When Alfonzo, a son of Fernando, succeeded to the throne, he
became angry with the Cid without just cause and banished him from
Christian Spain.

The Cid was in need of some money, so he filled two chests with
sand and sent word to two wealthy money lenders that he wished to
borrow six hundred Spanish marks (about $2,000 [as of 1904]), and
would put into their hands his treasures of silver and gold which
were packed in two chests, but the money lenders must solemnly swear
not to open the chests until a full year had passed. To this they
gladly agreed. They took the chests and loaned him six hundred
marks.

The Cid was now ready for his journey. Three hundred of his
knights went into banishment with him. They crossed the mountains
and entered the land of the Moors. Soon they reached the town of
Alcocer, and after a siege captured it and lived in it.

Then the Moorish king of Valencia ordered two chiefs to take three
thousand horsemen, recapture the town and bring the Cid alive to
him.

So the Cid and his men were shut up in Alcocer and besieged. Famine
threatened them and they determined to cut their way through the
army of the Moors. Suddenly and swiftly they poured from the gate
of Alcocer, and a terrible battle was fought. The two Moorish
chiefs were taken prisoners and thirteen hundred of their men were
killed in the battle. The Cid then became a vassal of the Moorish
king of Saragossa.