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The conquest of Castejón

Paisaje en Castejón de Henares, Guadalajara. ALC

According to El Cantar de Mío Cid, El Cid made his camp upon the hill of Castejón after crossing the border between Castile and the taifa of Toledo, on the tenth night of exile. Next day in the morning, Rodrigo and one hundred horsemen took the town of Castejón by means of an ambush. In the meantime Álvar Fáñez rode ahead with two hundred men to plunder the valley of Henares, reaching as far as Alcalá de Henares. Back in Castejón, they brought in “many flocks of sheep and of cattle, and clothing, and great quantities of other riches”.

After remaining three days in Castejón, El Cid abandoned this base for fear that king Alfonso VI sent his army to defend the Muslims of the taifa of Toledo, which paid tribute to Alfonso. There are scholars who argue that the town called as “Castejón del Henares” is actually Jadraque.

Rev. PAB: 28.12.18