XXII. But when King Don Sancho heard how his brother had fled from the
Monastery, he drew out his host and went against the city of Leon. The
Leonese would fain have maintained the city against him, but they could
not, and he took the city of Leon, and all the towns and castles which
had been under the dominion of his brother King Don Alfonso. And then
he put the crown upon his head, and called himself King of the three
kingdoms. He was a fair knight and of marvellous courage, so that both
Moors and Christians were dismayed at what they saw him do, for they
saw that nothing which he willed to take by force could stand against
him. And when the Infanta Doña Urraca, and the men of Zamora, saw that
he had quiet possession of both his brother's kingdoms, they feared
that he would come against them and disherit his sister also. And for
this reason they took Don Arias Gonzalo to be their chief captain, Doña
Urraca's foster-father, that by his means they might protect
themselves, if need should be. And it came to pass as they had feared,
for King Don Sancho knew that his sisters greatly loved Don Alfonso,
and he thought that by their counsel he had fled from the Monastery,
especially by Doña Urraca's, because Don Alfonso guided himself in all
things by her counsel, holding her in place of a mother, for she was a
lady of great understanding. And he went forth with his army, and took
from the Infanta Doña Elvira the half of the Infantazgo which she
possessed, and also from Doña Urraca the other half. And he went
against Toro, the city of Doña Elvira, and took it; and then he went to
Zamora to Doña Urraca, bidding her yield him up the city, and saying
that he would give her lands as much as she required in the plain
country. But she returned for answer, that she would in no manner yield
unto him that which the King her father had given her; and she besought
him that he would suffer her to continue to dwell peaceably therein,
saying that no disservice should ever be done against him on her part.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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