8-04-2017, 13:38 |

The monastic and knightly orders of Western Europe are perhaps the most attractive theme of the Middle Ages. Probably, in terms of popularity, it is on a par with. Topic knightly orders attractive for its mystical meaning, which surrounded him with many contemporaries. Knightly and monastic orders later became the prototype for the creation of various secret organizations in Europe.

The most famous order is the Knights Templar. He was already so mystified, many curses and murders were attributed to him. Not everything is so clear. This topic is not purely historical. It is more like a more philosophical topic that requires deep reflection. Comprehension is needed in order to understand what a medieval order is, whether mysticism is inherent in it, and whether all the secrets of these organizations have been unraveled.

The emergence of knightly orders

Traditionally, the time of the appearance of orders of knights is attributed to a period - this is approximately beginning of XII century. If you remember in Clermont in 1096, Pope Urban II convened a council and proclaimed the idea of ​​a crusade. It was necessary to recapture the holy lands in Jerusalem captured by Muslims, in which the main shrines of Christians were located. The participants of the campaign were to be forgiven for all sins.

In the course of the movement, knightly orders were born, which retained the monastic charter. The very word "order" literally means to obey. So in the Early Middle Ages, half monks and at the same time half warriors appeared. And it was not very typical for that period. At the same time, members of the order could shed blood and pray, while they protected the pilgrims () on the way to Jerusalem.

If you go into details more deeply, then the monastic orders had their own humane background. Orders are formed, gradually starting from the 7th century. at that time there was a hospital for pilgrims. This is a place where pilgrims could rest and heal. He was based in Jerusalem. There the believers could take a break before heading home. The hospital existed on donations from Christian countries and wealthy pilgrims. After civil strife in the Arab Caliphate, the hospital was closed, but in 1023, by decree of the Egyptian Caliph, it was reopened.

How did a simple hospital become related to monastic orders? The fact is that the provision of medical care was associated with the activities of monasteries. The monks were obliged to provide shelter and assistance to wanderers and pilgrims. So the hospital named after St. John the Baptist in Jerusalem soon became a monastic one. Those monks were called ionites, or hospitallers.

The transformation of a monastic order into a knightly one

In order for a monastic order to become a military or knightly order, it was necessary to take only one step. The military at that time were needed to guard the pilgrims on the caravan routes on their way to Jerusalem. Initially, these soldiers were recruited even from among the local Muslim Arabs. It didn't matter much at all. They were just people who accompanied caravans of pilgrims.

In 1096, everything changed, in 1099 the first was successful, they took Jerusalem. Pilgrims (crusaders) and their military guards entered the city. The Kingdom of Jerusalem begins. Gradually, part of the knights, from among the crusaders, entered the service in John's hospital in Jerusalem.

1099-1113 This is a period of hidden development of the hospital. At that time it was not yet clear what kind of organization it was. Either this is a hospital with a small military guard, or it is still a knightly military organization. Further, the activities of this hospital intersect with the activities of another knightly organization. It will become, along with the Hospitallers, the most famous knightly monastic order. And her activities will attract the attention of historians and other scientists.

The emergence of a new knightly monastic order

Hugh de Payens with other knights and servants organized a detachment that was supposed to guard the pilgrims who followed the dry path to Jerusalem. Arriving in Jerusalem, the knights turned to the king with a request to appoint them officially as the guards of the pilgrims and give them premises to house the order. So they promised to protect the Christian faith and bring income to the local treasury.

The knights were given the former stables, which were located in the pre-existing Jewish temple, into the premises. They later got their name from French- Templars. This is how the next knightly monastic order appears, which does not yet have an official status. It does not yet have any rules, there is no charter. Initially, this is just an organization of people who decided to devote themselves to such activities - that is, to wage war on the infidels and protect the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Gradually, another new order appears. There in Jerusalem, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, that is, in the center of the Christian faith. This is the guard of the Holy Sepulcher. Now they are called the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher and are often confused with the Knights Templar. First of all, they have similar emblems at first glance. Unlike other orders, these knights do not have a leader (master). And they report directly to the king of Jerusalem. Being part of the king's personal army, the knights of the Holy Sepulcher received various privileges from him.

The Knights of the Holy Sepulcher were paid by the King of Jerusalem. However, their honor in society was somewhat less than that of the Hospitallers and Templars. These two orders lived on donations from pilgrims, merchants. The Templars were also respected and received donations from church communities and other people who did not directly participate in the campaign. However, these people wanted to receive the blessing of the Pope and be forgiven for their sins.

Registration of the status of knightly orders

Only 20 years after the beginning of the activities of these orders, a monk and a very revered person, St. Bernard wrote a treatise or charter of a knightly monastic order. In it, he clearly defined that the monk-knight is a completely new, elite and prestigious, holy and formidable social stratum. The presence of such a status in a person sharply exalted him in society.

