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TEACHER’S EDITION GRADE SEVEN STELLAR READING • STAR POWER WRITING presents The Legend of El Cid A Story of Medieval Knighthood

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Page 1: Chapter1 Medieval

TEACHER’S EDITIONGRADE SEVEN

STELLAR READING • STAR POWER WRITING

presents

The Legend of El CidA Story of Medieval Knighthood

Page 2: Chapter1 Medieval

Written by Polaris Learning, Inc.®

www.polarislearning.org

Copyright © by Medieval Times® 2003To arrange your trip to Medieval Times,

call 1-888-WE-JOUSTwww.medievaltimes.com

All rights reserved.

The pages in this book may be duplicated for classroom use only.

Printed September 2003

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The Legend of El CidTable of Contents

I. Introduction: Medieval Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

II. Chapter 1A. Words to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5B. Islam: A Mighty Power is Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8C. Activity: El Cid Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9D. Activity: Map Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10E. The Quest for El Cid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12F. Dramatis Personae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15G. El Cid: Chapter 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-20H. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1-1.2I. Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3-1.5J. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.6K. Writing: Research Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.7-1.10

III. Chapter 2A. Long Day’s Journey into Knighthood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-22B. Today’s Knights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23C. El Cid: Chapter 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-30D. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1-2.2E. Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3-2.5F. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.6G. Writing: Response to Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.7-2.10

IV. Chapter 3A. When Home Is a Castle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31-35B. Activity: Life Is Feudal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36C. El Cid: Chapter 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37-44D. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1-3.3E. Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.4-3.6F. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.7G. Writing: Personal Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.8-3.9H. Activity: How Illuminating! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.10-3.11

Teachers: Please note that there is a Medieval Faire activity at the end of thispacket. Students can earn Scriptorium Scrip for completion of exercises through-out this packet to spend at the Medieval Faire.

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V. Chapter 4A. A Woman’s World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45-47B. El Cid: Chapter 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-56C. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1-4.2D. Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3-4.5E. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.6F. Writing: Persuasive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.7-4.8

VI. Chapter 5A. Surely You Joust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57-59B. El Cid: Chapter 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60-66C. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1-5.2D. Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3-5.4E. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.5F. Writing: Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.6-5.8

VII. Chapter 6A. The Andalusian Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67-68B. El Cid: Chapter 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69-74C. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.1-6.2D. Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3-6.5E. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.6F. Writing: Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.7-6.8

VIII. Chapter 7A. The Wills of War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-77B. El Cid: Chapter 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78-85C. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1-7.3D. Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.4-7.6E. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.7-7.8F. Writing: Persuasive Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.9-7.10

IX. Chapter 8A. The First Crusade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87-90B. El Cid: Chapter 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91-98C. Reading Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1-8.3D. Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.4-8.6E. Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.7-8.8F. Writing: Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.9G. Activity: Medieval Faire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.10-8.14

Appendix A: California State Standards for Grade Seven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A.1-A.7Appendix B: Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A.8-A.9

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Introduction Medieval Times

1

You are about to embark on a great adventure; you will travel back to medieval times, whereyou will witness fantastic feats of fighting skill as six bold knights face each other in combatto determine who will become the king’s new champion.

The year is 1062; the place is Spain. To prepare for your Medieval Times adventure, you mustlearn the customs and legends of the day.

You may think of the Middle Ages as the time of King Arthur and his fabledkingdom, Camelot, with lofty castles, brave knights performing doughty deeds, andbeautiful damsels in distress. King Arthur may be England’s most famous knight,but in the land of Spain, there was another just as mighty, Rodrigo de Vivar. This ishis story.

Rodrigo lived at a time when Spain was not a united country but rather a seriesof smaller states and kingdoms that divided the Iberian Peninsula. Rodrigo camefrom Christian Castile, the largest kingdom; to the east was Aragon, anotherChristian power, which battled with Castile for preeminence.

To the south lay the real threat, however—the Moors. The Moors wereMuslims who had swept up from Africa in 711 A.D. They crossed at the Straits of Gibraltar, whereAfrica and Spain are just 7 miles apart. To ensure victory, their caliph, or ruler, burned his ships, so hisarmy had no retreat. It was either conquer or die for the Moors, and conquer they did.

Only the intervention of Charles Martel, King of the Franks, who traversed the northern PyreneesMountains to halt the Moorish assault, stemmed the tide. Otherwise, the whole of Europe might havefallen to Moorish power. His grandson Charlemagne continued the battle his grandfather had begun

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and was able to help establish a small Christian stronghold at thebase of the Pyrenees.

Rodrigo was from a noble family. His father, Don DiegoLainez, was a favorite of the king, and so Rodrigo grew up in theking’s household and was raised with the Infantes, the royal children.Rodrigo became famous for his loyalty; he fought for KingFerdinand against the rival Kingdom of Aragon and became theking’s champion. He fought with Prince Sancho against the Moorishcity of Alcocer. But when King Sancho was treacherously murdered,Rodrigo sought justice and was banished for his trouble.

During Rodrigo’s time, Spain was never at peace. If he wasn’tfighting rival Christians, he was fighting Moors. Even on the night before Prince Sancho was to knighthim, he was forced to fight. Tired of the endless round of fighting, Rodrigo let two Moorish kings go.Al-Mutamin, the powerful caliph of Zaragoza, was one of these kings. He was a skilled soldier, but hisvocation was that of scholar. He studied at the famous University of Cordoba and was well versed inmedicine, law, astronomy, and mathematics. It is al-Mutamin who gave Rodrigo the title by which hislegend would be known: El Cid, the Lord.

When Rodrigo released al-Mutamin, they formed afriendship that lasted a lifetime. And when ben Yusuf, anArab tyrant, threatened to attack from Africa, destroyinganyone, Moor or Christian, who stood in his way, al-Mutamin joined Rodrigo and fought beside him to stave offthe attack. When all the world was at war, Rodrigo and al-Mutamin showed how men with different views can live inpeace.

When the end finally came for Rodrigo, it was al-Mutamin who fulfilled the dying hero’s last request, and itwas al-Mutamin who felt honor bound to tell his friend’sstory.

Rodrigo’s is the story of a boy who becomes a man, aman who becomes a hero, and a hero who gallops into leg-end as the mighty El Cid.

We hope that Rodrigo’s story will help prepare you foryour visit to the tournament at Medieval Times, where youwill see courage, chivalry, and honor equal to those of thelegendary El Cid.

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WORDS TO KNOW

1. Moors: the name given to the Islamic invaders of the IberianPeninsula because they came from Morocco

2. Allah: the name of the one God of Islam

3. Mecca: the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. It is con-sidered sacred as the place of origin of the Islamic religion.

