Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/652

Rh ORDER OF CALATRAVA.

(FOR A LONG TIME KNOWN AS: ' ORDER OF SALVATIERRA.')

One single campaign had, in 711, reduced the whole of the Pyrenean peninsula under the power of the Moors. In 718, however, Pelagius once more raised the banner of the Goths; and after an uninterrupted warfare of three hundred years, Catalonia, Navarre, Aragon, Castile, Leon, Galicia and Portugal were once more ruled by Christian Princes, while numerous dynasties, internal dissensions, and civil and religious wars gradually undermined the power of Islam. In 1130, Alphonso Raimond advanced the devastated frontiers of Castile, as far as Sierra Morena, imposed tribute upon Cordova, and attacked the kingdoms of Murcia and Jaén. Calatrava, which covered the frontier of Andalusia, fell into his power in 1147, and he confided its custody to the brave and valorous Templars. Subsequently, however, when the invincible Emir Almohade, the ruler of a great part of Northern Africa, led his ever victorious army into Spain, and subjugated (in 1157) Cordova, Jaën, Grenada and Almedia, the intimidated Templars restored Calatrava to Don Sancho ILI., son and successor of Alphonso Raimond, who was at first unable to find any one bold enough to venture upon the defence of a place which had been despaired of by the renowned warriors who had abandoned it. At that time, two Cistercian monks, Don Raimond, Abbot of Fitero in Navarre, and Don Diego Belasquez, were staying at Toledo, on some business of their community. The latter, an old soldier of Alpnonso, roused the enthusiasm of his colleague the Abbot, whom he persuaded to accept the offer of the King, to give Calatrava to whatever valiant soldiers would undertake its defence. The Archbishop of Toledo, in whose diocese the town was situated, supplied