Court of Castillo de Montesa No. 168 was Consecrated on Wednesday 6th September 2023 at Sociedad Compás in Cuidad Quesada.

Secretary: WBro Frank H. Wallace, ProvGAlm

The Castle is, without a doubt, the most important tourist attraction in the Valencia area. Affected by the earthquake of 1748, today we can only enjoy some rooms of what was once the Holy and Royal Convent of the Order of Santa María de Montesa and San Jorge de Alfama. In ancient times the Castle was inhabited mainly by religious and knights.

The functions of Mayor were exercised by the sots-commander, a knight of the Order of Montesa. When a person wanted to receive the habit of a knight, he went to the Castle and the naming ceremony was held, and in this Castle he had to remain, for at least four months, learning ceremonies and trades typical of the Order.

During the stage of the third master of Montesa, the most important works were carried out, building the chapter house, the reflector, the Church, a cistern, an oven, and the wall that surrounded the Convent. Still today, the coat of arms of master Pere de Tous stands out on one of the walls of the tower. Later, the bedroom and the chapel of Saint George were built, as well as the magnificent door to the master’s rooms, today transferred to the Palau de la Generalitat in Valencia.

On April 13, 1926, the remains of the Castle-Convent of the Order of Montesa were declared a National Monument.

Historically

The site of the original fortification’s dates back to Roman times and Muslim periods, as it was a strategic site from coast to the Inland. The building on a hill overlooking what eventually became a town… and King Alfonso 1^st of Aragon began building of a structure  in the 12^th Century with a castle and fortifications, but later  by permission of the Pope John XXII It was given over to the Cistercian order. The Knights Templar were fleetingly involved in transfers 1128 but it was quashed in1131. It later became known as The Holy Royal Convent of the Order of Santa Maria de Montesa.

Alas after seven centuries of habitation the Earthquake in 1748 and a later one in1755, which occurred during a Mass, the Castle was abandoned and became derelict but, as said, was made  a national monument in 1926.

So, with its great antiquity and  religious connections, especially as stated fleetingly, the Knights Templar, we consider this monument an admirable appellation to our new court based in the Valencian Province.

– Bro Neville Jarrett

01/11/2022