THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ORDER OF SAINT JOHN IN CASTILE DURING THE TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH CENTURIES

A Castilian province of the Military Order of the Hospital or the Order of Saint John has existed since the twelfth century. The Order of Saint John in Castile ultimately depended on the master of the Hospital. Nevertheless, he intervened little in the affairs of the Castilian Hospitallers during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. On the other hand, the grand commander of the Order in Spain acted more in Castile. However, it is the provincial prior of the Order of Saint John in Castile who normally administered the Castilian Hospitallers. Underneath, there was a network of commanderies or bailiwicks, which were under the control of officers called commanders. There were many commanderies of the Order of Saint John in Castile. The Castilian Hospitallers lived in small convents within the commanderies. The brethren of the Order could be knights, chaplains or sergeants. There were also nuns or Hospitaller women in Castile.