Characters / El Cid 2020 Kingdom Of Leon

El Cid (2020) Main Character Index
Rodrigo "Ruy" Díaz | The Kingdom of León | The Taifa of Zaragoza |The Christian Kingdoms | The Moorish Taifas

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The Kingdom of León

The largest Christian kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula at the start of Season 1, as well as the most powerful and wealthy. At the beginning of the series, León is ruled over by Fernando I "The Great.", who came to power after a fratricidal civil war that resulted in the death of his the previous king, Bermudo III, and later the death of his brother, García Sánchez of Navarre. In Season 1, León must contend with both the kingdoms of Aragon and Navarre, as well as a conspiracy of Leonese nobles who wish to depose Fernando. Season 2 then shows that the greatest threat to the kingdom may just be Fernando's own children.

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• A House Divided: In Season 2, Fernando's division of the kingdom among his three sons only results in the three brothers going to war with one another, with Sancho and Alfonso ultimately vying for ultimate control of the kingdom.
• Balkanize Me: Fernando's will at the end of Season 1 splits León into three separate kingdoms, each ruled by one of his sons: Galicia is left to García, León is left to Alfonso, and Castile is given to Sancho. by the midpoint of Season 2, both Alfonso and Sancho start working to un-balkanize the kingdom.
• Civil War: The bulk of Season 2 focuses on the civil war fought between Sancho, Alfonso and García after the kingdom is divided.
• Decadent Court: King Fernando outwardly rules a united kingdom, but his wife is involved in a plot led by his second son's own tutor to oust him from power (and unknown to her, have him assassinated to boot). Meanwhile, his children have complicated relationships with one another, with two of them - Sancho and Urraca - being outright enemies.
• Heir Club for Men: León's inheritance laws are presented as being patrilineal, with Sancho being set to inherit the kingdom as the eldest Infante, with his brothers next in line. This situation is a major part of why Fernando's first-born child, Urraca, is The Resenter, as she feels she's been cheated out of a kingdom solely for not having been born a man.
• Royally Screwed Up: The royal family of León in a nutshell. To whit: Urraca is an ambitious schemer with resentments to spare, Sancho is prideful and sometimes his anger gets the better of him, Alfonso has a combination of ambition and Middle Child Syndrome, and García gives the impression of being sheltered and unprepared to rule. King Fernando, for his part, won his kingdom through conquest and then secured it by going to war against his brothers, while queen Sancha is a member of a plot that aims to overthrow Fernando. Thus far, Elvira seems to be the only genuinely good and sane member of her family.

The Royal Family of León

King Fernando I of León

King Fernando I "The Great" of León

Played by: José Luis García Pérez

"The throne demands violence. Sooner or later it must be defended by force."

King of León and Count of Castile. Once a fierce conqueror, he took the throne in 1037 by defeating and killing the previous king of León, Bermudo III, and marrying Bermudo’s sister Sancha. In 1054, he defeated his older brother, García Sánchez of Navarre, in a battle that resulted in García’s death, a fact that still haunts him to this day. As king of León, he receives annual tribute from several Moorish Taifas – including Zaragoza – in return for guaranteeing their safety. He keeps a suspicious eye on the Kingdom of Aragon and his boisterous half-brother, Ramiro. Though his days of conquest are behind him and he's perhaps past his prime, he remains an astute ruler and the most powerful Christian monarch in 11th Century Spain.

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• Abusive Parents: He's the emotional variant, being demanding and not showing much affection towards his children. This is particularly true towards Urraca, whom he verbally puts down several times due to his sexism. This ends up costing him everything.
• Ambiguous Situation: Whether or not he was poisoned, or simply died from complications from a stroke / heart attack, in Season 1. Season 2 definitively confirms he was poisoned, though his emotional stress at the time can't have helped.
• Anti-Hero: Despite his jerkassery, he's doing his best to keep León together and maintain the peace in the Iberian peninsula, and he prefers to keep the Moorish Taifas intact, if only for their economic value. Also, despite warring with both his brothers, he was distraught at García's death, As well as Ramiro's.
• Archnemesis Dad: To Urraca, with whom he has the most antagonistic relationship out of all his children.
• Authority Equals Asskicking: Implied to have been this in the past through his conquest of León and defeating his brother at Atapuerca. By the time of the series, he delegates authority to Sancho when Ramiro invades Zaragoza, and while he'll still go on the field of battle, he stays behind the lines and tries to find an alternatives to mass bloodshed.
• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: When he learns of Sancha's involvement in the plot to overthrow him, he prepares to oust her, but this plan is abandoned once he falls deathly ill. Their final scenes have him forgiving her and he even dies in her arms, much to her grief. It helps that she became involved in the plot specifically to prevent Fernando's death, as well as the death of her children, at the hands of the conspirators.
• Big Brother Worship: Surprisingly, despite his antagonistic relationship with both his brothers, he's shown to be shocked and distraught at García's death and devastated when told Ramiro's also dead.
• Cain and Abel: Unwillingly, the Cain towards García’s Abel at Atapuerca, though not by his hand. At the end of Season 1, he considers himself to also be this towards Ramiro’s Abel, and even screams about seeing "The mark of Cain" on his forehead when looking at his reflection.
• The Chains of Commanding: At the Infantes' cavalier attitude when suggesting killing off García's infant son to prevent the Kingdom Navarre's attack, he grimly tells his sons that he hopes they never have to experience what it's like to face one's own brother on the battlefield.
• Cool Crown: An impressive gem-studded one which is inherited by Alfonso [[upon Fernando's death]].
• Cruel and Unusual Death: His death by poisoning is slow and agonising, stretched out over what's implied to be days, if not weeks, and he's often visibly awake, aware, and suffering. In his final scenes, his breathing is laboured, the left side of his face droops (implying partial paralysis) and he has more difficulty speaking.
• Died in Your Arms Tonight: Passes away peacefully in the night, in the arms of Sancha, while she sings to him and he caresses her hair.
• Deliberate Values Dissonance: His sexist attitudes towards women in power is presented as negative, but not all that unusual for León.
• Et Tu, Brute?: When he learns of Sancha’s involvement in the plot to overthrow him, he's visibly shocked and hurt. Despite at first maneouvering to have her removed and sent to a convent, he ultimately forgives her.
• The Good King. Played with. One the one hand, he governs the ordinary folk of León justly according to the rule of law, and doesn't seek unnecessary wars with the Moors, something that Bishop Bernardo considers heinous enough as to justify his removal from power. On the other hand, his Jerkass moments make his relationship with his family difficult while many of the Leonese nobility consider him an illegitimate usurper. It's also implied that his takeover of León was brutal, and could have been worse if not for Sancha.
• Happily Married: Perhaps surprisingly, and despite everything, he and Sancha appear to truly love each other and are shown to still have a healthy sex life.
• Heir Club for Men: He intends to pass the kingdom onto his sons while foregoing his daughters, partly in accordance with standard medieval practices and partly because of his own sexism. However, thanks to Urraca's intervention, he ends up naming her and Elvira as Ladies of Zamora and Toro respectively.
• Jerkass: He's often short with his family, being demanding of his sons and argumentative with Sancha. It's especially bad with Urraca, with whom he verbally spars - and puts down - more than once. When ordering Ermesinda to spy on Flaín for him, his tone is threatening and harsh, despite Ermesinda being just a frightened girl going through a hell of a time.
• Jerkass Has a Point: He makes a few correct observations during Season 1, due to him being an experienced and skilled ruler:
  • He shuts down Sancho's idea of conquering the Moorish Taifas by pointing out that they have access to foreign markets that the Christian kingdoms don't, and make a valuable monetary contribution to León's coffers through their payment of Paria tributes.
  • When Navarre attacks, he lampshades the folly of preaching holy war against the Muslims when the Christian kingdoms are frequently at each other's throats, Foreshadowing the events of Season 2.
  • When Sancha angrily calls him out over sending Sancho to defend Zaragoza against the might of Aragon with only his numerically inferior Castilian host, he retorts that keeping the majority of his forces behind will dissuade the Leonese conspirators from trying to depose him by force.
  • His speech to Urraca is overlaid with sexism and Might Makes Right, but he does make two good points in it: Royal authority has to be defended by force sooner or later, and attaining power often requires sacrificing that which one loves. He's proven right on both accounts in Season 2.
• Karmic Death: Poisoned by Urraca, the child he most consistently derided and didn't consider strong or ruthless enough, due to her being a woman.
• Kick the Dog: He harshly, and threateningly, orders Ermesinda to serve and spy on Flaín. This, despite Flaín's intentions being plain as day, Ermesinda being visibly frightened at the prospect, and even Urraca objecting to it.
• King on His Deathbed: The last episode of Season 1 has him as this, as Urraca's poisoning has ensured a slow but sure death.
• The Kingslayer: Is said to have killed Bermudo III in battle in order to take his throne. However, he insists to Bishop Bernardo that he's not responsible for Bermudo's death, and it's revealed that Sancha was, though the exact details remain unknown.
• Klingon Promotion: Gained the throne of León by opposing and killing his predecessor, Bermudo, in battle and marrying Sancha.
• The Magnificent: Called "Fernando the Great" by several characters in show, and history will remember him as such.
• Might Makes Right: The essence of the speech he gives to Urraca in the throne room in episode 4. As he says, he conquered the throne of León by force, and sooner or later one has to use force to defend a throne in order to preserve legitimacy and authority.
• My God, What Have I Done?: He's horrified by García's death at Atapuerca, even though he was not directly responsible for it, and it still haunts him years later. Ramiro's death is an even more pronounced version of this, causing him to collapse and suffer a crisis of conscience, despite neither him nor Sancho having dealt the killing blow.
• Non-Action Guy: By the time of the main series, he's no longer the warrior king he was when younger. When Navarre launches its campaign, he stays by his tent and is the one to suggest resolving the matter via Combat by Champion. Later, when Aragon invades Zaragoza, he sends his son Sancho to deal with the threat.
• Only Sane Man: To an extent. He lampshades the Christian Kingdom's tendency to squabble incessantly amongst themselves despite the a rhetoric of uniting in holy wars against the Moors, and points out that it's more economically profitable to preserve the Taifas as paying vassals rather than conquering them. Unfortunately, these moments don't extend to his relationship with his family, particularly Urraca.
• Parental Favoritism: Implied, not towards Sancho but Alfonso, despite the latter believing his father favours the former. He appears to approve of Alfonso's knowledge of the law in episode 1, refuses to allow him to put himself in harm's way during the Navarrese invasion and, on the eve of his death, he grants Sancho his lands of Castile while giving León, the largest, richest and strongest of the three kingdoms, to Alfonso, as well as the Imperial title "King of the Goths", implicitly granting him sovereignty over all the Christian kingdoms of Spain. Season 2 has Urraca imply that she had a hand in it, so it's unclear how much of this was truly Fernando's will.^{Historically:}  Fernando giving León to Alfonso, his second-born son, instead of to Sancho, has often been taken by historians as a sign that Fernando favoured Alfonso over his more hot-headed older brother.
• Pet the Dog: A literal example with his favourite hound, to whom he's affectionate and regularly feeds it his table scraps at mealtimes or banquets. In fact, it's this same habit that helps clue Abu Bakr into the nature of his death, as he notices the hound dead in Fernando's chambers, showing evidence of having been poisoned.
• Plot-Triggering Death: His death and division of the kingdom among his three sons sets up the events of Season 2, though Sancha's death is a more direct trigger.
• Properly Paranoid: As he himself states in Season 1, he suspects everyone. And he's right. He's able to discover that Flaín is the main figure behind the conspiracy, as well as his wife Sancha, and it's implied that he already had suspicions about both of them.
• Real Men Love Jesus: As is typical for his time period, he's a religious man. But it's heightened considerably when Ramiro dies as he enters an existential crisis and fears for his soul. As his health deteriorates, he symbolically renounces his worldly possessions and authority and dresses a hairshirt in penance, has holy relics brought to him, and panics about seeing the mark of Cain on his forehead in his reflection.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Played with. In public, he governs León according to the rule of law, delegating authority when appropriate and, when getting his sons involved to teach them governance, listens to their different opinions and input to see what they've learned. He also tries to avoid unnecessary and potentially costly wars, and argues that it's more profitable to preserve the Moorish Taifas as vassals rather than destroy them as enemies. In private, he has visible moments of being a sexist Jerkass, and Ruy considers him an Ungrateful Bastard for spurning his father Diego (while cursing him no less) after the battle of Atapuerca, despite Diego being mortally wounded while fighting for Fernando.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: He's actively involved in the day-to-day running of his kingdom, dealing with petitions and affairs of state in person while trying to involve his sons as much as possible. When Navarre attacks, he personally goes to the battlefield, and when he learns of the conspiracy against him, takes steps to counter it. He was also this in the past, conquering León and securing the vassalage of the Moorish Taifas of Zaragoza, Toledo, and Badajoz (among others).
• Stay in the Kitchen: Despite owing his legitimacy to his marriage to Sancha, he doesn't appear to hold a particularly high opinion of women, believing they need to know their place and role in society and stating outright to Urraca that they don't have the necessary strength or ruthlessness to rule. Unfortunately for him, Urraca proves just how ruthless she can be.
• The Strategist: Is this in the present day, preferring to plan ahead before moving against his enemies or to outmaneouver them while keeping as much of an advantage as possible: When he learns of the conspiracy against him, he first sets Ermesinda to spy on them so as to confirm his suspicions and prepare a plan of action. When Navarre attacks, it's he who suggests Combat by Champion so as to minimize the bloodshed, and when Ramiro invades Zaragoza he sends Sancho and his Castilian force while keeping the bulk of his army behind to act as a deterrent against the conspirators.
• Tampering with Food and Drink: On the receiving end of this. It's heavily implied in Season 1 that Urraca successfully poisons him, resulting in his death, and it's confirmed in Season 2 by Abu Bakr.
• Tragic Keepsake: He gifts Sancha a necklace as a reminder of his love for her. She's wearing it at both the moment of her death and burial in Season 2.
• Try to Fit That on a Business Card: The last episode of Season 1 gives his full name and title as: "Fernando the Great, King of Castile and León, son of Sancho, King of the Pyrenees and Toulouse, Count of Castile."
• Ungrateful Bastard: What Ruy considers him to be, in Season 1, for cursing out his father Diego after the battle of Atapuerca and leaving him to die of his wounds at his humble manse in Vivar instead of granting him any sort of reward, help, or even thanks. Though to be fair, Fernando was still visibly distraught by the death of his brother García, which Diego was responsible for.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: While it was the best way to thwart Flaín's plans at the time, his dividing the kingdom among his sons sets up the events that will lead to the civil war of Season 2. He appears to be aware, to an extent, of that risk, and tries to have Ruy swear to do his utmost to prevent it from happening, though it's ultimately for naught.
• The Usurper: Considered to be this by many Leonese nobles, which is what fuels the conspiracy to overthrow him and the assassination attempt in the show's first episode.

Queen Sancha of León

Queen Sancha "The Beautiful" of León

Played by: Elia Galera

"Your father left you a legacy. I hope you will live up to it."

The Queen of León and sister to the previous king Bermudo III, who died during Fernando's conquest. Her marriage to Fernando legitimised his claim to the throne of León, a claim which was further strengthened by the children the two of them had together. Now, unknown to Fernando, Sancha has an agenda of her own and has become an active member in the conspiracy to overthrow her husband. While she doesn't want him dead, there are other members of the Leonese nobility who are much less squeamish about shedding blood.

