# Saint Dominic

> founder of the Dominican Order (1170–1221)

**Wikidata**: [Q44091](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q44091)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dominic)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/saint-dominic

## Summary
Saint Dominic was a Catholic priest, friar, and the founder of the Dominican Order, living from 1170 to 1221. A citizen of the Kingdom of León, he established the Order of Preachers and is associated with the early 13th-century religious movement that included the Nuns of the Order of Preachers. His legacy endures through the global presence of the Dominican Order and numerous dedications, including the capital city of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo.

## Biography
- **Born:** August 8, 1170
- **Nationality:** Kingdom of León
- **Education:** University of Palencia
- **Known for:** Founding the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers)
- **Employer(s):** Dominican Order
- **Field(s):** Theology, Religious Leadership

## Contributions
- **Founding the Dominican Order:** Established the Roman Catholic religious order known as the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers) with inceptions recorded in 1215 and 1216.
- **Establishment of the Nuns of the Order of Preachers:** Founded or catalyzed the Roman Catholic religious order for women, the Nuns of the Order of Preachers, in 1206.
- **Educational Influence:** Contributed to the early academic and religious community of the University of Palencia (Studium Generale Palentinum), where he was educated and which is historically linked to the Casa Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

## FAQs
**When did Saint Dominic live?**
Saint Dominic was born on August 8, 1170, and died on August 6, 1221.

**What religious order did Saint Dominic found?**
He founded the Dominican Order, also known as the Order of Preachers, a Roman Catholic mendicant order established in the early 13th century.

**Where was Saint Dominic from?**
He was a citizen of the Kingdom of León, an independent medieval kingdom located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

**Where did Saint Dominic receive his education?**
He studied at the University of Palencia, a medieval Studium Generale founded in 1212 that focused on liberal arts and Catholic theology.

**What is Saint Dominic's connection to the city of Santo Domingo?**
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic founded in 1496, is named after Saint Dominic (Santo Domingo de Guzmán).

## Why They Matter
Saint Dominic's founding of the Dominican Order created a lasting framework for mendicant religious life focused on preaching and theological education. This order played a pivotal role in the religious and intellectual history of the Middle Ages and continues to operate globally today. His influence is deeply embedded in the cultural and historical geography of the Kingdom of León and extends to the New World, evidenced by the naming of Santo Domingo, the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas. Furthermore, his life inspired the construction of significant basilicas and churches across Europe and the Americas, serving as centers of worship and history for centuries.

## Notable For
- Founding the Dominican Order (1215/1216).
- Establishing the Nuns of the Order of Preachers (1206).
- Serving as a Catholic priest and friar in the Kingdom of León.
- Being the namesake of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
- Having numerous churches dedicated to him worldwide, including the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna and the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena.

## Body

### Identity and Origins
Saint Dominic, also known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Saint Dominicus, Saint Domenico, and de Caleruega, was a human male and a member of the species Homo sapiens. He held citizenship in the Kingdom of León, an independent medieval kingdom that existed from 910 to 1230 in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. This kingdom was a center of Roman Catholicism and played a critical role in the Reconquista, providing the cultural and political backdrop for Dominic's early life.

### Education and Academic Affiliation
Saint Dominic was educated at the University of Palencia (Universidad de Palencia), also referred to as the Studium Generale Palentinum. This institution, founded in 1212, was one of the earliest higher-education institutions in the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on liberal arts and Catholic theology. Although the university dissolved around 1270, Dominic's association with it is preserved through the Casa Santo Domingo de Guzmán, a historical building in Palencia linked to the university's early community.

### Religious Vocations and Orders
Saint Dominic is primarily defined by his religious occupations as a Catholic priest and a friar. His most significant contribution was the founding of the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers), a Roman Catholic religious order recognized with inceptions in 1215 and 1216. He is also affiliated with the Nuns of the Order of Preachers, a separate religious order for women established in 1206. These orders fall under the broader classification of mendicant orders within the Roman Catholic Church, emphasizing preaching and poverty.

### Historical Context: The Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León, where Dominic was a citizen, was a foundational Christian kingdom in medieval Iberia. It was known for its feudal monarchy, the Cortes of León of 1188 (the oldest known European parliamentary system), and its role in the Reconquista. Dominic is listed among the notable figures of this kingdom, which included monarchs like Alfonso VI and Alfonso IX. The kingdom's dissolution in 1230, shortly after Dominic's death, marked its integration into the Crown of Castile.

### Global Legacy and Dedication
The legacy of Saint Dominic is marked by an extensive number of churches and settlements named in his honor, reflecting his widespread veneration.

**Cities:**
- **Santo Domingo:** The capital of the Dominican Republic, officially named Santo Domingo de Guzmán, was founded in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus and named after Saint Dominic. It is recognized as the "Ciudad primada de América" (Primate City of America).

**Churches in Italy:**
- **Basilica of San Domenico (Bologna):** A major church established in 1228.
- **Basilica of San Domenico (Siena):** A church founded in 1226.
- **Basilica of St. Dominic (Naples):** A church building established in 1283.
- **San Domenico (Palermo):** A church building originating in 1458.
- **San Domenico (Pisa):** A church established in 1385.
- **San Domenico (Orvieto):** A church building with an inception recorded in 1201.
- **San Domenico (Turin):** A church in Italy.
- **Dominican Church (Bolzano):** A church established in 1272.
- **Santi Domenico e Sisto (Rome):** A church established in 1663.
- **Church of Saint Dominic (Urbino):** A church building established in 1362.
- **Oratorio del Rosario di San Domenico (Palermo):** A church building established in 1574.

**Churches in Spain:**
- **Iglesia de Santo Domingo (Oviedo):** A cultural property and church.
- **Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán (San Cristóbal de La Laguna):** A cultural property established in 1527.
- **Church of Saint Dominic (Soria):** A church in Soria.

**Churches in the Americas:**
- **Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Oaxaca, Mexico):** A church building established in 1731.
- **Church of Santo Domingo (Puebla, Mexico):** A church established in 1611.
- **Santo Domingo in San Cristobal de las Casas (Chiapas, Mexico):** A church building.
- **Santo Domingo Church (Quezon City, Philippines):** A Roman Catholic parish church and national shrine established in 1954.

**Churches in Other Regions:**
- **Igreja de São Domingos (Lisbon, Portugal):** A church building established in 1241.
- **Église Saint-Dominique (Paris, France):** A church established in 1921.
- **Église Saint-Dominique de Bonifacio (Corse-du-Sud, France):** A church established in 1201.

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