Ciudad Rodrigo
Title
Ciudad Rodrigo
Also Known As
Ciudad Rodrigo, Convento de la Charidad, La Caridad, monasterium Charitatis, S. Maria de la Caridad, S. Maria de la Misericordia de Ciudad Rodrigo, Stae. Mariae Caritatis, Stae. Mariae Charitatis, Stae. Mariae Karitatis extra muros Civitatis Roderici
Dates
Founded 1171; dissolved 1835
Dedication
Mary of Charity
Affiliation
Medieval Diocese
Circary
History
The Premonstratensian abbey of Ciudad Rodrigo was founded in the 1170s on the initiative of Ferdinand II of León. Pope Lucius III granted papal approval of the foundation in the 1180s. During the Middle Ages, it was a prosperous community.
It underwent substantial remodelling in the later 18th century, having been badly damaged by an earthquake in 1755. It was a site of strategic importance during the Peninsular War.
Following the dissolution of Ciudad Rodrigo in 1835, the site passed into private hands. The monastery served as a detention centre during the Franco era. Recent plans to turn the site into a luxury hotel failed, and the former monastic complex is currently in a deteriorating state.
It underwent substantial remodelling in the later 18th century, having been badly damaged by an earthquake in 1755. It was a site of strategic importance during the Peninsular War.
Following the dissolution of Ciudad Rodrigo in 1835, the site passed into private hands. The monastery served as a detention centre during the Franco era. Recent plans to turn the site into a luxury hotel failed, and the former monastic complex is currently in a deteriorating state.
Heads of Community
Abbots
Domingo, 1175-?
Benito, d. 1182
Sancho I, 1182-?
Juan I Antoñanes, fl. 1184
Pedro I, fl. 1185
Sancho II, fl. ca. 1200
Pedro II, fl. 1213
Velasco, ca. 1230
Pedro III, fl. 1241
Fadrique, ?-1285
Paschalis, fl. 1292
Thomas, 1302-08
Gonzalo I, fl. 1315
Bartolomé, 1327-1333
Juan II, fl. 1336
Pedro IV, 1345-1348
Gonzalo II de Onis, 1349-1358
Rodrigo, 1359
Juan III, 1359-76
Fernando I, ?-1385
Martin, 1386-1397
Alonso I de la Rua, 1398-1413
Juan IV Delgado, 1414-1425
Prosper de Colonna, 1425-1432
Gonzalo III, fl. 1454
Domingo Dominguez, 1447-1460
Alvaro Pacheco, 1461-1486
Francisco I de Aguila, 1488-1507
Pedro V de Rijoles, 1507-1510
Francisco II de Bajo de Bodón, 1510-1511
Fernando II de Baltanás, 1511-1525
Alonso II de Herrera, 1525-1531
Fernando III de Chaves, 1531-1548
Fernando IV de Gata, 1548-1552
Domingo, 1175-?
Benito, d. 1182
Sancho I, 1182-?
Juan I Antoñanes, fl. 1184
Pedro I, fl. 1185
Sancho II, fl. ca. 1200
Pedro II, fl. 1213
Velasco, ca. 1230
Pedro III, fl. 1241
Fadrique, ?-1285
Paschalis, fl. 1292
Thomas, 1302-08
Gonzalo I, fl. 1315
Bartolomé, 1327-1333
Juan II, fl. 1336
Pedro IV, 1345-1348
Gonzalo II de Onis, 1349-1358
Rodrigo, 1359
Juan III, 1359-76
Fernando I, ?-1385
Martin, 1386-1397
Alonso I de la Rua, 1398-1413
Juan IV Delgado, 1414-1425
Prosper de Colonna, 1425-1432
Gonzalo III, fl. 1454
Domingo Dominguez, 1447-1460
Alvaro Pacheco, 1461-1486
Francisco I de Aguila, 1488-1507
Pedro V de Rijoles, 1507-1510
Francisco II de Bajo de Bodón, 1510-1511
Fernando II de Baltanás, 1511-1525
Alonso II de Herrera, 1525-1531
Fernando III de Chaves, 1531-1548
Fernando IV de Gata, 1548-1552
Status
Abbey
Archival Sources
Reference
Bibliography
Fita y Colomé, Fidel. “Los premonstratenses en Ciudad Rodrigo. Datos inéditos.” Boletín de la Real Academia de la Historia 62 (1913): 468–80. https://www.cervantesvirtual.com/descargaPdf/los-premonstratenses-en-ciudad-rodrigo-datos-inditos-0/.
Image Credit
The former belltower of the monastery, 2019. Wikimedia.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Ciudad Rodrigo,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/448.