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• Anger Born of Worry: In Season 2's flashback scene, she snatches an infant Sancho away from the window sill where Urraca had him perched on while she sang to him, and angrily tells her to never go near Sancho again, and calls her a monster to boot. Judging from Urraca's face, she genuinely didn't mean Sancho harm, but the damage is done.
• Anti-Villain: In Season 1. While she's part of the conspiracy to overthrow Fernando, she only wants him banished, not dead, and is adamant that no-one be harmed, especially not her children. She ultimately abandons the conspiracy when she discovers that Flaín only intended her to be a pawn from the start, and will likely ignore her when it comes to not killing either Fernando or her sons.
• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Her and Fernando genuinely care for one another, and she only joined the conspiracy against him to ensure he, and their children, wouldn't be harmed. He forgives her while on his deathbed, and when he dies she's griefstricken.
• Badass Boast: When Flaín tries to Blackmail her into marrying him in order to still be able to rule, and her involvement in Bermudo's death not being revealed, she retorts: "Never. One who was married to a lion cannot settle for a rat."
• Cain and Abel: Is revealed to have been the Cain to Bermudo’s Abel, though the exact circumstances aren't explained.
• The Consigliere: As Queen Mother of León, she attempts to fulfil this role at first for Alfonso, only to be sidelined by Urraca and sent away. Afterwards, she acts as Sancho's most experienced advisor Until her death.
• Dying Declaration of Love: Not intentionally, but her last words while struggling with Urraca are a loud, angry declaration that she loved Fernando.
• Happily Married: Surprisingly, her and Fernando. They have genuine affection for one another and still appear to enjoy an active sex life.
• Heel–Face Turn: Not that she was much of a Heel to begin with, but she abandons the conspiracy the moment it becomes clear that neither Flaín, nor Bernardo, intended to spare Fernando's life, and possibly not even the life of her children.
• Hot Consort: Considered to be this by many, with Ramiro commenting on her beauty in Season 1.
• The High Queen: As Queen of León, she is seen as regal, dignified, and still beautiful by many, and it's frequently said in Season 1 that whatever legitimacy Fernando has comes from her. The truth of her is a bit more complex.
• Inelegant Blubbering: During Fernando's funeral, where at one point she's wailing in grief.
• Locked Out of the Loop: Believes that Flaín and Bernardo will obey her wishes and spare Fernando's life, and that of her children. They have other plans.
• The Matchmaker: To both Sancho and Alfonso. She helps organize Sancho's union with Oiubreda, which fortunately turns out to be a Perfectly Arranged Marriage. She tries to convince Alfonso to consider one of William of Normandy's daughters, but nothing comes of it due to her sudden death.
• Morality Chain: According to Fernando, he's this to her. When speaking to Urraca, he outright says that the only reason he didn't execute all the nobles of León after he took the throne was due to her intervention. Her attempts to be this for the conspiracy against her husband are... less successful. Season 2 also has her be this to her sons. The moment she dies, there's nothing to stop Sancho from starting a war against García and later Alfonso.
• My Beloved Smother: Has shades of this in Season 2, with her attempting to become The Consigliere to Alfonso, and then effectively becoming one to Sancho, as well as her matchmaking.
• My God, What Have I Done?: When the reality hits of just how ruthless the conspirators against her husband are, and how she was never going to effectively control them, she's horrified and dismayed. In Season 2, when Abu Bakr informs her that Fernando was poisoned, she has a moment where she looks at all her children - now more powerful and more resentful than ever thanks to the division of the kingdom - and murmurs to herself "What have we done, Fernando?".
• Not the Fall That Kills You…: She and Urraca grapple on an upstairs balcone, and she's accidentally thrown off it. She dies instantly upon hitting the stone floor of the throne room.
• Only Sane Woman:
  • She tries to be this to the conspiracy, if only to ensure that Flaín bloodlust doesn't put them all in the crosshairs. It's for naught when it becomes clear that Flaín won't allow himself to be controlled or restrained.
  • In Season 2, she's a straighter example of this regarding her children: While she has shades of My Beloved Smother, her efforts are primarily directed at keeping the peace between her increasingly belligerent sons, while her matchmaking and political advice are generally solid. Little wonder, then, that as soon as she's dead and buried everything comes crashing down.
• Parental Favoritism: Urraca believes she favors Sancho, as the first-born son, more than her, her eldest child and daughter. While Sancha denies it, she does show more leniency and patience towards Sancho than her other children, and in Season 2 her words of reproach towards Urraca become increasingly hostile in a way that they are not towards him.
• Plot-Triggering Death: Her death in Season 2 directly leads to the civil war between her three sons.
• Silk Hiding Steel: She's as elegant and dignified in public as one would expect a monarch to be, and in Season 1 she's not shy about firmly putting the other conspirators in place and refusing to be cajoled by them, and in Season 2 she has a firm hand when dealing with her children while acting as their advisor. Unfortunately, her attempts to keep Flaín and Bernardo in line don't work because neither is sufficiently intimidated to fully respect her wishes. When she dies in season 2, it quickly becomes apparent that her steel was the one thing preventing her sons from going to war with each other.
• Silver Vixen: Despite being in her middle age, she's considered beautiful. Ramiro laments that she wasn't given to him in marriage, and she and Fernando are shown to have a healthy sex life.
• Stay in the Kitchen: Technically forced to become a consort rather than regnant queen in the aftermath of her brother's death, despite being his only surviving relation, while her husband usurped the position for himself. She abided by this and helped him do so because she was in love with him, and everyone more or less followed because a regnant queen was unprecedented.
• Surprisingly Sudden Death: Her death at the end of the second episode of Season 2, when she's thrown off a balcony while grappling with Urraca.
• Tempting Fate: In Season 2, when tensions between Sancho, Alfonso and García are at boiling point, she manages to get them back in line and forcefully declares: "Nobody's going to war, not while I live!" Later that same episode...
• Token Good Teammate: She attempts to be this in the conspiracy against Fernando, trying to make sure the coup against him is as bloodless and non-violent as possible. Flaín, however, has other ideas. When she sees the folly of trying to control both him and Bernardo, she abandons the plot.
• Tough Leader Façade: In public, she's as regal and dignified as The High Queen ought to be, and often takes on the role of Only Sane Woman when tempers flare at court. As a member of the conspiracy, she's firm that her involvement depends on her wishes being respected and her orders followed, and in general presents herself as both a formidable monarch and woman. In private, she's keenly aware she's walking a razor's edge due to her involvement in the plot against her husband, and is notably worried and cautious among others. Towards the end of Season 1 she can't help but break down in front of Urraca when it's clear Fernando is going to die. In Season 2, her mask cracks completely during her final confrontation with Urraca, especially when realizing that she was the one responsible for Fernando's death.
• The Unreveal: Flaín says that she is to blame for Bermudo's death, and she is taken aback by his comment - but this is never confirmed, so it is unclear if she is really to blame, thinks so, or is just scared that Flaín will use the claim against her regardless. As pointed by both her and Fernando in the show, Bermudo died in battle when he invaded Fernando's land, so it's hard to imagine how it could be Sancha's fault.
• Wham Line: An In-Universe example to Urraca in Season 2. "You don't think I know that you tried to seduce your brother?" Urraca is visibly surprised at her and Alfonso's incestuous attraction being known, and she fumbles for an answer before being interrupted.
• Widow's Weeds: Her mourning dress during Fernando's funeral is a medieval version of this.
• You Monster!: Called a young Urraca this in her Anger Born of Worry moment. When confronting Urraca at the end of Episode 2 she once again calls her a monster, shortly before her death.

King Alfonso VI of León

King Alfonso VI of León

Played by: Jaime Olías

"Sancho won’t stop. Not until he takes from me what father left me."

Second-born son of Fernando and Sancha, tutored by Count Flaín. Alfonso is more prudent, diplomatic and even-tempered in both his demeanour and how he approaches matters of state than either his brothers. While he may lack Sancho’s skill with a blade, he does not lack for courage, and he is not without secrets and ambitions of his own.

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• Abdicate the Throne: Urraca and Bernardo make it seem like he's doing this at the end of Season 2, taking up a friar's vows instead of being executed by Sancho. In reality, the ceremony is a sham and a cover for getting him out of León and to the relative safety of the Taifa of Toledo.
• Brother–Sister Incest: He and his sister Urraca are plainly attracted to one another, and they they may have begun a physical relationship in Season 2, though nothing is explictly confirmed.
• Cain and Abel: Comes dangerously close to being the Abel to Sancho's Cain, after he's captured at Golpejera and faces imminent execution. It's only averted thanks to Urraca and Bernardo's intervention.
• Combat Pragmatist: His and Sancho's forces agree to fight a pitched battle at Golpejera to determine the fate of their kingdoms. Alfonso then ambushes Sancho's army while it's marching through a valley, catching the men of Castile while they're still in column formation and unable to form battle lines while hitting them from both sides. If Mundir and the Zaragozan Moors hadn't intervened, it's likely that Sancho's ambitions would have ended then and there.
• Cool Crown: Wears the gem-studded crown of León when it's passed on to him after Fernando's death.
• Cowardly Lion: Is brave enough to lead armies personally on the battlefield and fight on the front lines, but when faced with immediate, personal danger, he noticeably hesitates. At Golpejera, he doesn't dare to fight Sancho one-on-one, and when imprisoned at awaiting execution, he confesses he's afraid of death but hopes he can still face it with dignity.
• Cruel Mercy: Ends up inflicting this on a captive García in one of his few Kick the Dog moments. He won't harm his brother, but he also doesn't want him staying in León and continuing to press his claim to the throne of Galicia, so he exiles him, telling García outright that he doesn't care where he goes, so long as it's far away.
• Establishing Character Moment: In Season 1, when faced with the case of a woman who'd been cheating her customers by tampering with her scales, Sancho and García suggest punishing her by beating and hanging her respectively, showcasing the former's predilection for aggressive solutions and the latter's inexperience and tendency to make the wrong call. Alfonso, after listening carefully, asks further questions about how the woman was detained, and with his knowledge of Leonese laws, concludes she should be set free as her own arrest was illegal according the very laws that the king is meant to enforce. This showcases Alfonso's knowledgeable nature and more even-tempered approach to matters of state.
• The Exile: At the end of Season 2, he's fled León to take refuge at the Taifa of Toledo.
• The Good King: Played with in Season 2. His moments of being a Reasonable Authority Figure, and Petting the Dog, mean that he’s as close to this trope as one can be in this show. He even mentions having passed what are essentially Health & Safety laws for León's markets to make them more sanitary and appealing. That said, he’s still willing to engage in dirty Realpolitik and is one of the season's primary antagonists to Ruy and Sancho, at least until his capture.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: When surrounded and held at swordpoint at Golpejera by Sancho and his men, he considers making a Last Stand but, at Sancho's forceful urging, wisely puts down his sword and surrenders.
• A Lighter Shade of Grey: The end of Season 2 casts him in this light. While he's hardly blameless in the war between Castile and León, there's no indication that he would have executed Sancho after defeating him, or that he would have become so consumed by a desire for Revenge that he would have undergone Big Bad Slippage. Sancho, on the other hand...
• Locked Out of the Loop: Had no idea that Urraca had schemed to take Zaragoza's tribute away from Castile and make sure it went to León. Ruy's intervention, and the failure of that scheme, leads to Sancho angrily accusing Alfonso of trying to undermine him before their reigns have properly begun. When he discovers the truth, he's less than happy about it.
• Middle Child Syndrome: Tells Orduño in Season 1 that he feels like The Unfavorite, saying that his father "Only has eyes for Sancho." He also seems to have doubts about whether or not he'd be a good ruler, despite it being clear that he does want to be king. This is likely why he's as shocked as everyone else when he's named King of León before Fernando's death.
• Pet the Dog
  • His Establishing Character Moment, where his knowledge of the law and even temper saves a woman from being beaten, or even hanged, for a relatively minor crime.
  • After Rodrigo Álvarez is released from Orduño’s service and spirals into hard-drinking depression, Ruy asks Alfonso to take him on as a knight. Alfonso does so with no argument, and subsequent episodes have Rodrigo sober and serving Alfonso faithfully.
  • While imprisoned and knowing he’s to be executed, he tells Orotz he was always a good Master-at-Arms, and hopes he won’t disappoint him in the moment of his death, showing that he holds no ill-will towards the old knight despite his service to Sancho.
• Real Men Love Jesus: Present, but downplayed when compared to Sancho. When he’s imprisoned and awaiting execution, he demands from Sancho the right to confess his sins before death.
• Realpolitik: He starts to engage in this actively in Season 2. First, he allows Sancho to march his army through León while maneouvering to have the Castilian force destroyed either before or after they defeat Galicia. Afterwards, he coerces the Galician nobles into renouncing their fealty to Sancho and instead pledging themselves to him, deliberately escalating tensions with Castile to bring about a conflict in which León has a noticeable advantage.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Has visible moments of being this, the clearest example being his Establishing Character Moment. In Season 2, he allows both Urraca and Orduño to speak freely and considers their points before deciding his next course of action, even when their advice is diametrically opposed. He also accepts Rodrigo Álvarez into his service at Ruy’s request.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gives one to Sancho in the Season 2 finale, utterly rejecting his I Did What I Had to Do mentality in trying to justify Alfonso’s execution as anything other than kinslaying. It’s effective enough that Sancho has no retort, suggesting that his points hit home.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Like his father, he's actively involved in the daily affairs of the kingdom. Despite his lack of combat experience (at least, compared to Sancho), he still personally leads his army on the battlefield.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Is able to escape León at the end of Season 2, with help from Urraca and Bernardo, and take refuge in the Taifa of Toledo.
• Sibling Yin-Yang: Him and Sancho are polar opposites: Sancho is Hot-Blooded, has a bad tendency to not think things through, and is a Warrior King through and through. Alfonso is more of a statesman, more careful in his actions, and has more moments of being a Reasonable Authority Figure. It's even reflected in their relationship with their sister Urraca: she and Sancho are outright hostile to one another, while she and Alfonso and love each other perhaps a little too much.
• Spare to the Throne: As Fernando's second-born son, he was keenly aware he was this while he was an Infante. It left him feeling he was The Unfavorite compared to his older brother Sancho, and unsure of whether he would ever be able to reign. Imagine his surprise upon bieng named King of León at the end of Season 1.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: Slowly but surely in Season 2, as he becomes a more manipulative and machiavellian ruler who prioritizes León's interests over the well-being of his siblings, and becomes more aggressive in his interactions with Sancho. It comes to a head when he wins the support of the Galician nobles away from Sancho, intentionally leading to a war with Castile.
• Underestimating Badassery: After ambushing and routing the army of Castile at Golpejera, Alfonso considers the war to be as good as won and Sancho to be defeated, and doesn't pursue his enemy. As a result, he's totally unprepared for the Castilian night attack on his camp, which results in his defeat and capture.
• Unexpected Successor: As the middle child of Fernando's sons, he wasn't expected to inherit after his father's death. Instead, he becomes king of the largest and wealthiest portion of León, and is even given the imperial title "King of the Goths", granting him symbolic authority over all the Christian kingdoms of Spain. He's just as shocked as everyone. Historically, Alfonso becoming king of León instead of Sancho has led many historians to believe that Fernando favoured him over his other children. In the show itself, Urraca implies in Season 2 that this was largely her doing.

Infanta Urraca

Infanta Urraca of León, Lady of Zamora

Played by: Alicia Sanz

"Being true to one’s wishes entails making difficult decisions. No-one understands that better than me."

The first-born daughter of Fernando and Sancha, and the eldest of Fernando’s children. Urraca is young, cunning and hungry for power and recognition. Her mind is full of great dreams and great ambition, born from a lifetime of being passed over in favour of her brothers, especially Sancho, with whom she has a particular rivalry which is slowly growing into outright hostility. Her brother Alfonso, on the other hand, holds a special place in her heart...

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• Accidental Murder: Unintentionally throws her mother, Sancha off a balcony during a heated argument in Season 2, killing her. She's horrified by her death, and undergoes a Villainous Breakdown before spending the rest of the season trying to limit the devastation caused by her brother's war.
• Ambition Is Evil: Urraca craves the power and recognition that her brothers have, and feels she was cheated out of her right to rule by León's patrilineal inheritance laws. Consequently, many of the show's conflicts, and not a few deaths, can be traced either directly or indirectly to her ambitious scheming.
• Antagonistic Offspring: Towards her father, Fernando. The two have a difficult relationship, and at times appear openly hostile towards one another. Perhaps fittingly, she becomes the one to fatally poison him. However, she unwillingly also becomes this towards her mother Sancha (despite desperately wanting her approval), and she ends up murdering her as well, though not intentionally.
• The Atoner: After Sancha's death in Season 2, she becomes existentially terrified for her soul. She spends the rest of the season trying to win the war for Alfonso as quickly and cleanly as possible, and when that doesn't work, to limit Sancho's vengeance when he claims the throne of Léon, even going so far as to offer herself to suffer Sancho's wrath in order to spare Alfonso and, later, the people of Zamora.
• Beneath the Mask: Beneath her façade of a power-hungry schemer, she's a lot more insecure and vulnerable than she lets on, and admits in Season 2 that she's always felt like an outsider. She also has more respect for Ruy than she initially lets on. Her accidental killing of Sancha leaves her terrified for the sake of her soul, and in a later conversation with Alfonso she indirectly calls herself a monster, indicating her self-loathing and how she's come to believe what her mother said about her.
• Big Bad Wannabe : Season 2 initially appears to set her up as the series' Big Bad, and her scheming has far-reaching consequences, causing the conflict in the first episode while she maneouvers to become Alfonso's Number Two. She even admits to encouraging the disgruntled Mendes to march on Toro, making her partly responsible for the war between Castile and Galicia. However, her Accidental Murder of Sancha inflicts such a severe Villainous Breakdown that she spends the rest of the season trying desperately to atone for what she's done, and minimize the damage caused by the war. It's Sancho, meanwhile, who undergoes Big Bad Slippage.
• Break the Haughty: After accidentally killing Sancha, she's no longer the smug, villainous schemer she was. It only gets more pronounced after Sancho's defeat of Alfonso and conquest of León. Interestingly, it goes hand-in-hand with her becoming a more sympathetic character.
• Brother–Sister Incest: She and Alfonso are plainly attracted to one another. Said attraction is still present, though downplayed in Season 2, where they may or may not have begun a physical relationship.^note:  Alfonso makes a sexual advance on Urraca in episode 2, though she rebuffs him with what appears to be simple annoyance.
• Cain and Abel: Her and Sancho's relationship is anything but friendly, starting off with her trying to humiliate and degrade him in favour of Alfonso and only detereorating further in Season 2.
• The Chessmaster: She's a schemer, a manipulator, and often thinking how she can turn a situation to her advantage. This may be why Ruy admits, in a private conversation with her in Season 2, why she's been the only one at court he's ever been honestly scared by.
• Didn't Think This Through: Going hand-in-hand with her Too Clever by Half nature. Her schemes can be truly insidious, but they often show a lack of long-term planning:
  • She apparently didn't realize that poisoning Fernando would not please her mother, and only leave the kingdom more vulnerable to Flaín's ambitions.
  • In Season 2, she's revealed to be one of the causes behind the war between Castile and Galicia. She evidently didn't count on the (very real) possibility that Sancho would be the victor, and would then come after León.
• Dramatically Missing the Point: Justifies to Sancha her poisoning Fernando by claiming that he wouldn't have shown her mercy for her involvement in the conspiracy against him, all while being totally unaware that Fernando not only knew of Sancha's involvement, but was actually planning to spare her life by having her sent to a convent, and later forgave her.
• Even Bad Women Love Their Mamas: For all that she's a Jerkass to her family, and others, she clearly adores her mother. That said, their relationship becomes more strained in Season 2 due to her political maneouvering and Sancha's suspicions. After Sancha's death, however, this trope is reinforced as Urraca suffers a crisis of conscience and breaks down crying in front of her tomb in the final episode.
• Femme Fatale: Has shades of this in Season 1, particularly when convincing Orduño to sabotage Sancho at the joust while caressing him seductively... with the point of a knife.
• Hannibal Lecture: Delivers a particularly nasty one to Elvira and Jimena in Season 2, after García's capture leads her to realize that both of them foiled the plan she put in motion to defeat Sancho. She focuses particularly on Elvira, mocking her wish to marry Ruy and pointing out that neither Sancho nor Alfonso would consent to the union.
• Hidden Depths: In Season 2, she privately admits to Ruy that she's always felt like an outsider and a bit of a freak, showing a vulnerability and loneliness that she otherwise keeps hidden from everyone else. Later, she looks deeply ashamed when Elvira calls her out on using her for a deception during Sancho and García's war, suggesting that, deep down, she honestly doesn't like the depths she sinks to.
• Historical Badass Upgrade: Armours up and fights in defence of Zamora in the last episode of Season 2, managing to set fire to an oil-soaked battering ram with a flaming arrow and even kicking Ruy off a siege ladder. The historical Urraca was at Zamora during the siege, and would not doubt have been involved in overseeing its defence, but there's no evidence that she physically fought during it.
• Historical Villain Upgrade: There's no evidence that suggests the historical Urraca was the scheming, manipulative chessmaster the show portrays her as. She also didn't kill both her parents, as both Fernando I and Sancha died of natural causes in Real Life.
• Hypocritical Heartwarming: In Season 1, she's consistently mean to her Ladies-in-Waiting. When Flaín spies one of them, Ermesinda, and wants her for himself, it leads to Urraca's first Pet the Dog moment wherein she intervenes on Ermesinda's behalf to try and spare her from being at Flaín's mercy.
• I Am a Monster: Obliquely refers to herself as this when she comments privately to Alfonso: "Mother and father didn't raise children, but monsters.", showing that she's internalizing Sancha's harsh words. The fact that one of the last things she did to Urraca was to call her a monster before her Accidental Murder certainly had a hand in it.
• I Am Not My Father: I am not my mother in this case. Sancha was Happily Married to Fernando, and just as happy to let him use their marriage to effectively usurp the throne of León, despite Sancha being the only surviving relation of the late King Bermudo III. Urraca resents both for this: she considers Sancha the legitimate monarch, and herself the legimitate heir due to being her first child. As for the marriage part, she's happily single and willing to stay so if marrying means losing the one city her father left her.
• The Insomniac: After her Accidental Murder of Sancha, she starts having episodes of fear-fuelled insomnia, complaining about the sound of a pick chipping away at stone that only she can hear.
• Indy Ploy: When her back's against the wall, she demonstrates an impressive ability to come up with clever plans on the fly:
  • In Season 1, on realizing that Flaín's ambitions mean that both her and her mother are at risk, she's one of the main architects behind the division of the kingdom and thwarting him, seemingly improvising it in a single night.
  • In Season 2, she and Bernardo come up with the idea to help Alfonso escape by way of falsely making him a friar, then helping him escape to Toledo.
• It's All About Me: She will go on, at length, about the great injustice she's faced her entire life. What is said injustice? Not being allowed to rule León as its monarch. This, despite the fact that as an Infanta (and, later, as Lady of Zamora) neither her political power nor the luxuries she's enjoyed her entire life are anything to sniff at. She starts to grow out of this in Season 2 after Sancha's death, and in the last episode she's willing to offer herself up to Sancho in exchange for him sparing the lives of others.
• Jerkass: She's often snide, petty and scornful towards others, not least her own family, with the exception of Alfonso, for obvious reasons.
• Kick the Dog:
  • Delivers a Hannibal Lecture to both Elvira and Jimena on realizing they foiled her plan to defeat Sancho at Galicia, and focuses particularly on Elvira, pointing out that she'll never be able to marry Ruy as she desires as none of her siblings would consent to such a union. While she has a point that Ruy becoming inducted into royalty would make him be seen as a potential threat, it's clear that she's acting more out of spite than anything else, and she seemingly feels no guilt at tearing down Elvira's romantic dream.
  • During the siege of Zamora, Vellido declares his both his Undying Loyalty and unrequited love for her in a desperate attempt to convince her not to surrender to Sancho. Her response is to coldly state that he's expected to serve her and doesn't deserve any special thanks for it (oof), that his love for her is insignifcant compared to the lives of the people of Zamora (fair), and caps it off with: "I wish you were to me what Ruy is to my brother." (ouch).
• Lady of War: During the siege of Zamora, she dons armour and actively takes part in the defence of the fortress walls.
• Manipulative Bitch: Part and parcel of her characterization, particularly as it goes hand-in-Hand with her Chessmaster tendencies.
• Momma's Boy: Somewhat gender-inverted. Far more devoted to her mother than to her father. It's made explicitly clear in Season 2 that it's a case of "Well Done, Daughter!" Gal.
• My God, What Have I Done?: Two examples in the series thus far:
  • When Fernando collapses after having been poisoned, her immediate reaction is to leave the banquet to hide in her room with a look of horror on her face.
  • Her killing of Sancha is an even more severe case, sending her into a full-blown spiral of guilt and insomnia. It's so strong it even makes her start attempting to undo the worst of the damage she's caused, but by that point it's too late.
• Not-So-Harmless Villain: While she's certainly a schemer in Season 1, she generally gives the impression of being impulsive and somewhat in over her head, and her actions regarding Ermesinda indicate she has a Hidden Heart of Gold. Fernando, in particular, doesn't take appear to take her seriously at all. Then she ends up poisoning Fernando and setting into motion the division of the kingdom. In Season 2, her Accidental Murder of Sancha kickstarts the war between the brothers, with all the devastation it entails.
• Oh, Crap!: Has a subdued version of this in Season 2, when Alfonso declares during a banquet that he'll send her from León to take stewardship of Zamora. It gets much worse after her Accidental Murder of Sancha.
• Pet the Dog:
  • In Season 1, she calls out both her parents against them gifting her Lady-in-Waiting Ermesinda to Flaín, being the only one to intervene on her behalf. She's eventually able to work out a deal to get her back.
  • She then offers the tramuatized Ermesinda support upon learning she was raped, and tries to keep it a secret so as to avoid Ermesinda being seen as Defiled Forever and still be eligible for marriage, though Harmful Healing has to come into play.
  • In Season 2, she becomes The Atoner as the war between her brothers becomes increasingly destructive: She urges García to flee into exile and, thus, preserve his life. She later tries to intervene on behalf of Alfonso and the people of Zamora when both are at Sancho's mercy, offering herself as a captive in both cases. While she's not successful, the attempt appears genuine.
• Rebellious Princess: Has shades of this, railing against León's patriarchal laws that prevent her, and other women, from ruling and making their mark on the kingdom.
• The Resenter: A great deal of her actions are driven by her resentment over the fact that, despite being the eldest of Fernando and Sancha's children, she is not meant to inherit the throne of León simply because of the fact she wasn't born male.
• Royal Brat: Classist, scheming, entitled, and smug. She's easily the least immediately likeable of the Infantes.
• Ruling Couple: She's this in all but name with Alfonso in Season 2.
• Sibling Yin-Yang: Not with Sancho, to whom she's Too Much Alike, but rather to her sister Elvira: The two are as different as night and day, with Elvira being quieter, more demure, less manipulative, and much less interested in ruling than her sister.
• Smug Smiler: A frequent facial expression of hers, particularly when she spies an opportunity or knows things are going her way.
• Took a Level in Kindness: After Sancha's death, Urraca's guilt causes her to act in a less selfish and destructive manner. Her advice to Alfonso is aimed at ending the war quickly with minimal damage, and when Sancho takes over León, she's willing to surrender herself so she can be punished or executed, in exchange for Alfonso (and later, the people of Zamora) being spared. Her Jerkass tendencies also become less prominent.
• Too Clever by Half: Urraca is a legitimately skilled schemer with true potential to be a great ruler. Unfortunately, she knows this about herself and, consequently, tends to overestimate her own ability to keep control of the situations she creates, leading to much of the conflict and destruction in Season 2. See Didn't Think This Through for more details.
• Too Much Alike: To her brother, Sancho. They're both mutually hostile to one another and both more similar than they care to admit: They're first-born children (she's the first-born daughter, he's the first-born son, though Urraca is older) and determined to gain what they believe is their birthright. They're both convinced that the whole world is against them and that they must continually struggle to triumph, and will use their talents to get what they want. To top it off, towards the end of Season 2 Sancho starts developing a ruthless streak to rival or even exceed Urraca's.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Twice over.
  • Season 2 reveals that she was one of the main players who convinced Fernando to divide León between the three brothers. In doing so, she sowed the seeds for Sancho's resentment and anger, and the war that would follow.
  • More immediately, her being ultimately responsible for the conflict between Galicia and Castile led to Galicia's defeat, Sancho becoming more aggressive and ruthless, and ultimately León's defeat, along with Alfonso's exile to Toledo and her own escape to Zamora.
• Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Implied in a Season 2 flashback, where she's shown singing to a baby Sancho while having him propped up on a windowsill. While Sancha is frightened and angry at Urraca putting her brother in such physical danger, the expression on Urraca's face implies it wasn't done out of any genuine malice. It's also a marked contrast to the enmity the two siblings have in the present.
• Villainous Breakdown: Accidentally killing her mother causes her self-assured, smug demeanour to crumble. Apart from becoming The Atoner, she's also seen desperately praying for her soul, suffering from bouts of insomnia, and breaking down in tears in front of Sancha's grave.
• Villain Respect: During a conversation between her and Ruy in episode 2 of Season 2, both parties express mutual respect for one another, and she appears to sincerely appreciate his frankness while talking to her.
• Villain Has a Point: More than once.
  • Her resentment at being passed over for inheritance of the kingdom is understandable given that she is the eldest of all Fernando's children, and is not only intelligent but also shows she has some genuine political and administrative talent.
  • She rightfully calls out both her parents for giving her Lady-in-Waiting, Ermesinda, to Flaín, whose Dirty Old Man intentions are plain as day.
  • While she's revealed to have been the one to have pushed Mendes into occupying Toro, and thus being one of the causes of the war between Castile and Galicia, she correctly points out that García already earned Mendes' resentment by thoughtlessly snubbing him in favour of naming Nuño his advisor.
• "Well Done, Daughter!" Gal: In contrast to her hostility towards her father, it's clear that she's devoted to her mother. In Season 1, she's ecstatic to learn she's conspiring to depose Fernando, and later poisons him believing her mother would not only be protected, but would also approve. This becomes explicit in Season 2, as despite their growing mutual hostility, Urraca admits in front of her mother's grave that she just wanted to be shown the same love that Sancho had.
• Worthy Opponent: In Season 2, she's grown to view Ruy as this. Her schemes include attempts to tempt Ruy over to her and Alfonso's side, and she no longer underestimates him as she did initially in Season 1.

Infanta Elvira

Infanta Elvira of León, Lady of Toro

Played by: Lucía Díez

"I don’t want an estate, I want to get married!"

Second-born child to Fernando and Sancha. Despite her high status and the environment of political manoeuvring she has grown up in, Elvira outwardly exhibits none of her other sibling’s fiery tempers, scheming, or secret ambitions.

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• All Girls Want Bad Boys: In the first episode of Season 1, she briefly appears to find Beltrán of Aragón's flirtatious signals at a banquet charming. This, despite Beltrán being her cousin (and obnoxious to boot).
• All Love Is Unrequited: Season 2 reveals that she's in love with Ruy, to Jimena's surprise and dismay. With Toro taken from her, she thinks she can renounce her lordship of the city in order to marry him. Urraca tears down that notion in Episode 3, pointing out that neither Sancho nor Alfonso would want Ruy as a potential rival to the throne.
• Flat Character: Doesn't receive as much characterization in Season 1 as her siblings, though she becomes more fleshed out in Season 2.
• Loophole Abuse: Exploits this to foil Urraca's plan to defeat Sancho in Galicia. Once she learns what she's planned, it's revealed she's forbidden from leaving the castle and, thus, unable to warn Sancho or Ruy. Jimena, on the other hand...
• Nice Girl: Perhaps the only straight example out of her entire family: She's polite, genuinely friendly, and doesn't appear to have a mean bone in her body.
• Old Maid: Unwillingly forced to become one by her father in the Season 1 finale. Her and Urraca becoming Ladies of Toro and Zamora respectively depends on them never marrying. Unlike Urraca, to whom this isn't exactly a problem, Elvira is dismayed by this condition, and in Season 2 wants nothing more than to renounce Toro so she can marry.
• Only Sane Woman: Lacks Urraca's resentment, Sancho's wrathfulness, Alfonso's ambition, and unlike García genuinely doesn't want to rule. She even lacks her parent's hangups. It's sometimes hard to believe she's related to them.
• Out of Focus: In Season 1, she receives much less characterization than any of the other Infantes. Season 2 remedies this somewhat by putting a bit more focus on her.
• Princess Classic: The straightest example seen in the series thus far.
• Refusal of the Call: In Season 2, she wants this regarding her lordship of Toro, especially once it's occupied by Mendes. Unfortunately, all her attempts are quickly shot down by Sancha and, later, Urraca.
• Sheltered Aristocrat: Definitely gives off this vibe, as well as being a Spoiled Sweet. In general, she comes across as more naïve and idealistic regarding the political realities of Léon. Case in Point: her belief that she can renounce Toro in order to marry Ruy.
• Sibling Yin-Yang: To her sister Urraca: The two are as different as night and day. Urraca is a resentful, manipulative, ambitious schemer. Elvira is none of those things, and shows much less interest in ruling.
• Silk Hiding Steel: You wouldn't think it, but she's tougher than she lets on. She's calls out Urraca for using her in her scheme to defeat Sancho in Galicia, is able to improvise with Jimena a way to foil said plan, and later tries to stand up to Urraca when she shows up to deliver her Hannibal Lecture, at least initially.
• Single Woman Seeks Good Man: As revealed in Season 2, she's in love with Ruy. She hopes to renounce Toro so as to be able to marry him, though it's unlikely she'll be able to.
• Spanner in the Works: To Urraca's plan to have Sancho defeated during his invasion of Galicia. Urraca counted on her delivering false information to Ruy that would result in Sancho dividing his forces. She didn't count on her realizing the truth and using Jimena to undo her deception.
• Those Two Guys: With García in Season 1, due to the two of them receiving the least amount of focus. This changes in Season 2.
• Token Good Teammate: Along with García, and arguably a truer example than him. All she wants is to marry the man she loves (Which Season 2 reveals to be Ruy), and is the only one of the Infantes to not desire power or recognition.
• Wide-Eyed Idealist: Sincerely believes in the romance of marrying for love despite her political status meaning that such a thing is extremely rare at best. In Season 2, she thinks she can renounce Toro so she can marry Ruy, with whom she's secretly in love. Urraca cruelly puts that notion down.

Infante Sancho

Infante Sancho of León

Played By: Francisco Ortiz

See King Sancho II "The Strong" of Castile.

Infante García

Infante García of León

Played By: Nicolás Illoro

See King García II of Galicia.