A member of the order - he is a monk, that's why

1. Must be restrained;
2. Observe all posts;
3. Pray daily;
4. He has no right to touch women;
5. Cannot own property.

In exchange for such obedience, he receives good food, clothing, and weapons. They fought and chi considered the military elite of that time. It was for such knights that the concept of pension provision subsequently appeared in the modern view. A wounded or maimed warrior still continued to be a member of the order, received food and other benefits. The spiritual aspect was also important - a representative of the order could count on the salvation of the soul. Even if he committed some misdeeds, the war with the Muslims atoned for everything.

Such chivalrous organizations constituted a microstate. They obeyed the master, obeyed discipline. This made it an important part of the military structure. For them, there was no term of service in a year, as was the case, for example, with ordinary knights. They should always be ready at the first call to join the battle.

The device and life of knightly monastic orders

The Templars and other orders were always ready. Even when there were no hostilities, the knight had to engage in daily military training:

1. Workout;
2. Education;
3. caring for your horse
4. caring for your weapons

All this is the main occupation of a member of the order. If you take a knight of a hospitaller, then he also serves in the hospital, that is, he receives medical skills. At the same time, it does not matter what kind the knight belongs to and what rank he has, he must do this.

It can be assumed that in this way the military elite became more and more disciplined and moderate. Everyone in the order must understand that he serves a higher purpose and must obey it. The main goal is more important than any humiliation and misfortune, it is above all.

Knightly monastic orders become over time a new militia, a new elite of the military hierarchy. And many subsequent victories are connected just the same with the actions of the orders. Any success raised the status of orders, exalted them among other military units. Attempts were made to establish new orders, several dozen of them were founded later. The largest orders have been studied by historians, some of them have survived to this day in one form or another, mainly as charitable organizations.

Entering the ranks of the order, the knight renounced his property, all material wealth. He passed it on to his relatives. Very often the knights donated their wealth to the order. Over time, many chivalric organizations became rich in this way, mostly from tracts of land. These were feudal plots inhabited by serfs. They performed all feudal duties, and the income went in favor of the order.

Rise of Spiritual Orders

With all the wealth that the orders received as donations, they did not stop there. Having general management their property, they rationalized their farms and made them more productive. So their wealth increased even more. It can be assumed that spiritual orders became the first capitalist organizations in Europe.

Over time, the economy of such orders began to play an even greater role than their military component. They continued to guard pilgrims and religious sites in the same way. They did it in small groups. Only a noble person could become a member of the order. Usually these were the younger sons of feudal lords, who could no longer claim to receive a land allotment as an inheritance.

Thus, knightly organizations arose from the beginning. Over time, they have become powerful military organization, which had its own charter and was very disciplined. During their heyday, they had an extensive economic activity from which they received income in favor of the order.

Knightly orders video

From 1100 to 1300, 12 chivalric spiritual orders were formed in Europe. Three were the most powerful and viable: the Order of the Knights Templar, the Order of the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Order.

Templars. Officially, this order was called the "Secret Knighthood of Christ and the Temple of Solomon", but in Europe it was better known as the Order of the Knights of the Temple. His residence was in Jerusalem, on the site where, according to legend, the temple of King Solomon was located (from the French temple - “temple”). The knights themselves were called templars. The creation of the order was proclaimed in 1118-1119. nine French knights led by Hugo de Paynes from Champagne. For nine years, these nine knights remained silent; not a single chronicler of that time mentions them. But in 1127 they returned to France and declared themselves. And in 1128 the church cathedral in Troyes (Champagne) officially recognized the order.

The seal of the Templars depicted two knights riding one horse, which was supposed to speak of poverty and brotherhood. The symbol of the order was a white cloak with a red eight-pointed cross.

The goal of its members was "to take care of the roads and ways, and especially the protection of pilgrims, as far as possible." The charter forbade any secular entertainment, laughter, singing, etc. The knights had to take three vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. The discipline was harsh: "Each does not follow his own will at all, but is more concerned about obeying the one who orders." The order becomes an independent combat unit, subordinate only to the Grand Master (he immediately proclaimed de Payns) and the Pope.

From the very beginning of their activity, the Templars have gained great popularity in Europe. Despite and at the same time thanks to the vow of poverty, the order begins to accumulate great wealth. Each enterer donated his fortune to the order free of charge. The order received large possessions as a gift from the French and English kings, noble seigneurs. In 1130, the Templars already had possessions in France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, and by 1140 - in Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Holy Land. In addition, the templars not only guarded the pilgrims, but also considered it their direct duty to attack trade caravans and rob them.

Templars to the XII century. became owners of unheard-of wealth and owned not only lands, but also shipyards, ports, and had a powerful fleet. They lent money to impoverished monarchs and thus could influence state affairs. By the way, it was the Templars who were the first to introduce accounting documents and bank checks.

The Knights of the Temple encouraged the development of science, and it is not surprising that many technical achievements(for example, a compass) were primarily in their hands.

Skillful knights-surgeons healed the wounded - this was one of the duties of the order.

In the XI century. the Templars, as “the bravest and most experienced people in military affairs,” were granted the fortress of Gaza in the Holy Land. But arrogance brought a lot of harm to the "warriors of Christ" and was one of the reasons for the defeat of Christians in Palestine. In 1191, the collapsed walls of the last fortress of Saint-Jean-d'Acre defended by the Templars buried not only the templars and their Grand Master, but also the glory of the order as an invincible army. The Templars moved from Palestine, first to Cyprus, and then finally to Europe. Huge land holdings, powerful financial resources and the presence of knights of the order among high dignitaries forced the governments of Europe to reckon with the Templars and often resort to their help as arbitrators.