4. Muhammad: the most important prophet of Islam. Bornin Mecca around 570 A.D., he was a well-respected trader.When he turned about 40, he experienced a revelation andbelieved that the angel Gabriel had appeared to him andordered him to proclaim the word of God. Muhammad isconsidered the seal of the prophets, the last and greatest of God’s messengers to man.

5. Sunni Muslims: Muslims who believe that the religious leader should be elected. AtMuhammad’s death, there was a crisis in the Islamic community about who should be its newleader. The Sunni Muslims elected Abu Bakr to lead them after the prophet’s death.

6. Shi’i Muslims: Muslims who believe that religious leaders shouldbe related by blood to Muhammad. The Shi’i Muslims chose Ali,Muhammad’s son-in-law, as his successor.

7. al-Andalus: the Moorishpart of southern Spain.From 711 A.D. to 1066, itspower grew to cover mostof the Iberian Peninsula.

8. Caliph: means “successor” in Arabic. Very much likeChristian kings, caliphs were rulers of individual territo-ries. Al-Mutamin was the caliph of Zaragoza.

9. Emir: similar to an emperor, he rules over a confedera-tion of multiple cities or states. Ben Yusuf was anAfrican emir.

10. Almoravides: a group of Islamic fundamentalists whofirst came to Spain at the invitation of the caliphatestates to serve as allies in their wars against theChristians but who soon began to conquer Moorishcities as well. The well-educated and sophisticated

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Moors considered them ignorant and barbaric. Theiremir, ben Yusuf, was a tyrant who wanted to force allmen to obey his strict form of Islam.

11. Cordoba: the capital city of Moorish Spain, it was thelargest city in Europe for many years. A seat of greatlearning and religioustolerance, it attractedthe best scholars fromamong Christians,Muslims, and Jews.

12. madrasa: originally the student quarters in a mosque.Many of these grew into famous universities, such as theone al-Mutamin attends in Cordoba.

13. mosaic: an intricate pattern formed by tiles

14. mosque: comes from the Arabic word masjid, meaning “aplace to prostrate oneself.” A mosque is a place of publicworship in which men come to pray. Women are encour-aged to pray at home. On Friday afternoons, the holy dayof the Muslim week, religious services are held. Themosque is kept open at all times and may be used as acourt, public meeting place, lecture hall, or a place formeditation.

15. mihrab: an alcove in a mosque’s wall, it indicates thequibla, the direction of prayer. Muslims always prayfacing toward Mecca, the place where Muhammadfirst proclaimed the religion of Islam.

16. minaret: a tower usually built on the outside of amosque from which the faithful can be called to prayer

17. Qur’an (often spelled Koran): considered byMuslims to be the literal word of God, dictat-ed by the angel Gabriel from a written versionin heaven, and then passed on by God’s instru-ment, the prophet Muhammad. The Muslims’holy book, it is considered by Muslims to bethe complete guide to life and containsanswers to every question.

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18. surra: a chapter in the Qur’an. The Qur’an is divided into 114 surras.

19. dhimmi: “people of the book.” Muslims do not consider their religion as separate from Judaismor Christianity but rather as transcending them.

20. Zaragoza: one of the most important cities of the caliphate state. Ruled by al-Mutamin andlocated in the Ebro River valley, it was in a strategic location between Christian and Moorishpowers.

21. Taifa, or caliphate: the cities and states ruled by Moorish caliphs.

22. tribute: basically extortion money, to keep rival powers from invading. King Ferdinanddemanded tribute from many Moorish cities. In exchange for their payment to him, he would notattack them and would come to their defense if they were attacked by another power.

23. Five Pillars of Islam: the five specific duties every Muslim is required to fulfill during his life-time. These are known as the Pillars of Faith. They are: 1. Reciting of the Shahada: Publicly proclaiming that “There is no God but Allah;

Muhammad is the prophet of Allah”2. Salat: praying five times a day and attending the Friday religious services3. Zakat: giving alms to the poor4. Sawm: fasting during the holy month of Ramadan each year5. hajj: going on a pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad. Devout

Muslims are required to do this at least once in their lives.

24. Ka’ba: the most sacred shrine in Islam,located at the center of Mecca. A ritualsurrounding the Ka’ba is an important partof the hajj.

25. jihad: a holy war. Many of the first con-verts to Islam were those conquered bycaliphate states. Muslims who die in aholy war are guaranteed a place in heaven.

26. Reconquista: The reconquest of Moorish territory by the Christian kingdoms of Spain. Begunabout 1083, it concluded with the conquest of Granada in 1492; it was the last of the Moorishcities to fall.

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ISLAM: A MIGHTY POWER IS BORN

The legend is told in Spain of how the conquest ofits Christian powers first began. In ancient times,so the story goes, there was built a tall and mighty

tower in which was kept a dark secret. The king who builtthe tower and knew the secret held within sealed it with agreat padlock and decreed that each of his successors musttake a vow not only to never enter the tower but to add apadlock to it in his turn, thus keeping its secret preservedever more inviolate by each succeeding king.

Twenty-six kings came and went respecting hiswishes, and then to the throne came a rash and impulsiveyoung man named Roderic. Determined to penetrate thesecret of the tower, and against the advice of all his coun-selors, he had the 27 padlocks opened. Once the door wasopen, he entered the chamber within and climbed its longspiral staircase. When he reached the top, he beheld amural painted on the walls all about him. The mural por-trayed Arab horsemen with deadly scimitars fastened attheir belts, while they brandished spears held aloft.

Roderic was amazed at the sight and could not fath-om what the mural meant. Was this the secret that had been so carefully kept all these years? If so, hewas not impressed. Then he saw in the middle of the room a table made of gold and silver set withprecious stones. Upon it were carved the words: “This is the table of King Solomon, son of David,upon whom be peace.” An urn on the table contained a scroll of parchment. Roderic carefullyunrolled it and read the words, “Whenever this chamber is violated and the spell contained in this urnis broken, then the people you see before you painted on these walls will most surely invade Spain,overthrow its kings, and conquer the entire land.”

Roderic sat and held his head in despair. His disregard of his royal obligation would cost him hiskingdom, and this destiny was not his to bear alone, but all the Visigothic kings of Spain would fall byhis folly.

This story is preserved in both Christian and Muslim sources. For the Christians it meant that itwas all the careless Roderic’s fault that they were conquered. For the Muslims it meant that their con-quest was decreed by prophecy and fate.

