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La Tizona del Cid
YES YES YESSS!!!! biggrin I'm flippin' out people! I won the sword!! I won La Tizona del Cid!!!! *dances*...whew, okay, I should explain why this is such a big deal. *a few minutes pass* Now that I made a logical order to talk about this, let's lay out what's goin' on, and why it's such a big deal. xD
First of all, this sword that I won, known as "La Tizona del Cid" is a popular historical replica of a sword belonging to a man known as El Cid waaaay back in the day. We're talking...*double-checks the encyclopedia*...the 11th century, back in Spain. To borrow from the Encyclopedia Britannica (no Wikis for me thx)-- The Cid: Castilian military leader and national hero of Spain. His popular name, El Cid (from Spanish Arabic al-sīd, meaning “lord”), dates from his lifetime. Spanish title "El Cid", also called El Campeador (“the Champion”), actual name: Rodrigo( or Ruy) Díaz de Vivar.
Born c. 1043, to the Vivar family, near the town of Burgos, in the kingdom of Castile [part of modern day Spain] died July 10, 1099, in the town of Valencia.
*Sorry I don't have any smaller images* Here is the original Tizona in the Army Museum in Spain Here is a statue of El CidNow to the most important question: Why does this matter? My Grandpa owned the exact same sword. My late Grandpa to be exact. My dad's dad, Jesse, who died before I was born, once went to Spain with my grandma; during their trip they took a tour through the city of Toledo, which is world-renowned for their resident sword-makers. He brought back several swords, one of which was a beautiful replica of La Tizona del Cid. Long story short, as a teen I asked Grandma if I could have the sword to remember him by, she and Dad agreed, but my aunt had carelessly broken the sword handle several years earlier (didn't know about it until after I'd gotten it).
So we got the sword, but it was, sadly, a broken heirloom. To this day, my dad still gets upset when he remembers how my aunt had carelessly broken their dad's treasure. Eventually, we found that we could not save the sword, and just stored it in a closet. For a long time, I had tried to find a replacement for it (specifically a good-quality but affordable one sweatdrop ) No such luck for several more years.
Until yesterday, when just out of curiosity I go on eBay. And I find a stunning replica of the Tizona, complete with the same kind of leather-wrapped handle and gold pommel and hilt. And the auction was ending in less than a day. And the winning bid was only $5.09! o.0 And I could afford to buy it! Immediately I put in a bid, weighed the cost of how far I'd go to pay for it. I decided to put in a high quantity and teamed up with my dad to get a higher maximum bid, ensuring that we had a strong chance of winning.
One very important thing to remember is this: the new Tizona is NOT intended to replace my grandfather's; rather, it is intended to be a new memento honoring his memory. Once I figure out how to repair his original replica, I will do it.
And now, for a total of $67.70 (trust me, a REALLY good price for a sword of its quality and design), we will have again a mint condition, made-in-Spain replica of La Tizona del Cid, an heirloom of the Casas family, a memento to Grandpa Casas, a hearty, loving, noble and spirited man. Being of a Hispanic family, by the way, this sword and its history are also a part of my ethnic heritage. =)
...I wish I could've known him...Oh well, I will see him in Heaven. ^ ^
And before we part ways, some obligatory pics of the sword I won on eBay (enjoy!):
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 Posted by: lchabod Wed Feb 11, 2009 @ 08:55pm
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