Honor of Leaders

One of the traits of the Cid is his devotion to his leaders, no matter how these leaders treat him. For instance, even though the Cid is wrongly banished from his homeland by King Alfonso, the Cid continues to honor this king. Each time the Cid completes a major battle he is careful to send appropriate gifts to the king. Generally, these gifts include battle horses, complete with full outfitting for war. In the time period of the Cid, the gift of good battle horses would be appreciated because a battle could be lost or won depending on the ability and speed of the horses that carried the soldiers into battle.

The Cid also shows his devotion to King Alfonso by refusing to have his beard cut. At the hearing to determine the fate of King Alfonso's sons the Cid is criticized because his beard is...