In the 13th century, when the Pope announced a crusade against the heretics, the Cathars and Albigensians, the Templars, the backbone of the Catholic Church, almost openly came out on their side.

In their pride, the Templars imagined themselves omnipotent. In 1252, the English king Henry III, outraged by their behavior, threatened the templars with the confiscation of land holdings. To which the Grand Master replied: “As long as you do justice, you will rule. If you violate our rights, then it is unlikely that you will remain king. And it wasn't just a threat. The Order could do it! The Knights Templar were many powerful people in the kingdom, and the will of the overlord was less sacred than the oath of allegiance to the order.

In the XIV century. King of France Philip IV the Handsome decided to get rid of the obstinate order, which, for lack of business in the East, began to interfere, and very actively, in the state affairs of Europe. Philip did not want to be in the place of Henry of England. In addition, the king needed to solve his financial problems: he owed the Templars a lot of money, but he did not want to give them away at all.

Philip went to the trick. He asked to be accepted into the order. But Grand Master Jean de Male politely but firmly refused him, realizing that the king wanted to take his place in the future. Then the Pope (who was placed on the throne by Philip) suggested that the Knights Templar unite with their eternal rivals - the Hospitallers. In such a case, the independence of the order would be lost. But the master again refused.

Then in 1307, Philip the Handsome ordered the arrest of all the Templars in the kingdom. They were accused of heresy, of serving the devil and witchcraft. (This was due to the mysterious rites of initiation into members of the order and the subsequent preservation of the secret of his deeds.)

The investigation lasted seven years. Under torture, the templars confessed to everything, but during a public trial they retracted their testimony. On March 18, 1314, the Grand Master de Male and the Prior of Normandy were burned at a slow fire. Before his death, the Grand Master cursed the king and the Pope: “Pope Clement! King Philip! In less than a year, I will call you to the judgment of God! The curse came true. The pope died two weeks later, and the king in the fall. Most likely, they were poisoned by the templars, skilled in the manufacture of poisons.

Although Philip the Handsome failed to organize the persecution of the Templars throughout Europe, the former power of the Templars was undermined. The remnants of this order were never able to unite, although its symbols continued to be used. Christopher Columbus discovered America under the Templar flag - a white flag with a red eight-pointed cross.

Hospitallers. The official name is the “Order of the Horsemen of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem” (from the Latin gospitalis - “guest”; originally the word “hospital” meant “hospital home”). In 1070, a hospital for pilgrims to holy places was founded in Palestine by the merchant Mauro of Amalfi. Gradually, a brotherhood was formed there to care for the sick and wounded. It grew stronger, increased, began to exert a fairly strong influence, and in 1113 was officially recognized by the Pope as a spiritual and knightly order.

The knights took three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience. The white eight-pointed cross became the symbol of the order. It was originally placed on the left shoulder of the black robe. The mantle had very narrow sleeves, which symbolized the monk's lack of freedom. Later, the knights began to wear a red robe with a cross sewn on the chest. There were three categories in the order: knights, chaplains and serving brethren. From 1155, the Grand Master, who was proclaimed Raymond de Puy, became the head of the order. For acceptance major decisions the general chapter met. Members of the chapter gave the Grand Master a purse with eight denarii, which was supposed to symbolize the refusal of the knights from wealth.

Initially, the main task of the order was to care for the sick and wounded. The main hospital in Palestine had about 2,000 beds. The knights distributed gratuitous aid to the poor, arranged free meals for them three times a week. The Hospitallers had a shelter for foundlings and infants. For all the sick and wounded, there were the same conditions: clothes and food of the same quality, regardless of origin. From the middle of the XII century. the main duty of the knights is the war with the infidels and the protection of pilgrims. The order already has possessions in Palestine and southern France. The Johnites begin, like the Templars, to acquire great influence in Europe.

At the end of the 12th century, when the Christians were driven out of Palestine, the Johnites settled in Cyprus. But this situation did not suit the knights. And in 1307, Grand Master Falcon de Villaret led the Ioannites to storm the island of Rhodes. The local population, fearful of losing their independence, fiercely resisted. However, two years later, the knights finally fortified themselves on the island and created strong defensive structures there. Now the Hospitallers, or, as they began to be called, the "Rhodian knights", became the outpost of Christians in the East. In 1453, Constantinople fell - Asia Minor and Greece were completely in the hands of the Turks. The knights expected an attack on the island. It was not slow to follow. In 1480, the Turks attacked the island of Rhodes. The knights survived and repulsed the attack. The Ioannites simply "an eyesore to the Sultan" with their presence at its very shores, making it difficult to manage in the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the patience of the Turks was exhausted. In 1522, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent swore to expel the Christians from his dominions. The island of Rhodes was besieged by a 200,000-strong army on 700 ships. The Johnites held out for three months before Grand Master Villiers de Lille Adan surrendered his sword to the Sultan. The Sultan, respecting the courage of the opponents, released the knights and even helped them with the evacuation.

