El Cid (TV series)

El Cid is a Spanish historical action drama streaming television series about Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar "El Cid", the 11th-century Castilian knight and warlord. Created by José Velasco and Luiz Arranz for Amazon Prime Video,[1] the series stars Jaime Lorente alongside José Luis García Pérez, Elia Galera, Carlos Bardem, Alicia Sanz and Jaime Olías, among others.[2][3] The 5-episode first season was released on Prime Video on December 18, 2020.

El Cid
Genre
Created by
  • José Velasco
  • Luis Arranz
Starring
Composers
Country of originSpain
Original languageSpanish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producers
  • José Velasco
  • Luis Arranz
  • Adolfo Velasco
ProducerJosé Velasco
Production companyZebra Producciones
Release
Original networkAmazon Prime Video
Original releaseDecember 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)

Premise

Ruy is the son of a low-ranking nobleman who died in the service of Ferdinand, Count of Castile (José Luis García Pérez).

Ferdinand, married to Queen Sancha,[4] has become King of León by defeating in battle Sancha's brother, Bermudo. Bermudo's sister Sancha was next in line to the throne, and Ferdinand seized the opportunity to become king after Bermudo's death. Sancha plots with a group of Leonese nobles, notably Flaín, Count of León, and Ruy's grandfather Rodrigo, to overthrow her husband and take the throne that rightfully belongs to her. Sancha is torn between her desire to be queen and her love for her husband. She does not want him harmed, but the nobles have other ideas.

The king's three sons, Sancho, Alfonso, and García are not involved in the plot, but each has his own individual ambitions to succeed his father. Sancha is particularly concerned by the activities of her daughter Urraca,[4] Ferdinand's eldest child, who resents being excluded from the line of succession because she is a woman, despite the fact that she older than Sancho, the king's chosen heir. Urraca's ambition and resentment leads her to stir up trouble in the Royal Court in the hopes of finding any possible means of obtaining power and territory for herself.[5]

Ruy is taken by his grandfather to Ferdinand's court where he eventually becomes squire to Sancho.[4] He is attracted to Jimena,[4] who has been brought to court for an arranged marriage with Count Flain's son Orduño. Ruy soon makes an enemy of Orduño due to their rivalry over Jimena.

Ruy becomes aware of the plot against Ferdinand and realizes that his grandfather Rodrigo is involved. He has to find a way to prove his loyalty by preventing the death of the king (whom he despises) and at the same time avoid implicating his grandfather.[5]

Cast
Introduced in season 2

Episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedRef.
First airedLast airedNetwork
15December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)Amazon Prime Video[10]
25July 15, 2021 (2021-07-15)[11]

Season 1 (2020)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
11"The Conspiracy" (La conjura)December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)

In the Vivar during the 11th century, a young boy called Ruy heads to León with his uncle Rodrigo, after the death of his father. Ruy grows up and becomes a page, but a tenacious man. Meanwhile in Vivar, there is a conspiracy to usurp the King and install Queen Sancha as the rightful sovereign. The chief conspirator is Count Flaín, with the collusion of Ruy's uncle Rodrigo.

Ruy is made squire of Crown Prince Sancho, and falls in love with Jimena, who is romantically involved with Orduño, son of the Count. Urraca senses the situation, and she suggests Orduño sabotage Sancho's saddle during the joust between the knights of King Fernando against the knights of his brother King Ramiro in order to discredit Ruy in the eyes of Sancho. Ruy notices his grandfather conspiring with Count Flain. He follows his grandfather and discovers the plot to kill the king.