So how did this mighty power that would topple the Visigothic kings begin? The story is astrange one. It all began with a young man named Muhammad, who was born in the prosperous trad-ing city of Mecca about 570 A.D. Orphaned while young, he spent the first years of his life in poverty.Muhammad was born a member of the noble Quraysh tribe, however, and was able to depend on thecharity of his kinsmen until he was old enough to earn his living as a camel driver and merchant. Hewas so fair and honest in his dealings that he soon earned the name of al-Amin, the trustworthy.

Like Arab merchants for generations before him, Muhammad was able to profit from Arabia’sposition at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Arabia was crisscrossed with trading routes link-ing the Arabian Peninsula with the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean. Muhammad traveled with camel

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caravans along these routes and made several trading journeys as far as Syria. Exotic spices from theeast; rich textiles, such as silks from China; paper; steel; and new crops traveled along these routes.

When he was 25, Muhammad married his employer, a wealthy widow named Khadija, who hadbeen made rich by prosperous trading, and he suddenly had more time on his hands. Unlike many richmerchants in his position, however, Muhammad spent his days and nights meditating in the hillsaround Mecca. When he was about 40, he experienced a vision that would change his life—and thefuture of the world.

Muhammad believed that the angel Gabriel came to him in a dream and ordered him to recite asacred verse. Muhammad became convinced, after this experience, that it was his duty and destiny tobring God’s word to his fellow men.

In the beginning, only a few of Muhammad’s close relatives and friends believed in his visionand accepted him as a prophet. In time, however, he gained more and more converts, and the rich menof Mecca began to worry. They feared that the new religion would challenge their authority and ruinthe profitable pilgrimage trade that centered on the sacred shrine, the Ka’ba, located in the heart ofMecca. The Ka’ba is a stone building that stands at the center of the Sacred Mosque at Mecca. It is asanctuary dedicated to God that Muslims believe dates back to the time of Adam. It is the holiestshrine in Islam.

In 622, Muhammad’s followers were forced to flee Mecca for Medina, almost 200 miles away.This event is called the hijra, or flight, which Muslims today consider the formal year of the foundingof their religion; as such, it marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

In Medina, Muhammad was accepted as a political and religious leader. He soon won many fol-lowers, who followed him into battle against the people of Mecca. In 630, Muhammad reenteredMecca triumphant and purified the Ka’ba by destroying all the idols that were housed inside. In anamazing feat, within two years, he persuaded all the other cities and tribes of Arabia to yield to hisauthority. For the first time, all the warring tribes of the peninsula acknowledged one authority, and allthe warring tribes of Arabia were united.

In 632, Muhammad died suddenly. With the news of his death, the new nation faced a crisis:Who would succeed him? Muhammad was not only considered by his followers to be the last andgreatest of the prophets but also to be the model of what is best in men: in his family life, as a hus-band and father; in his professional life, as a merchant, soldier, and statesman; and in his religious life,as a prophet and reformer, he was the perfect example for his believers. Who could follow in such per-fect footsteps?

A rift soon developed between rival factions. Many of his followers elected the prophet’s faithfulfriend, Abu Bakr, as caliph, or successor, but others believed that the succession should be determinedby blood, and they followed Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, the husband of the prophet’s daughterFatima. The followers of Abu Bakr became Sunni Muslims, and the followers of Ali became Shi’i.This division still separates followers of Islam today.

Despite this division, Abu Bakr held the tribes of Arabia together, and his successor, Umar,actively engaged in a war of conquest. The armies of Islam seemed unstoppable. Its soldiers foughtwith a ferocity and disregard for their own safety, encouraged by the belief that if they died fighting ina jihad, their souls would go straight to Heaven. Within a hundred years after Muhammad’s death, hisfollowers had conquered the Persian Empire, which had existed for 1200 years and most of India, up tothe borders of China. They did not conquer the Byzantine Empire, but its borders were pushed farback. Syria, Alexandria, and Egypt fell; by the end of the century, Muslims controlled the entire coast

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of North Africa. Then in 711, the prediction made by the secret mural King Roderic saw painted onthe walls of the tower was fulfilled.

A Muslim commander, Jebel-el-Tariq, crossed the strait of Gibraltar into Spain. The nameGibraltar comes from the Spanish interpretation of his name. Determined to succeed or die, hemarched forward at the head of 12,000 men. When he met Roderic’s army, he rallied his men with thebattle cry, “Before us lies the enemy; behind us lies the sea; we have only one choice, to win!”Roderic’s army was soundly defeated, and, true to the legend of the mural, within three years theMuslims, or Moors, as the Christians called them, had conquered all the way to the PyreneesMountains.

Charles Martel and his army ofFranks stopped the Moorishadvance, and it was his grandsonCharlemagne kept the Moors inSpain, by constant vigilance andwarfare along the mountain border.In Spain, the Muslim Moors werenow in power and would remain inpower until they were expelled in1492, true to the prophecy of thetower.

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Map Analysis Chapter 1

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FOLLOW THE LEADER

El Cid traveled extensively through medieval Spain. Follow his travels by drawing a line from onecity to the next. Here is the order of his journey.

1. Vivar (birthplace)2. Burgos (for training as a knight)3. Alcocer (the siege of Alcocer)4. Burgos (to get reinforcements for the battle)5. Alcocer (the battle in which he meets al-Mutamin. He goes back and forth between

Burgos and Alcocer as Prince Sancho rules Alcocer.)6. Calahorra (for the tournament)7. Burgos (This was when he traveled wherever King Sancho was fighting King Alfonso, but

their base was in Burgos.)8. Zaragoza (Rodrigo fights for al-Mutamin)9. River Jalon (where Rodrigo leaves Gimena and his daughters)10. Valencia (the siege and last battle)

MAP OF MEDIEVAL SPAIN

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Chapter 1

THE QUEST FOR EL CID

Alegend is a story that isbased on the life of someonewho actually lived, and the

events of the story have some basisin historical fact. The legend of ElCid begins, like all legends, with areal man, Rodrigo de Vivar. He wasborn into a noble family and hebecame a knight who served thekings of Castile. He married thenoble Gimena, had two daughters,fought in hundreds of battles,endured banishment, conqueredValencia, and he became friendswith the caliph of Zaragoza, al-Mutamin, also a great soldier and abrilliant scholar. The real al-Mutamin wrote two famous books,one on mathematics and one onastrology.

The story is told that the Moors of Alcocer, a Muslim city that El Cid conquered, were soimpressed with Rodrigo’s treatment of them that they called him El Cid, the Lord, as a sign of respect.Other stories report that he was not a benevolent lord at all and that those who disobeyed him foundhis punishments harsh and swift.

