Rodrigo Diaz De Vivar

Rodrigo Diaz De Vivar's precise birthplace is unknown, but history has it that he was born in Vivar del Cid, a Castilian city in what is now Spain. El Cid is one of the most well-known figures in Spanish history, thus we do have trustworthy accounts of his existence.

At the eleventh century, Rodrigo was nurtured in the court of King Ferdinand I of Castile. He fought as the king's champion from a very young age, and quickly gained a reputation for his amazing ability with the broadsword and lance. He was one of the few generals in European history to never lose a war, therefore his actual strength was in military planning.

Rodrigo is still regarded as a national hero throughout Spain for his role in driving the Moors from the city of Valencia, even though he served many sides as a mercenary warlord after the death of the King in 1065, making it impossible to assign his allegiances a religious, or even a nationalistic, color. However, that didn't last long because the city was retaken just three years after his passing in 1099.