The next morning at the joust, Urraca uses Jimena to distract Ruy, giving Orduño the chance to carry out his sabotage. The prince loses the match versus his cousin Beltrán. Ruy catches and kills the assassin sent by the conspirators to murder the King.
22"The Ordeal" (Ordalía)December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
The Count Flaín offers a reward for whoever catches the one who foiled his assassination plot and starts a manhunt in the city to find him. By chance, Ruy heads down to a lake to wash his wound in the fight with the assassin and stumbles upon Abu Bakr, who it turns out, is an ambassador of Al-Muqtadir of Zaragoza. King Fernando begins to suspect a plot against him and confides in his wife Sancha, who is secretly collaborating with Flaín in the conspiracy. In secret, Fernando convinces Ermesida, the chambermaid of the Count, to subject herself to Count Flaín's lustful desires in order to spy on him. In the morning, Abu Bakr arrives at the court to ask the King to send troops to aid Zaragoza against a mutual enemy, but a messenger appears and informs Fernando that the Navarrese have crossed the border and are marching towards the throne. King Fernando gathers the troops and in order to settle things with minimal casualties, Sancho wants to challenge the strongest enemy soldier Jimeno. The King refuses to let his son compete and substitutes another, but Sancho renders him unconscious and plans to take his place to gain glory and favor in the eyes of his father. In the end, Ruy drugs Prince Sancho to put him to sleep, takes his place, and wins the fight. After the victory celebration, the news of King Ramiro and the siege of Graus comes to King Fernando. Flaín notices the wound on Ruy's shoulder and ascertains that it was he who stopped the assassin.
33"Baraka" (Baraka)December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Before the battle, Ruy informs the King of the assassination attempt and his personal role in killing the assassin, thus gaining the King's trust. Flaín sends Pedro to kill Ruy, but when he discusses his plan with Celso, Jimena overhears their scheme and escapes before being heard. She then tells Princess Urraca everything she's heard, begging her for aid. When Urraca learns that her mother is involved in the plot, she changes her mind and blackmails Count Flain into releasing Ermesida. Sancho, Ruy and a group of soldiers arrive in Zaragoza and enjoy the festivities and the entertainments. Ruy meets a woman named Amina and is immediately attracted to her. In the morning, Sancho plans to lead his small army to battle, but Ruy hesitates. Back in León, Fernando learns from Ermesinda that Queen Sancha is part of the scheme to usurp him from the throne, but she continues to play her part. In the night before the battle, Ruy is forced to watch over Ramiro's forces. Pedro sneaks up behind him, but just before he can strike, Sádaba shows up and kills the assassin, saving Ruy's life.
44"Champion" (Campeador)December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
In León, Urraca admits to her mother that she knows everything, and Sancha implores her not to say anything. In the meantime, Fernando decides to make his move by bringing Flaín and his people to banquet that evening, lock his wife up afterwards, and put an end to all of this. Back at the battlefield, the fighting starts, and Ruy fights bravely. Eventually, Al-Muqtadir and his horseback riders show up to turn the tide of battle. In the midst of the casualties, Varo is tasked to take out Sancho, but Ruy saves his life instead at the same moment that Sábada stabs and kills King Ramiro. With the Castilians being victorious, Ruy was declared "Champion". Back in León, Sancha tries to convince her daughter to join her side, but Urraca speaks with her father. He, in turn, tells his daughter she lacks valor, but this conversation spurs her to find the fierceness that she lacks. In the evening, Ruy is summoned by Amina and the two make love. At the banquet in León, Fernando was drunk and addresses Orduño and makes him a knight of his own personal guard. Jimena approaches the man to wish him congratulations, but Orduño turns it around in an act of jealousy. When he finds Ruy's bloodied rag in her possession, he tries to force himself on her, but she pushes him away. Back at the banquet, Fernando knows that Ramiro is dead, and he collapses on the ground and begins convulsing as Urraca hurries back to her room with a satisfied smile.
55"Atonement" (Expiación)December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Now Fernando renounces his position as King. Ruy returns to the troops after time spent with Amina. Abu Bakr strengthens their friendship with a gift but warns him about the relationship with the girl. At León, Don and Flaín find evidence that Sancha arranged for the death of her brother, King Bermudo, and the only way out is to marry Flaín after Fernando's death, but she refused. Urraca and her mother try to find a way out of this, and with Sancho and the troops back, that gives them the possibility to see off the threat. Ruy informs his uncle about the assassination attempt. Sancho, frustrated by his father's condition, pays respect with the soldiers to the comrades who died in battle. In the last moment, King Fernando knights Orduño with Ruy's disgust. After the ceremony, he orders to name Sancho to be a new King and divides his realm with the other sons: Alfonso with the Kingdom of León, García with the Kingdom of Galicia, while Urraca and Elvira are given the noble towns of Zamora and Toro. Lastly, he tasks Ruy for watching over his children, but Flaín begins setting another plot to kill him and Sancha. The Count sees the opportunity to strike when together, they mourn the King. But in the streets, after the ceremony, someone stabs Flaín in the back under the eyes of Orduño; and when he saw Ruy, he instantly thought him responsible.

