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El Cid: life of the week
Professor Nora Berend traces the life and times of El Cid, the medieval warlord who fought for both the Christian and Muslim rulers of the Iberian Peninsula
- Danny Bird
Published: September 9, 2025 at 9:59 AM
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The life of El Cid, the famed 11th-century Castilian warrior otherwise known as Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, is steeped in legend. Historian Nora Berend joins Danny Bird to examine his real-life exploits during the centuries-long series of campaigns by Christian kingdoms to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule, known as the Reconquista. She unpacks his complex loyalties to both Christian and Muslim rulers, and explores how his story has been continually reshaped to serve politics, culture and Spanish national identity.
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Nora Berend is the author of El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary (Sceptre, 2024).
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Authors
Danny BirdContent producer
Danny Bird is a content producer at HistoryExtra
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