The reason El Cid is the stuff of legends is that he fought in so many battles without gettingkilled, and he defeated ben Yusuf, the leader of the Almoravide army that invaded Spain in 1086. UntilEl Cid defeated him at Valencia, ben Yusuf had never lost a battle, and both sides had begun to think ofben Yusuf as invincible. This important defeat of the Almoravides began the Reconquista, the recon-quest of all the Moorish lands of Spain by Christian powers. This is El Cid’s greatest achievement. Hisvictory over the Almoravides tipped the balance of power in Spain. From that point on, the Christianpowers conquered city after city of the Moors. Oddly, for a man who lived such a violent life, the realRodrigo died peacefully in his bed in Valencia, not much of an ending for such a hero.

After El Cid’s death, his body was taken to the monastery of San Pedro de Cardena. There, thelegend began. Based on these legends, The Poem of the Cid, the finest epic poem to have survivedfrom medieval Spain, was written about 100 years after his death. The author of the poem is unknownthough some speculate that he may have been a friar at the monastery in Cardena. Although some ofthe poem is based on fact, its main purpose is to portray the Cid as a hero, a man who is superior inbattle, possesses excellent qualities of leadership, religious devotion, family obligation, vassalage, gen-erosity, courage, and devotion. These are the qualities the Cid displays that make him valor mas, aman worth more than other men. The siege of Alcocer and some of the siege of Valencia come fromthe poem.

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The burial of El Cid’s body at Cardena gave rise to a tomb cult there. It is probable that thecult attracted jongleurs, or minstrels, who would have composed and written poems about El Cid forthe entertainment of visiting pilgrims, and so the Cid’s legend grew. The French playwright Corneilleused these stories to create the play El Cid, in which the plot of the Castilian Princess Uracca andGimena’s troubled love for him are dramatized. Perhaps the most memorable of these Cardena storiesis of El Cid leading his troops to battle even after his death.

The story you will read here draws from all these sources—both historic and literary—to createan old, yet new, hero for your generation. As you read and discuss the story of El Cid, you willbecome a part of preserving his legend.

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Chapter 1

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

al-Mutamin (ahl-MOO-ta-min): The narrator of the story, he becomes the caliph ofZaragoza. Spared by El Cid after the siege of Alcocer, he vows never to fight againstRodrigo’s countrymen again. He fights by Rodrigo’s side at Valencia.

Rodrigo de Vivar, El Cid (Rod-REE-go day Vee-VAHR, ehl Sid): Based on the realknight, who lived 1040–1099, he is noble, compassionate, and loyal. Through hisbravery and skill, he becomes the king’s champion. Banished by King Alfonso, heserves Lord Mutamin, the Moorish caliph of Zaragoza, who becomes his closestfriend. Together, the two face the threat of ben Yusuf, the Almoravide emir, and saveSpain from conquest.

Don Diego Lainez (Dohn Dee-AY-go LINE-yez): Rodrigo’s father and a former lieutenant to KingFernando. After he is humiliated by Count Gormaz, he calls upon Rodrigo to avenge his honor.

King Ferdinand I, King of Castile (Ka-STEEL): a daring warrior in his prime, he loves Rodrigo likea son. He appoints Rodrigo his personal champion after Rodrigo defeats Don Martin at the tournament.Before he dies, he divides his kingdom into three parts, setting off a civil war among his rival children.

Prince Sancho: King Ferdinand’s eldest son. Rodrigo serves as his squire until Sancho knights him onthe field of Alcocer. He has a special friendship with Rodrigo. The Prince hates his brother Alfonso,however. After his father’s death, he wars with his siblings. He is killed by the treachery of one ofAlfonso’s knights working in collusion with ben Yusuf.

Prince Alfonso: Made wretched by Sancho’s ill treatment of him, he becomes subtle and treacherous.When King Ferdinand dies, he is made king of Leon, and after Sancho’s death he becomes king ofCastile as well. After Sancho’s death, he learns from his mistakes and becomes the good king he wasmeant to be.

Princess Uracca (Oo-RAH-kuh): In love with Rodrigo, she knows their love ishopeless because he is not of her class. She hates Gimena and envies her the hap-piness she has with Rodrigo.

Count Gormaz: the King’s champion before Rodrigo, and Gimena’s father. He isarrogant, strong, and unforgiving. After he insults Don Diego, he is killed byRodrigo in a duel.

Gimena (Hee-MAY-na): Count Gormaz’s beautiful daughter and King Ferdinand’sniece. She is beloved of Rodrigo, but after he kills her father, Gimena is honorbound to avenge her father’s death. When Rodrigo is banished, she forgives himand marries him.

King Ramiro: King of Aragon, he is constantly at war with his brother KingFerdinand and with the Moorish caliph at Zaragoza. He proposes a contest for thecity of Calahorra in which his champion, Don Martin, is killed.

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Chapter 1

THE KNIGHTS

Rodrigo: the red and black knight.Called to fight Don Martin for the contest-ed city of Calahorra

Vellido Dolphus (Vay-EE-doh DAHL-fus):the green knight. From Asturias, he is de-vious and cunning. He quickly ingratiateshimself with Prince Alfonso and teachesthe prince his treacherous ways. He de-feats Fernando Ordonez at the tournamentby trickery and conspires with ben Yusuf tokill King Sancho. He is killed by Rodrigo.

Don Martin (Dohn Mar-TEEN): the red andyellow knight. King Ramiro’s champion, hehas killed 27 knights in armed combat.

Fernando Ordonez (Fur-NAN-doe Or-DOHN-yez): Son of the wealthy CountOrdonez, he fights with Rodrigo at the siegeof Alcocer. He is defeated by the trickery ofVellido Dolphus at the tournament at Cala-horra. When Rodrigo is banished, Fernandojoins him. Rodrigo entrusts the care ofGimena and his daughters to Fernando, andFernando fights at Rodrigo’s side againstben Yusuf.

Alberto del Mau (Al-BEHR-toe dehl Mah): the blue knight. Theyoungest knight at the tournament, he is Fernando’s squire duringthe battle for Alcocer. At the tournament, it is revealed that he isnot really Alberto but rather a peas-ant who took Alberto’s identitywhen he died as a young boy.Determined to become a knight, hefollows through with his training.Count Ordonez helps him escapeafter he is arrested, and he also joinsRodrigo when the latter is banished.

Father Jeronimo (Her-OH-nih-moh): the black and white knight. Apriest who joins El Cid to fight the Moors. After Rodrigo is banished, itis he who performs the marriage ceremony between Rodrigo andGimena; he also joins him to fight at Valencia, where he is made bish-op. After El Cid’s death, he goes on the First Crusade to the Holy Land.