Season 2 (2021)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date [12]
61"Promises and Temptations" (Promesas y tentaciones)July 15, 2021 (2021-07-15)
After the assassination of Flaín, the Count's son Orduño believe Ruy did it and promise revenge, on the other side Ruy is desolate not to receive a title and can married Jimena but they will when he succeed. In León, King Alfonso ask Ruy to join him with the much coveted title in return. Orduño now the new Count of León refuse the betrothal of the marriage with Jimena that his father had given her and with the promotion of Jimena's father at Count of Oviedo she can't refuse for not ruin her father. Meanwhile Ruy and the army is forced to go back in Zaragoza at Sancho's orders to collect the gold that Al-Muqtadir refused to pay. At night Sábada try to kill Ruy because he was sentenced to death for his relationship with Amina but he saved by Alvar. To forced the hand of the Moors, the Castilians burns the fields around the city and the Emir decide to pay half of the gold after the coronation and Ruy replied to have Amina as hostage in retribution. Back in León Urraca play to put her brothers against each other and when finds out that Jimena and Ruy are in love, schemes a plan for the situation.
72"The Burden of Duty" (La carga del deber)July 15, 2021 (2021-07-15)
When the gold arrived from Zaragoza, Sancho suspect Alfonso to be the responsible from the refuse of the Moors and learn he tried to convinced Ruy to pass by his side. Alfonso realizes was his sister and following again Urraca's advice tempting one last time to get Ruy by his side breaking off Jimena's betrothal to Orduño but they are stopped by their mother. García takes possession of his throne with Nuño as personal advisor to the chagrin of the local noble, also Sancho with his mother arrived in Castile and to reward Ruy's loyalty finally knighted him. At Castile, Sancho training his troops in the winter and Amina is angry with Ruy for his lack of consideration. After some time Alfonso invite Sancho to León and in a demonstration with hawks, Ruy and Urraca fall in an ambush probably from Orduño's orders. In the meantime Sancho continues to doubt of an impending invasion by his brothers and in the celebrations of Sancho's marriage with a norman princess Alberta, the brothers accuse themselves to declare war on each other in front of Al-Muqtadir but their mother try to calm the spirits. Noting Ruy with Amina's company, Jimena reconcile her relationship with Orduño and in a burst of jelousy he have sex with the Emir's daughter. Then the Arabs, who are looking to destabilize the Christian kingdoms, tell Sancha that the King was poisoned. The Queen suspect her daughter Urraca and confronts her but by accident she died fall from the balcony.
83"Wind of War" (Viento de guerra)July 15, 2021 (2021-07-15)
After Sancha's death, the war between the three brothers is imminent. In front of their parents grave Sancho sets out to attack Galicia, but in order to do that he must pass through León, and Alfonso agree with García's disdain. Meanwhile Ruy struggles with the relationship between him and Amina and the pain that Jimena's betrothal with Orduño caused him. By the way he marched with Sancho for Galicia but Alfonso and Urraca make a plan to attack the Castilian army from behind and kill Ruy but at the same time Sancho and his men discover the betrayal and divide the troops for defence themselves from the probable attack. In Galicia the nobles accused García of not having succeed to take new soldiers from his moorish vassal of Badajóz and Nuño that secretly love the King replied to them to be cowards, at this point the nobles murder Nuño in front of García. Next morning in the battlefield García lead his army against his brother and Elvira discovered the deception and try to warned Ruy but she's stopped by a Leonese guard. Jimena arrived in the ravine in Elvira's place and inform Ruy that was a trick for divide the army, Ruy ask her why she came to him and try to kiss her but turns away from him referring to Amina. At the battle Velarde was killed while disarmed García, Sancho intervened but refused to kill his brother and retreat but when Ruy and the other troops approached swipe away the Galicians for the victory. The King was take prisoner in Burgos while Sancho nominate himself the new King with Galicia as vassal. In León, Alfonso decide to attack his brother by surprise but when the troops come back in the Leonese territory Sancho mislead Alfonso with a visual trick doubling his army with torches.
94"Ambush" (Emboscada)July 15, 2021 (2021-07-15)
Alfonso decide to no attack the Castilians but the relationship between the brothers is at the limit. Amina welcomes Ruy and make love together after the battle but she learns that Jimena is always present in his mind, in the meantime Ruy's grandfather is extremely ill and his mother died with him by her side. The final battle with Castile and León approaching and Alfonso try to find a deal with the nobles of Badajóz and free his brother García. This thing infuriates Sancho that send Ruy in a diplomatic job to ask help from his Moorish vassals in Zaragoza. At the same time Alfonso make the same with Orduño but Al-Muqtadir accept Ruy's offer only at one condition, Amina has to return home and Ruy is forced to betray her. Knowing his brother want her dead, Amina demands help from the Queen Alberta that makes her escape through the castle and she refuge in Zamora by Urraca. The son of the Emir accused Ruy to protect her and let her escape, meanwhile with Al-Muqtadir's daughter in their possession Alfonso is ready to fight and when Sancho approaching the meeting between the two he fall in an ambush by Alfonso and is forced to retreat and their saved only for the Moors intervention. At night Sancho secretly attack the camp of Alfonso and Orduño is ready for his revenge but Rodrigo, Ruy's grandfather confess indirectly that he killed his father and not Ruy, by then punched him in the face knock him out and turns against Ruy that refused to fight him. Rodrigo to challenge his nephew attack Sancho that goes to the ground, at this time Ruy disarm him and kill his grandfather when he invites him with his eyes to do it. At the end all Leonese soldiers are dead, Sancho and his men surrounded Alfonso's tent and capture him.
105"The Path of Hate" (El camino del odio)July 15, 2021 (2021-07-15)
Sancho has decided to execute his brother Alfonso and the rest of Leonese nobles who support him, including Orduño and then he can proclaimed King of León and offers Ruy the title of Count when Orduño is executed as a reward for his services. In the meantime Urraca try to help his brother and also Sancho feels guilty for that. Jimena speak with Ruy for the life of Orduño and ask to persuade the King to save his life. The conversation is heard by Amina that confronts Jimena to know who steal Ruy's heart and accused her to be free to stay with Ruy without Orduño between them. When the time of the executions come, Sancho decides to spare the nobles' life only if they swear loyalty to him, and all the prisoners done it included Orduño, when Jimena thanks the King for his benevolence he replied that was Ruy's request, for that Jimena speaks with him again and the two kiss each other and reconciled. When Alfonso thinks to be executed Urraca find a solution to save his life, proceeding a monastic life in a convent. At the same time Sancho's coronation, Urraca with Amina and Bishop Bernardo free him and escape with the Emir's daughter in Zaragoza. For the betrayal Sancho siege Urraca at Zamora's castle but not succeed with numerous casualties and forced him to retreat. Sancho under the influence of Orduño want to siege the castle and all the citizens starved to death if his sister not surrendered. At this point Urraca is ready to accept the condition but cause the pride of her people refused, and Sancho reprise his plan but this time Ruy refuses to obey to his King and in front of his parents grave curses the King.

