his fellow-countrymen, the Cid proceeded to besiege sundry Moorish
castles, all of which he took, winning thereby much booty. Having thus
served his monarch, the Cid was recalled in triumph to Castile, where
he was told to keep all he had won from the Moors. In return the Cid
helped Alfonso to secure Toledo, seeing the king with whom this king
had sworn alliance was now dead. It was while the siege of this city
was taking place that Bishop Jerome was favored by a vision of St.
Isidro, who predicted they would take the city, a promise verified in
1085, when the Cid's was the first Christian banner to float above its
walls. Our hero now became governor of this town, but, although he
continued to wage war against the Moors, his successes had made the
courtiers so jealous that they induced the king to imprison Ximena and
her daughters.

Perceiving he was no longer in favor at court, the Cid haughtily
withdrew, and, when Alfonso came down into Valencia, demanding that
the cities which had hitherto paid tribute to his subject should now
do so to him, the Cid retaliated by invading Alfonso's realm. None of
the courtiers daring to oppose him, Alfonso had cause bitterly to
repent of what he had done, and humbly assured his powerful subject he
would never molest him again. Ever ready to forgive an ungrateful
master, the Cid withdrew, and for a time king and subject lived in
peace.

Although the Cid had permitted the Moors to remain in the cities he
had conquered, they proved rather restive under the Christian yoke,
and guided by Abeniaf finally told the Moors in Northern Africa that
if they would only cross the sea they would deliver Valencia into
their hands. But this conspiracy soon became known to the Moors who
favored the Cid, and they immediately notified him, holding their