Trinitarians

Trinitarians, a religious order founded at Rome in 1198 to redeem Christian captives from the infidels (see SLAVERY). Their rule was a modification of that of St Augustine, and from the red cross on the right breast of their white serge garments they were known as Red or Crutched Friars. They were bound to devote one-third of their total revenues to the work of redeeming the captives; in the 17th century they claimed to have redeemed upwards of 30,000 Christian captives. At the Reformation there were eleven houses in England, five in Scotland, and one in Ireland. The remaining houses of the order in Spain were suppressed in the reign of Isabella II.