Raymond of Fitero
Encyclopedia
Saint Raymond of Fitero (also known as Ramon Sierra) (*? - †Ciruelos
, 1163) was a monk
, abbot
, and founder of the Order of Calatrava
. His birthplace is unknown; Saint-Gaudens
(France
), Tarazona
(Aragon
), and Barcelona
(Catalonia
) have all been proposed as the place of his birth.
As a young man, he felt a religious vocation, and became a canon of the cathedral at Tarazona, which had been reconquered from the Moors
in 1120.
He later became a monk of the Cistercian Order at Escaladieu Abbey
in Gascony
, and when this order wished to extend itself into Spain
, he was elected as prior
of the new monastery at Nienzabas (Niencebas), on land granted by Alfonso VII of Castile. At the death of the abbot Durando (Durandus, Durand), Raymond succeeded him to this post. The monastery then moved to Castejón
, and was finally established at a spot named Fitero
(Castellón de Fitero), situated on the frontier between La Rioja
and Navarre
. There the Monasterio de Santa María la Real de Fitero was built.
At the death of Alfonso VII, in 1158, Raymond went to Toledo
so that the new king, Sancho III of Castile
, could confirm the privileges that Alfonso had granted to the monastery. In Toledo Raymond learned from his companion, Father Diego Velásquez, that a major offensive against the Moors was being planned, and that Sancho would grant the town of Calatrava (Calatrava la Vieja
) to anyone who promised to defend it from the Moors.
Encouraged by Father Diego, who had been a knight
prior to becoming a monk, Raymond took up the challenge. Sancho granted them the privilege of defending Calatrava, and Raymond organized an army, with the support of Juan II of Toledo, the Archbishop of Toledo, that successfully prevented the Moors from attacking this place in 1158.
As a result of this success, Raymond decided to found the Order of Calatrava, organized along Cistercian lines. Raymond had his monks move from Fitero to the new one he established at Calatrava.
At the end of his life, he retired to Ciruelos, near Ocaña
, where he died.
Ciruelos
Ciruelos is a Chilean village located southeast of Pichilemu, Cardenal Caro Province. As of 1899, it had very few inhabitants, a free school, and a post office.-References:...
, 1163) was a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
, and founder of the Order of Calatrava
Order of Calatrava
The Order of Calatrava was the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Order of Calatrava as a Militia was given by Pope Alexander III on September 26, 1164.-Origins and Foundation:...
. His birthplace is unknown; Saint-Gaudens
Saint-Gaudens
Saint-Gaudens is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.Saint-Gaudens lies at an altitude of 405 m on a ledge overlooking the valley of the Garonne...
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), Tarazona
Tarazona
Tarazona is a municipality in the Spanish province of Zaragoza, in the autonomous community of Aragon. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarazona and the capital of the Tarazona y el Moncayo Aragonese comarca.- History :...
(Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
), and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
(Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
) have all been proposed as the place of his birth.
As a young man, he felt a religious vocation, and became a canon of the cathedral at Tarazona, which had been reconquered from the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
in 1120.
He later became a monk of the Cistercian Order at Escaladieu Abbey
Escaladieu Abbey
Escaladieu Abbey was a Cistercian abbey located in the French commune of Bonnemazon in the Hautes-Pyrénées. Its name derives from the Latin Scala Dei . The abbey was founded in 1142 and became an important pilgrimage stop on the Way of St. James en route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela...
in Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
, and when this order wished to extend itself into Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, he was elected as prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of the new monastery at Nienzabas (Niencebas), on land granted by Alfonso VII of Castile. At the death of the abbot Durando (Durandus, Durand), Raymond succeeded him to this post. The monastery then moved to Castejón
Castejón
Castejón is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.Castejón is home to Spain's largest photovoltaic power plant , which opened in 2006 .-External links:*...
, and was finally established at a spot named Fitero
Fitero
Fitero is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.The Monastery of Fitero is situated here.-External links:*...
(Castellón de Fitero), situated on the frontier between La Rioja
La Rioja (Spain)
La Rioja is an autonomous community and a province of northern Spain. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Nájera.-History:...
and Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
. There the Monasterio de Santa María la Real de Fitero was built.
At the death of Alfonso VII, in 1158, Raymond went to Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
so that the new king, Sancho III of Castile
Sancho III of Castile
Sancho III was King of Castile and Toledo for one year, from 1157 to 1158. During the Reconquista, in which he took an active part, he founded the Order of Calatrava...
, could confirm the privileges that Alfonso had granted to the monastery. In Toledo Raymond learned from his companion, Father Diego Velásquez, that a major offensive against the Moors was being planned, and that Sancho would grant the town of Calatrava (Calatrava la Vieja
Calatrava la Vieja
Calatrava la Vieja is a medieval site and original nucleus of the Order of Calatrava. It is now part of the Archaeological Parks of the Community of Castile-La Mancha. Situated at Carrión de Calatrava, Calatrava during the High Middle Ages was the only important city in the Guadiana River valley...
) to anyone who promised to defend it from the Moors.
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
prior to becoming a monk, Raymond took up the challenge. Sancho granted them the privilege of defending Calatrava, and Raymond organized an army, with the support of Juan II of Toledo, the Archbishop of Toledo, that successfully prevented the Moors from attacking this place in 1158.
As a result of this success, Raymond decided to found the Order of Calatrava, organized along Cistercian lines. Raymond had his monks move from Fitero to the new one he established at Calatrava.
At the end of his life, he retired to Ciruelos, near Ocaña
Ocaña, Spain
Ocaña, a town and municipality of central Spain, in the province of Toledo. It is located on the extreme north of the tableland known as the Mesa de Ocaña, and has a station on the railway from Aranjuez to Cuenca.-History:...
, where he died.