Order of Montesa

Established in 1317 in the Kingdom of Valencia after the suppression of the Templars. It inherited many former Templar properties in Aragón and Valencia.

The Order of Montesa was created in 1317 by King James II of Aragón as a direct response to the suppression of the Knights Templar. Rather than allow the Templars' vast Iberian holdings to pass to the international Hospitaller order, the Aragonese king petitioned Pope John XXII to create a new, specifically Iberian order that would inherit the Templar properties within the Kingdom of Valencia.

The order took its name from the mighty Castle of Montesa in Valencia, which became its headquarters. Following the Cistercian rule like the Order of Calatrava (with which it was initially affiliated), the Order of Montesa quickly established itself as the primary military order of the Valencian kingdom.

The Knights of Montesa inherited not only Templar castles and lands but also their military traditions and strategic responsibilities. They defended the Valencian coast against Muslim corsairs and maintained the chain of fortifications that protected the kingdom's borders. The order's unique origin as a successor to the Templars has made it a subject of enduring fascination, linking it to the rich tapestry of Templar legends and mysteries.

Notable sites

• Castle of Montesa
• Castle of Peñíscola
• Castle of Xivert

Where the order was active

• valencia
• aragon