Which chivalric order was founded in 1317 by King James II of Aragon?

The Order of Montesa was founded in 1317 by King James II of Aragon as a military and religious order.

James II established it after the suppression of the Knights Templar, whose properties and responsibilities needed a new institution in the Crown of Aragon. The order received lands and possessions formerly held by the Templars, particularly in the Kingdom of Valencia.

The Order of Montesa followed the Cistercian rule and was associated with the defense of Christian territories against Muslim forces. Its headquarters became Montesa Castle in Valencia, which gave the order its name.

Montesa is sometimes confused with the older Iberian orders of Calatrava and Santiago. It was not founded in Castile or León, and its creation belongs specifically to Aragonese royal policy in the early 14th century. In 1587, King Philip II incorporated the order into the Spanish Crown.