Babieca

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Babieca was the war horse of the Spanish military leader El Cid in the eleventh century. Several stories exist about the Cid and Babieca.

Babieca, a Spanish word for "simple," or "stupid," was said to be a white Andalusian horse. In one story, Babieca is a gift from the Cid's godfather, a Carthusian monk who gives him his pick of Andalusian horses as a coming-of-age present. According to legend, the Cid chose Babieca, a white horse who was frail and wild. This caused the Cid's godfather to exclaim "Babieca!" (stupid), which became his name. Another etymology suggests that the horse came from the Babia region in León, Spain. Another explanation (mixture of the both previous) could be that in Spanish to say to somebody "You are in Babia" means that that person is not paying attention or being thoughtless.

Over time, Babieca became a great warhorse, famous to the Christians, feared by El Cid's enemies, and loved by the Cid, who allegedly requested that Babieca be buried with him in the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña (he wasn't). His name is mentioned in several tales and historical documents about El Cid, including "Cantar de Mío Cid" ("Song of the Cid"). Some say that after the Cid's death in combat, Babieca was never mounted again and died two years later at the age of forty.

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