Gerald the Fearless

Geraldo Geraldes
Geraldo Geraldes
	Statue of Geraldo the Fearless in Évora, decapitating a Moor.
Born	unknown
Died	c. 1173; Morocco
Nationality	Portuguese
Occupation	knight
Known for	conquest of Évora

Geraldo Geraldes or Gerald the Fearless (died c. 1173), known in Portuguese as Geraldo Sem Pavor ("without fear"),^[1] was a Portuguese warrior and folk hero of the Reconquista whose theatre of operations was in the barren Alentejo and Extremadura regions of the lower Guadiana river. The city of Évora was the most lasting of his conquests and was never retaken. His success and independence have suggested parallels with the Castilian hero El Cid and Gerald has been called "the Cid of Portugal".^[2]

^ Owing to the non-standardisation of spelling in the twelfth century, his name may also be rendered Gerardo or Giraldo. The Spanish version of his patronymic is Geráldez. In medieval Latin he was described as Giraldus qui dicebatur sine pavore ("Gerald, who is called without fear").
^ Or the "Portuguese Cid", but not without some controversy. To certain Spanish scholars a mere guerilla fighter has no business consorting with El Cid (cf. Cillán Cillán, n9).

[1] Owing to the non-standardisation of spelling in the twelfth century, his name may also be rendered Gerardo or Giraldo. The Spanish version of his patronymic is Geráldez. In medieval Latin he was described as Giraldus qui dicebatur sine pavore ("Gerald, who is called without fear").

[2] Or the "Portuguese Cid", but not without some controversy. To certain Spanish scholars a mere guerilla fighter has no business consorting with El Cid (cf. Cillán Cillán, n9).

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