Middle ages The area was conquered by
Alfonso VI and then by
Almoravids. Following the new Christian conquest of the area, Alcázar was donated to three individual knights in 1150. The heir of one of them transferred the hamlet to the
Order of Santiago, who donated Alcázar to the
Order of St. John in exchange for the hamlet of Criptana, and thus Alcázar took the name of "Alcázar de Consuegra", as it eventually became part of the Priory of St. John centered in
Consuegra. There is no historical record concerning the phase of
Almohad occupation and archaeological findings are inconclusive. Alcázar was granted a population charter in 1241. In 1292,
Fernán Pérez, Commander of the Order, granted Alcázar the privilege of township (
villazgo), which was confirmed by
Sancho IV in that year and ratified by
Ferdinand IV in 1300.
Modern era By the early 16th century, Alcázar thrived as town of the Priory of St. John (extending across territory in the current-day provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real), parallel to the relative decline of its capital of Consuegra. In the context of the struggles over the control of the priory and its ensuing split between
Antonio de Estúñiga and
Diego de Toledo, Alcázar reportedly became part of the latter's possessions. The territory was not reunited until 1566. Since the 16th century, a
saltpetre factory operated in Alcázar, using rocks from the nearby site of
Los Sitios located to the east of the town. By the late 18th century, the plant had 12 cauldrons producing 5,000
arrobas of salpetre on an annual basis. Railways arrived to Alcázar de San Juan in 1854, as part of the
Aranjuez–
Almansa line, and, in 1861, another line was opened (Alcázar–
Manzanares–
Daimiel–
Almagro–
Ciudad Real). The town was granted the title of city (
ciudad) in April 1877. The famous
Third Mixed Brigade (Tercera Brigada Mixta) of the
Spanish Republican Army was established in Alcázar de San Juan in 1936 during the
Spanish Civil War. == Transport ==