Perhaps the most famous Castilian in history, Rodrigo Diaz - also known as 'the Cid' - lived in the second half of the eleventh century, distinguishing himself during the conquest of the Muslim kingdom of Valencia. The epic poem Las Mocedades de Rodrigo (The Youthful Deeds of Rodrigo), is a fictional account of the young Rodrigo's passage from impetuous initiate to menacing force of nature, and, finally, to ally and servitor of his king. Written around 1300, the poem garnered a significant reputation in its native Spain and is still widely read today. Despite its popularity, an...