Calatrava la Vieja

Coordinates: 39°04′26″N 3°50′06″W / 39.074°N 3.835°W / 39.074; -3.835
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Calatrava la Vieja as seen from the north

Calatrava la Vieja (formerly just Calatrava) is a

Guadiana River valley. It thus guarded the roads to Cordova and Toledo
.

Its name is derived from the (

Arab nobleman who held this area in the 8th century, although as a fortress it may date even earlier – to Iberian
times.

References to the site date from as early as 785, and in 853 owing to conflicts between the Muslims of

Cordova
, and Toledo competed to acquire Calatrava.

Toledo was conquered by

invasions
.

The castle was placed under the protection of the

Archbishop of Toledo, that successfully prevented the Moors from attacking this place in 1158.[1]

Guadiana river over the castle.

As a result of this success, Raymond decided to found the Order of Calatrava, organized along

Cistercian[2]
lines.

The city was reconquered by the

Jewish Quarter. So, more than 30,000 men deserted and crossed back over the Pyrenees
.

In 1217, the Order of Calatrava moved to Calatrava la Nueva (castle of Dueñas), 60 km to the south. Thus, the original site became known as "Calatrava la Vieja" ("Old Calatrava").

Calatrava la Vieja remained the center of the royal land grant, but it was completely abandoned by the early fifteenth century, when the Knight Commander of Calatrava moved his residence to Carrión de Calatrava.

References

External links

39°04′26″N 3°50′06″W / 39.074°N 3.835°W / 39.074; -3.835