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Alvar Fanez: A close friend of Rodrigo’s, he fights along side him at Valencia and is sent with tributeto King Alfonso. Rodrigo has him bring Gimena and their daughters to Valencia.

Hermana (Er-MAH-nah): El Cid’s first horse, a brown Andalusian andsister to Babieca.

Babieca (BAH-bee-EK-a):Rodrigo’s faithful horse.She carries him safelyfrom the field at Alcocerand does so again when heis attacked by Vellido’smen. She is the fastesthorse in Spain, and themost loyal. She carries ElCid into battle even afterhe is dead.

al-Quadir (ahl-kuh-DEER): The caliph ofValencia. He plots with ben Yusuf to havePrince Sancho killed. While his peoplestarve during the siege of Valencia, he livesin luxury. He is thrown to his death by hisown people.

Mundhir al-Hayib: al-Mutamin’s rebel-lious brother. Ruler of the fertile Huertalands north of Valencia. He joins forceswith al-Quadir to fight his brother.

Ben Yusuf (ben YOO-suf): The emir of theAlmoravides, the Islamic invaders fromAfrica. His cruelty and tyranny are leg-endary, and he has vowed to kill anyonewho stands in his way of conquering theIberian Peninsula, whether they are Moor orChristian. His huge army has never beendefeated—until he meets El Cid atValencia.

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El Cid: Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: AL-MUTAMIN

“La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah.There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the prophet of Allah.”

Iam called al-Mutamin, the Caliph of Zaragoza. I am what theChristians of my country call a Moor because over three hundredyears ago, my people came across the strait of Gibraltar from the

African city Morocco—hence the name Moor. We do not call ourselvesMoors but rather Muslims, which means that we are followers of Islamand the prophet Muhammad, and the land we founded is al-Andalus—and it is a pearl beyond price.

I have spent much of my life fighting. In my youth, my homecity of Zaragoza was often under attack, either by Christians fromAragon and Castile or by rival Moorish caliphs from other cities, whowanted the rich possessions of Zaragoza to enhance their own glory.Zaragoza is located on the northern frontier of al-Andalus, the Moorish lands of Spain, and as such isin a precarious position. In my long career as a soldier, there was one man I came to know well whowas different from all others. His name was Rodrigo de Vivar, or as we Muslims whom he befriendedcalled him, El Cid, the lord.

El Cid was a valiant knight; he was mighty in battle and an expert with the lance and sword.When he was just nineteen years of age, he defeated the older and more experienced champions ofCastile and Aragon, proving his prowess. But this is not what made him remarkable—what set himapart from other men was that he had the vision to be just and the courage to be merciful. I fought at ElCid’s side in many battles and lived in his camp during the siege of Valencia. He was Spain’s greatestknight; he saved the country when everyone thought it would fall to ben Yusuf and his Almoravidearmy, but above all, he was my friend, and I am honor bound to tell his story before it vanishes into themists of time.

To understand thefriendship that grew betweenEl Cid and myself, it isimportant to understand thelife I lived before our pathscrossed. I was born inZaragoza, a wealthy Muslimcity of which my father wasthe caliph, al-Muqtadir. Myfather was constantly at warbecause Zaragoza is a Muslim

city in the middle of the Christian kingdom Aragon. One Christian king after another would try to con-quer our city and claim it as his own, but none succeeded. Even rival Muslim cities tried to attack us.Zaragoza was built on the Ebro River, so rival Moors would come by sea up the coast and then marchup the fertile Ebro Valley. In my youth we were attacked many times, but my father was a mighty war-rior, and as such, he had engineered the city to withstand a siege, and so our city never fell.

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As a child, I was trained in the arts of war. It was expected that, as the eldest son, I should fol-low in my father’s footsteps and become a mighty soldier so that I could defend our people. But as Igrew, it became my will, as it became the will of my father, that I should travel to the capital of al-Andalus, Cordoba, a seat of great learning, and attend the university there. It was understood that onceI received my education, I would return to Zaragoza and fulfill the duty as the future caliph, and sincemy father was a wise man and realized that all the knowledge I gained at the madrasa would make mea better and wiser king, I was granted permission to attend.

When I arrived in Cordoba, I was amazed at the city’s beauty. I thought, as the son of thecaliph, that my early life had been filled with luxury and that my city was great and powerful—what Isaw in Cordoba changed my perception of both. More than half a million people lived in the city, thestreets were paved, and in the hours of duskeach evening the lamplighters would set the cityaglow. The houses were things of rare beautyand luxury. They had balconies constructed ofthe rarest marble for their inhabitants to coolthemselves in the summer and hot air ducts thatran beneath the intricate mosaic floors to warmthem in the winter. There were gardens, foun-tains, and orchards everywhere. Cordoba wascalled “the jewel of the world,” and a beautifuland costly jewel it was.

As a student, there was no place better than Cordobato study. It was the well of knowledge from which themost educated of humanity came to drink. There weredozens of libraries free for public use and seven hundredmosques for worship. The entire city was educated. Bothboys and girls attended the eight hundred schools, and thewise Caliph Hakim II had built twenty-seven public schoolsfor the education of the poor.

My studies included TheQur’an, the sacred book of Islam.

The Qur’an contains the teachings of our prophet, Muhammad, as he pro-claimed them to men.

Nearly five hundred years ago, Muhammad was born in the town ofMecca. When he was forty years old, he had a revelation that the angelGabriel came to him while he was asleep and told him to recite the words,

“In the name of the Lord who created,Created man from a clot of blood,Recite! For thy Lord is most kind,

Who has taught by the pen,Taught man what he did not know.”

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After my Lord Muhammad had this vision, he felt as though these words were written on hisheart and that he had been called to proclaim Allah’s message to man. As he went about reciting therevelations he received, his followers wrote them down on whatever came to hand: leaves, scraps ofbark, and even the blade bones of camels, but the main task of preserving the prophet’s words wasentrusted to the qurra, or reciters. It was the second caliph, Umar, who, fearing that the prophet’swords might be lost if something catastrophic happened, such as all the qurra being killed in battle,insisted that the prophet’s teachings be written down. This was completed twenty years after theprophet’s death, in the 114 chapters, or surras, that became the Qur’an. The Qur’an is the holy bookof Islam; it contains the laws by which we live and govern, and within its writings are to be found theanswer to any question.

My people consider Muhammad “the Seal of the Prophets, the last and greatest of Allah’s mes-sengers.” And to the faithful of my people, he is a model of all things: the perfect father, husband, sol-dier, merchant, statesman, poet, and leader. But he is not worshipped; only Allah, the one God, is wor-shipped.

