The Order of Alcantara was founded in 1166 in the Kingdom of Leon and confirmed by Pope Alexander III in 1177, traditionally counseled by the hermit St Julian de Pereiro of Salamanca, though its precise origin is described as obscure. Based at Alcantara, a town in Extremadura on the Tagus River in the contested Christian-Muslim border zone, it was a Catholic military-religious order following Cistercian rule established to defend territorial conquests during the Reconquista, originally requiring celibacy, a requirement removed in 1540. It survives today as a Religious Order of Honour rather than an active military order, with King Felipe VI as Sovereign and Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria, as Grand Master, admitting members on nobility requirements.
Connections
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.