The domination of these strangers was indeed so odious that, except for the divisions between Alfonso and his ambitious queen Donna Urraca, who was sovereign in her own right, all Andalusia might speedily have been subjected to Christian rule.

Alix comme Diègue Urraca; Il est le fort, ami du faible; il attaqua Dans leurs antres les rois du Rhin, et dans leurs bauges Les barons effrayants et difformes des Vosges; De tout peuple orphelin il se faisait l'aïeul; Il mit en liberté les villes; il vint seul De Hugo Tête-d'Aigle affronter la caverne; Bon, terrible, il brisa le carcan de Saverne, La ceinture de fer de Schelestadt l'anneau De Colmar et

He left Castile to his eldest son, Don Sancho, Leon to Don Alfonso, Galicia to Don Garcia, and gave his daughters, Doña Urraca and Doña Elvira, the wealthy cities of Zamora and Toro.

While Don Sancho and his invaluable ally were thus engaged, Don Garcia, King of Galicia, who was also anxious to increase his kingdom, deprived his sister Doña Urraca of her city of Zamora.

As for Don Alfonso, Doña Urraca pleaded his cause so successfully that he was allowed to retire into a monastery, whence he soon effected his escape and joined the Moors at Toledo.

In the mean while Sancho, not satisfied with his triple kingdom, robbed Doña Elvira of Toro, and began to besiege Doña Urraca in Zamora, which he hoped to take also in spite of it almost impregnable position.

The king, utterly regardless of the Cid's openly expressed opinion that it was unworthy of a knight to attempt to deprive a woman of her inheritance, now bade him carry a message to Doña Urraca, summoning her to surrender at once.

The hero went reluctantly, but only to be bitterly reproached by Urraca.

Doña Urraca, who was deeply attached to her brother, now managed to convey to him secret information of Don Sancho's death, and Don Alfonso cleverly effected his escape, turning his pursuers off his track by reversing his horse's shoes.

Cid returns to, 287; Doña Urraca at, 288, 290; Don Sancho takes, 289; siege of, 290, 291; Don Alfonso's arrival at, 292. ZEA'LAND.