Retainers to the Royal Family

Jimena

Jimena

Played by: Lucía Guerrero

"Sometimes, duty comes before our desires."

The daughter of the Count of Oviedo and engaged to be married to Orduño Flaínez, Jimena is also Lady-in-Waiting to the Infantas Urraca and Elvira. Her kind demeanour belies a formidable will, and despite her engagement to Orduño she finds herself drawn to Ruy Díaz, and he to her. The time may soon come when she will have to choose between her duty to her family and her feelings towards the young man from Vivar.

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• Adaptation Name Change: To her surname, though it's not been said yet in the series. Historically (and in previous adaptations) she was Jimena Díaz. This was because her father was Diego Fernández, and Spanish naming conventions of the time meant her surname would be Díaz. In the show, her father has had his name changed to Celso, meaning that her surname is no longer Díaz.
• Antagonistic Offspring: To her father, Celso. The two plainly do not get along. and Jimena is perfectly willing to Blackmail him into not laying another hand on her mother in exchange for her not telling Fernando of his involvement in the plot.
• Arranged Marriage: She and Orduño are pormised to one another at the start of Season 1, though it's clear that she and Ruy have feelings for each other. After Orduño's Attempted Rape, she tries to have the engagement anulled, and though Flaín was willing to do so, neither Orduño nor her parents are in Season 2. By the end of the second season, she's still promised to Orduño, though she and Ruy have declared their love for one another.
• Betty and Veronica: The more chaste and demure Betty to Amina's sensual and vivacious Veronica.
• Good Is Not Soft: Make no mistake. For all that she's good-hearted and kind, she's also tough and not afraid to stand up for herself. For more details, see Silk Hiding Steel.
• Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: One of the most consistently-good characters in the series.
• I Will Wait for You: Played With, regarding Ruy in Season 2. When they finally acknowledge their feelings of mutual love, they promise to wait for each other until she's found a way to escape her engagement to Orduño and they can be together. However, when she learns of Ruy and Amina's tryst, she goes into full Woman Scorned mode and goes ahead with her engagement. Ultimately, the pair end the season as they began: wishing to be with each other, but unsure of how they can be given her engagement.
• Lady-In-Waiting: To the Infantas Urraca and Elvira, whom she serves.
• Morality Pet: To Orduño. He tries to mitigate his worst tendencies when around her, and consistently treats her better than any other character Until he drunkenly tries to have his way with her. It starts to creep into Morality Chain territory in Season 2, when he outright tells her she's the only one who can stop him from turning into his father.
• Nice Girl: She's kind and gentle to other Ladies-in-Waiting, and even to Orduño despite his Jerkass tendencies. Like Ruy, however, she does have her limits, and is a lot more formidable than one might initially assume.
• One True Love: To Ruy. The two are clearly attracted to each other in Season 1, and by Season 2 they declare their mutual love, though they still don't know how they can be together, given her engagement to Orduño.
• Please Spare Him, My Liege!: A variation of this when she pleads with Ruy to intercede with Sancho to spare Orduño's life after his capture at Golpejera. It's ultimately successful, as revealed by Sancho.
• Proper Lady: As straight an example as can be found in the series, being elegant, kind, strong and self-sacrificing. She does have her moments of pettiness, though. See Woman Scorned.
• Silk Hiding Steel: As much as she's a Proper Lady and a Nice Girl, she also has an iron core. When she learns her father's been beating her mother, she unhesitatingly blackmails him into never laying a hand on her by threatening to tell Fernando of his involvement in Flaín's plot. When Orduño attempts to force himself on her, she fights him off and promptly tries to have the engagement anulled. In Season 2, she's instrumental in helping Elvira foil Urraca's plan to defeat Sancho in Galicia. She's not even shy about giving Ruy a piece of her mind when needed!
• Slap-Slap-Kiss: Develops this dynamic with Ruy in Season 2 due to his involvement with Amina. While she sees their relationship as a betrayal and tries to push ahead with her engagement to Orduño, the two are still strongly attracted to one another.
• Spanner in the Works: To Urraca's plan to divide and destroy Sancho in Galicia. Urraca counted on Elvira delivering false information to Ruy which would lead to Sancho splitting his forces, and took the precaution of ensuring Elvira couldn't leave the castle if she learned the truth of the deception. She didn't count on both her and Jimena exploiting Loophole Abuse to ensure Jimena would leave the castle to deliver said warning.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Ruy in Season 1. It becomes Belligerent Sexual Tension midway through Season 2 Due to her discovering Ruy's involvement with Amina and taking it poorly.
• Uptown Girl: The uptown girl to Ruy's poor guy, given she's from high-ranking Leonese nobility and he's the son of a disgraced and impoverished knight.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Is not afraid to let Ruy have it when she thinks he's out of line, particularly in Season 2. She calls him out on his relationship to Amina, and later on his apparent willingness to let Sancho execute Orduño in order to inherit his lands, titles, and even Jimena's hand.
• Woman Scorned: In Season 2, she learns of Ruy and Amina's relationship, and takes it as an outright betrayal. She not only burns the token of their love, but also moves ahead with her and Orduño's engagement, seemingly out of jealous spite. When Amina abandons Castile and defects to León, it's implied that Jimena's distrust of her is partially motivated by her jealousy and resentment towards her. She grows out of it by the final episode as she and Ruy fully acknowledge their love for each other.

Velarde

Velarde

Played by: Rodrigo Poisón

King Fernando I's Privado, or Privy Counsellor, Velarde is in charge of delivering his king's proclamations, giving important news and, if necessary, being the one man at court that can be trusted unequivocally. His loyalty is limited not just to Fernando, but to his entire family, which makes him a particularly valuable ally to have.

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• A Death in the Limelight: Receives more characterization and focus in Episode 3 of Season 2 than at any previous point. He also dies by the end of it.
• Dual Wielding: Briefly does this in episode 3 of Season 2 when fighting in Galicia against García.
• Face Death with Dignity: Goes out with calm dignity after being mortally wounded, telling Sancho that his father would be proud of him and giving a final quiet prayer before dying.
• The Generic Guy: In Season 1, before he got more focus, and more characterization, in Season 2. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the season he's more fleshed out is the season he dies.
• The Good Chancellor: Reliable and loyal to a fault, it's no wonder that Fernando trusts him. This becomes even more prominent in Season 2 when he tries desperately to talk Sancho out of going to war against Galicia. When he fails, he refuses to harm García in battle.
• Hidden Depths: Is particularly affected by Sancha's death, reaching out to caress her tomb. Later, he begs Sancho not to go to war with García, and when he fails he refuses to harm García when the latter attacks him on the battlefield. All this suggests that his loyalty towards Fernando, and his family, runs deeper than simple political gain.
• In the Back: He’s mortally wounded in Galicia, by Mendes, with a vicious sword slash to the back.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: Loyally serves Fernando throughout Season 1, never once questioning his king's decisions. When serving Sancho, he tries to talk him out of going to war with his brother. When he fails, he still accompanies him to battle and fights to the best of his abilities. Sancho is, after all, his king.
• No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: He refuses to take the life of García in battle and tries to get him to back down before merely keeping him immobilized at swordpoint. He gets cut down for it.
• Number Two: To Fernando. Comes with the territory of being his Privado. In Season 2 he becomes this to Sancho before dying at the end of Episode 3. Ruy assumes his position thereafter.
• Only Sane Man: He becomes this in Season 2 while at Sancho’s court, along with Orotz, as he tries to convince his king not to attack Galicia against his father's last will.
• The Reliable One: To Fernando, being the man he can consistently count on when he becomes aware of Flaín's plot against him.
• So Proud of You: Tells Sancho, as he's dying, that he's proud of him, and that his father Fernando would be as well.
• Undying Loyalty: To Fernando in Season 1. Season 2 reveals that this extends to Fernando's entire family, as he desperately pleads with Sancho not to go to war against his brother García, and then refuses to harm García in battle, at the cost of his own life.

Ermesinda

Ermesinda

Played by: Sara Vidorreta

Lady-in-Waiting to the Infantas, Ermesinda catches the eye of Count Flaín at a banquet, and soon finds herself forced into a nightmarish situation as she is unwillingly drawn into León's dangerous political battleground.

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• Beautiful Singing Voice: Has a lovely singing voice, and can also play the lute, which she demonstrates during the banquet held in the first episode of the show. Unfortunately, it gets her noticed by Flaín.
• Break the Cutie: An accurate summary of her storyline in Season 1. By the end, she's barely able to talk.
• Butt-Monkey: Season 1 is rough on this poor girl. To whit: Count Flaín takes a liking to her after she sings at a banquet, and she's gifted to him soon after despite Urraca's protests, Fernando threatens her into spying on Flaín for him, Flaín rapes her off-screen, and then her hymen is 'repaired' by the scarred healer through painful Harmful Healing.
• Defiled Forever: She breaks down in tears as she confesses her rape to Urraca, seeing herself as this and fearful that her prospects for any respectable marriage are now ruined. Urraca decides to help her, but it's... unpleasant.
• Exact Eavesdropping: Fernando orders her to spy on Flaín and report anything suspicious she sees to him. She becomes the one to discover that Sancha is involved in the plot against Fernando, much to his dismay.
• Harmful Healing: Subjected to this by the scarred healer on Urraca's request, with a gruesome helping of Groin Attack: The intention is to have her hymen 'repaired' and thus preserve the illusion that she's still a virgin, avoiding her being seen as Defiled Forever and keeping her eligible for marriage. The process involves stitching the hymen back together.^note This is, incidentally, a a pretty glaring case of Artistic License – Medicine. For details why, see here.
• Lady-In-Waiting: To the Infantas Elvira and Urraca. She appears to be a favourite of Urraca's, given that she tries to intercede on her behalf when she's to be given to Flaín and then successfully gets her back.
• Motor Mouth: According to Urraca, anyway, who claims that Ermesinda chattering never stops. It's one of the things she claims to miss about her when Ermesinda's forced to serve Flaín.
• Rape as Drama: After Urraca releases her from Flaín's service, she reveals that the Count of León had his way with her off-screen. While she says she didn't resist, it's clear from her tone and body language that it wasn't consensual.
• Throw the Dog a Bone: She appears in Season 2, looking healthy and much happier than she did at the end of the previous season. She even gets a cute moment where Alvar playfully flirts with her, to her delight.

The Church

Bishop Bernardo

Bishop Bernardo of León

Played by: Juan Echanove

"Patience is the virtue of the successful."

The elderly Bishop of León is a devout man of the cloth with a sharp mind, able to deliver words of advice and spiritual guidance to the Leonese royal family while being shrewdly aware of, and involved in, the political goings-on of the kingdom. Who better to appeal to the Pope on matters of royal succession, and who better to have on your side when hatching a plot against the very king?

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• Affably Evil: Yes, he's an intolerant Church Militant who preaches holy war and acts as Count Flaín's Dragon in Season 1, working to have King Fernando overthrown and killed because he believes he's neglected his duty to wage war against the muslims of Spain. He's also generally polite, unfailingly formal to those he speaks to and seldom raises his voice against anyone.
• Ambiguously Evil: He's not to be trusted, to be sure, but at the same time his actions in season 1 & 2 muddy the waters on how evil he actually is.
  • In Season 1, he supports Flaín right up until the moment the Count of León indicates his ambitions to become king himself. Then he smoothly switches allegiance and helps Urraca thwart his plans. It's unclear if it's a case of Even Evil Has Standards or Pragmatic Villainy.
  • In Season 2, he tries to convince Ruy to intervene and prevent the war between Castile and Galicia, and soon after he suggests that Alfonso destroy Sancho as soon as he can. Whether he was trying to use Ruy to get Sancho to lower his guard, or was sincerely pleading and then decided to opt for the path of a swift victory after Ruy didn't seem willing to intercede is also unclear.
• Church Militant: He preaches holy war against the Moorish Taifas, and believes Fernando has failed as a king because he prefers to keep them as tributary vassals rather than conquering and converting them.
• The Comically Serious: His stoicism and perpetually-calm manner occasionally results in some of his lines being funny thanks to his actor's bone-dry delivery. Case in point:
  Bernardo: The ancient deposed Byzantine emperors were given the choice between the habit or having their eyes removed. We have progressed. Your alternative is decapitation.
• Composite Character: Bernardo is the Church in the show, doing anything worth of note that a clergyman did in real life. He is presumably named after Bernard of Sedirac, a Cluniac monk that arrived in León in 1080; he fills for the Astur-Leonese church reluctantly supporting Fernando's takeover and rule of León in Season 1; and in Season 2 he convinces Sancho to spare Alfonso (said of St. Hugh of Cluny) and helps him escape (said of the Leonese abbot of Sahagún, where Alfonso was forcefully interned as a monk).
• The Dragon: To Flaín in Season 1. That is, until Episode 5, where Flaín's ambitions are implied to exceed Bernardo's standards, and he's thereafter instrumental in helping Urraca thwart his plans.
• Even Evil Has Standards:
  • When he realizes that Sancha did indeed instigate the death of her brother Bermudo, he utters a quietly horrified "Good God.", suggesting that he considers kinslaying to be beyond the pale. This is reinforced in Season 2, where his dialogue indicates that he thinks that Sancho executing his brother Alfonso is a legitimately horrible act.
  • When Flaín openly talks about taking the throne of León for himself and asks if he can count on Rome's support, Bernardo is notably silent and pensive. Considering he's later instrumental in frustrating Flaín by legitimizing the kingdom's division, it's possible that Bernardo was involved in the conspiracy for reasons other than simply fulfilling Flaín's ambitions, and refused to continue supporting him when the Count's personal desire for the throne became more nakedly obvious.
  • In Season 2, he tries to get Ruy to intervene with Sancho to prevent a war between the three brothers. Once again, it's unclear if this is because he sincerely desires peace, because he's trying to make Sancho let his guard down before suggesting a surprise attack, or because he doesn't want León to be any more weakened than it already is.
• Evil Old Folks: Elderly and involved in a treacherous conspiracy to have King Fernando deposed and, unbeknownst by Sancha, murdered. Not to mention that he's a Church Militant and Politically Incorrect Villain to boot.
• The Fundamentalist: Perhaps unsurprisingly. He's a devout Catholic, and absolutely opposed to any sort of co-existence with the Islamic city-states of Spain.
• Hannibal Lecture: When Sancha realizes that Flaín and Bernardo's true goal is to assassinate Fernando and not simply depose him, she goes to confront the Bishop. What follows is a quiet but brutal lecture from Bernardo:
  Bernardo: Add another sin along with pride: Folly. (...) You have confused your wishes with reality. Did you really think King Fernando would be content with Castile? That he wouldn't try to take León, and get revenge on those who betrayed him? If you don't respond, it's because you yourself know that King Fernando must die. Or did you perhaps think being Queen of León didn't entail sacrifices?
• Hazy-Feel Turn: At the end of Season 1, he abandons Flaín and helps Urraca thwart his plans, and has thus far remained loyal to León. It's unclear if he did so out because he has standards or because he saw no further benefit in further supporting Flaín, but in any case it's clear it wasn't because of a change of heart.
• Hidden Depths: Season 2 not only gives him visible moments where what he says is either reasonable or right on the money, he also admits to being "Plunged into deepest darkness" in the final episode, revealing he's much less self-assured and prescient than one would assume. He can also make some surprisingly philosophical observations on the nature of faith and God:
  Bernardo: We tend to blame God for all our ills, when they almost always come from our own decisions.
• Indy Ploy: Urraca comes up with the plan to free Alfonso, but Bernardo helps put it into motion by pretending to conduct a ceremony wherein Alfonso takes a friar's vows, but in reality subtitutes the vows for an admonition of Lucius Seneca, allowing Alfonso to keep his life and his claim to the throne.
• Karma Houdini: Ends Season 1 suffering no consequences for previously having supported Flaín's conspiracy. Continued in Season 2, where he helps Alfonso escape León and then holes up in Zamora with Urraca.
• Knight Templar: Staunchly believes in waging holy war against the muslims, and wishes Fernando gone primarily because he thinks he's 'failed' in his duty as a Christian king in not trying to conquer the Moorish Taifas.
• Only Sane Man: Has visible moments of being this in Season 1, most notably when he has to shout at Ramiro and Fernando to remind themselves that, as kings, they're expected to set an example instead of screaming at each other in public, as well as being cautious about allowing Urraca to know the full details of the plot against Fernando. This trait becomes increasingly prominent in Season 2 as Fernando's sons go to war with one another and Sancho rises to take the throne of León for himself. Bernardo tries to have Ruy intercede and prevent the conflict from escalating, and advises Alfonso to destroy Sancho quickly to end the fighting as soon as possible.
• Passive-Aggressive Kombat: Briefly engages in this with Abu Bakr, masking his contempt for the Moorish sage behind a paper-thin veil of politeness and wordplay. That said, when Abu Bakr shows he can give as good as he gets, Bernardo responds with a respectful nod.
• Pet the Dog: Appears to sincerely wish to avoid a war between the three brothers in Season 2, and even asks Ruy to prevent Sancho from seeking conflict after Sancha's death. How sincere he is is debatable, but if his desire for peace is genuine, then it counts as this. A more genuine example happens in the last episode, where he quietly implies that he thinks Sancho wanting to execute Alfonso is a terrible thing.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: Wants the Moorish Taifas conquered, and is vehemently opposed to any peace or co-operation with the Muslims of Spain. He tells Alfonso that al-Muqtadir of Zaragoza is his worst enemy, despite him being León's vassal (He turns out to have a point, though). He also tells Ruy that he doesn't like him being seen with Amina, outright saying: "I don't like seeing you with that Moorish girl."
• Pragmatic Villainy:
  • If him deciding to help Urraca thwart Flaín at the end of Season 1 wasn't due to any standards, then it was undoubtedly this trope: It's a much safer and surer bet to continue supporting the current ruling family than Flaín, who at the end of the day, despite his high rank, has a tenuous-at-best claim to the throne and ambitions that are increasingly exceeding any careful planning.
  • Despite his hostility towards the Moors, he allows Alfonso to be escorted by Amina and make his escape to the Taifa of Toledo, with nary a word of protest or argument.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After helping Urraca free Alfonso and facilitate his escape, he flees to Zamora with her.
• Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!: The crux of his Hannibal Lecture to Sancha. He quietly lambasts her for believing that the throne of León could be won in a bloodless coup, or that Fernando would simply accept being deposed without wanting vengeance.
• Sinister Minister: Goes with the territory of being both a Bishop and an important member of a conspiracy to depose and murder the current king while preaching holy war and religious fundamentalism.
• Spanner in the Works: To Sancho's attempts to secure his takeover of León in the Season 2 finale. Specifically by aiding Urraca and conducting the bogus friar-initiation ceremony that allows Alfonso to both stay alive and still have a legal claim to the throne of León.
• The Stoic: Maintains a calm, emotionally-detached demanour in his scenes. The only time he's raised his voice thus far is in the first episode of Season 1, where he loudly calls out both Ramiro and Fernando for having a shouting match in the middle of a royal banquet.
• Villain Has a Point: He's not exactly likeable, but he is sharp, and is shown several times to be correct in his observations during the show:
  • In Season 1, when Fernando and Ramiro's hostility boils over into a shouting match while in the middle of a royal banquet, Bernardo shouts at them to at least act like kings when they're in public if they can't act like brothers. This is also the only time thus far that the Bisop has raised his voice at anyone.
  • His Hannibal Lecture to Sancha (see above) makes a valid point: With Fernando's Might Makes Right beliefs, and the fact that he conquered León by force, it would be extremely unlikely that he'd simply accept being Count of Castile after being deposed and not harbour a murderous, vengeful grudge that he'd want to satisfy.
  • He warns Alfonso in Season 2's wedding banquet that al-Muqtadir is his worst enemy, despite ostensibly being his vassal. While Alfonso dismisses the warning, that same night al-Muqtadir notes the hostility between Sancho, García and Alfonso, and has Abu Bakr deliberately fan the flames of conflict in the royal family with the express intention of having the three kingdoms war with one another to, presumably, further weaken them while seeing who comes out on top.
  • He tells Orduño that his deceased father Flaín would not be proud of his pledging loyalty to Sancho and fighting for him during the siege of Zamora. Given Flaín's hatred for Fernando, and the fact he was planning to have Sancho murdered in the Season 1 finale, it's hard to say he's wrong.
• Villain with Good Publicity: As the Bishop of León and Rome's representative, he's well-respected by many, up to and including the royal family.
• Wicked Cultured: Ecclesiastically cultured, anyway. Apart from being able to speak Latin fluently, he has a breadth of knowledge on religious and liturgical matters, and by the standards of his time is one of the most educated men in the kingdom.