Production and release
A scene was shot in the medieval bridge of Frías

Filming began in the province of Soria on 1 October 2019.[13] Shooting locations in the province included Almenar de Soria, Almazán, Calatañazor, Duruelo de la Sierra, and the Montes de Ucero in the Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park.[13] Conversely, shooting locations in the province of Burgos included the medieval bridge in Frías and the Monte Santiago Natural Monument.[13] The Aljafería Palace was used to recreate indoor locations of the Taifa of Zaragoza.[13] Production also moved to province of Teruel (Albarracín) and the Madrid region (including Navalcarnero and Madrid).[13] The five-part first season was released on December 18, 2020, on Prime Video.[3] In January 2021, the confirmation of a second season was reported in media,[14] and a release date for July 15, 2021 was announced in June 2021.[15]

The series' direction crew included Marco A. Castillo, Adolfo Martínez Pérez, Miguel Alcantud, Arantxa Echevarría, Manuel Carballo and Alberto Ruiz Rojo.[16] The score was composed by Gustavo Santaolalla and Alfonso González Aguilar.[16]

Languages

The original languages of El Cid are Spanish and Arabic. The series is also available on Amazon in English, French, Portuguese, German, and other languages.

References
  1. Zurro, Javier (18 December 2020). "'El Cid' de Amazon es un decepcionante 'Juego de Tronos' cañí". El Español.
  2. Ramachandran, Naman (17 September 2020). "Global Bulletin: Amazon Releases First Images for Blockbuster Series 'El Cid'". Variety. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  3. Méndez, M. (15 December 2020). ""En 'El Cid' nos hemos permitido muchas licencias, como también se las permitió el Cantar de mio Cid"". eldiario.es. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  4. Granda, Gerardo (16 December 2020). "Quién es quién en la serie "El Cid" de Amazon Prime Video". La Razón.
  5. Dios, María de (17 December 2020). "Jaime Lorente: "La figura del Cid ha sido manipulada por muchos intereses políticos"". El Periódico.
  6. Cabanelas, Lucía M. (16 November 2020). "Jaime Lorente se convierte en "El Cid" en el épico tráiler de la nueva serie de Amazon". abcplay. ABC.
  7. ""El Cid" tendrá segunda temporada en Amazon Prime Video". abcplay. ABC. 12 January 2021.
  8. Zamora Berraquero, Angela (1 December 2020). "Sara Vidorreta continúa su brillante carrera en "El Cid"". Vavel.
  9. Palenzuela, Fernando S. (13 July 2021). "Elia Galera ('El Cid'): "La historia está contada por hombres y según el partido al que pertenezcas"". FormulaTV.
  10. "El Cid". Ecoteuve. El Economista. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  11. Zárate, Pedro (14 July 2021). "'El Cid' afina su puntería con una segunda temporada más sólida que la primera, aunque sin llegar a deslumbrar". eldiario.es.
  12. "El Cid – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  13. Casañas, Jesús (24 November 2020). "'El Cid': recorremos todas las localizaciones de la serie". Traveler.
  14. Silvestre, Juan (12 January 2021). "'El Cid': Amazon Prime confirma la segunda temporada de la serie de Jaime Lorente". Fotogramas.
  15. "'El Cid' lanza nuevo tráiler y pone fecha de estreno a su segunda temporada en Amazon Prime Video". Vertele!. eldiario.es. 22 June 2021.
  16. "La segunda temporada de 'El Cid' se estrenará el 15 de julio". El Periódico de Aragón. 22 June 2021.
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