The establishment of María's hospital affiliated with the Order of Saint John of Acre closely coincided with the founding of Navarrete, La Rioja.

[3][4] Historical accounts state that Fuenmayor was founded by three captains of King Ramiro I's troops, who settled in the valley after defeating the Moslems in the Battle of Clavijo (844).

Her marriage to Fortún de Baztán (or Bazán), a descendant of early Navarrese royal kings, solidified the family's ties to the region.

[11][12] Queen Estefanía de Nájera, widow of King García Sánchez III of Pamplona, received the privilege of joining the seven villages of the country, which together with Navarrete, Hornos, Medrano, Coscujos, Entrena, Velilla and Fuenmayor benefited from the joint use of water, pastures and paths.

[13] The establishment of María Ramírez de Medrano's commandery associated with the Order of Saint John of Acre closely aligns with the founding of the town of Navarrete itself, occurring around 1185.

Her son, Don Martín de Baztán y Medrano, who also served as the bishop of the Diocese of Osma, oversaw the construction of the hospital's Romanesque church and the expansion of its facilities between 1189 and 1201.

María's hospital enjoyed exemption due to her donations to the prior of San Juan de Acre and the Order of Saint John.

When María Ramírez de Medrano, Lady of Fuenmayor, built the said hospital on her own land, she made it exempt from any jurisdiction and servitude for the purpose of providing charity and supporting the commander and convent, and so that the prior serving at the time of the Order of Saint John in Castile could outfit the friars with habits and crosses, as she had granted this Order the district or bailiwick of San Salvador in Logroño.

Similarly, in 1292, various representatives of the clergy from beyond the Ebro River, including those from Navarrete, negotiated terms with regards to the payment of two thousand maravedis, as requested by king Philip IV of France and Navarre.

It discusses the "liberties, franchises, good practices, and customs" of the hospital established by María Ramírez de Medrano, as well as the ruling issued by the prior of the Order of Saint John in the kingdoms of Castile and León regarding the maintenance of these privileges and rights.

"[1] Another surviving document in the Municipal Archive, dated 1378, sheds light on the rights and obligations of Fuenmayor's inhabitants in the Hospital of San Juan de Acre.

María Ramírez de Medrano is mentioned in this manuscript regarding her establishment of the hospital and house on her own lands for the welfare of friars and nuns residing there.

Due to the papal decree of 1113, her hospital, church, convent and commandery were under the independent authority of the Order of Saint John (Pie postulatio voluntatis).

[1] Additional records from the parish archives, dating to the latter half of the 14th century, detail conflicts between the hospital of San Juan de Acre and the churches of Fuenmayor and Navarrete.

As part of this endeavor, the portico and windows of the original hospital were relocated to the new cemetery, preserving elements of María Ramírez de Medrano's legacy.

[1] Today, the ruins of the hospital, consolidated and restored, stand as a testament to María Ramírez de Medrano's enduring impact on the region.

Located at the entrance of the Camino de Santiago in Navarrete, these remnants serve as a reminder of her commitment to providing aid to pilgrims and the needy during the medieval era.

Its protogothic style blends Romanesque themes with early Gothic elements, evident in the multi-lobed oculus, archivolts, and thematic capstones.

Allegorical scenes depict battles between knights, humans and beasts, and zoomorphic struggles, reflecting the ideals of the Military Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Acre.

Key iconography includes Saint Michael slaying the dragon, human figures symbolizing virtues and vices, and a Janus head at the portal's apex, representing protection and transition to the spiritual realm.

Positioned along the Camino de Santiago, the church’s architecture welcomes travelers, with sculptures of animals and humans allegorically depicting life's temptations, virtues, and the soul's quest for salvation.