The medieval documentation of the priory of Navarra of the order of Saint John in the National Historical Archives of Madrid

Abstract

This article analyses the medieval documentation of the order of Saint John in Navarre Navarre, kept in the National Historical Archives of Madrid. The study sets out the history of the archive collection, starting from the news dating from the Late Middle Ages until the most recent, which are from the last century. In addition, the paper identifies different types of documents and describes their characteristics. It also deals with the scope of their contents and peculiar issues that arise. The wealth of this medieval legacy provides knowledge about the complex organisation of the hospitallers with regard to their lands and subjects in Navarre. It also shows how they fitted into the institutional framework of the kingdom, the Church, and the international government of the order.