The Joannites had almost no lands in Europe. And so the defenders of Christianity arrived at the shores of Europe, which they had defended for so long. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V offered the Maltese archipelago to the Hospitallers. Henceforth, the Knights Hospitaller became known as the Order of the Knights of Malta. The Maltese continued their struggle with the Turks and sea pirates, since the order had its own fleet. In the 60s. 16th century Grand Master Jean de la Vallette, having at his disposal 600 knights and 7,000 soldiers, repelled an attack by a 35,000-strong army of selected Janissaries. The siege lasted four months: the knights lost 240 cavaliers and 5 thousand soldiers, but fought back.

In 1798, Bonaparte, setting off with an army to Egypt, stormed the island of Malta and expelled the Knights of Malta from there. Once again, the Johnites were homeless. This time they found shelter in Russia, whose emperor, Paul I, they proclaimed as a sign of gratitude the Grand Master. In 1800, the island of Malta was captured by the British, who were not going to return it to the Knights of Malta.

After the assassination of Paul I by conspirators, the St. Johnites did not have a Grand Master and a permanent headquarters. Finally, in 1871, Jean-Baptiste Ceschia-Santa Croce was proclaimed Grand Master.

Already from 1262, in order to join the Order of the Hospitallers, it was necessary to have a noble birth. Subsequently, there were two categories of those entering the order - knights by birthright (cavalieri di giustizzia) and by vocation (cavalieri di grazzia). The last category includes people who do not have to provide evidence of noble birth. It was enough for them to prove that their father and grandfather were not slaves and artisans. Monarchs who proved their loyalty to Christianity were also accepted into the order. Women could also be members of the Order of Malta.

Grand masters were chosen only from knights of noble birth. The Grand Master was almost the sovereign sovereign of the island of Malta. The symbols of his power were the crown, the "dagger of faith" - the sword and the seal. From the Pope, the Grand Master received the title of "guardian of the Jerusalem court" and "guardian of the army of Christ." The order itself was called the "Reigning Order of St. John of Jerusalem."

The knights had certain duties to the order - they could not leave the barracks without the permission of the Grand Master, they spent a total of five years in the convention (dormitory, more precisely, the barracks of the knights) on the island of Malta. The knights had to sail on the ships of the order for at least 2.5 years - this duty was called "caravan".

By the middle of the XIX century. The Order of Malta is transformed from a military into a spiritual and charitable corporation, which remains to this day. The residence of the Knights of Malta is now in Rome.

The Cross of the Order of Malta has served since the 18th century. one of the highest awards in Italy, Austria, Prussia, Spain and Russia. Under Paul I, it was called the Cross of St. John of Jerusalem.

Teutons (Teutonic, or German, Order. "Order of the House of St. Mary of the Teutonic"). In the XII century. in Jerusalem there was a hospital ("hospital home") for German-speaking pilgrims. He became the predecessor of the Teutonic Order. Initially, the Teutons occupied a subordinate position in relation to the Order of the Hospitallers. But then in 1199 the Pope approved the charter of the order, and Heinrich Walpot was proclaimed Grand Master. However, only in 1221 all the privileges that other, older orders of the Templars and St. John had extended to the Teutons.

The knights of the order took vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. Unlike other orders, whose knights were of different "languages" (nationalities), the Teutonic Order mainly consisted of German knights.

The symbols of the order were a white cloak and a simple black cross.

The Teutons very quickly abandoned their duties of guarding pilgrims and treating the wounded in Palestine. Any attempt by the Teutons to interfere in the affairs of the powerful Holy Roman Empire was thwarted. Fragmented Germany did not make it possible to turn around, as the Templars did in France and England. Therefore, the Order began to engage in "good activities" - to carry the word of Christ to the eastern lands with fire and sword, leaving others to fight for the Holy Sepulcher. The lands that the knights conquered became their possession under the supreme power of the order. In 1198, the knights became the main striking force of the crusade against the Livs and conquered the Baltic countries, at the beginning of the 13th century. founding Riga. This is how the state of the Teutonic Order was formed. Further, in 1243, the knights conquered the Prussians and took away the northern lands from the Polish state.

There was another German order - Livonian. In 1237, the Teutonic Order teamed up with him and decided to move on to conquer the northern Russian lands, expanding their borders and strengthening their influence. In 1240, the Order's allies, the Swedes, suffered a crushing defeat from Prince Alexander Yaroslavich on the Neva. And in 1242 the same fate befell the Teutons - about 500 knights were killed, and 50 were taken prisoner. The plan of joining the Russian territory to the lands of the Teutonic Order suffered a complete collapse. The Teutonic Grand Masters constantly feared the unification of Russia and tried to prevent it by any means. However, a powerful and dangerous enemy, the Polish-Lithuanian state, stood in their way. In 1409, a war broke out between him and the Teutonic Order. The combined forces in 1410 at the Battle of Grunwald defeated the Teutonic Knights. But the misfortunes of the order did not end there. The Grand Master of the Order, like the Maltese, was a sovereign sovereign. In 1511, it was Albert Hohenzollern, who, being a "good Catholic", did not support the Reformation, which was fighting against the Catholic Church. And in 1525 he proclaimed himself secular sovereign of Prussia and Brandenburg and deprived the order of both possessions and privileges. After such a blow, the Teutons did not recover, and the order continued to drag out a miserable existence.

