El Cid: The Baddest Knight in Spain

El Cid: The Baddest Knight in Spain

From Badass of the Week by Badass History - High Five Content & Seven Bucks Productions

March 11, 2026 · 1h 10m · Season 2 · Episode 22

About this episode

This episode explores the life of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid, a legendary knight in Medieval Spain who became a powerful mercenary and warlord-king.

Medieval Spain was a chaotic battlefield of rival Christian kingdoms, powerful Muslim emirs, shifting alliances, and nonstop war - and in the middle of it all rode Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the legendary warrior history remembers as El Cid. Exiled by his own king, El Cid didn’t disappear quietly into the margins of history. Instead, he built an unstoppable reputation as a battlefield genius and mercenary commander, fighting for whoever would hire him and defeating just about everyone who stood in his way. His campaigns reshaped the balance of power in Iberia, culminating in the stunning conquest of the great city of Valencia, where he ruled as a warlord-king. In this episode Ben Thompson and Dr. Patricia Larash explore the life of one of the most legendary knights of the Middle Ages—a warrior whose story includes exile, epic sieges, brutal battlefield victories, and one final act so wild that even death couldn’t stop him from leading his army to victory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Ben Thompson

Guest: Dr. Patricia Larash

Topics covered

  • Medieval Spain
  • El Cid
  • knighthood
  • battlefield tactics
  • historical figures

Keywords

  • El Cid
  • Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar
  • Medieval Spain
  • knight
  • battlefield genius
  • Valencia
  • mercenary
  • Christian kingdoms
  • Muslim emirs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Badass History, High Five Content, Seven Bucks Productions

Places: Spain, Valencia

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