Quintanar de la Orden

Quintanar de la Orden, Spain
Flag
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Castile-La Mancha
Province	Toledo
Municipality	Quintanar de la Orden
Area
• Total	88 km2 (34 sq mi)
Elevation	691 m (2,267 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	10,471
• Density	119.0/km2 (308/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Website	http://www.aytoquintanar.org

Quintanar de la Orden is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 10471 inhabitants.

Name

The term " Quintanar " derives from the Latin Quintana meaning 'one fifth' which may relate to the portion of the harvest of the tenants (or its monetary equivalent) which had to paid as tax or rent at the market where they sold food. It could also be related to the distance, of five miles from a particular Roman communications center. The term " Order " relates to the Order of Santiago who were granted dominion over the lands of La Mancha in 1353 shortly after the Reconquesta of that territory and who established their headquarters there. .

Geography

The municipality borders the towns of Mota del Cuervo in the Province of Cuenca and Villanueva de Alcardete, El Toboso, Miguel Esteban and La Puebla de Almoradiel in the Province of Toledo .

History

The discovery Paleolithic may indicate the presence a prehistoric settlement. Roman coins indicate the existence of some sort of installation here at that time.

In the Middle Ages the village was inhabited by Mozarabs. After the Reconquista it was ceded to the military Order of Santiago. In the sixteenth century it became the principal administrative area of the region of La Mancha .