Islam means “submission” to the will of Allah, asrevealed in the Qur’an. We believe that there is but oneGod, Allah, and that he is served by angels and will, onthe Day of Judgment, assign men to Heaven or Hell,according to how well they have lived. Through regularprayer we express our love of Allah. Each day we prayto Allah five times—first thing in the morning, aroundmidday, midafternoon, at dusk, and before going to bed.Prayer is preceded by washing our hands, arms, ears,nose, and feet. Our mosques usually have fountains for

this ritual washing. During my stay in Cordoba, I went to the mosque each morning to pray. There, Ifound the light of its virtue and the peace of its shadows. Once inside, I would face the mihrab, whichshows the direction of Mecca, and bow and kneel as I recited the prayer:

In the name of Allah, the Merciful,the CompassionatePraise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds,The Merciful One, the Compassionate One,Master of the Day of Judgment.Thee alone we serve, to Thee alone we cry for help.Guide us in the straight pathThe Path of them Thou hast blessed,Not of those with whom Thou art angryNor of those who go astray.

Although the Christians regard us as heretics, we do not consider Islam a different religion, butrather one that embraces and transcends Judaism and Christianity. Twenty-eight prophets are named inthe Qur’an, including Adam, Moses, David, and Jesus. We recognize Jews and Christians as dhimmi,people of the book. Although Christians, Jews, and Muslims from all over Europe and Africa wereable to live together in harmony in Cordoba, outside the city, even with so many beliefs in common,war has ever been the way between us, and sometimes I believe that there will never be peace.

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Although the Qur’an formed a large part of my studies, there weremany other subjects that I pursued. Our belief at the madrasa, and through-out the Muslim academic world, was that all knowledge can be circum-scribed into one great whole and that the acquisition of knowledge is howwe come to know Allah; therefore, all subjects assume equal importance inour pursuit of wisdom.

I studied mathematics and learned to measure the path of the starsthrough the night sky with astronomy. Astrology taught me to read thecourse of events Allah had determined for men written in the movements ofthe stars and planets. I studied the works of the great astrologer, Abu-

Mashar, and learned how the moon controls the pull of the tides.Alchemy taught me how to refine precious metals and measure changesin weight and temperature. And although we never found the secret ofturning lead into gold, we did learn many other mysteries about the ele-mental world. I read the tales of men who traveled the trade routes andlearned about distant lands such as Egypt, Persia, and India. I read theworks being compiled in the Mujam al-Buldan, the great geographicaldictionary that sought to name all the places of the earth. I studied mapsand atlases. I learned all about the coastlines of Iberia and Africa andhow my city might better prepare for attack. I studied agriculture andengineering to learn new ways to better irrigate the fertile valley ofZaragoza. I studied the scope of architecture and the intricacy of decora-tion. I studied law that I might be a fair and just ruler. I wanted to learnall that I could to help my people when I became their caliph. Cordobawas the model of all that I wanted Zaragoza to be. If Cordoba wasSpain’s crowning jewel, then Zaragoza could be its scepter.

Of all my studies, however, it was the art of medicine that fascinated me most of all. The doc-tors of Cordoba had studied all the medical knowledge of the Greeks, and they had improved on theirobservations. The great physician Ibn-Sina, known to the Christians as Avicenna, had written forty-three medical works, including al-Qanaun fit as-Tibb, the great canon of medicine. This great workwas an encyclopedia of a million words that summarized Greek, Syrian, Persian, and Arabic knowl-edge. Ibn-Sina had also made many important observations of his own, which were included in hisbooks. He recognized, for example, that diet and climate have an important influence on health andthat emotional stress can produce physical illness. He observed that disease could be spread by waterand recommended that drugged wine could be used to relieve pain.

It was in the hospitals of Cordoba that I learned the skills of a surgeonand how to mix herbs into medicines to ease and cure many ailments. Thehospital is where I would have liked to spend all my days, easing the sufferingof the sick and afflicted, but Allah had chosen another path for me. I went toCordoba to study when I was a boy of thirteen years. I returned to Zaragoza atmy father’s summon when I was twenty-three. I would have been happy tocontinue my studies for many more years, but I had to return home when mycity was attacked by the Christian kingdom of Aragon. Leaving Cordobawhere all men, regardless of race or religion lived in harmony, was one of themost difficult partings, of the many partings, that I would experience in my

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life.In the academic paradise that I had come to

know in Cordoba, I had almost forgotten the constantwars of my childhood. But things had changed in mycity since I had been away. The once powerful fron-tier city that I had known Zaragoza to be had weak-ened in my absence. The taifas, or caliphate cities ofal-Andalus, had been at war among themselves, andthey were weakened by constant fighting. This madethe Christian kingdoms of Aragon and Castile an evengreater threat. And so it was with diplomacy that myfather avoided conquest this time. He had made anagreement with Castile to pay them an annual tributeof gold in exchange for their protection. This bargainhad kept the peace for many years, but in the summerof 1062, the tide turned again, and Aragon wasencamped on the border of our neighboring cityAlcocer, poised for attack.

Once again it was time for me to pick up thesword, and it was by the sword that I first met El Cid.

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Reading Comprehension El Cid: Chapter 1

Read the following questions and circle the letter of the answer that best completes it.

1. Al-Mutamin is all of the following excepta. the emir of Valencia.b. the caliph of Zaragoza.c. called a Moor by the Christians of his country.d. a follower of Islam.

2. Al-Mutamin feels honor bound to tell the story of El Cid becausea. it was Rodrigo’s last request.b. El Cid was his friend, and he feels he must tell El Cid’s story before it vanishes.c. al-Mutamin does not want the Christian storytellers to lie about what happened.d. all valiant knights deserve to have their stories told.

3. The Moorish city Zaragoza is often under attack bya. the Christian forces of Aragon.b. the Christian forces of Castile.c. rival Moorish caliphs.d. all of the above

4. Al-Mutamin believes that the main thing that made Rodrigo remarkable was thata. he was an exceptional soldier.b. he was knighted when he was just nineteen.c. he had the vision to be just and the courage to be merciful.d. he was willing to fight at al-Mutamin’s side.

5. Al-Mutamin’s city, Zaragoza, never fell to the attacking enemies becausea. it was located in an area secure from attack.b. there was no easy access to the city.c. it had been engineered to withstand a siege.d. it was a poor city and so was not attractive to rival powers.

6. The main reason al-Mutamin’s father sends him to Cordoba isa. to keep al-Mutamin safe from the fighting.b. so al-Mutamin can teach at the madrasa there.c. so that through the knowledge al-Mutamin gains at the madrasa, he will become a better

leader for his people.d. experience the luxury of the greatest city in Europe.

