Once the king Alfonso "Emperor" reconquer the Villa de Calatrava in hands of the Muslims, entrusted, in 1150, the Knights Templar. But when King Alfonso died, Muslims dedicated much of his effort to recapture Calatrava, in the person of Abd el Múmen the Saracens, they found a captain for such an undertaking. Because of the fury with which the Muslims attacked the area, Calatrava was lost by the Templars.

Thus the Order of the Temple returns to the town of Calatrava King Don Sancho. The situation was very serious because if they missed Calatrava, Toledo risked everything.
The king Sancho  proclaimed that Calatrava will be delivered to the defender, calling a council with his nobles, which was don Raimundo, Abbot of Santa Maria and Diego Velázquez Fitero a monk, of Burgos Bureva, Hidalgo and noble, these two gentlemen decided to take Calatrava for protection.

King Don Sancho, signed a letter of donation from the town and fortress of the Order of Calatrava Cîteaux represented by Don Raimundo Abad, in the year 1158 in the town of Almazán, to defend the enemies of Christ.

After Sancho gift, donated to the Freire de Calatrava, payment and Cirujales village, in the same Toledo, in a gesture of gratitude for taking the defense of Calatrava.

The Arabs, leave Calatrava  when they see the arrival of Abbot Raimundo and Captain Don Diego Velázquez, followed by an immense crowd of men belonging to the Cistercian Order
 
After Abbot organized an army of over twenty thousand men to defend the region.

The main promoter of the Order of Calatrava was Fray Diego Velázquez.

On the death of Fray Diego, splitting the order and to start the Knights refused to be superior to a mixed Abad and live with the monks in the contemplative life, and they decided to elect a Master of the Order.

Calatrava's first teacher was Mr. Garcia, which is documented in a file that dates back to 1164.

On the death of Don Fernando Don Garcia happened Low as Master. Happened were the Masters and the Order became a huge army that ever helped the Christian kings.

The Order suffered a major defeat, before the Almanzor warlord, who took a great army Calatrava and its defenders were killed. With the last remnants of the Order, the Master Don Nuño Pérez de Salvatierra attacked the fortress, making it home of the Order pending the revival town of Calatrava.

The order took part in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.

The Order of Calatrava, reconquered several villas and forts, coming from Almaden adominar to Toledo and regions of Argamasilla de Alba and Sierra Morena.

In the village of Salvatierra construlleron a new convent that christened with the name of Calatrava, in memory and memory to the stronghold of the Guadiana.

Order involved in the campaigns of the Reconquista, taking part in the conquest of Baeza and the fence and Cordova.

Grew as the power of the Order, which the Kings felt threatened by what they found that the choice of teacher would be appointed real.

The force of the Order grew more then once dissolved the Order of the Templars, all property they owned him were turned over to Calatrava.

The order of Calatrava was very powerful and often intervened in national politics.

The Catholic Monarchs decided while Master of the Order Don García López de Padilla, it was time to end the existence of the Order of Calatrava, and this would be incorporated with the Crown on the death of his Master.