| El Cid Campeador- Rodrigo Diaz, the national hero of Spain, was born in Burgos ca. 1040; and died at Valencia, in 1099. He was given the title of seid or cid (lord, chief) by the Moors and that of campeador (champion) by his admiring countrymen. The history behind his legendary exploits is veiled in myth and legend, but he is primarily remembered for his role as the central figure of the long struggle of Christian Spain against the Moslem invaders.
El Cid is the subject of the oldest monument of Spanish literature, an epic poem of over 3700 lines- "Poema del Cid", author unknown. His exploits have been fodder for much other Spanish literature, among the most prominent:
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