7. What al-Mutamin loves most about Cordoba isa. its famous madrasa.b. its magnificent buildings.c. that even the poor are educated.d. that Christians, Muslims, and Jews all study together in an academic paradise.

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Reading Comprehension El Cid: Chapter 1

8. The main reason the Qur’an formed such a large part of al-Mutamin’s studies is becausea. he is interested in the history of Muhammad.b. he is impressed with the poetry of the surras.c. he plans to become a religious leader and preach the word of Allah.d. it is the most important book in the Muslim religion, and Muslims believe that within its

pages are contained the answers to all questions.

9. Muhammad believed that he was called as a prophet to preach God’s word whena. he wandered the hills around Mecca meditating.b. he had a vision in which the angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him to recite.c. he had more free time when he married a wealthy wife.d. he visited the Ka’ba.

10. At Cordoba, al-Mutamin shows his submission to Allah by doing all of the following excepta. fighting in a jihad.b. studying the Qur’an.c. praying five times a day.d. washing at the fountain before he enters the mosque.

11. Al-Mutamin studied many subjects in Cordoba for all of the following reasons excepta. he believed that all knowledge can be circumscribed into one great whole, so all subjects

have equal importance.b. he believed that the more learning he had, the better he would be able to serve his people

when he became the caliph of Zaragoza.c. his father did not want him to waste his time on medicine, his only interest.d. Cordoba was an academic paradise, where knowledge on all known subjects was readily

available.

12. Al-Mutamin would have liked to stay in Cordoba anda. avoid helping his father fight in the constant wars of Zaragoza.b. avoid the responsibility of becoming the caliph.c. become a doctor and attend to the afflicted.d. become a famous astrologer.

13. Al-Mutamin had to leave Cordoba whena. he was called home to fight against Aragon.b. he had finished his studies.c. it was conquered by the Christians of Castile.d. it was conquered by ben Yusuf.

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Vocabulary Medieval Times

El Cid: Chapter 1

Here are some vocabulary in context practice exercises. Remember, context is the rest of the sentenceor paragraph, which gives you clues to the word’s meaning. Context clues may include synonyms,antonyms, or a general sense of meaning.

Read the following sentences and see if you can figure out the meaning of the underlined vocabularywords from the context. The sentences are listed in the order they appear in the story, so if you wantmore context clues, you can look them up. Also, name the part of speech of each vocabulary word as itis used in the sentence. When you finish, check your answers in the dictionary, and then write yourown sentence using the vocabulary word.

1. In my youth, my home city of Zaragoza was often under attack, either by Christians from Aragonand Castile or by rival Moorish caliphs from other cities, who wanted the rich possessions ofZaragoza to enhance their own glory.a. wealthy b. allied c. competing d. obscurepart of speech:sentence:

2. Zaragoza is located on the northern frontier of al-Andalus, the Moorish lands of Spain, and assuch is in a precarious position.a. western region b. land c. kingdom d. borderpart of speech:sentence:

3. Zaragoza is located on the northern frontier of al-Andalus, the Moorish lands of Spain, and assuch is in a precarious position.a. secure b. unsafe c. prime d. fortunatepart of speech:sentence:

4. El Cid was a valiant knight; he was mighty in battle and an expert with the lance and sword.a. courageous b. violent c. skillful d. cautiouspart of speech:sentence:

5. When he was just nineteen years of age, he defeated the older and more experienced championsof Castile and Aragon, proving his prowess.a. power b. skill c. youth d. experiencepart of speech:sentence:

6. I thought, as the son of the caliph, that my early life had been filled with luxury and that my citywas great and powerful—what I saw in Cordoba changed my perception of both.a. discernment b. will c. curiosity d. abilitypart of speech:sentence:

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Vocabulary Medieval Times

El Cid: Chapter 1

7. The Qur’an contains the teachings of our prophet, Muhammad, as he proclaimed them to men.a. suggested b. contrived c. announced d. lostpart of speech:sentence:

8. When he was forty years old, he had a revelation that the angel Gabriel came to him while hewas asleep and told him to recite the words....a. divine vision b. divine prayer c. conclusion d. concealmentpart of speech:sentence:

9. It was the second caliph, Umar, who, fearing that the prophet’s words might be lost if somethingcatastrophic happened, such as all the qurra being killed in battle, insisted that the prophet’steachings be written down.a. surprising b. disastrous c. confusing d. compellingpart of speech:sentence:

10. Islam means “submission” to the will of Allah, as revealed in the Qur’an.a. resistance b. verification c. revelation d. obediencepart of speech:sentence:

11. During my stay at Cordoba, I went to the mosque each morning to pray. There, I found the lightof its virtue and the peace of its shadows.a. lamp b. questions c. goodness d. deceitpart of speech:sentence:

12. Although the Christians regard us as heretics, we do not consider Islam a different religion, butrather one that embraces and transcends Judaism and Christianity.a. friends b. infidels c. colleagues d. curiositiespart of speech:sentence:

13. Although the Christians regard us as heretics, we do not consider Islam a different religion, butrather one that embraces and transcends Judaism and Christianity.a. surpasses b. excludes c. contradicts d. lovespart of speech:sentence:

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Vocabulary Medieval Times

El Cid: Chapter 1

14. Although Christians, Jews, and Muslims from all over Europe and Africa were able to livetogether in harmony in Cordoba, outside the city, even with so many beliefs in common, war hasever been the way between us....a. discord b. discontent c. anonymity d. accordpart of speech:sentence:

15. Our belief at the madrasa, and throughout the Muslim academic world, was that all knowledgecan be circumscribed into one great whole and that the acquisition of knowledge is how we cometo know Allah; therefore, all subjects assume equal importance in our pursuit of wisdom.a. encompassed b. divided c. found d. confoundedpart of speech:sentence:

16. I studied the scope of architecture and the intricacy of decoration.a. usage b. freedom c. complexity d. simplicitypart of speech:sentence:

17. It was in the hospitals of Cordoba that I learned the skills of a surgeon and how to mix herbs intomedicines to ease and cure many ailments.a. people b. diseases c. ambitions d. comfortspart of speech:sentence:

18. In the academic paradise that I had come to know in Cordoba, I had almost forgotten the constantwars of my childhood.a. school b. madrasa c. city d. heaven part of speech:sentence:

19. And so it was with diplomacy that my father avoided conquest this time. He had made an agree-ment with Castile to pay them an annual tribute of gold in exchange for their protection.a. negotiation b. force c. warfare d. contemplationpart of speech:sentence:

20. This bargain had kept the peace for many years, but in the summer of 1062, the tide changedagain, and Aragon was encamped on the border of our neighboring city Alcocer, poised forattack.a. reluctant b. hovering c. ambitious d. satisfiedpart of speech:sentence:

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Stellar Reading Medieval Times

Discussion Questions El Cid: Chapter 1

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTER 1

1. Why is Zaragoza’s location dangerous? What makes it attractive to attacking armies? Why doyou suppose both Muslims and Christians attack the city? How does this show that warfare wasnot simply religious in nature?

