THE MILITARY ORDERS
Medieval Military Orders: From Jerusalem to Iberia
Explore seven religious military orders: their origins, service, symbols and the regions that shaped their history.
Founded c. 1119
The Knights Templar
From protecting pilgrims to a network of fortified houses and commanderies.
Discover the Order →Origins in the 11th century
The Knights Hospitaller
A hospital community whose history connects Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta.
Discover the Order →Founded 1190
The Teutonic Order
A brotherhood born beside Acre, remembered for its black cross and hospital origins.
Discover the Order →12th-century Jerusalem
The Order of Saint Lazarus
Hospital care, religious community and a later military role in the crusader states.
Discover the Order →Founded 1170
The Order of Santiago
From the brothers of Cáceres to a powerful religious military order in Iberia.
Discover the Order →Founded 1158
The Order of Calatrava
Cistercian roots, frontier fortresses and the lands of medieval Castile.
Discover the Order →12TH-CENTURY PORTUGAL
The Order of Aviz
From the Militia of Évora to the green cross and a Portuguese royal dynasty.
Discover the Order →Different regions, different missions
The Holy Land orders developed around the crusader states, while Santiago, Calatrava and Aviz grew on the Iberian frontier. These connected histories should not be treated as a single campaign. The orders differed in their origins, rules and responsibilities. Their individual profiles follow those differences, from military protection to hospital care, rather than giving every order the same story.