In the XX century. German fascists extolled the former merits of the order and its ideology. They also used the symbols of the Teutons. Remember, the Iron Cross (a black cross on a white background) is an important award of the Third Reich. However, the members of the order themselves were persecuted, apparently, as having not justified their trust.

The Teutonic Order formally exists in Germany to this day.

References:

For the preparation of this work, materials from the site http://www.bestreferat.ru were used.

emergence knightly orders, due to the appearance of the crusades in the XII-XIII centuries. Such organizations were communities of military personalities and Catholic monks. The ideology of the orders was associated with the confrontation of infidels, pagans, robbers, heretics, Muslims and other, as they considered impious heresies. The knights of such orders were on the side of the Inquisition and fought witches. In the plans of the orders, there were constant sorties and raids in the Holy Land, Ottoman Empire, Spain, Lithuania, Estonia, Prussia and even Russia. In these lands, their necessity was to introduce Catholicism to Orthodox believers, or to overthrow Muslim domination by force.
Many knightly orders, under the influence of constant state support, became wealthy and dominant. At their disposal, included land, peasant labor, economics and politics.
At the head of the order of chivalry was the Grand Master or Grand Master. Its leadership was appointed by the Catholic Pope. The master gave instructions to the chiefs, commanders and marshals. The chiefs were subordinate to the provincial divisions of the orders. Marshals were in charge of financial affairs. The commanders carried out the orders of castles and fortresses. Volunteers who had just joined the orders were called neophytes. Each newcomer went through a rite of passage. To serve in a knightly order was considered honorable and prestigious. Heroic deeds were greatly appreciated by their fans.
In total, there were about 19 knightly orders. The most famous of them are the Order of the Knights Templar, the Order of the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Order. They are so famous that legends are made about them to this day, books are written, films are made and games are programmed.

Warband

Warband was a German, knightly community with a spiritual ideology, which was formed at the end 12th century.
According to one version, the founder of the order was a noble duke Friedrich of Swabia November 19, 1190. During this period, he captured acre fortress in Israel, where the hospital guests found a permanent home for him. According to another version, at the moment when the Teutons captured Acre, a hospital was organized. Ultimately, Frederick transformed it into a spiritual knightly order headed by the clergyman Conrad. AT 1198 the community of knights was finally approved under the name of the spiritual knightly order. Many spiritual personalities of the Templars and Hospitallers, as well as clergy from Jerusalem, arrived at the solemn event.
The main goal of the Teutonic Order was to protect the local knights, heal the sick and fight against heretics, who by their actions contradicted the postulates of the Catholic Church. The most important leaders of the German community were Roman Pope and Holy Roman Emperor.
AT 1212-1220. The Teutonic Order was moved from Israel to Germany , in town Eschenbach, which belonged to the lands of Bavaria. Such an initiative came to Count Boppo von Wertheim and he turned his idea into reality with the permission of the church. Now the spiritual and chivalric order has become rightfully considered German.
By the same time, the success of the knightly order began to bring great enrichment and fame. Such a merit could not do without the Grand Master Hermann von Salza. In the Western states, many fans of the Teutons are beginning to appear, who want to take advantage of the mighty strength and military power of the German knights. So, Hungarian King Andrew II turned for help to the Teutonic Order for support in the fight against the Polovtsy. Thanks to this, the German soldiers gained autonomy in the lands of Burzenland, southeastern Transylvania. Here, the Teutons built 5 famous castles: Schwarzenburg, Marienburg, Kreuzburg, Kronstadt and Rosenau. With such protective support and support, the cleansing of the Cumans was carried out at an accelerated pace. In 1225, the Hungarian nobility and their king showed strong envy of the Teutonic Order. This led to numerous evictions from Hungary, only a small part of the Germans remained, joining the Saxons.
The Teutonic Order was involved in the fight against the Prussian pagans in 1217 who began to seize Polish lands. Prince of Poland Konrad Mazowiecki, asked for help from the Teutonic Knights, in return, promising the occupied lands, as well as the cities of Kulm and Dobryn. The sphere of influence began in 1232 when the first fortress was built near the Vistula River. This justification marked the beginning of the construction of the city of Thorn. Following this, numerous castles began to be erected in the northern regions of Poland. These included: Velun, Kandau, Durben, Velau, Tilsit, Ragnit, Georgenburg, Marienwerder, Barga and famous Königsberg. The Prussian army was larger than the Teutonic one, but the Germans cunningly fought with small detachments and lured many to their side. Thus, the Teutonic Order managed to win victories over them, even despite the help of the enemy from the Lithuanians and the coasts.
The Teutons also invaded Russian lands, taking advantage of the moment of their weakening from the Mongol oppressors. Gathering a united army Baltic and Danish crusaders, and also inspired by the instructions of the Catholic pope, the German order attacked Pskov possessions of Russia and captured village Izborsk. Pskov was under siege for a long time, and later was finally captured. The reason for this was the betrayal of many Russian residents of this region. AT Novgorod lands, the crusaders built a fortress Koporye . Russian sovereign Alexander Nevskiy, during the fighting he liberated this fortress. And in the end, having teamed up with the Vladimir reinforcements, he returned Pskov to Russia in a decisive Battle on the Ice April 5, 1242 on the Lake Peipus. The Teutonic troops were defeated. The decisive defeat forced the order to leave the Russian lands.
Ultimately, the Teutonic Order began to weaken and significantly lose its power. The constant influence of the German invaders, aggressively set Lithuania and Poland against the order . Polish army and Lithuanian principality forced the Teutons to suffer defeat in the Battle of Grunwald July 15, 1410. Half of the army of the Teutonic Order was destroyed, captured, and the main generals were killed.

