The Hospital Freed from Tax and Imprisonment by Royal Decree

We must look closely at the Antiguo hospital del Gran Caballero to understand its role as a vital refuge. Located on the way to Santiago de Compostela, this site was a hospedería y hospital para peregrinos jacobeos enfermos y otros viajeros. Its endurance was not an accident of history but a result of firm action by Alfonso VIII. In 1182, he issued a decree to remove tax burdens from the facility. He further strengthened its security in 1187 by ensuring no member of the institution could be held as a prisoner.

In 1190, the royal promoter transferred the representation of the site to the Order of Santiago to articulate its management within a broader framework with greater economic possibilities. By 1211, the Prior of Uclés established the amount of rents to be paid by the hospital from income generated by properties, including rents and rights from the lands of Villasila and Villamelendro. We also see the impact of private devotion, such as the 5,000 maravedíes gifted in 1222 by Pedro Fernández and Teresa.

As the institution grew, it became known as the Hospital de Las Tiendas due to its shared management with the Hospital de Villamartín. It was situated near the river de las Cuezas, bordering the province of León and the village of San Llorente to the north, Bustillo del Páramo and Monte de Carrión to the east, Calzadilla de la Cueza to the south, and Ledigos to the west. While the physical structure was demolished in 2006, the history of the site remains a profound subject for continued study. We can still trace the legacy of this vanished sanctuary through the records of its royal protections.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons