approving the statutes of the
Order of the Franciscans (1209–1210) by
Giotto. The statutes were later confirmed by Pope
Honorius III on 29 November 1223. The Medrano family's association with the
Franciscan Order originates in a foundational episode of spiritual and dynastic significance. According to early sources, in the year 1211,
Saint Francis of Assisi passed through the lordship of
Agoncillo, held at the time by a captain of the Medrano lineage. During this visit, the saint entered the castle of Agoncillo and healed the lord's son of a severe and incurable illness. In recognition of this grace, the Medranos donated lands near the
Ebro River in
Logroño, where Saint Francis established the first Franciscan convent in Spain. Diego López de Medrano's royal intervention culminated in the dynastic settlement reached with the Duke of Lancaster, by which
Catherine, daughter of the Duke and
Constanza, married the Infante
Enrique and received several towns as part of her
dowry, including
Atienza. The town formed part of the territorial settlement that resolved the succession dispute over the Crown of Castile and later became the site of sustained Franciscan patronage under the Medrano family. In one such case, the wife of Bernardino de Medrano is described as possessing a cord of the saint, to which were attributed healings and protection in times of danger. This endeavor involved commissioning
chasubles and a
vestment, contributing
tapestries, an
altar frontal, sheets, a
chalice, and wine jugs. Catalina de Medrano and her husband orchestrated the installation of an ornate wrought-iron gate at the chapel's entrance and commissioned the carving of two recumbent statues, presumably designed to house their remains eternally in white alabaster material within the confines of the Saint Anthony chapel. The existence of these funerary statues remains uncertain, although strong indications suggest their creation. During the zenith of the 14th and 15th centuries, the town of Atienza thrived as a significant hub for communication and commerce. At the heart of this locale stood a
Franciscan friary established in the mid-13th century. Demonstrating a commendable initiative to enhance the religious edifice of San Francisco in Atienza, Doña Catalina de Medrano, in 1507, instigated the construction of a main entrance, the restructuring of the choir, and numerous other intricate embellishments, marking a noteworthy chapter in the history of the friary.
Patron of the main chapel and declaration as a royal convent of Atienza Her brother,
Garcí Bravo de Medrano, alcaide and governor of the castle of Atienza, assumed the patronage of the newly renovated temple's main chapel. That was the pinnacle moment of the Franciscan monastery. Shortly before, in 1507, while Regent of Castile was Friar
Francisco Ximénez de Cisneros, Catalina de Medrano's convent was declared a Royal Convent of Atienza, and its Guardian or Superior was appointed as Dean
Regidor of the town, with two votes in the Councils, a designated person to replace him in the council position whenever he deemed it appropriate, and some other preeminences that demonstrated the high power that the friars had in the government of the high town of Atienza.
Royal visits and Napoleonic decline Noteworthy visits from Spanish monarchs, including
Philip II in 1592,
Philip III, and
Philip IV in 1660, as well as
Philip V in 1706, attest to the monastery's prominence. However, the zenith of the monastery waned drastically on the night of January 7, 1811, when
Napoleonic forces ravaged the residence of the religious and the temple, leading to the near-total destruction of this cultural and religious heritage. It was during this calamitous event that the artistic treasures bequeathed to posterity by Catalina de Medrano were tragically lost. == Death ==