Order of Calatrava

Order of Calatrava was the very first knightly and Catholic order of Spain from the XII century. The order was founded by Cistercian monks in Castile in 1157. And in 1164, the order was officially fixed by the pope Alexander III . The very name " Calatrava" originates from the name of the Moorish castle, located in the lands of Castile and held in battles by the king Alphonse VII in 1147. Enemies constantly encroached on the existing castle. At first it was defended by the Templars, and later, at the insistence of Abbot Raymond, monastery knights of peasant origin came to the rescue, headed by c Diego Velazquez. After constant skirmishes with enemies, Order of Calatrava received a new birth in 1157 under the leadership of King Alphonse.
Later, after 1163 the influence of the order expanded significantly, which made it possible to carry out attacking raids. Many knights did not like the new militarization and left the community. New rules were included in the disciplinary schedule. Warriors had to go to bed in knightly armor and wear white cloth, with the symbol of a cross-shaped flower in the form of a red lily.
In the Order of Calatrava, a number of military campaigns were organized with successful combat sorties. The king of Castile rewarded the knights, where victorious glory warmed up the soldiers to serve Aragon. But after glorious victories, a losing streak followed. Irreconcilable enmity with the Moors from Africa forced the warriors of the order to surrender their positions and the fortress of Calatrava in 1195. After that, the order began to accumulate new forces in a new, built Castle of Salvatierre . New warriors were invited there. But in 1211 and this castle fell crushingly before the Moors. To return the lost Calatrava to the knights, the Crusade helped 1212. Under such pressure, the Moors weakened and their dominance lost its significance. The Order of Calatrava, for security reasons, moved its residence to a new location. The distance from the old location was about 8 miles. Under the new influence, 2 new orders were organized: Alcantara and Avisa.
In the XIII century, the Order of Calatrava became strong and powerful. In military engagements, the community could field a huge number of knights. But further wealth and power forced him to show the envy of the royal nobility and give rise to new conflicts.

Order of Avis

The appearance is due community Calatravas when former members at the time of the crusade 1212, for reliability organized in new lands, Portuguese order of Avis to protect against the Moors. In the interests of the kings, the idea arose to keep crusader knights in the service to confront the infidels. The Templars, who previously lived in the Portuguese lands, had a huge influence on the Order of Avis. AT 1166 knightly community, the eastern city was successfully liberated Evora. In honor of such a significant event, the sovereign presented the leadership of the order with existing lands. AT 15th century, the Royal Council of Portugal, organized a campaign in North Africa. The very first leader of Avis, became Pedro Afonso. Avis Castle was made the main center of the order. Important decisions and spiritual statutes were made here. Ultimately, the knights of the Order of Avis became full landowners with their own colonies. The Portuguese order acquired financial power, which allowed them to manage political and economic decisions.

Order of Santiago

Order of Santiago was a Spanish order of chivalry, which was formed approximately in 1160. The word "Santiago" was named after the patron saint of Spain. The main task of the order was to protect the road of pilgrims to the chambers of the Apostle James. The order originated in two cities at once, Leon and Cuenca. These 2 urban lands competed with each other, thereby taking the dominant influence into their own hands. But after their unification by the Castilian king Ferdinand III, the problem was successfully solved. The order was transferred to the city of Cuenca.
Unlike other chivalric communities and Calatrava, Santiago's routine was much softer than the rest. All members of the order had the right to marry. Due to this, the Order of Santiago was much larger in the number of its inhabitants and in its proportionate volume. He had 2 cities, more than a hundred villages and 5 monasteries.
The number of troops was 400 horsemen and 1000 foot knights. The Order of Santiago actively participated in the battles with the Muslims and the Crusades. The charter required newcomers, before joining the ranks of the soldiers, to serve as rowers for a six-month period. All the ancestors of this crusader had to be noble and noble blood.
The managing leaders of the order were constantly changed to others. For several centuries, 40 masters have changed. Whole 15th century, passed in the championship for the right-holding influence over the order.

