Martín López de Estella: un caballero navarro de la Orden del Temple perteneciente al linaje de los Azagra [Martín López of Estella: A Navarrese knight of the Order of the Temple belonging to the family line of Azagra]

Abstract

This article analyses the historical figure of the Navarrese knight Martin Lopez of Estella, a member of the Azagra lineage who had so far gone unnoticed by historians. At the beginning of his long life, the important holdings of Aibar and Estella were under his domain, inherited from his father don Lope Garcés of Azagra. This coincided with two events of great significance for the Kingdom of Navarre, as were the death of the «Battler» and the ascent to the throne of García Ramírez. His, and his brothers Rodrigo and Gonzalo’s, lay association with the Order of the Temple not only reveal the important links established between the Azagras and the Knights Templar, but also anticipate the subsequent entry of Martin Lopez as a professed member of the Temple in the commandery of Novillas.