Lady of Montesa, Our

Lady Of Montesa, Our an order of knighthood, founded in 1317 by king James II of Aragon, after the abrogation of the Order of the Templars, for the protection of the Christians against the Moors. By permission of pope John XXII, James of Aragon used all the estates of the ex-Templars and of the Knights of St. John situated in Valencia for this new order, which king James named after the town and castle of Montesa, its head-quarters. The order is now conferred merely as a mark of royal favor, though the provisions of its statutes are still nominally observed on new creations. The badge is a red cross edged with gold, the costume a long white woolen mantle, decorated with a cross on the left breast, and tied with very long white cords.