Order of Saint Lazarus

Order of Saint Lazarus arose in Palestine under the influence of the Crusaders and Hospitallers in 1098. At first, the community was a hospital for visitors. In her chambers, knights who were ill with leprosy were received. Later, it evolved into a powerful, paramilitary military order. It contained the Greek ideology, which was responsible for spiritual decisions. Lazar's symbol was a green cross on a white background. Such an image was applied on coats of arms and on clothes made of light matter. At the very beginning of the historical period, the Order of Lazarus was not recognized by the church leadership and was considered unofficially existing.
"Saint Lazarus"took part in hostilities against Muslims in Jerusalem. This was the period of the Third Crusade in 1187. And in 1244 the order of Lazarus lost the battle in Phorbia which happened 17 October. Such a defeat ended with the expulsion of the knights from Palestine. The order was transferred to France, where he began to practice medicine.
AT 1517 there was a union of the community with the orders of Saint Mauritius. Despite this, the Order of Lazarus still continued to exist.

Order of Montegaudio

Order of Montegaudio is a Spanish order of chivalry founded by Count Rodrigo Alvarez in 1172. This founder was a member of the Order of Santiago. The name Montegaudio was given by the participants in honor of a hill from which the crusaders discovered Jerusalem. Thus, a fortress was built on this hill, and soon the order itself was formed. AT 1180 the community officially recognized the church leadership and the Catholic pope Alexander III. The symbolism of Montegaudio was a red and white cross, which was half painted over. It was worn on all attributes of equipment, including on clothes made of white matter. All members of the community led an alienated lifestyle. Their routine was similar to that of the Cistercians.
AT 1187 many members of the Montegaudio order took part in the bloody battle at Hattin with the Muslim armies. The outcome of the duel ended in the complete defeat of Montegaudio, where most of the knights were killed. The survivors took refuge in Aragon. Here, in 1188, in city ​​of Teruel, members of the former chivalric community organized a medical hospital Holy Redeemer.
AT 1196, the Montegaudio order was dissolved due to a lack of knights to replenish the ranks. Former members teamed up with Templars and with Order of Calatrava .

Order of the Sword

Order of the Sword was a German, knightly order with a Catholic ideology, formed in 1202 monk Theodoric. He also served as deputy bishop Albert Buxhoeveden from Latvia, who preached in Livonia. The order was officially approved by the Catholic Church in 1210. The main symbolic pattern was a red cross painted over a scarlet sword on a white background.
The swordsmen obeyed the leadership of the bishop. All actions were carried out only with his approval. The whole routine was supported by the charter of the Templars. The community of the order was divided into knights, priests and employees. The knights were descendants of petty feudal lords. Employees were recruited from ordinary citizens who became squires, servants, messengers and artisans. master stood at the head of the order, and chapter handled important matters.
As in all other orders, castles were built and fortified in the occupied territories. Most of the occupied lands were transferred to the rule of the order. The rest was given to the bishop.
The Order of the Sword-bearers was at enmity with Lithuania and the Semigallians. Military campaigns were carried out by both sides against each other. On the side of the Lithuanians, Russian princes often also participated. AT February 1236 took place crusade against Lithuania, which ended in the complete defeat of the order and the murder master's Volguin von Namburg. The remnants of the swordsmen joined the Teutonic Order May 12, 1237.

Dobrinsky Order

Dobrinsky Order Poland, was organized as a defense against Prussian invasions. Its founders are Polish princes and bishops who wanted to create a prototype of the Teutonic Order. 1222, a significant date of its creation. The symbolism of the community was very similar to the swordsmen. The routine and discipline were exactly like them and the Knights Templar.
The same red sword was visible on the images, but only for the place of the cross, a scarlet star was applied. She characterized the conversion of Jesus to the Gentiles. The drawing could be seen on all the knightly paraphernalia of this community.
Order hired 1500 German knights for his retinue, who gathered in the Polish city of Dobrynya. In charge of " dobrinichi" got up Konrad Mazowiecki.
The glory and exploits of the Dobrinsky Order were unsuccessful. The community existed for about 20 years and only in 1233, in the battle of Sirgun the knights distinguished themselves by defeating 1000+ Prussians. Further, the order united with the Teutons, with the goodwill of the pope. Later, in 1237 Konrad Mazowiecki wanted to reassemble the Dobrinsky Order in the Polish castle Dorogichin, but Danil Galitsky broke them. The final cessation of existence occurred in XIV century when absolutely all the leaders of the order died.

Order of Montesa

Order of Montesa was a Spanish, knightly order, which was formed in XIV century. It was organized in 1317, in Aragon. He continued the ideology of the Templars and approximately observed the tradition of the crusaders. The Spanish crown was in dire need of protection from the Moors from the south, so it was always happy to support the followers of the Templars. New Decree of the Catholic Pope 1312, who oppressed the rights of the Templars, obliged them to transfer to the ranks of this order of Montesa from the command King of Sicily Jaime II.
The order was named after the fortress Saint George in Montes. Here he was first educated. AT 1400 merged with the order San Jorge de Alfama, doubling the existing force. AT 1587 the kingdom of Spain subjugated Montesa's property and the order became dependent on him. This state of affairs continued until 19th century until all the possessions of the knightly community were confiscated by Spain.

