Portugal's Forgotten Seafaring Monks: The Ordem de Cristo

Before Vasco da Gama, before the caravels, there was the Order of Christ — a military-religious order that bankrolled Portugal's Age of Discovery. This episode follows the Ordem de Cristo from its Templar roots to its transformation under Prince Henry the Navigator, who used its wealth to fund expeditions along the African coast. We explore the order's headquarters in Tomar, its unique blend of crusading zeal and maritime ambition, and the controversial figure of Henry — was he a visionary navigator or a monopolistic slaver? We also discuss the order's decline after Henry's death, its eventual absorption into the crown, and its enduring legacy in the symbols of Portuguese exploration: the Cross of Christ on the sails of da Gama's ships. Along the way, we touch on the Castelo dos Mouros in Tomar, the bull Praeclara Clarissimi from Pope Benedict XIV, and the little-known sea campaigns against Moroccan ports like Alcácer Seguer. It's a story of faith, finance, and the sea — and how a medieval knightly order helped build a global empire. #OrdemDeCristo #HistoryOfPortugal #PrinceHenryTheNavigator #Tomar #AgeOfDiscovery #TemplarsInPortugal #PortugueseEmpire #Caravels #Crusades #CasteloDosMouros #AlcacerSeguer #CrossOfChrist #FexingoHistory #History #Europe #MaritimeHistory #MedievalHistory #PortugueseExploration Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo