Valencia, Spain

warrior and an ambitious ruler, historians remember El Cid for his many accomplishments. Unfortunately, he was a reckless man and lost the trust of Alfonso VI, the kind under whom he served. Seeking employment, he travelled into the land of those who had once been his enemies, the Moors, and faithfully served their king, a Muslim named Motamid. During his service, he led several successful battles before finally returning into the service of King Alfonso. During the time of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, the kingdom of Spain was in turmoil. There was no “clear dividing line between” the Christian north and the Moslem south, and “the country was in a continual state” of war (Matthews and Stewart 56). However, despite the restlessness between the two cultures, their inhabitants interwove their lifestyles in an unusual and unique fashion. Around the year 1030, Spain “became a patchwork of small communities and states, each” claiming rule over a portion of territory (56). While Spain “increased in wealth and culture” under this system, it “broke up into a number of semi-independent little kingdoms,” each with its own form of culture and influencing background (Horne 295). These smaller kingdoms absorbed influences from both their Moslem and Christian counterparts, and many settled with an even mixture of Eastern and Western backgrounds. According to Matthews and Stewart, the cultural mixtures that existed in that time have never since had a parallel. A modern comparison would be a…

The Song of the Cid was composed during a time of major change and chaos. Christian rulers were compelled to reclaim previous Christian lands in Spain from the Muslims. Through these proceedings, the relationships between Christians, Jews, and Muslims were tested in order to maintain set social boundaries. These social boundaries, however, were not absolute in reality as depicted in The Song of the Cid. Instead, Jews and Muslims present more a of a caricature view in The Song of the Cid. In this…

and yet, though he was starved city great in the retinue of the Cid staying. So, once again, Rodrigo called his vassals from other lands and all people of Christian Spain to be ... want to join the army ... Once assembled, Minaya recounted. Warriors numbered more than three thousand. With them, the Cid began a relentless siege to the city. Nine months resisted Valencia, and the tenth month surrendered. So the Christians entered triumphant and the top of the palace, nailed his flag. But the…

Spain has a lot of old traditions and meals that differ from those in America. Their daily meals such as breakfast, lunch , dinner, and your mid day rest or nap. the holidays are very different from America. the foods to symbolize the holidays or celebrations are unique as well. the foods they eat are a different from what we typically eat because of what is widely available to them. The typical day in spain starts with breakfast which consist of a cup of coffee and a churro or pastry. El…

An underdog is a person or a group of people whose chances of succeeding in a particular situation appear to be very low but usually succeed anyway. Humans have a natural instinct to support the underdog because they feel that they can relate, and the archetype has littered the media throughout time, appearing everywhere from biblical texts to comic books. El Cid is an underdog himself, and, despite being centuries old, is no exception to people’s love of underdogs. In fact, he is so relatable…

Matt Carrs Spain’s Ethnic Cleansing (2009) discusses the mass expulsion of Moriscos across the country of Spain. Moriscos were previous followers of the Muslim faith that were forced to convert to Christianity by Spanish rulers. Years before Morisccos were coerced into converting to Christianity the Spanish Jews were given an ultimate to convert or leave Spain. In 1502 queen Isabella ordered Muslims in Castile to convert of leave the country as she did to her Jewish subjects. “Muslims of…

learning more about other people and their cultures, but they have always left me craving more. I have made the decision to study abroad in Spain because it gives me a way to expand my knowledge of cultures…

The medieval inquisition had played a considerable role in Christian Spain during the 13th century, but the struggle against the Moors had kept the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula busy and served to strengthen their faith. When toward the end of the 15th century the Reconquista was all but complete, the desire for religious unity became more and more pronounced. Spain’s Jewish population, which was among the largest in Europe, soon became a target. Over centuries, the Jewish community in…

Recreation and Pop Culture of Spain Spain is such a diverse country both geographically and culturally. Spain has much different music, clothes, and dances that separate it from the rest of the world. From the annual Bull Run to the Tomatina, there are so many things Spain has to offer to the world. Spain’s national anthem is, “Himno Nacional Espanol” or “Marcha Real”, and it is the only national anthem that has no words. It was used during 1770-1822 and was restored in 1823. The reason why…

Origins and Causes of Wars • Long-term Causes The Spanish Civil War was a culmination of the internal civil unrest of Spain. Spain was divided by various groups with extreme beliefs from Fascism to “militant anarchism”. These groups provided the basis for societal unrest, as extremists clashed heads in opposing ideals. Poverty was also a striking aspect of the unrest, as poor masses were neglected by the Catholic Church that found identity with “wealthy landowners than with the Spanish People”…