The Historia Roderici ("History of Rodrigo"), originally Gesta Roderici Campi Docti ("Deeds of Rodrigo el Campeador") and sometimes in Spanish Crónica latina del Cid ("Latin Chronicle of the Cid"), is an anonymous Latin prose history of the Castilian warrior Rodrigo Díaz, better known as El Cid Campeador.
It is generally written in a simple, unadorned Latin by an author who reveals no knowledge of a wide reading; his only reference to other literature is a Biblical reminiscence in chapter 28.[1]
Modern editors have divided the work into seventy-seven chapters (not in the original). The author apparently knew little of Rodrigo's life before his marriage to Jimena, and the whole of it is narrated in the first six chapters. The details of Rodrigo's career leading up to and including his exile in Zaragoza (1081–86) are related with more confidence (chapters 7–24). The period of Rodrigo's return to the court of Alfonso VI of León and to Castile (1086–88) are passed over quickly (chapters 25–27), as are the years 1095–96, during which Rodrigo ruled Valencia. The largest portion of the history (chapters 28–64) is devoted to his second exile and conquest of Valencia (1089–95). The final section (chapters 65–75) covers the last two years of Rodrigo's life and a brief epilogue (chapters 76–77) describes the Christian evacuation of Valencia in 1102 under the direction of Jimena. The coverage is by no means even, as the author admits in chapter 27: "Not all the wars and warlike exploits which Rodrigo accomplished with his knights and companions are written in this book."[2]
The earliest preserved manuscript of the work dates to the first half of the thirteenth century. It was found in the late eighteenth century in San Isidoro in León, but was probably originally copied in Castile or La Rioja. It is now MS 9/4922 in the library of the Real Academia de la Historia in Madrid. This manuscript contains many examples of early Spanish historiography: Isidore of Seville's Historia Gothorum, Julian of Toledo's Historia Wambae, the Chronicle of Alfonso III, the Chronica Naierensis, and royal genealogies.[3] Several errors in the Historia Roderici indicate that this manuscript is a copy. Possibly it is the copy mentioned in a document of 1239 as being copied at the priory of San Zoilo [es] in Carrión de los Condes in 1232/3 from an exemplar of the monastery of Nájera, but this cannot be proved.
R. A. Fletcher tentatively dates the Historia to before 1125. In chapter 23, the scribe of the Madrid manuscript put "Súnchez" for the correct patronymic "Sánchez", an orthographic error that may originate in a misreading of Visigothic script.[4] The script, once common all over Spain, was disappearing in central Spain by 1125 and was all but extinct there by the 1140s, replaced by the script called francesa and adopted from France. Since the Visigothic 'a' had an open top, it resembled the French 'u'. The copyist was probably working from a Visigothic original (or faithful copy).[5]
Notesedit
^So unadorned—"bleak" in the words of Fletcher, 94—is the Historia that only one figure of speech (a simile, "still as a stone") is ever used, twice.
^The text reads Ennecus Suggiz de Montecluso, a reference to Íñigo Sánchez de Monclús, whom the Cid captured at the Battle of Morella (1084). The spelling Suggiz is phonetic (with the exception of the u).
Reilly, Bernard F. 1988. The Kingdom of León-Castilla under King Alfonso VI, 1065–1109. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
External linksedit
Online English translation of the Historia Roderici
April 12, 2024
historia, roderici, history, rodrigo, originally, gesta, roderici, campi, docti, deeds, rodrigo, campeador, sometimes, spanish, crónica, latina, latin, chronicle, anonymous, latin, prose, history, castilian, warrior, rodrigo, díaz, better, known, campeador, 49. The Historia Roderici History of Rodrigo originally Gesta Roderici Campi Docti Deeds of Rodrigo el Campeador and sometimes in Spanish Cronica latina del Cid Latin Chronicle of the Cid is an anonymous Latin prose history of the Castilian warrior Rodrigo Diaz better known as El Cid Campeador Historia Roderici ms 9 4922 Real Academia de la Historia f 75r ºIt is generally written in a simple unadorned Latin by an author who reveals no knowledge of a wide reading his only reference to other literature is a Biblical reminiscence in chapter 28 1 Modern editors have divided the work into seventy seven chapters not in the original The author apparently knew little of Rodrigo s life before his marriage to Jimena and the whole of it is narrated in the first six chapters The details of Rodrigo s career leading up to and including his exile in Zaragoza 1081 86 are related with more confidence chapters 7 24 The period of Rodrigo s return to the court of Alfonso VI of Leon and to Castile 1086 88 are passed over quickly chapters 25 27 as are the years 1095 96 during which Rodrigo ruled Valencia The largest portion of the history chapters 28 64 is devoted to his second exile and conquest of Valencia 1089 95 The final section chapters 65 75 covers the last two years of Rodrigo s life and a brief epilogue chapters 76 77 describes the Christian evacuation of Valencia in 1102 under the direction of Jimena The coverage is by no means even as the author admits in chapter 27 Not all the wars and warlike exploits which Rodrigo accomplished with his knights and companions are written in this book 2 The earliest preserved manuscript of the work dates to the first half of the thirteenth century It was found in the late eighteenth century in San Isidoro in Leon but was probably originally copied in Castile or La Rioja It is now MS 9 4922 in the library of the Real Academia de la Historia in Madrid This manuscript contains many examples of early Spanish historiography Isidore of Seville s Historia Gothorum Julian of Toledo s Historia Wambae the Chronicle of Alfonso III the Chronica Naierensis and royal genealogies 3 Several errors in the Historia Roderici indicate that this manuscript is a copy Possibly it is the copy mentioned in a document of 1239 as being copied at the priory of San Zoilo es in Carrion de los Condes in 1232 3 from an exemplar of the monastery of Najera but this cannot be proved R A Fletcher tentatively dates the Historia to before 1125 In chapter 23 the scribe of the Madrid manuscript put Sunchez for the correct patronymic Sanchez an orthographic error that may originate in a misreading of Visigothic script 4 The script once common all over Spain was disappearing in central Spain by 1125 and was all but extinct there by the 1140s replaced by the script called francesa and adopted from France Since the Visigothic a had an open top it resembled the French u The copyist was probably working from a Visigothic original or faithful copy 5 Notes edit So unadorned bleak in the words of Fletcher 94 is the Historia that only one figure of speech a simile still as a stone is ever used twice Fletcher 94 Fletcher 95 The text reads Ennecus Suggiz de Montecluso a reference to Inigo Sanchez de Monclus whom the Cid captured at the Battle of Morella 1084 The spelling Suggiz is phonetic with the exception of the u Fletcher 95 96 Bibliography editBarton Simon 1997 The Aristocracy in Twelfth Century Leon and Castile Cambridge Cambridge University Press Fletcher Richard A 1989 The Quest for El Cid New York Alfred A Knopf ISBN 0 394 57447 8 Reilly Bernard F 1988 The Kingdom of Leon Castilla under King Alfonso VI 1065 1109 Princeton Princeton University Press External links editOnline English translation of the Historia Roderici Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Historia Roderici amp oldid 1217883280, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
