Military Order of Christ

Castro Marim, First Seat of the Military Order of Christ

The Military Order of Christ was founded in 1319 by order of King Denis of Portugal after Pope Clement V abolished the Knights Templar, one of the most famous chivalric military orders in history.

Due to their military action against the Moors and role in settling Portugal’s interior, the Knights Templar played a decisive part in the Portuguese Reconquista and claimed vast swathes of Portugal for the Holy See, which threatened the Portuguese kingdom’s sovereignty.

Under the guise of defending the Algarve coastline from pirate attacks, King Denis founded the new Military Order of Christ. The first seat of this Order was the Castle of Castro Marim, which boasted one of the most well-fortified defense systems in the entire Kingdom of the Algarve.