Nobility of León

Count Flaín of León

Count Flaín of León

Played By: Carlos Bardem

"Victory should never depend on luck."

Orduño’s father and Alfonso's royal tutor. In public, Count Flaín is an experienced and sensible politician who has served the Leonese court since before Fernando’s rule and is a man who has the ear of many influential noblemen, including the Bishop of León. In truth, he is secretly conspiring against King Fernando, and has been preparing his plan to depose and kill him for some time, enlisting the help of even Queen Sancha. Now the time has come to act, and the effects of his machinations will have far-reaching consequences for young Ruy…

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• Aborted Arc: Done intentionally. After his plans to assassinate Fernando and usurp the throne of León are foiled, he puts into effect another plan to sieze power for himself, which is swiftly abandoned when he's abruptly killed at the end of the Season 1 finale. Afterwards, the primary conflict in the show comes from Fernando's sons warring with each other.
• Abusive Parents: He's emotionally abusive towards Orduño, demeaning him when he's not demanding he do something for him, and Orduño's interactions with him are almost always laced with a twinge of fear. This probably goes some way towards explaining why Orduño is the way he is.
• And Now You Must Marry Me: With a healthy heaping of Blackmail. Upon learning that Sancha is responsible for Bermudo's death, he tells her her only option is to marry him. When she flatly refuses him, he burns the papal bull that would have granted her the authority to rule as Queen of León.
• Arc Villain: Of Season 1. His Surprisingly Sudden Death in the final episode leaves the position free for Urraca during the initial episodes of Season 2.
• Aristocrats Are Evil: The Count of León and, by extension, one of the most powerful (if not the most powerful) nobleman in Fernando's court. He's also Season 1's Arc Villain and thoroughly despicable.
• Bad Boss: In order to show to his men the type of wound a stiletto dagger can cause (so that they can find the one who foiled Fernando's assassination, given that they know they were wounded while doing so) he stabs one of his own men with said dagger. This action comes across as especially pointless given that there was a deer carcass in the same room as Flaín at the time, and could have been used for said demonstration.
• Bait the Dog: In his first appearance in Season 1, he looks on with pride at the Infante Alfonso correctly knowing the laws of León and coming up with a wiser solution to a petition than either of his brothers, which could make one think he has a soft spot for his pupil. It's ultimately revealed that he views Alfonso with as much contempt as Fernando and the other Infantes, and ultimately just as expendable.
• Beard of Evil: A stylish goatee that accentuates his bastardry.
• The Chessmaster: The main figure behind the conspiracy against Fernando, and the one whose machinations fuel much of the conflict in León in Season 1 as he tries to gain allies against the king.
• Composite Character: Takes the role of Alfonso's tutor from his Adapted Out relative Pedro Ansúrez, who became Count of León and Duke of Astorga after Flaín was dispossesed of these titles.
• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: He starts the series already a secret traitor to Fernando, working to have him assassinated. By the time of his death, he's also turned on Sancha, is planning to murder Sancho and Rodrigo Álvarez, and considers even his pupil Alfonso to be nothing more than an expendable puppet.
• Dirty Old Man: Becomes interested in Ermesinda, Urraca's Lady-in-Waiting, and requests that she serve him. When Urraca is able to get Ermesinda released from his service, it's revealed that he forced himself on her during her time with him.
• Even Evil Can Be Loved: Despite everything, Orduño still loves him as his father and Alfonso still respects him as his tutor. When he's killed, they're both at his side, and Orduño goes into a screaming fit when he thinks Ruy is the one responsible, and spends most of Season 2 trying to avenge him.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Very deep down, he appears to have some affection for his son Orduño, as seen when he looks surprised, and even somewhat proud, at the announcement that Orduño is to be knighted. Unfortunately, it's marred by his Abusive Parents tendencies.
• Even Evil Has Standards: His accepting Jimena's request that her engagement to Orduño be anulled could be seen as Pragmatic Villainy, given the implication that he plans to wed Orduño to Urraca once he gains power. However, when informing Orduño of the broken engagement, he seems genuinely infuriated that he tried to force himself on her. Ironic, given that he himself raped Ermesinda off-screen (though it could be that he views Jimena as having more worth than Ermesinda, hence his anger at Orduño).
• Evil Is Petty:
  • With Fernando dead and buried, Flaín still takes the time to spit on his tomb, simply out of petty spite.
  • Even with Fernando's death and León being divided amongst his sons, he attempts one more time to grab power for himself. It's implied he's fuelled as much by his ambition as by his resentment at being Out-Gambitted. He's killed before anything comes of it, though.
• Evil Mentor: Is Alfonso's tutor, and has arguably done a legitimately good job in instructing the young Infante in the ways of ruling a kingdom. Ultimately, though, he views Alfonso as expendable when it comes to his own plans.
• Evil Wears Black: Dresses predominantly in dark clothing, which goes nicely with his evilness. After his death, his son Orduño starts to adopt the same wardrobe.
• Faux Affably Evil: In public, he comports himself with the dignity and courtly manners expected of a nobleman. It's a thin veneer that doesn't hold up in private, where he's much more threatening, nakedly ambitious, and cruel.
• Hidden Depths: He's seen visiting Bermudo's tomb and even caressing the stone relief on it, hinting that he may have been genuinely loyal to the deceased king, and that there may be more to his plot against Fernando. Later episodes, however, show that there's a healthy heaping of personal ambition in his actions.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: Is killed with the same stiletto dagger he tried to have both Fernando and Ruy assassinated with.
• In the Back: How he's ultimately killed in the Season 1 finale: The stiletto dagger he wanted to use to assassinate Fernando, and later Ruy, is driven deep into his back, killing him almost instantly.
• Karmic Death: He spends all of Season 1 attempting to have Fernando, and later Ruy, treacherously assassinated via stiletto in the back. He meets his end when said dagger is plunged into his back in a way he never saw coming. Making it more ironic is Season 2's reveal that he wasn't killed by Ruy, but by Rodrigo Álvarez, his supposedly-loyal vassal, whom he was already planning to betray and murder.
• Kick the Dog:
  • Belittles his own son several times during Season 1, often for no good reason.
  • His Bad Boss moment (see above) counts as well, if only because of how unnecessary it is.
  • Is revealed to have raped Ermesinda while she was in his employ, presumably because he wanted her and could.
  • Burns the Papal Bull that would allow Sancha to rule as sole Queen of León after she rejects his blackmail-laden marriage proposal, just to rub in her face how powerless she is.
  • In the last episode, he was planning to have Rodrigo Álvarez murdered despite the latter's loyal service to him, presumably because he felt his kinship with Ruy no longer made him trustworthy. Ironically, he didn't expect that Rodrigo would get to him first.
• Last Disrespects: Takes a moment to do a Spiteful Spit on Fernando's tomb once the old king is finally interred.
• Manipulative Bastard: At the start of the series, he's managed to manipulate Queen Sancha onto his side by convincing her he'll respect her wishes when in reality he sees her simply as a pawn in his schemes. Later in the series he makes concerted efforts to tempt both Urraca and Jimena's father onto his side.
• Murder Is the Best Solution: His go-to solution for Ruy foiling the attempted assassination on Fernando's life is to have him assassinated as well, presumably to cover his tracks. He never stops to consider how his vassal, Rodrigo, would react to knowing he attempted to have his grandson murdered which turns out to be a fatal mistake. This, without mentioning how his last coup attempt in the Season 1 finale (had it been successful) would have resulted in the deaths of Sancho, Ruy, and even Rodrigo.
• Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: He claims that his intention is to avenge Bermudo's death and return the kingdom of León to its rightful ruling family by allowing Sancha to claim it. By the end of the series, it becomes increasingly apparent he's out to fulfil his own ambitions of taking the throne.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: His Villainous Breakdown is the only time when he looks legitimately surprised, then enraged, at the show's turn of events. It results in him preparing another coup attempt, expanding his list of targets and even stating that he considers Alfonso an expendable pawn.
• Out-Gambitted: Urraca getting Bernardo on her side, and convincing her father to divide the kingdom between his three sons legitimately catches Flaín by surprise, as it robs him of the chance to seize control of a united kingdom, leaving him yelling in impotent anger as the decision is announced in court.
• Pet the Dog:
  • When it's announced that Orduño is to be knighted, he looks surprised and, after a moment, even proud of his son, and embraces him.
  • When Jimena requests that her and Orduño's engagement be anulled due to him trying to force himself on her, he acquiesces without much of an argument. It's heavily implied in this case that the reason he agrees is because he plans to marry Orduño to Urraca once he's secured the throne of León.
• Pragmatic Villainy: Allows Jimena and Orduño's engagement to be broken off with minimal fuss. The implication in the scene is that, once he has the throne of León under his control, he intends to marry Orduño to Urraca, a much more valuable match than Jimena.
• Smug Snake: Slimy, utterly sure of the eventual success of his plans, and very hateable, Flaín fits this trope to a T.
• Surprisingly Sudden Death: The last minutes of Season 1 have him prepare to enact a bloody coup against the royal family of León during Fernando's funeral, and he's even prepared to pull a You Have Outlived Your Usefulness on Alfonso. Then he's unexpectedly stabbed in the back with the stiletto dagger and dies with his ambitions unfulfilled.
• Treacherous Advisor: As Alfonso's tutor and one of Fernando's inner circle of trusted advisors, his word is always listened to and considered, even when Fernando becomes suspicious of him. And, of course, Flaín has no love or loyalty towards Fernando or even Alfonso.
• Underestimating Badassery: Is dismissive of Ruy, even when he learns that he foiled the assassination attempt on Fernando's life and even after Ruy's fame starts to grow after Graus. Ironically, it's not Ruy that's his eventual undoing, but rather Urraca and, more lethally, Rodrigo Álvarez.
• Villainous Breakdown: The only time he significantly loses his cool is on the announcement that the entirety of León will be divided between Fernando's three sons. It leads to him exclaiming, in a mixture of shock and rage: "YOU ARE DIVIDING THE KINGDOM!" Not surprising, considering the division effectively torpedoes his plans to sieze the throne of a united León for himself.
• Villain with Good Publicity: He's Alfonso's tutor and the Count of León, and has been around since the time of Bermudo III, meaning he's been active at court for two-and-a-half decades. As a result, he's well-respected and even liked, all while he leads the plot to have Fernando killed.
• Wicked Cultured: Inferred. He's often seen reading in his quarters, and as Alfonso's tutor he would have been well-educated and knowledgeable about León's laws and its governance. Understandable, considering he's been around since before Bermudo's death in 1037.

Count Orduño of León

Count Orduño Flaínez of León

Played by: Pablo Álvarez

"No-one will remember your name, while mine will be associated with great feats."

Count Flaín’s son and squire to the Infante Alfonso. Orduño is an impulsive young man, accustomed to his status while still trying to figure out his place in the world. Engaged to Jimena, he's drawn into an almost-inevitable antagonism towards Ruy, both by their difference in station and by their mutual attraction to Jimena, even as events shape his life in ways he could never have expected.

