An epic movie about Daech?

Daech is a not a new phenomenon. A similar entity existed 10 centuries ago. Its rise and its defeat are told in the historical epic movie “El Cid”.

Beyond the legendary love story, also told by Pierre Corneille in his classic play “Le Cid”, there’s a historical backdrop, very similar to what’s happening nowadays.

In medieval Spain, Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar called El Cid – El Sayyed – united Christians and Muslims to fight off the invasion of a dark army led by the fundamentalist leader Abu Yusuf.

This dark army, along with its leader, bares a strange resemblance to Daech and its self proclaimed Caliph, not only in its murderous ideology but also in its dress code, its flags and its horrific killing methods: beheadings, crucifixions…


When he meets with Spain’s Muslim leaders, Abu Yusuf declares: “The Prophet has commanded us to rule the world. Where in all your land of Spain is the glory of Allah? When men speak of you they speak of poets, music makers, doctors, scientists. Where are your warriors? You dare to call yourselves sons of the Prophet? You have become women! Burn your books! Make warriors of your poets! Let you doctors invent new poisons for our arrows. Let you scientists invent new war machines! And then, kill! Burn!”

Reminds you of anything or anyone?

To a Christian mob eager to hang Muslims in reprisal, Rodrigo de Bivar says: “We've been killing them for years. What has it brought us? Peace?”

United under his leadership, Spain’s Christians and Muslims defeated Ben Yusuf’s army and founded a pluralistic state – a revolutionary concept at the time.

A must see if you want to know how to beat Daech.