Maria de Padilla, The Secret Queen of Castile: Available on Kindle Vella: https://www.amazon.com/Maria-Padilla-Secret-Queen-Castile/dp/B09DYHGX8L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22N0R8GB6E42R&dchild=1&keywords=maria+de+padilla+secret+queen+of+castile&qid=1631916630&s=digital-text&sr=1 by Beverly Adam, the author of Maria de Padilla, The Secret Queen of Castile
Maria de Padilla, The Secret Queen of Castile- Historical Biographical Fiction – YouTube
White… the color of purity and innocence. One thinks of unicorns and virgins, as well as the legends of brave men mounted on warhorses entering battle.
While writing the epic love story concerning the beautiful Maria de Padilla, the favorite of King Pedro I of Castile, I often came across the names of El Cid, the famous warrior, and his warhorse, Babieca, in Spanish history books. The famous El Cid must have been in the thoughts of King Pedro I, who wanted to make Valencia once again a part of his kingdom during the period known as the Reconquista.
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (1043-1099), better known as El Cid, like King Pedro and Maria de Padilla was from Castile. El Cid rode the legendary white Andalusian horse, Babieca, into battle for thirty years.
White horses were viewed with suspicion in the Middle Ages, as they were thought to be weak and have poor eyesight, and believed to be albinos. This, of course, was not true. And the falsehoods may explain the unusual name El Cid gave his magnificent warhorse, which many deemed as unflattering. One reference translated the name to mean “booby”, a term which also might have been affectionate. The Iberian Calvary of the Carthagian Army bred the Andalusian horses from horses in Spain and Portugal in order to fight the Romans.
Andalusian horses are very good at jumping, intelligent, and capable of learning difficult footwork. Babieca carried El Cid upright in his saddle one last time into battle when his master, who was already dead, was strapped onto his back. El Cid appeared, as if he had risen from the dead, frightening the enemy. The sight of the dead warrior inspired El Cid’s men to finish conquering Valencia. It was for this reason that I named King Pedro’s horse in my novel after the famous warrior’s.
Babieca outlived his master by two years, becoming as legendary as El Cid. King Pedro reconquered Valencia briefly, before his half-brother, Henry of Trastamara, took his life and claimed the throne for himself.
Author Beverly Adam 