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• Anti-Villain: He's not exactly pleasant, but he's not nearly as evil as his father. While he's a bully, he also gets several Pet the Dog moments and is alluded to having Hidden Depths. However, his father's death leads to him slowly becoming darker in Season 2.
• Arranged Marriage: He and Jimena are engaged to be married at the start of the series. After his Attempted Rape she tries to have the engagement anulled, but events in Season 2 scupper that plan. At the moment, they're still set to be married, though Jimena and Ruy have confessed their love for one another.
• Attempted Rape: While at a banquet, he gets drunk after it's announced he's to be knighted and soon after attempts to sexually assault Jimena, displaying a more Entitled to Have You attitude than he'd previously shown. She's able to fight him off, and to his credit he appears to be genuinely ashamed of his actions.
• Avenging the Villain: Starts Season 2 fully intending to avenge the death of his father, either by bringing Ruy to justice or just having him assassinated outright.
• Beard of Evil: Like his father, he has a goatee rather than a full beard, albeit a thicker one.
• The Bully: As squire to Alfonso, he's this to the pages under his charge, giving them demeaning tasks while treating them with contempt for not having the same noble background as him.
• Butt-Monkey: Neither season has been particularly kind to this Jerkass. To whit:
  • Ruy breaks his tooth in the first episode, leading to him gaining the Embarrassing Nickname Boquituerto, his father intimidates and belittles him, his jealousy causes him to drunkenly attempt a sexual assault Jimena, leading to her fighting him off and angrily anulling their engagement. More tragically, at the end of the season his father is unexpectedly assassinated just a short distance away from him.
  • Season 2 downplays it somewhat, but it's still present: Ruy handily deals with his assassins, Rodrigo Álvarez knocks him out cold at Golpejera after revealing that he, not Ruy, killed Flaín, and he's captured by Sancho's army. He's almost executed before he's given the chance to serve Sancho in exchange for his life, an offer he accepts and which Bernardo calls him out on.
• Composite Character: Sort of. As lifelong enemy of Ruy, he replaces García Ordóñez, who was Count of Nájera and a Castilian, while Orduño is the son of Count Flaín of León, and succeeds him as de-facto head, and representative of the anti-Castilian Leonese nobility in the second season. The historical Count Flaín had a son named Martín who fittingly died fighting side by side with García Ordóñez at the Battle of Uclés.
• The Consigliere: Becomes this to Alfonso in Season 2, which is unsurprising considering his status as Count of León and the fact he was previously Alfonso's squire. Alfonso even calls him "The first of my knights."
• Dogged Nice Guy: His interactions towards Jimena, particularly in Season 2, are strongly reminiscent of this trope. He appears to sincerely believe that if he continues to treat her kindly, she'll eventually come round and love him back, even after his Attempted Rape.
• Embarrassing Nickname: Due to Ruy breaking his tooth, he's often referred to as Boquituerto: "Wry-Mouth" or "Crooked-Mouth".
• Entitled to Have You: While he appears to be sincere in his love for Jimena, there are times when his attitude towards her carries shades of this trope. This becomes especially apparent when he attempts to sexually assault her while drunk.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He appears to be nothing but sincere whenever he professes his love for Jimena. Additionally, he genuinely loves his father, Flaín, despite the fact that he's a horrible parent and person by any objective standard. So much so that he's determined to avenge his death in Season 2.
• Evil Wears Black: Slowly starts to slip into this in Season 2, due to him dressing more and more like his late father.
• Foil: He's this to Ruy: Orduño comes from an aristocratic family and is the heir to both a title and lands, while Ruy is the son of an impoverished knight with only his father's sword to his name. Orduño's father, Count Flaín, is manipulative and abusive. Ruy's father Diego, on the other hand, appears to have been a stern yet kind parent. Both Orduño and Ruy come to increasingly resemble their parents, but Orduño desperately wants not to. Orduño is a classist Jerkass with shades of entitlement towards Jimena, while Ruy is a Humble Hero and, generally, a Nice Guy whose love towards Jimena is more chaste. Interestingly Orduño shows no interest in any woman other than Jimena, and appears to consider her his last chance at not falling into further darkness. Ruy, despite loving Jimena, falls for Amina of Zaragoza and has a sexual relationship with her, at least for a time.
• Freudian Excuse: For all that he's an asshole, it can't have been easy to have had Flaín as a father. His interactions with him are always laced with an undertone of fear and he reveals to Jimena in Season 2 that, above all, he doesn't want to turn out like him.
• Hidden Depths: In Season 1, he confesses privately to Jimena that he sometimes just wants to grab a horse and ride far away from León, implying a desire to be free from his father's hold, the responsibilities of his station, and all the stress that goes with both.
• I'll Kill You!: During his Villainous Breakdown in Season 1's final scene, he screams this repeatedly at Ruy, convinced that he's the one that murdered his father, while having to be restrained by several onlookers.
• I Am Not My Father: He outright tells Jimena in Season 2 that she's the only one who can prevent him from turning into his father, revealing that on some level he acknowledges what a bastard Flaín was and doesn't want to follow him down the same path.
• Jerkass: To Ruy and the other characters he considers beneath him, he's a rude, condescending bully. While he's nicer to Jimena, he still has moments in Season 1 where his jealousy of her and Ruy gets the better of him while around her.
• Jerkass Has a Point: His advice to Alfonso during the war against Sancho is almost-uniformly aggressive and primarily motivated by his hatred of Ruy (as correctly pointed out by Urraca). Nevertheless, he is correct that Alfonso holds a distinct advantage over Sancho, who's still weakened after his invasion of Galicia, and should use that advantage before Sancho recovers his full strength and turns his attention to León.
• Kick the Dog:
  • In Season 1, his treatment of the pages under his charge is unnecessarily dickish, particularly towards Lisardo, the newest arrival. It gets particularly bad when he spears Lisardo at the battle of Golpejera, though thankfully it's not fatal.
  • In Season 2, he does away with Rodrigo Álvarez's service, ruining him economically and dealing a severe blow to the elderly knight's morale, simply because he's Ruy's grandfather and he suspects Ruy of murdering Flaín. Though it's revealed that it was actually Rodrigo who killed Flaín, Orduño didn't know that at the time.
• Leeroy Jenkins: This trait becomes particularly apparent in Season 2, he tends to advise Alfonso and Urraca to take the most aggressive and direct actions to deal with threats. Tied to his Villainous Valour, he doesn't shy away from battle and hurls himself into the fray more than once. Even in Season 1, he was willing to pick fights with Ruy when it would have been in his interest to let things lie.
• Like Father, Like Son: For all that he doesn't want to turn into him, he slowly starts to resemble Flaín more and more in Season 2.
• Manipulative Bastard: Tied into the above, Season 2 indicates that he may have the same skill at manipulation as Flaín. With Jimena's parents, he's able to pull a combination of this and Brutal Honesty to convince them to not agree to Jimena's request that their engagement be broken off: He admits outright he tried to sexually assault her, asks for forgiveness, and affirms his desire to make up for his actions, all laced with a convincing air of humility.
• My God, What Have I Done?: When Jimena fights him off after his drunken sexual assault and threatens him to never touch her again, he appears to sober up immediately and looks legitimately shocked and ashamed at what he tried to do.
• One-Steve Limit: Very likely why he's named Orduño and not García Ordóñez, avoiding confusion with King García of Galicia or the deceased King García Sánchez III of Navarre.
• Pet the Dog:
  • When he discovers that Ruy is the one his father is looking for, he chooses not to give him up despite their mutual antagonism.
  • He appears sincerely regretful of his Attempted Rape of Jimena. He repeatedly expresses his shame over the action, and despite convincing her parents not to annul their engagement, tells her he won't go ahead with the wedding and is willing to wait, because he can't bear the thought of her looking at him with hatred at the altar.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: He's a classist, and lords his aristocratic status over the pages under his charge, frequently acting as The Bully to them and generally being an asshole. His dislike of Ruy seems to be linked partly to their mutual attraction to Jimena, and partly to Ruy's low-born status.
• Red Right Hand: His broken tooth, caused when in the very first episode of Season 1 he provokes a confrontation with Ruy, which gets him punched in the mouth hard enough to break it. It also earns him his Embarrassing Nickname.
• The Quisling: When offered the opportunity, he ends up pledging loyalty to Sancho in the Season 2 finale, in exchange for his life being spared.
• Revenge Before Reason: His desire to avenge his father in Season 2 steadily grows: He goes from swearing to Ruy that he'll legally bring him to justice before Alfonso, to hiring assassins to kill him. Even when he and Ruy are both fighting for Sancho in the finale, he still tries stoke Sancho's hostility against him.
• The Rival: To Ruy, not just in their mutual love for Jimena but also in teh fact that they serve the two most prominent Infantes, Sancho and Alfonso.
• Single-Target Sexuality: Outside of a scene in the first episode where he appears to fall for Urraca's Femme Fatale move, he's only ever shown interest in Jimena.
• Slowly Slipping Into Evil: While he was definitely kind of an asshole in Season 1, Orduño still had some redeeming moments. Come Season 2, and he's slowly starting to take a darker turn, particularly as his Revenge Before Reason mentality against Ruy grows as he works to avenge his father's death.
• Smug Snake: Like Father, Like Son indeed.
• The Squire: He starts Season 1 as Alfonso's squire. By the end of the season he's made the jump to knighthood.
• Ungrateful Bastard: Ruy convinces Sancho to offer Orduño, and other captured nobles, the chance to save their lives if they pledge their loyalty to him. Orduño accepts the offer... And in his final scene he whispers to Sancho to have Ruy punished for abandoning the siege of Zamora. It's unclear if he's aware that Ruy convinced Sancho to make the offer, but if he is, he then falls firmly into this trope.
• Villainous Breakdown: At the end of Season 1, when Flaín is murdered, he flies into a mad, grief-fuelled rage, screaming accusations and threats at Ruy while having to be physically restrained.
• Villainous Valour: Becomes noticeable in Season 2: For all his faults, he is brave, often throwing himself to where the fighting is thickest and holding his ground. Played With when awaiting execution after his capture at Golpejera: it's evident he's frightened but is still prepared to face the axe, at least until he's given the chance to serve Sancho in exchange for keeping his life and titles.
• You Killed My Father: The main reason he wants Ruy either killed or brought to justice at the start of Season 2 is that he's convinced Ruy murdered his father, Flaín. It was, in fact, Ruy's grandfather Rodrigo.

Count Celso of Oviedo

Count Celso Fernández of Oviedo

Jimena’s father, and Count Flaín’s vassal. He arrives in León to request aid to face Viking raiders threatening his lands. As he gets more than he bargained for, Jimena is forced to confront an unpleasant truth about him...

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• Adaptation Name Change: Named Celso in the show, when historically he was Diego Fernández (hence why the Real Life Jimena was Jimena Díaz, as per naming conventions of the time). Presumably this is to enforce One-Steve Limit as Ruy's father is also named Diego.
• Abusive Parents: He's never particularly affectionate or warm to Jimena and his first reaction to her Blackmail is to roughly grab her by the throat, apparently in an attempt to intimidate her.
• Archnemesis Dad: To Jimena, once she discovers he's a Domestic Abuser. Even before then, their relationship was noticeably cold and distant.
• Blackmail: On the receiving end from Jimena: She spies on him and Flaín discussing the plot against Fernando, and later presents him with a simple ultimatum: Either he never lays another hand on her mother again, or she goes and tells Fernando everything she knows, which would - to put it mildly - be bad for Celso's health. He appears to comply, and isn't shown to be involved in Flaín's conspiracy from that point on.
• Domestic Abuser: He's revealed to be physically abusive towards his wife, Cristina.
• Dirty Coward: When Jimena blackmails him into never laying a hand on her mother, and his initial attempt to physically intimidate her doesn't work, he silently backs down. In Season 2, he meekly acquiesces to Orduño's desire to maintain the engagement between him and Jimena, despite Jimena's objection.
• Historical Villain Upgrade: Not much is known about the historical Diego Fernández. However, as the plot against Fernando is unique to the show, then it's safe to say he was not involved in any such scheme.
• Hate Sink: He's a Domestic Abuser, an abusive parent, a coward, and has yet to have a single sympathetic moment in his scenes or show any Hidden Depths, something even Flaín had.
• Jerkass: Apart from his other charming qualities, he's just not good company: he's never warm or smiling with either his wife or his daughter, and isn't shown to be particularly friendly towards anyone except maybe Flaín (and even then it's debatable, as he's still his same unsmiling self around him).
• Jerkass Has a Point: Cristina forces Jimena to see this about him in Season 2: His position as Count of Oviedo was given to him by Flaín on the specific condition that Orduño and Jimena marry. Even though Flaín is dead, Orduño is the Count of León, and Celso is his vassal. Despite Jimena's wishes, if Celso terminates the engagement, he and his entire family could be stripped of their title by Orduño, and lose their positions and privileges among the nobility of León.
• Layman's Terms: Flaín at first tries to get him to join his plot through flowery and allegorical language ("The lion has awoken."). Celso reacts by bluntly asking Flaín to speak plainly and just tell him what he wants.
• Leonine Contract: Is revealed to be in one in Season 2, when Cristina reveals he was made Count of Oviedo by Flaín on the condition that he marry Jimena to Orduño. If he were to renege on that agreement, he could potentially lose his standing among the nobility.
• Social Climber: Implied to be the reason why he took Flaín's Leonine Contract in Season 2, when Cristina tells Jimena that, in exchange for his promising his daughter to Flaín's son, Celso was given his land and titles.
• Would Hit a Girl: Apart from beating his wife, his first reaction when Jimena blackmails him is to aggressively seize her by the throat.

Countess Cristina of Oviedo

Countess Cristina of Oviedo

Wife to Celso and Jimena’s mother. The Countess arrives in León with her husband after Viking raids threaten their lands. Through her, Jimena is forced to confront an unpleasant truth about her father.

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• Clothing-Concealed Injury: Her headscarf, a very common medieval fashion item, helps hide the bruises that Celso leaves on her.
• Domestic Abuse: She's on the receiving end of this, as it's revealed that Celso physically abuses her.
• Good Parents: In stark contrast to her husband, she's this to Jimena, being affectionate and warm to her, and even bringing her a gift of seashells which Jimena loved as a child.
• Stepford Smiler: Puts on a smiling front around others, particularly her daughter, while being married to an abusive Jerkass.
• Sympathy for the Devil: An In-Universe case for Celso when she explains his situation to Jimena in season 2. She reveals that Celso became Count of Oviedo thanks to Flaín, in exchange for Jimena's engagement to Orduño. If he backs out of the arrangement, he and the entire family could lose every privilege and social standing they currently have.

Arias Gonzalo

Arias Gonzalo, Governor of Zamora

Played by: Roberto Álvarez

"Zamora does not surrender!"

The governor of Zamora and loyal vassal to the Infanta Urraca.

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• Demoted to Extra: Hard to say how much since his history is mixed with legend, but his real counterpart is said to have resided in León until the death of Fernando I, been involved in the education of his children (and El Cid himself), acted as executor of Fernando's will, and moved to Zamora with Urraca. In the show he apparently was in Zamora all along and does not appear until she arrives.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: Unquestionably loyal to the royal family of León, and to the Infanta Urraca, the Lady of the city.
• Old Soldier: A more downplayed case but still present. He refuses to abandon Zamora when it's besieged by Sancho's army, and stands by the decision of the people of Zamora to not allow Urraca to give herself up and surrender the city, calmly stating: "Zamora never surrenders, my Lady."
• The Reliable One: Apparently has this reputation In-Universe. In Season 2, Urraca justifies her decision not to leave the court of León by pointing out that Zamora was well-governed by him before, and continues to be so.
• Remember the New Guy?: Despite being the governor of Zamora, an important city with a formidable defensive castle, he's not mentioned in the show until Season 2, and doesn't appear in person until the last episode of that season.
• Shrug Take: His reaction when the people of Zamora refuse Urraca's offer to surrender and spare them the siege, yelling "Zamora does not surrender!" He shrugs and repeats the words to Urraca, silently telling her to go with the flow.

Men-at-Arms of León

Knights of León

Rodrigo Álvarez

Rodrigo Álvarez

Played by: Juan Fernández

"The devil has already done his work with me."

Ruy’s grandfather on his mother’s side. The elder Rodrigo is stern and unsmiling, and has taught Ruy the values of loyalty and service, with the promise of rewarding him with his father’s sword when the time is right. Ruy soon finds himself applying his grandfather’s teachings in a way he never thought he’d have to, while Rodrigo is forced to choose between family and duty.

