The Monastery of Benevívere (Spanish: ''Abadía de Santa María de Benevívere'') was an Abbey in Spain, famous in the 12th century, now ruined. It is about west of
Carrión de los Condes in the
Province of Palencia
Palencia is a province of northern Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It is bordered by the provinces of León, Cantabria, Burgos, and Valladolid.
Overview
Of ...
.
Origins
The Abbey of Santa Maria de Benevívere was ordered to be built in the 12th century by Don
Diego Martínez de Villamayor.
He was a Castilian noble from the house of the counts of Bureba, who was very influential at court.
He was the advisor of Alfonso VII and Sancho III, and treasurer of Alfonso VIII.
After losing his wife he decided to retire and devote himself to the contemplative life.
He laid the foundation of the Abbey in 1169.
The ''Poema de Benevívere'' (Poem of Benevívere) was written in Latin around the beginning of the 13th century in 758 verses.
The poem tells the story of Diego Martínez de Villamayor, who aspired to be a saint, and King
Alfonso VIII of Castile.
It contrasts the religious and secular goals and ideals, and shows their intimate relationship.
Activities
The house was occupied by
Canons Regular
Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...
living in community under the Augustinian Rule.
It was approved by apostolic bulls of
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland ( it, Rolando), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181.
A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a con ...
(1178),
Pope Lucius III
Pope Lucius III (c. 1097 – 25 November 1185), born Ubaldo Allucingoli, reigned from 1 September 1181 to his death in 1185. Born of an aristocratic family of Lucca, prior to being elected pope, he had a long career as a papal diplomat. His pa ...
(1183),
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV ( la, Innocentius IV; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254.
Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universitie ...
(1284) and
Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV ( la, Eugenius IV; it, Eugenio IV; 1383 – 23 February 1447), born Gabriele Condulmer, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 3 March 1431 to his death in February 1447. Condulmer was a Venetian, and ...
(1483).
The abbey also had two suffragans that followed the same rule, Trianos in
León and Villalbura in
Burgos
Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos.
Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence of t ...
.
There were six dependent priories: Santiago of Tola near
Ceinos de Campos, Vallodolid, San Salvador de Vallarramiel in
Palencia
Palencia () is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Palencia.
Located in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in the northern half o ...
, San Martín de Pereda near
Riaño, León
Riaño is a former small municipality located along the Esla River in the mountains of the province of León, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, northern Spain. The village was across the river from Peak Gilbo. Located 3650 feet ab ...
, Santa María de Pereda near
Benavente, Zamora
Benavente is a town and municipality in the north of the province of Zamora , in the autonomous community Castile and León of Spain. It has about 20,000 inhabitants.
Located north of the capital on an important communications hub, it was repo ...
, Nuestra Señora de Mañino near
Sotobañado, Palencia and the hospital of San Torcuato. The founder established a pilgrim hospital next to the abbey, served by monks, called White Hospital or San Torcuato. The abbey also served the farmers of the parish.
Destruction
The monks lost their property in the