THE THIRD DOMINICAN ORDER

The Order of Preachers, more commonly known after the 15th century as the Dominican Order, is a Roman Catholic Order founded by the Spanish Priest Saint Dominic de Guzman in France and approved by Pope Honorius III (1216-27) on December 22, 1216.
Pope Honorius III (1150-18March1227), born as Cencio Savelli, was Pope from July18,1216 to his death in 1227. Seventeen cardinals present at the death of innocent III assembled at Perugia (where Innocent III had died two days previously) with the purpose of electing the new Pope. The troubled state of affairs in Italy, the threatening attitude of the Tatars, and the fear of a schism induced the cardinals to agree to an election by compromise. He was born in Rome as son of Aimerico, a member of the Roman Savelli family.
The 12th century saw great changes in Western Europe. As commerce revived, urban centers arose and with them an urban middle class. New directions in spirituality were called for. Ecclesiastical reform became a major theme of the cultural revival of this era. There emerged the New Orders founded by Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) and Dominic Guzman (1170-1221). With deep insight the Franciscans and Dominicans put into practice a pastoral strategy suited to the social changes.
The Third Dominican Order is a Roman Catholic Order afiliated with the Dominican Order. This was one of the earliest developments of the ancient Ordo de Poenitentia (Order of Penance), a status which developed in the ancient Church representing those which came under Dominican influence. At first vaguely constituted and living without system or form, its members gradually grew more and more depended on their spiritual guides.
The climax was reached when Friar Munio of Zamora, the 7th Master General of the Friars Preachers, formulated a definite Rule in 1285. By this the Order of Penance was to be ruled in each local centre by a Dominican Priest and was to be subject to the obedience of the Dominican Priors Provincial and Masters General. Henceforward this branch was linked to the fortunes of the Friar Preachers, wore their habits of Black and White, and was to participate in all their "works." They were not called a Third Order until after the 13th century but continue to be known as "Brothers and Sisters of Penance" with the addition "of St. Dominic."
Simultaneously with them there came another merging into being from another very different institution which, amalgamated with the Order of Penance to form and give birth all together  to the Dominican Third Order. This was a Military Order, called "The Militia Jesus Christ" (Soldiery of Jesus Christ). It owed its origin to Bishop Foulques of Toulouse, Simon de MontFort, and to St. Dominic.  The truth of this merging borne out by other indications.
Folquet of Toulouse (1150-December25th 1231) came from a genoese merchant family who lived in Maeseille. Initially famed as a troubadour, he began composing songs in the 1170s and was known to Raymond GeoffreyII of Marseille, Richard Coeur de Lion, Raymond V of Toulouse, Raymond-Roger of Foix, Alfonso II of Aragon and William VIII of MontPellier. Folquet's life and career abruptly changed around 1195. He joined the strict Cistercian Order, entering the Monastery of Thoronet (Var, France) placing his wife and 2 sons in monastic institutions as well. He soon rose in prominence and was elected abbot of Thoronet which allowed him to help found the sister house of Gemenos to house women, including his wife. He was elected Bishop of Toulouse in 1205, after 2 Cistercian Papal legates had been sent to the Region to reform it. Pope Innocent III was particular concerned by the prevalence of both heresy and episcopal corruption in the Languedoc and used the Cistercians to combat both. As Bishop, Folquet took a very active role in combatting heresy.
Simon de MontFort (1175-June25th 1218) was a French WarLord who took part in the 4th Crusade (1202-1204) and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade. As early as 1235, Pope Gregory IX confided the Militia to the care of Friar Jordan of Saxony, 2nd Master General; and in the same year he decreed for the knights a habit of black and white. Further, when the Militia was brought across the Alps and established in Italy, they were always connected with the Dominican Order.
The MontFort line itself descended from the House of Reginar (later known as House of Brabant), a kin-group in LotHarIngia during the CarolIngian and OttOnian centuries. The main branch extinguished in 1355, leaving its duchies to the House of LuxemBourg which in turn left them to the House of Valois-Burgundy in 1383. A side Branch is the House of Hesse which ruled Hesse from 1264 until 1918 and is still existing today.
After the Plague of 1348, a great deal of laxity and disorganization crept into the Third Order. As it exist to-day it can be divided into two categories: regular and secular. By far the greatest portion consists of seculars. These are of every rank of society, and represent the old Order of Penance and the Old Militia.