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From the Patek Museum website:
"Calatrava: the birth of a legend
The Calatrava Cross was adopted by Patek Philippe towards the end of the nineteenth century and has come to symbolise perfection and expertise. Far from being just discreetly elegant, it has deep historical roots that plunge back to the Middle Ages. At the time when warrior monks such as the Templars and Hospitalliers were fighting for the Crusaders in the Holy Land, Spain was faced with attacks by the Moors. It was thus that in 1158 a Cistercian abbot formed the Order of Calatrava, the oldest and most important Iberian order of chivalry, destined to defend the fortress of Calatrava, bordering the Muslim zone. Upon the death of their last leader, in 1487, the knights of Calatrava joined the Spanish crown and subsequently fought alongside the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille, during the recapture of Grenada, the last Muslim stronghold. Whether emblazoned on a banner flying above the battlements of a Castillo or adorning a winding crown, the Calatrava Cross remains a symbol of victory. Today as ever, it accompanies a crusade, led by those whose conquest is the mastery of time. © La Tribune des Arts présente en exclusivité le Patek Philippe Museum"
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