Santa Gadea facts for kids

Santa Gadea (also known as the Church of Saint Agatha) is a famous church in Burgos, Spain. It's well-known in history and stories because of an important event that happened there.

Santa Gadea Church: A Place of History

The Famous Oath of Santa Gadea

The Church of Santa Gadea is famous for a special event involving two important figures from Spanish history: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid, and King Alfonso VI. This event is called the "Oath of Santa Gadea."

The Story of El Cid and King Alfonso VI

The story goes that El Cid, a brave knight, made King Alfonso VI swear an oath in this church. This happened because people suspected King Alfonso was involved in the death of his brother, King Sancho II. King Sancho had died while he was trying to capture the city of Zamora.

The Castilian Cortes (which was like a parliament or a meeting of important people) asked El Cid to make sure King Alfonso swore he was innocent. This was a very serious moment, as it showed El Cid's courage to challenge a king.

The Oath of Santa Gadea Explained

During the oath, King Alfonso VI had to swear on the holy gospels (a religious book) that he had no part in his brother King Sancho's death. El Cid made him repeat the oath several times to make sure it was taken seriously. This event is a big part of Spanish history and is often told in old poems and stories, like the famous medieval poem Es el de la jura de Santa Gadea.

Santa Gadea Today

The church you see today is not exactly the same building that stood there when El Cid made King Alfonso take the oath. However, the exact spot where this important event happened is marked. You can find an inscription on a plate on the outside wall, right next to the church door. This helps visitors remember the historical moment that took place there centuries ago.

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