2. Why does al-Mutamin feel honor bound to tell Rodrigo’s story? Why does al-Mutamin think thatRodrigo was an exceptional man? Why might mercy and justice be unusual traits in a societybased on warfare? What is unusual about Rodrigo’s friendship with al-Mutamin? What does thisreveal about both men?

3. What made Cordoba such an exceptional city? Why do you think religious tolerance wasencouraged there? How might religious tolerance have allowed the city to become “the jewel ofthe world”?

4. Why was al-Mutamin sent to Cordoba? Why do you think that he studied so many subjects? Doyou think that people learn more when they study one subject in depth or when they study a widevariety of subjects? Explain your answer. How might the things al-Mutamin studied at themadrasa help him become a better leader for his people? Why is he called back to Zaragoza?

5. How did Islam begin? What things does Islam have in common with Christianity and Judaism?What is meant by the idea that Islam transcends Judaism and Christianity? Why do you think,with so much in common, that there has always been war among Christians, Jews, and Muslims?How is this war continued in our world today? Do you agree with al-Mutamin that there willnever be peace? Why or why not? How might peace be achieved?

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Writing Medieval Times

Research Report El Cid: Chapter 1

There are three major steps in writing a research report:

1. ASK important questions about your topic.2. RESEARCH information about your topic.3. CONNECT the information you gather into a well-organized

written report.

Writing Situation: You know from the reading in Chapter 1 that theMuslims made significant contributions to world civilization in theareas of science, geography, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, art,and literature. Al-Mutamin was a model of the Moorish scholar who’s goalit was to be educated in all areas of art and science.

Directions for Writing: Research one of the leaders listed below in the areas of art, science, or govern-ment. Use at least one Internet source in your research; then connect your ideas and write your find-ings in a research report.

MedicineIbn-Sina (also known as Avicenna), 980–1037

A highly skilled physician and author of over three hundred books, he wrote a comprehensivesummary of the medical knowledge of his times.

Ibn-al-Nafis, died 1288 The head of the hospital in Cairo, he was the first known scientist to discover the circulation ofthe blood.

Al-Zahrawi, died 1013Known by Christians as Abulcasis, a gifted surgeon, he wrote a book that summarized all surgicalknowledge of the day, including a description of surgical methods and instruments, many ofwhich he designed himself.

Al-HaytamMuslim scientists of the era did extensive research into the study of optics and how the eyeworks. Al-Haytam explored such natural phenomena as rainbows, eclipses, mirages, and opticalillusions.

Astronomy and AstrologyAbu-Mashar, died 896

Discovered the relationship between the moon and the tides.

ReligionAl-Ghazzali, 1058–1111

A teacher, pilgrim, and religious scholar, he wrote the masterpiece of Islam, Ihya’ Ulum al-Din(The Revival of the Science of Religion)

PhilosophyIbn-Rushd 1126–1198

Born in Cordoba, he studied the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle and believed that reli-gious truths could be reconciled with reason.

1. ASK2. RESEARCH3. CONNECT

ARC

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Writing Medieval Times

Research Report El Cid: Chapter 1

LiteratureOmar Khayyam, died 1123

The most famous poet of Islam, author of the Rubiyyat.

Travel and GeographyIbn-Battuta, 1304–1377

Traveled over 75,000 miles on his hajj and wrote the accounts of his travels in his book, in whichhe described the laws and customs of the many peoples he saw and lived with.

History and SociologyIbn-Khaldun, 1332–1406

Involved in the turbulent politics of North Africa, he used his experience and knowledge of histo-ry to compile The Muqadimmah, which describes the history of the world and the theories behindthe rise and fall of various civilizations.

Warfare and StatesmanshipSaladin, 1138–1193

A brave and chivalrous warrior, Saladin united Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. He defeated the membersof the Third Crusade, and even though he maintained Islamic control of Jerusalem, he allowedpilgrims of all faiths to visit their holy places in peace.

Suleyman the Magnificent, 1495–1566He ruled the Ottoman Empire for half a century, conquering Rhodes, Hungary, and Iraq. Hegained control over the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Red Sea. His empire was one ofthe wealthiest and most sumptuous the world has ever known.

ArchitectureSinan, 1489–1588

He designed more buildings than any other architect. Originally a soldier in the army ofSuleyman the Magnificent, he designed forts and bridges for military use. At 49, he became theroyal architect and restored two of the world’s most sacred shrines, the Dome of the Rock andthe Wailing Wall.

After you have chosen someone to write about, the next step is to formulate questions to ASK such as:

1. What are the origins of Islam? 2. What beliefs did Muslims develop about the importance of education?3. In what parts of the world did Islam flourish when the subject you selected to research

lived?4. Where was he born? What was his childhood like?5. Where did he receive his education?6. What significant contributions did he make?7. What was his most significant contribution?8. How did his contribution affect the world in which he lived?9. How does his contribution affect the world in which we live today?

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Writing Medieval Times

Research Report El Cid: Chapter 1

GATHERING GRIDRESEARCH the questions about the leader that you have chosen, and write the information in thespaces provided.

QUESTION

What beliefs did Muslimsdevelop about the importanceof education?

In what parts of the world didIslam flourish when the sub-ject you selected to researchlived?

Where was he born? Whatwas his childhood like?Where did he receive his edu-cation?

What significant contributionsdid he make? What was hismost significant contribution?

How did his contributionaffect the world in which helived?

How does his contributionaffect the world in which welive today?

Answer Source

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Writing Medieval Times

Research Report El Cid: Chapter 1

After you have researched your answers to these questions, it is time to CONNECT your ideas andorganize your essay as follows:

I. Introduce your topic: Describe its beliefs in the importance of education, and explain how thosebeliefs led to Muslim contributions in art and science. Introduce your subject and then explainwhat significant contribution he made.

II. Describe your subject’s early years: where and when he was born and into what circumstances.

III. Describe your subject’s education, and explain how it affected his choice of academic pursuit.

IV. Explain your subject’s contributions, and analyze how they affected the world in which he lived.

V. Summarize the contributions of Islamic scholars, and describe how your subject’s contributionchanged the world in which we live.