the Cid. And the townsmen ran to the gates and drove away those of the
King's party who guarded them; and they strove to beat the gates down,
but they could not, and they set fire to them and burnt them. And
others let down ropes from the walls, and drew up the Almoravides. King
Yahia put on woman's apparel, and fled with his women, and hid himself
in a dwelling near unto a bath. And the Almoravides took possession of
the Alcazar, and plundered it. One Christian they slew who guarded the
gates, and another who was of St. Maria de Albarrazin, who guarded one
of the towers of the wall. In this manner was Valencia lost.

XXVII. Now when Abeniaf saw that all the people were on his side, and
obeyed him, his heart grew and he was puffed up, insomuch that he
despised those who were as good as himself or better. Albeit he was of
good parentage, for his fathers before him had all been Alcaydes ever
since Valencia was in the hands of the Moors. And because he knew that
the King had not fled out of the town, he made search for him, and
found him in the house where he had hidden himself with his women. Now
the King when he fled from the Alcazar had taken with him the best of
his treasures, pearls, among which was one the most precious and noble
that could be, so that nowhere was there a better one to be found, nor
so good; and precious stones, sapphires and rubies and emeralds; he had
with him a casket of pure gold full of these things; and in his girdle
he had hidden a string of precious stones and of pearls, such that no
King had so rich and precious a thing as that carkanet. They say that
in former times it had belonged to Queen Seleyda, who was wife to
Abanarrexit King of Belcab, which is beyond sea; and afterwards it had
come to the Kings called Benivoyas, who were Lords of Andalusia; after
that King Alimaymon of Toledo possessed it, and gave it to his wife,
and she gave it to the wife of her son, who was the mother of this
Yahia. Greatly did Abeniaf covet these treasures and this carkanet, and