rnando, who left all his children under the wardship of the
Cid. Unluckily, the old man's will had not been a wise one, and bitter
quarrels soon raged between the new king Sancho and his brothers and
sisters. In vain Don Rodrigo tried to heal the feuds, but war soon broke
out, and by his oath of allegiance he was forced, sorely against his
wish, to fight under the king's banner. By his aid Sancho despoiled his
two brothers and one of his sisters of the lands which were theirs by
right, but when the king demanded that he should go as envoy and bid the
princess Dona Urraca yield up her town of Zamora in exchange for much
gold, the Cid prayed him to send someone else, for he could not take
arms against the princess whom he had known when they were children
together. His words, however, were useless. The king would listen to
nothing, and the Cid rode forth to Zamora with a heavy heart. Silently
he bore the reproaches of Dona Urraca, and returned in five days to tell
Fernando that the citizens of Zamora had sworn in his presence, that the
city would never be given up till they all lay dead upon her walls. This
answer so infuriated Don Sancho that he falsely accused the Cid of
having put the words into the mouths of his enemies, and bade him begone
out of the kingdom.

But a man like the Cid could not lightly be dismissed, and very soon the
king was forced to humble himself, and send messengers to beg his
forgiveness. The Campeador was too generous to bear malice, and rode
joyfully back, to find Sancho besieging Zamora. And an ill day it was
for the king when he resolved to wrest his sister's possessions from
her; for one of her citizens, spurred by love to his lady, gained
admittance into the royal camp and offered to betray the city. A
councillor of the princess, the old Arias Gonzalo, cried to the king
from the walls to lend no ear unto the man's words, for he was a
traitor; but Dolfos had a wily tongue, and easily persuaded Sancho to
come with him to see the small door across the trench by which the army
might enter. They were hardly outside the camp when Dolfos struck him
between the shoulders with his spear, and the king rolled in his death
agony on the ground. The sight was seen by Don Rodrigo, who had watched
eagerly and anxiously the movements of Dolfos, and now sprang towards
the traitor with his drawn sword. But Dolfos was too quick for him, and
the postern was flung open by some of the men of Zamora, before the Cid