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When the Templars were suppressed by Pope Clement in 1312, King Dinis of Portugal argued that the Templars had simply been granted perpetual use of lands which actually belonged to the crown. Dinis founded The Order of the Knighthood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which was confirmed in the bull Ad ea exquibus by Pope John XXII on March 14, 1319. |
King
Dinis
TCT p.5 |
| Seward adds that the full name of the Templars was The Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, and Dinis left off the reference to the temple in naming his new Order. | MoW |
| Cardinale adds that the Order was founded by Dinis and St Isabella on 14th August 1318 under the name The Militia of Jesus Christ. John XXII became its patron and gave it a Cistercian rule. It immediately extended to Spain, France, Italy and Germany. | Cardinale p.27 |
| The Order was granted the properties that had been the Templar's and its headquarters were established in the church of Santa Maria do Castelo in the town of Castro Marim. It was given the statutes and rule of life of the order of Calatrava. The abbot of Alcobaca was appointed visitor and brother Gil Martins, who was already master of the Order of Avis, became the master of the new Order. The order's first statutes, which date from 1321, set at 84 the minimum number of brothers, of whom 69 were to be armed and mounted knights. They further established the principle of electing the Master of the Order from among the professed knights. At that time the Order's headquarters also moved from commandery to commandery, until they settled for good in Tomar in the year 1357, when Nuno Rodrigues was their 6th Master. | About
Tomar
TCT p.5 |
| In 1318 the new brotherhood was installed in all former Templar preceptories, though it is unlikely that any Templars were admitted. (Although other writers, such as Baigent & Leigh disagree). The first Mestre was a brother of Aviz, Dom Gil Martins, who by 1321 had 69 knights, 9 chaplains and six sergeants, with constitutions modelled on those of Avis and Calatrava. Under the Master was the Prior Mor (Grand Prior) - who summoned brethren to the castle- convent at Castro Marim for magistral elections - the Comendador Mor (Grand Commander), the Claviero (key bearer or castellan) and the Alferes (the standard bearer). | MoW p.169 TaL |
| Their symbol was a double cross of red and silver. Stevens says Their badge was a red cross with a white twist in the middle. | MoW p.179 and note 14 |
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The Templars in Portugal |
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The first 100 years of the Order of Christ |