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THE HUNDRED
DAMSELS
As the legend goes, in times of the mythical king
Mauregato, the Saracen conquerors forced the Christians to
pay them a tribute of one hundred damsels each year.
Habían
en todo esto de Almanzor dar
cien doncellas hermosas que fuesen por casar,
habíanlas por Castiella cada una buscar,
habíanlo de cumplir, pero con gran pesar.
As the Poem by Fernán
González recounts
with amusing anachronism.
This tribute was paid
until the reign of Ramiro I, who refused to do so. This
led to a bitter war and a decisive battle took place in
the fields of Clavijo, near Logroño. The Christian troops
were at a clear disadvantage when, suddenly, the apostle
St James appeared on a white charger brandishing a
blinding sword which he used against the Moors, giving a
clear victory to the Christians. This took place on 23rd
Mayo 844.
From the book
"Curiosidades del Camino de Santiago". by Juan Ramón
Corpas Mauleon. Published by Edilesa
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