Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar

Moorish history, wrote Izanagi Aoi, "is the story of a small city's depraved dictator, and a wandering warlord, and their rocky relationship in the ashes of that kingdom. It is also the story of how the one paid the other to redraw lines on maps and kill people."

This is the story of that wandering warlord.

Rodrigo Diaz before 1081

Alfonso VI has Rodrigo Diaz exiled in 1081, and judging by the romances about him, he takes a number of loyal retainers with him. What he isn't allowed to take with him is any of his assets.

His first stop is to spend the winter in Barcelona, where he apparently offers his services to Ramon Berenguer and Berenguer Ramon, the confusingly named children of Ramon Berenguer I, who jointly share the comital title. It doesn't go over well; they fall out hard, and after Berenguer Ramon becomes the Fratricide they wind up facing each other in battle a few times. As soon as the snow thaws in 1082, therefore, Rodrigo and friends turn south, arriving in Saraqusta. And IRL, that's the end of this story; for reasons lost to time, he's hired by al-Musta'in, securing Zaragoza for the next five years and throwing a wrench into the power dynamics of the north.

But Andalusada isn't IRL, and in Andalusada that's where things start diverging. Because Rodrigo isn't hired by al-Musta'in, and (running out of cash, and with a certain number of retainers with him) he turns south, there to find employment in Seville.

After that, shit starts getting real.

Rodrigo in Seville

The first problem that Seville faces at this point in time is Batallos. (That's Badajoz for the rest of us.) Rather predictably, Seville (led by Diaz) kicks its ass.

• And, of course, in early 1085 Rodrigo launches his last and most impressive Sevillan campaign: a winter attack on Toledo, which captures the city.

Diaz isn't directly involved in the death of his liege Alfonso, though. That's unrelated.

Rodrigo after Alfonso

Alfonso specifically recalls Diaz from exile, but by the time Diaz makes it back to Burgos Alfonso VI is already dead and the throne is in crisis.

• I'm not entirely sure how this stuff plays, but I'm thinking that