The Poem of the Cid is the oldest Spanish epic poem preserved, telling about the legendary period of the Spanish Reconquest. There is a number of military leaders presented in the text. The image of Álvar Fáñez is worth a reader’s attention.
Álvar Fáñez Minaya was a Castilian nobleman and a loyal vassal and commander under Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, during the latter's conquest of Valencia. He plays a similar role in the retinue of El Cid, often given military command when Cid splits his forces, and accompanying him during his exile, particularly in the campaign that made his uncle lord of Valencia (this in spite of historical records that show he remained in the kingdom of Leon and Castile at the time) and serving as his envoy to the royal court. He is a paragon of loyalty, not only being true to El Cid, but also unwavering in his defense of his kinsmen, El Cid's rivals, the Infantes de Carrión.
El Campeador would call Álvar ‘my right hand, my second self’, denoting close and trust relations between them. In fact, the word ‘Minaya’ stands for ‘my brother’ in the Iberian-Basque language:
And the Cid shrugged his shoulders, and the Cid shook his head: "Good tidings Alvar Fanez We are banished from our weal, But on a day with honor shall we come unto Castile."
And the good AIvar Fanez, the fighting cavalier. Of the Campeador his household are many others by. When the heirs of Carrion entered, they were given greeting high. By Minaya for the sake of my lord Cid Campeador.
Sources:
http://www.russianplanet.ru/filolog/epos/cid/characters1.htm
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