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• Anti-Villain: In Season 1. He serves Flaín loyally not because he's cruel or wants to further the Count's ambitions, but because he's his vassal and, thus, duty-bound to serve him. Among Flaín's co-conspirators, he has clear moments of being an Only Sane Man and Token Good Teammate, and it's clear he doesn't want any harm to befall Ruy. Not to mention his Heel–Face Turn and the fact that he ends up being the one who kills Flaín.
• Character Development: Starts Season 1 as a Jerkass and Flaín's Dragon. As the series progresses, his Pet the Dog moments become more numerous until he finally abandons the plot and kills Flaín in retaliation for the assassination attempt on Ruy. He's solidly sympathetic in Season 2.
• Dark Is Not Evil: Dresses primarily in dark clothing, but beneath his Grumpy Old Man exterior is a man with a good heart, who loves his family.
• Death Seeker: He becomes terminally ill late in Season 2 (see Secretly Dying). Aware his time is running out and in pain, it's heavily implied he wants a quicker and more dignified death in battle, and tells Ruy he'll show him no mercy because he wants him to be the one to do it. When he's disarmed by Ruy at Golpejera, he doesn't bother to defend himself or flee, but instead silently pleads for the killing blow, and thanks him for it.
• Drowning My Sorrows: Unwillingly released from Orduño's service and impoverished, he devolves into alcoholism. Although Ruy is able to curb this behaviour by successfully getting Alfonso to take him on as a vassal, it's implied that his heavy drinking leads to long-term health problems which culminate with him Secretly Dying by Episode 4.
• The Dragon: To Flaín, in Season 1, being as he is the Count's most senior and important vassal. That is, until his Heel–Face Turn and eventual assassination of Flaín.
• Face Death with Dignity: Accepts, and even welcomes, the moment of his death. It helps that he was already dying before, and that it's Ruy who does the deed.
• Get It Over With: A variation of this happens at Golpejera where, disarmed by Ruy and at his mercy, he simply nods to him several times, silently urging him to strike the killing blow.
• Good Scars, Evil Scars: Has a visible scar on his cheek. This, along with his long hair and beard, helps give him a rugged appearance and alludes to him being a battle-hardened Old Soldier.
• Grumpy Old Man: Gruff and dour, but not without moments of softness and affection towards his family members.
• Heel–Face Turn: By the end of Season 1, he abandons the plot to kill Fernando. He then further cements it by being the one to kill Flaín at the end of the final episode.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He took Ruy to León over his daugher's objections when Ruy was just ten years old, doesn't allow Ruy to inherit his father's sword until he's "earned it", and often comes across as a Grumpy Old Man. Yet he can also be affectionate (in his own way) to Ruy and isn't quite as mean as he first appears to be. He also pulls a Heel–Face Turn in Season 1 and ends up being the one to put a stop to Flaín's ambitions once and for all.
• Jerkass Has a Point: Berates Ruy for getting involved in the plot against Fernando and foiling the assassination attempt. While Ruy is right in calling him out over his involvement in the plot, Rodrigo is also right that Flaín is a dangerous man, and that Ruy will be in danger if the Count discovers it was he who foiled his plan. He's proven right when Flaín learns the truth, and promptly tries to have Ruy assassinated.
• The Last Dance: By Episode 4 of Season 2, he's dying of an unknown disease (possibly a severe infection of the kydneys). It's heavily implied he decides to die fighting in battle rather than resign himself to a longer and potentially more agonising death.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: He's Flaín's vassal, and serves him loyally even though the Count of León is plotting to betray and murder his king. Then again, it's not like Rodrigo has a lot of love for Fernando (see Well-Intentioned Extremist). Flaín trying to have Ruy assassinated is a step too far, however, and Rodrigo ends up abandoning the conspiracy and killing Flaín in turn.
• Old Soldier: A senior knight with years of service to León under his belt. He's already white-haired when the show starts in 1054, and is still able to hold his own in battle in 1073, (until his death at Golpejera).
• Only Sane Man: Gives this vibe in Season 1. When Flaín realizes his assassination attempt on Fernando at the joust has failed, he still tries to go through with giving the signal for the coup, an action that could have resulted in a chaotic war with Aragon, a chaotic civil war in León, and things generally going From Bad to Worse. It's Rodrigo who restrains Flain and points out that not only is the endeavour a lot riskier now, it also has no guarantee of success, which Flaín has to grudgingly concede.
• Outliving One's Offspring: Ends up outliving his daughter María, but only for a little while.
• Papa Wolf: Old, badass, and Season 1 reveals he's ultimately protective of Ruy. He gets bonus points for literally being Ruy's maternal grandfather. Not to mention he ultimately ends up taking Flaín's life after the latter tries to have Ruy killed.
• Parental Substitute: It soon becomes apparent that he's this to Ruy, with Season 2 emphasizing how he sometimes still fondly sees Ruy as the little boy he brought to León so many years ago.
• Pet the Dog:
  • One of the first signs he's not as bad as he appears is when he catches Ruy practicing with his father's sword, having snuck into his chambers to do so. Instead of berating his grandson, he just gently chides him for thinking he has to sneak in at all, and doesn't hold him at fault for wanting to see his father's sword, implying it's not the first time it's happened.
  • In Season 2, he finally gives Ruy his father's sword, and sincerely tells him how proud he is of him.
  • When he discovers that it was Ruy who foiled the assassination attempt on Fernando, he doesn't reveal the information to Flaín in an attempt to keep his grandson safe from the Count's wrath. When he learns that Flaín tried to have Ruy assassinated, he kills Flaín in return.
  • Despite speaking harshly to his daughter María in Season 1 and taking Ruy away from her when she'd just lost her husband, he mourns her death, and promises he'll join her and Diego soon.
• Secretly Dying: In Season 2, he develops what appears to be a severe UTI which is implied be symptomatic of a terminal disease (possibly a kydney infection). Knowing that his time is up, he keeps his illness a secret, only giving cryptic hints at most, and prepares to die in battle.
• Suicide by Cop: Or rather, suicide by Ruy. He grimly promises his grandson he'll kill him if he meets him on the battlefield, knowing he'll defend himself and, thus, be the one to kill Rodrigo. He gets his wish at Golpejera.
• So Proud of You: He tells Ruy how proud he is of him when he finally lets him inherit his father's sword in Season 2.
• Thicker Than Water: As loyal as he is to Flaín, he loves his family more. The knowledge that Flaín tried to have Ruy killed seems to have been what convinced him to turn on his lord and assassinate him.
• Token Good Teammate: Plays this role in Flaín's plot against Fernando, mainly due to his Only Sane Man role. He also winds up ultimately abandoning the plot and killing Flaín.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: He holds no love for Fernando, and appears to sincerely believe that killing him and returning León to Sancha is a legitimately good thing for the kingdom. He moves past this by the end of the season.

Orotz

Maese Orotz

Played by: Daniel Albaladejo

"It matters little who attacks who. In the end, the brothers will tear each other apart. I’ve seen it happen before."

A veteran knight and Master-at-Arms at León, Orotz has personally trained many of the squires and pages in his charge, among them young Ruy, preparing them for the moment they must go to war.

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• Authority Equals Asskicking: A more downplayed case: As the Maese, he's able to hold his own in battle and it's clear that he has years of military experience to back up his skills, but he can still be bested by an opponent who's younger and stronger than him. He nearly meets his end at Graus at Varo's hands, because of this.
• Bald Head of Toughness: He's an Old Soldier who's more than capable of fighting in the chaotic melee of medieval battles despite his advanced age. In Season 2 he continues to fight on the front lines even with a maimed right hand. He's also the only other prominent character in the show, apart from Sádaba, to be completely bald.
• Career-Ending Injury: He considers the loss of his fingers at Graus to be this, since he can't hold a weapon with his right hand anymore, even going as far as to call himself a cripple. Thankfully, Sancho keeps him as Master-at-Arms, and Ruy is able to teach him how to fight with his maimed hand while making use of a leather strap to keep his sword fastened in place.
• Cool Sword: Ruy gives him Sádaba's sword in Season 2. There's a very practical reason for it: the sword's made from Damascus Steel and is considerably lighter than most weapons, which makes it ideal for Orotz to use with his maimed and weakened right hand.
• Defiant to the End: He attempts this at Graus with Varo, when his fingers are cut off and he's at the Aragonese champion's mercy. Rather than try to escape or grovel, he just grabs the end of Varo's sword and points it at his throat, shooting him a Death Glare while daring him to take the strike. Instead, Varo spares him.
• A Father to His Men: Cares for the men he trained and commands in battle, particularly his favourite student, Ruy.
• Fin Gore: Loses the index and middle fingers on his right hand fighting Varo at the Battle of Graus. He considers it a Career-Ending Injury and comes very close to crossing a Despair Event Horizon, until Sancho and Ruy are able to lift him out of his funk.
• Good Scars, Evil Scars: Has noticeable scars on his face, alluding to his long military experience.
• Handicapped Badass: He becomes this in Season 2. Ruy gifts him Sádaba's Damascus Steel sword, lighter than the one he had previously, and teaches him to fight with a leather strap fastening the sword to his crippled hand.
• The Mentor: He's in charge of training the squires and pages at León. This includes Ruy, and Season 1 has him giving the young man private training in swordfighting.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: He's not happy about Sancho's decision to have Alfonso executed after taking León at the end of Season 2, but he continues to serve him diligently. Sancho is, after all, his king.
• Only Sane Man: He becomes this in Season 2 when serving at Sancho's court. Along with Velarde, he tries to convince his king not to go to war with García. In the Season 2 finale, he appears uncomfortable with the fact that Sancho has his former pupil Alfonso imprisoned and awaiting execution.
• Old Soldier: He's a veteran knight who's been around long enough to remember Ruy's father, Diego, from before he died at Atapuerca in 1054. Presumably, he was made Master-at-Arms because of his experience.
• Shell-Shocked Veteran: Implied. After the Battle of Graus, he sits motionless on his horse with a Thousand-Yard Stare, and snarls at Ruy to leave him alone. Taking into account that he believes War Is Hell, it appears his own experiences have left him with both physical and mental scars.
• Veteran Instructor: The Maese de armas, or Master-at-Arms, of León. Given his experience, he presumably earned the position after years of service.
• War Is Hell: As an Old Soldier, he holds a much more pessimistic view of war than Ruy. He explains to Ruy in Season 1 that despite fighting and dying for kings and princes, they'll never truly be seen as anything other than their servants. In Season 2, he grimly uses his own maimed hand as an example of how war can lead to someone losing everything.

Trifón

Trifón

Played by: Ignacio Herráez

"My sword is thirsty for blood."

King Fernando’s personal champion. His duty is to fight duels in the name of the king and ensure the survival of the Infantes.

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• Artistic License – History: After he dies, he's revealed to have a wife and several children. They're shown living in absolute poverty and are all but stated to have depended on him for their livelihood as, with winter approaching, his widow now fears for their survival. As mentioned on the main Artistic License - History page, owning armor, weapons and a horse would already place Trifón and his family among the ranks of the nobility, not the commoners. Especially more so since he was in the prestigious position of being the king's personal champion.
• The Big Guy: Physically large and imposing, it's little wonder he's Fernando's champion.
• Blood Knight: See his image quote.
• Bodyguarding a Badass: Acts as Sancho's personal guard when he takes his host to defend Zaragoza. Sancho is more than badass enough to look after himself, but Trifón's aid is still welcome.
• The Champion: To King Fernando.
• Forehead of Doom: Thanks to a receding hairline, he has quite a prominent forehead.
• Good Scars, Evil Scars: Noticeably scarred, but on the side of the heroes.
• Happily Married: Something that's only revealed posthumously. Given the grief his wife shows at seeing his decapitated corpse in León (not to mention the sheer number of children they had), it can be inferred theirs was a happy marriage.
• Mauve Shirt: Gets a few more lines and screentime than many of the other Mooks in Sancho's host, with the exception of Ruy's companions. He doesn't survive the season, however, as he's killed by Varo at Graus.
• Off with His Head!: Is mortally wounded, then decapitated by Varo at the Battle of Graus.
• Pet the Dog: Towards Ruy. He gives the young man a solemn nod before the Battle of Graus, indicating genuine respect for him despite the fact that Ruy helped knock him out, then assumed his identity to fight the duel with Jimeno.
• The Reveal: A posthumous one: He was married, and with his death the fate of his widow and their many children is now left dangerously uncertain.
• Too Many Babies: After his death, his widow reveals they had nine children together. With him gone and winter approaching, she's justifiably fearful for their survival.
• The Worf Effect: On the receiving end of this at Graus where, after an intense fight, he's defeated and killed by Varo.

Pedro Vela

Pedro Vela

Played by: Juan Codina

A knight who owes his loyalty less to the king and more to Count Flaín, and is willing to carry out his orders, particularly if it means eliminating the count's enemies.

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• Assassin Outclassin': Killed by Sádaba when he was on the verge of attacking Ruy before the battle of Graus.
• Asshole Victim: Unlike Flaín, whose Villain with Good Publicity status meant that he was mourned and buried in León's cathedral, no-one in Sancho's host seems particularly upset at Pedro's death. It's possible that he never bothered to get close to any of the other warriors, leading to this (see The Quiet One).
• Beard of Evil: Has a noticeably scraggly beard, in contrast to the more heroic characters in Sancho's host.
• Karmic Death: Tasked with assassinate Ruy, he was going to stab him from behind when he wasn't expecting it. He ends up getting his throat cut from behind by Sádaba, whom he wasn't expecting.
• The Mole: Despite being part of Sancho's host, he's loyal to Season 1's Big Bad, Flaín. He can be seen at the tourney in episode 1, presumably prepared for the coup that was supposed to happen.
• Perpetual Frowner: Usually has a sour expression on his face.
• The Quiet One: Doesn't speak much, nor does he really interact or joke around with the other knights and squires in Sancho's host.
• Slashed Throat: Suffers this at Sádaba's hands, right when he was on the verge of attacking Ruy.

Vellido

Vellido

Played by: Alfons Nieto

A young knight in the service of Léon and unshakeably devoted to the Infanta Urraca.

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• Anguished Declaration of Love: In Season 2's finale he confesses to Urraca that he's in love with her, and it's why he's so loyal to her. She doesn't reciprocate, and bluntly tells him so.
• Bearer of Bad News: He's the one to deliver the news to Fernando of the death of Ramiro at Graus. Fernando, devastated, collapses from shock, the stress only aggravating the effects of the poisoned food he'd eaten.
• Courtly Love: Is in love with Urraca. In keeping with this trope, he doesn't appear to expect her to reciprocate and instead his love is what spurs his loyalty and devotion to her.
• The Generic Guy: Outside of his Small Role, Big Impact, he doesn't receive much characterization in Season 1. Season 2 fleshes him out more.
• Number Two: Becomes this in Season 2 to Urraca, as the knight she relies on most to do the tasks she can't. Such as travelling to Zaragoza to try and persuade al-Muqtadir to cease paying tribute to Castile (and, by extension, to Sancho) or helping her free Alfonso from captivity.
• Small Role, Big Impact: Despite being a minor character in both seasons, he still impacts the plot noticeably.
  • In Season 1, He delivers the news to Fernando of the victory at Graus and, critically, of Ramiro's death. The news so shocks Fernando that he collapses. While it's eventually confirmed that Fernando was poisoned, the emotional anguish caused by the news certainly couldn't have helped.
  • In Season 2, He helps Urraca free Alfonso from captivity and flee from Toledo, then accompanies her to Zamora, thus ensuring that both Urraca and Alfonso remain active threats to Sancho, particularly since Alfonso still has a legitimate claim to the throne.
• Undying Loyalty: To the Infanta Urraca, something that becomes more evident in Season 2. He outright tells Ruy, during the siege of Zamora, that he'd die for her.

Ruy's Companions

In General

• Bash Brothers: All three are able to hold their own in battle, particularly Alvar, and if they can they'll look out for each other.
• Freudian Trio: The louder and more boisterous Alvar acts is the Id. Lisardo - being quieter and more cautious - is the Superego. Nuño strikes a balance between the two as the Ego. After Nuño's death, the dynamic between Alvar and Lisardo shifts to being more Red Oni, Blue Oni, with Alvar as the Red and Lisardo as the Blue.
• True Companions: They're good friends and fiercely loyal to one another, and to Ruy. One of the things that distresses them most in Season 2 is the very real danger that they may have to face each other on the battlefield as Castile and Galicia go to war and Nuño remains loyal to Galicia, though his sudden death prevents that from happening.
• Undying Loyalty: Alvar and Lisardo outright say that their loyalty is to each other and to Ruy. Nuño, on the other hand, maintains his ultimate loyalty to García, for whom he squired. It gets him killed, though to his relief, not at the hands of his friends.

Alvar

Alvar

Played by: Adrián Salzedo

"With Nuño, with Ruy, with my friends. That's where my loyalty lies."

Ruy’s best friend. A boisterous joker, like Ruy he starts the series as a page, and thanks to his talents rises through the ranks.

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• Badass Boast: Says in Season 2, to Sancho: "Give me weapons and clothing, and I swear I will fight with the strength of ten men!" He's not wrong either.
• The Berserker: He becomes this come Season 2, going full-on Screaming Warrior on the battlefield and fighting with wild abandon.
• The Big Guy: While not notably physically larger than his friends, he fulfils much the same role, being more combat-oriented and impulsive than either Ruy or Lisardo.
• Boisterous Bruiser: Loud, jokey, and impulsive, and in Season 2 he becomes a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
• Drowning My Sorrows: He engages in this during the campaign in Galicia. It leads to his Naked People Are Funny moment, but it's also indicative of the mental anguish he's going through at the thought that he may have to face Nuño on the battlefield.
• Heads or Tails?: When Ruy confesses to him that he knows of a plot against Fernando, and that his grandfather is involved, he's the one who comes up with the idea of a coin flip to help Ruy decide what to do.
• Naked People Are Funny: Almost naked, anyway. After getting blind stinking drunk and gambling away all his armour and weapons the night before battle, he stumbles out of his tent the next day wearing only his breeches and boots while wondering where his clothes and armour are before the realization sinks in. Then Sancho sees him. Thankfully, he's able to recover all his equipment before battle.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: His heavy drinking, and gambling away his armour and weapons, while on campaign in Season 2 indicate his grief at potentially having to fight Nuño, and how he's trying everything he can to not think about it.
• Plucky Comic Relief: The straightest example in the series: His reactions to the situations that occur, as well as his habit of cracking jokes, provide most of the show's moments of levity. Not to mention his Naked People Are Funny scene (though the context leading up to it isn't particularly funny).
• Ship Tease: In Season 2, he not-so-subtly flirts with Ermesinda, and she responds favourably.
• Screaming Warrior: In Season 2 especially, where he bellows like a madman while fighting in battle.
• Up Through the Ranks: An offscreen example of this. At the start of Season 1, he's a page, like Ruy and Lisardo. By the mid-point of Season 2, he owns armour, weapons and a horse, implying that he's become a knight in the intervening years.

Lisardo

Lisardo

Played by: David Castillo

"I wasn't born for this. I want to be a troubadour."

A young man, recently entered into service in the court of León, with a talent for song and music. While he has no skill as a swordsman, he can still find other ways to defend himself.

