The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (Jaén, 1212) was a decisive moment in the Christian advance toward the south, defeating the Muslims. The participation of the people of Ávila (abulenses) in it was remarkable. Now then, returning victorious from this battle, the warriors entered Ávila, parading with great pomp.
One of the battalions was commanded by Alvar Dávila, whose lordship extended through the area of Sotalvo, a town a short distance from the capital. He was handsome and marched proudly on his horse. And of course, when passing in front of the palace of Don Diego de Zúñiga, his daughter, Doña Guiomar, was deeply impressed. But she was not the only one: Alvar fell madly in love with the maiden, and the rest of the parade was an agonizing torment, thinking only of the sweet mountain girl.
However, as was the norm at that time, Guiomar's destiny did not depend on herself, and her father, Don Diego, had already planned her future, which was to enter a convent and dedicate her life to God.
After a few days, Alvar decided to ask for permission to marry the young girl since, ever since he met her, he neither ate nor drank, feeding solely on her memory. And he presented himself before Don Diego for this purpose. But the father-in-law-to-be was stubborn and did not like the suitor at all, so he threw him out of his palace, assuring him that he would never see his daughter again.
Alvar was hurt but did not resign himself to the idea that he would never be able to look upon his beloved again, so he replied:
“Doña Guiomar and I will continue to love each other; and what is more, to see each other: in spite of you!”
And he withdrew to his lordship of Sotalvo, since the palace guard had orders to take him prisoner if he dared to loiter around Ávila. In Mironcillo, on top of a crag, he built a castle facing the city to be able to see, or rather glimpse, his beloved. She would look out of her bedroom window, which stood out slightly above the city walls, and he would make all kinds of signals so she could know he was there, loving her from afar.
Possibly of love, Guiomar passed away shortly after, and Alvar found out just as he was leaving for the war front that very day. And we do not know if out of grief, he allowed himself to be killed and never returned from that new battle.
Today, the castle known as Mal que os pese stands defiantly in Mironcillo, and a little song still recalls that story of lovers in the purest Romeo and Juliet style, Ávila-style:
“Guiomar is sad, How they look at each other!
her love is far away, How they love each other!
both are dying, And their sighs are
both are prisoners, the only tokens
that come and go.”
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