Person

Sancho III of Castile

c. 1134–1158 · 12th century · Also known as Sancho the Desired

Sancho III (c. 1134–1158) was king of Castile from 1157 to 1158, the eldest son of Alfonso VII, who divided his realms between Sancho, who received Castile, and Ferdinand II, who received León. In his short reign he granted the fortress of Calatrava to the Cistercians, leading to the foundation of the Order of Calatrava. His early death left Castile to his infant son Alfonso VIII.

Sancho III of Castile
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Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Sancho III of Castile. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sancho-iii-of-castile
MLA
“Sancho III of Castile.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sancho-iii-of-castile. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Sancho III of Castile.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sancho-iii-of-castile.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Sancho III of Castile’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/sancho-iii-of-castile (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