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• Armor Is Useless: Notably Averted in Season 2. Orduño spears him in the gut at the battle of Golpejera, however, his chainmail slows the blow enough that the wound, while grisly, is relatively shallow and is stitched up afterwards. While he's still pained by it, he's able to recover reasonably well.
• The Bard: In both seasons, he reveals himself to be a skilled musician and singer, and in Season 1 improvises a ballad during the celebrations after the battle of Graus. He also states in background conversation that he wants to be a troubadour.
• Manly Tears: Bitterly weeps when he learns of Nuño's death.
• New Meat: He's this in Season 1, being a new arrival at León and one one of the youngest pages there. While this leaves him open to Orduño's bullying, he takes a level in badass over the course of the show.
• Took a Level in Badass: Slowly but surely over the course of both Seasons, he grows from a nervous and insecure New Meat page, to a seasoned warrior and skilled crossbowman.

Nuño

Nuño

Played by: Álvaro Rico

"García has always been my lord."

A friend of Ruy's who squires for the Infante García, and whose loyalty to said Infante will have unforseen consequences for his friends and for himself.

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• Bathing Beauty: A rare male example. Season 2 gives him a scene where, stripped down to his underwear, he washes himself, with several shots lingering on his body.
• Be Careful What You Wish For: Defied. He prays to the Virgin Mary to not have to face his friends on the battlefield when Galicia and Castile go to war. Mendes and the other jealous Galician nobles stab him to death before that happens. He's grateful for it, and his last action is to murmur that the Virgin heard his prayers.
• Character Death: He's stabbed to death by Mendes and other members of the Galician nobility midway through Season 2, and his friends are quietly devastated by his death.
• A Death in the Limelight: Gets more focus and screentime in Season 2 than he did in Season 1 as he continues to serve García as king of Galicia. He's unexpectedly stabbed to death in episode 3 before the battle against Sancho and the army of Castile.
• Died in Your Arms Tonight: García cradles him as he bleeds out after he's stabbed by Mendes and the Galician nobles.
• The Generic Guy: Doesn't get quite as much characterization or focus as Alvar and Lisardo in Season 1. Season 2 averts this by fleshing him out more.
• Incompatible Orientation: Possibly, with García. García is in love with him, and as the situation between Galicia and Castile degenerates into all-out war, he confesses his love for Nuño and kisses him. Nuño seems more surprised than anything by the action, and while he doesn't appear to reciprocate, he also does not react with outright hostility as one might expect. In any case, he remains loyal to García, even to his death.
• Long-Haired Pretty Boy: The straightest example in the series, particularly as he's the closest to being Mr. Fanservice among Ruy's friends.
• Number Two: He becomes this to García in Season 2, rising from being his squire to his most favoured knight and later his Privado, or Privy Counsellor. This last position ends up sealing his fate.
• Sacrificial Lion: He's the first of Ruy's companions to be killed in the show, with his death coming after receiving more focus and characterization than he had previously, establishing that (apart from the historical figures) Anyone Can Die.
• Too Good for This Sinful Earth: Kind, loyal and brave. He doesn't scheme or lust for positions of power, but doesn't shirk his responsibilities when they're given to him. He doesn't survive to the end of Season 2.
• Undying Loyalty: To García, whom he squired for. In Season 2, he briefly calls out Alvar over him stating he's more loyal to Ruy than to the king, and ultimately chooses to travel to Galicia with him. Even as Castile and Galicia go to war and there's a real danger that Nuño will have to face his friends in battle, he stays loyal to García. He winds up paying with his life for it.

Telmo

Telmo

Played by: Pascual Laborda

"Let me go with you my lord Rodrigo, to serve you."

A companion of Ruy and Alvar who makes his debut in Season 2.

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• Armor Is Useless: Like Lisardo, an Aversion: He takes an arrow to his chainmail-armoured torso in Galicia. Other than being knocked off his feet and winded, he suffers no ill effects from it.
• The Big Guy: Slightly larger and more physically imposing than Alvar.
• The Generic Guy: Doesn't receive much characterization or focus when compared to Ruy's other companions.
• Remember the New Guy?: Appears in Season 2 and is treated as a regular fixture of the group despite not being present, or mentioned, in Season 1.
• The Quiet One: Has few lines in his appearances, and in general seems to be the quiet type, particularly when compared to Alvar.
• The Squire: Appears to serve as one for Alvar, fetching him his horse after his embarassing Naked People Are Funny moment. He also tries to pledge his service to Ruy when Ruy abandons the siege of Zamora.
• Suspiciously Similar Substitute: After Nuño's death, he fills the role the latter often filled among Ruy's friends as the quieter middle ground between Alvar and Lisardo.

Commoners of León

María Rodríguez of Vivar

María Rodríguez de Vivar

Played by: María Cotiello

"You have become everything your father dreamed of."

Ruy’s mother, the daughter of Rodrigo Álvarez. A kind and pious woman, circumstances see her lose both her father and her son: One to death, the other to service in the court of León. Despite being so far away, Ruy still adores her, and she loves him unconditionally.

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• Armor-Piercing Question: In Season 2, when Ruy speaks to her of how he'll accomplish what his father wanted by becoming a knight, with a title, land and castle, she asks him: "What about you? Is that what you want?". This is enough to stun Ruy into brief silence.
• Back for the Dead: She gets more scenes and dialogue in Season 2 than she did in Season 1. She also dies in Episode 4.
• Blood from the Mouth: One of the indicators she's not well is blood appearing on her hand after a coughing fit, indicating she's developing either tubercolosis or a severe form of pneumonia.
• The Bus Came Back: After disappearing in Season 1 after the opening, she reappears in Season 2 and gets more scenes with Ruy than she did previously.
• Calling the Old Man Out: Does a subdued version of this with her father Rodrigo, stating that he's going to take her son away to León almost immediately after the death of her husband, leaving her alone. Rodrigo is unmoved, and she doesn't press the issue further.
• Dies Wide Open: When she dies, her eyes are still open and staring at Ruy.
• Good Parents: Appears to be one, being protective and caring towards Ruy while also supporting him while he gains fame and recognition in León as he grows.
• Happily Married: Implied to have been this with Ruy's father, Diego, given her grief at his death and her dying words to Ruy that he's waiting for her.
• Incurable Cough of Death: The first episode of Season 2 reveals she's developed one, complete with Blood from the Mouth. She dies before the end of the season.
• Put on a Bus: Gets only a couple of scenes at the opening of the series before she's left behind in Vivar as Ruy is taken to León, and doesn't reappear for the rest of Season 1. She returns and gets more scenes in Season 2. She doesn't, however, live through it.
• Secretly Dying: She keeps her Blood from the Mouth hidden from Ruy and dismisses her cough as just a cold, presumably to prevent him from staying in Vivar to look after her and possibly hinder his rise in León.
• So Proud of You: Tells Ruy she is proud of him and all his accomplishments in the first Episode of Season 2, and that his father would be as well.
• Together in Death: Tells Ruy, as she's dying, that his father is waiting for her.
• Tragic Keepsake: Her handmade wooden cross, which she gave to Ruy as a child when he left for León with his grandfather, becomes this after her death in Season 2.
• Women Are Wiser: Shown to have a level head on her shoulders, such as when she quietly calls out her father Rodrigo for taking her son away almost immediately after the death of her husband. In Season 2, she asks Ruy an Armor-Piercing Question as to what he really wants, and correctly points out that for however loyally and skillfully he serves his king, he'll only ever be seen as a bargaining chip to gain more lands.

The scarred healer

The scarred healer

"You shouldn’t feel sorry for me. This mark is a gift that no woman enjoys among men."

A mysterious woman, scarred by fire, who makes her living as a healer. While her methods may appear crude, they are often effective. Not only that, she has a breadth of knowledge as to the effects of herbs and the creation of poisons. And she is, above all, discreet...

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• Back-Alley Doctor: What she essentially acts as in the story. She helps 'mend' Ermesinda's hymen on Urraca's request, and given how calm she is during the scene, it's easy to imagine she's done this sort of thing before.
• Dark and Troubled Past: Implied by her burn scars. The only detail given are vague hints that it may have been due to a man in her life, possibly a husband or lover.
• Don't You Dare Pity Me!: A downplayed example: She notices Urraca looking at her burn scars and, rather than snap at her angrily, simply tells her not to feel sorry for her, as she considers them a gift.
• Facial Horror: Has visible burn scars on the left side of her face. Rather than hide them, she's proud of them, saying that they're a "Gift of freedom." (presumably from the attentions of men).
• Harmful Healing: Inflicts this on Ermesinda, 'fixing' her virginity by stitching her hymen back together.
• Lack of Empathy: Reacts to Ermesinda screaming in agony during her Harmful Healing with only mild annoyance, quietly shushing her while continuing her work.
• Master Poisoner: She's knowledgeable about different herbs and their properties, including which ones can be potentially dangerous, and what doses are necessary for them to become lethal. It's this knowledge that leads her to play an integral part in Urraca's plot to poison her father.
• No Name Given: Not named in the show, nor in the credits.
• Small Role, Big Impact: Only appears in a single episode in Season 1, but it's by talking to her that Urraca gets the idea to poison her father. It's also heavily implied that she was the one who administered the poison to the sheep brains that Fernando ate during a banquet, which ended up killing him.
• Solitary Sorceress: While she doesn't have any magical powers, she fits many of the visual elements: She appears to live alone in a witch-y hut, away from Leonese society, and has knowledge of healing and herbs. Wicked Witch comes into play as she appears to have a sinister side due to her knowledge of how to prepare and administer poisons.

The tumbler

The tumbler

Played by: Eduardo Fedriani

At first glance, a humble acrobat performing at the banquet organized by Fernando on the occasion of Ramiro of Aragon's visit. In reality, he's a skilled assassin, hired by Flaín to kill Fernando at the tourney, and is the first challenge that Ruy must face and overcome.

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• Assassin Outclassin': He's charged with assassinating Fernando, and to be fair, not only was the assassination carefully planned, the man is sufficiently skilled to almost pull it off. As it is, he winds up being Ruy's first on-screen casualty.
• Chekhov's Gunman: He's first seen at the banquet, performing acrobatic flips for the assembled nobles and royalty, and other than a close-up, doesn't get much focus. It isn't until the next day that Ruy notices a man with a very familiar facial mark accepting a dagger from his grandfather...
• Combat Parkour: Presumably his skill as an acrobat and climber was the reason he was chosen for the job, as he's able to near-effortlesly climb the back of the stands to reach Fernando's throne. When Ruy surprises him, he's a deft and nimble opponent, making use of the scaffolding to evade and attack him, briefly gaining the upper hand in the process.
• Didn't See That Coming: When he drives his dagger into the back of Fernando's throne, he's visibly surprised when it strikes wood rather than flesh, not knowing that Ruy had already discovered the plot and reinforced the back of the throne with sturdy planks.
• Neck Snap: Breaks his neck when he falls from the scaffolding, and we get a lovely close-up of the result when Flaín and Rodrigo discover his body.
• Not the Fall That Kills You…: He's momentarily distracted by the crowd suddenly cheering during his and Ruy's struggle, which Ruy takes advantage of to knock him off the scaffolding. He breaks his neck on the wooden supports as he falls (there's even a Sickening "Crunch!" still audible in between the sound of cheering and breaking wood).
• No Name Given: Never named in the show. His character is credited simply as Saltimbanqui - a Spanish term for an acrobatic street performer.
• Professional Killer: He's an assassin, hired to kill King Fernando during Episode 1's tourney.
• Red Right Hand: Has a noticeable red mark on his face, most likely a birthmark. It's what allows Ruy (and the audience) to recognize him when he spies him taking the dagger from Rodrigo with which to assassinate Fernando.
• Small Role, Big Impact: He's only in a few scenes and doesn't live past the first episode, but in his limited screen-time he nearly assassinates Fernando, manages to wound Ruy, and Ruy killing him eventually makes Flaín set his sights on him, setting up a significant part of the plot that dominates the rest of Season 1.
• The Voiceless: Never speaks during his time on-screen, other than a few grunts when struggling with Ruy.

Posthumous Characters

Diego Laínez of Vivar

Diego Laínez de Vivar

Played by: Gonzalo Kindelán

"Be loyal to the king. You have nothing else."

Ruy’s father, who was mortally wounded at the battle of Atapuerca in 1054 and died when Ruy was just a child. The circumstances surrounding his death, and how Fernando I repaid his loyal service with disgrace and exile, will lead to Ruy being forced to choose between his duty and his feelings as the plot against Fernando becomes increasingly more deadly.

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• Butt-Monkey: To an extent. While he was a knight and, thus, enjoyed the respect and privilege that comes with the rank, at Atapuerca and afterwards nothing went right for him: He was mortally wounded, Fernando was incensed by his killing of García Sánchez and sent him in disgrace to Vivar, a poor frontier settlement. To make matters worse, he didn't die at Atapuerca, but lingered in agony just long enough to see his reputation and favour with the king destroyed. Little wonder he urges Ruy to be loyal above all else.
• Cool Sword: Which he passed on to Ruy as his last act.
• Final Speech: One that continues to resonate with the adult Ruy even years after his death.
  Diego: Ruy... I can't give you a title, but I can give you this: My sword. With it you can achieve anything, but you have to be the best. Be loyal to the king. You have nothing else.
• Good Parents: He appears to have been one to Ruy: Flashbacks show that he trained Ruy in combat when he was a child, and taught his son sayings about birds. Not to mention how young Ruy was absolutely devastated at his death.
• Happily Married: Implied to have been this with Ruy's mother, María, given her grief at his death.
• Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: A flashback at Atapuerca shows that he was mortally wounded when a Navarrese man-at-arms ran him through with a sword. Somehow, he was not only able to keep fighting, he ended up killing the King of Navarre.
• The Kingslayer: Killed García Sánchez III of Navarre at the battle of Atapuerca.
• Like Father, Like Son: Like him, Ruy is a skilled combatant with knowledge about birds and sayings related to them. The parallels get stronger, yet also darker, in Season 2, when Orotz notices Ruy acting unusually dour and more eager for war than he had previously, and cryptically mentions that Diego "Had the same look in his eyes" before he died.
• Made of Iron: Got Impaled with Extreme Prejudice with a sword at Atapuerca. He pulled the sword out, kept fighting, killed García Sánchez, was still conscious when Fernando cursed him, and then lingered on long enough that he died at Vivar, far from the battlefield, after leaving his sword to Ruy. Man was tough.
• Not Quite the Right Thing: He killed King García Sánchez of Navarre at Atapuerca, demoralising the Navarrese and winning the battle for León. Unfortunately, Fernando didn't want his brother dead, and was furious with Diego for doing so. As a result, Diego was disgraced and sent to live out his last few days at the unimportant and poor settlement of Vivar.
• Plot-Triggering Death: His death prompts Rodrigo Álvarez to take Ruy to León to start serving as a page, thus kickstarting the events of the series.
• Posthumous Character: Died from wounds he sustained at Atapuerca in 1054. The show even opens on his grave.
• Small Role, Big Impact: He died years ago, but his Final Speech left an indelible mark on Ruy and he's still frequently thought of by both him and Fernando (Ruy because he strives to make him proud, Fernando because he remembers his brother's killer all too well and, to an extent, fears Ruy for it).
• Spirit Advisor: In a sense, he is this to Ruy in Episode 2 of Season 1, as he remembers his training while duelling Jimeno, and he even seems to appear in what could be either a vision or a flashback to give advice at a critical moment.
• Stern Teacher: Flashbacks to him training Ruy show him as one: He's tough on the kid, but never cruel or demeaning, and his advice is good.

King Bermudo III of León

King Bermudo III of León

Sancha's brother and the previous ruler of León, Bermudo was killed in battle against Fernando in 1037. After his death, Fernando assumed the title of King of León and married Sancha. Despite having died twenty-six years before the main events of the series, the memory of his defeat at Fernando's hands still serves to drive the conspircy to overthrow Fernando.

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• Cain and Abel: Revealed to have been the Abel to Sancha's Cain, at the end of Season 1.
• Posthumous Character: Killed in 1037 at the Battle of Tamarón against Fernando. Historically, he also died quite young - only twenty years old in fact - and was referred to as El Mozo, or "The Boy", due to his youth.
• Small Role, Big Impact: Dead for years before even the first scene of the show, yet Fernando is still seen as The Usurper of Bermudo's throne, Sancha is seen by many as having a more valid claim to the throne by virtue of being his sister and Flaín, the main architect of the plot to overthrow and assassinate Fernando which dominates season 1, appears to have some genuine loyalty towards Bermudo's memory.
• The Unreveal: According to Flaín Sancha is to blame for Bermudo's death, not Fernando. however, this is never confirmed. As pointed by both Sancha and Fernando in the show, Bermudo died in battle when he invaded Fernando's land, so it's hard to imagine how it could be Sancha's fault.