaration of the Sec...
- jimena@sensationalspain.com
- February 13, 1996
After his death, El Cid became Spain's most celebrated national hero and the protagonist of the most significant medieval Spanish epic poem, El Cantar de mio Cid, which presents him as the ideal medieval knight: strong, valiant, loyal, just, and pious.
Famous Spanish Knights. Medieval Spanish chivalry came into being direct as a result of the fierce and ongoing conflict between the Moorish rule in southern Spain and the Christian kingdoms in the north.
After Rodrigo's widow Jimena Díaz buried him in the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña near Burgos, Valencia fell again to the Muslims. Out of these rather mundane threads of an outlaw's life was spun a rich literary tapestry and the greatest heroic narrative of medieval Spain.
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