Order of Christ

Order of Christ was a knightly order in Portugal, which continued the craft of the Templars. AT 1318 Portuguese King Danish, officially accepted and established this community. All members of the order received from Pope John the dominant lands and the castle Tomar . This stone defense withstood the formidable onslaught of the warring Moors.
AT 1312 the order turned out to be dissolved, and for many noble leaders this situation did not suit. AT 1318 King Danish gathers all the former knights into a new community called "Christ's Militia". The new castle became the dwelling place Castro Marim south of the Algarve. After a turbulent time in the fighting with the Moors, the knights were again in danger of disintegration. Prince Henry set up the order against the rulers of Morocco, in order to collect fees from Africa's products for the restoration of the castle of Tomar.
Many members of the order took part in seafaring voyages, including Vasco da Gama. On the sails of the ships, the symbols of the order flaunted, in the form of a large, scarlet cross. Some members of the order began to contradict the rules and regulations associated with celibacy. Therefore, Pope Alexander Borzhd had to make significant changes to the internal routine of the discipline, in favor of its participants.
King Manuel relied on the constant support of the order and, ultimately, such dependence led to the seizure of church property in favor of the state. The final transition of the Order of Christ from ecclesiastical influence to the kingdom took place in 1789.

Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem

The foundation of this order is Gottfried of Bouillon. This famous leader, led First crusade, and after its completion, created a community in 1113 with blessing Pope. Gottfried had a great opportunity to take the proposed power into his own hands over the rule of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. But the knight's noble disposition chose the path of renunciation of the throne, while choosing the status of the main defender of the Lord's Sepulcher.
The main goal of all members of the order was to protect Christian pilgrims from aggressive foreigners and spread the faith in the earthen districts of Palestine. Many of the pilgrims eventually made the decision to join the chivalric community. Replenishment in the ranks of sacred warriors could be carried out by mercenaries from Palestine.
AT 1496 Order of the Holy Sepulcher Lord's Jerusalem was transferred from Jerusalem in Rome. This position contributed to lead the community Pope Alexander IV as Grand Master.

Order of Saint George

Order of Saint George is an order of chivalry Hungary created by the king Carl Robert in 1326. The reason for the creation of such an order was the strengthening of the position of the king, which was threatened by the Hungarian aristocracy. The whole mess turned into armed confrontations between the true sovereign and the barons. In this fight Carl Robert I had to steadfastly adhere to my titular position, which was encroached upon by third-party nobility. Many nobles supported the king and his views.
The demonstration event marking the official beginning of the opening of the order was a jousting tournament. The number of knights of St. George did not exceed 50. They took an oath to serve faithfully to their king, to protect the church craft from heretics and pagans, and also to protect the weak from vile enemies and invaders. New warriors were accepted only with the agreement of all members of the community. The Order, unlike many, did not have a Grand Master. But St. George had a chancellor, as well as a secular and spiritual judge.
The symbolism of the order was a red shield with a white, double cross applied to it.

The first spiritual and knightly orders of the Middle Ages begin to form during the Crusades, that is, in the period from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries.

The reason for the creation of orders

Knightly orders are created under the strict leadership of the Catholic Church in order to spread Catholicism in the Holy Land, as well as to actively fight against infidels - Muslims and pagans.

The most powerful spiritual knightly orders

The most ancient and most influential knightly orders of the Middle Ages are considered to be the Order of the Knights Templar and the Order of the Hospitallers. Both orders were created at the very beginning of the era of the Crusades.

Hospitallers

At first, the Hospitallers were not an order, as such, it was an organization whose task was to take care of the wounded and poor Christians, pilgrims, who were in the Holy Land. But after the capture of Jerusalem, the organization turns into a knightly order. The knights of the Order of the Hospitallers were entrusted with the task of vigilant protection of the Holy Land and its inhabitants. The head of the order was the master, who was appointed to this position until his death.

The Hospitallers soon began offering knightly armed escorts. The number of knights grew very rapidly, and the order began to represent a significant force in the Middle East. The knights of the order clearly showed themselves on the field, they fought, both on foot and on horseback. The knights were dressed in black robes with large white crosses.

From the middle of the twelfth century, there was a division within the order into brother knights (warriors) and brother doctors (they took care of the sick and the poor). The Order of Hospitallers was not subordinate to anyone except the pope and had many privileges, including exemption from paying tithes in favor of the church and the right to own land.

The Hospitallers in the Holy Land were engaged in the construction of fortifications, so they owned seven large fortresses. The most powerful fortification of the Hospitallers was the stronghold of Krak des Chevaliers, which they never managed to take in battle. The impregnable fortress was able to take possession only once, and then only thanks to deceit.

After Jerusalem fell, the Hospitallers found their refuge in the county of Tripoli, and then on the island of Cyprus, where the Cypriot kingdom of the crusaders was created. After the Templars were dissolved, the Hospitallers received part of their possessions.

Templars

The Knights Templar was created in 1119, shortly after the First crusade. King Baldwin of Jerusalem gave them a room within the walls of the Temple of Jerusalem, where they set up their headquarters. In 1139, the pope gives the knights of the order his patronage, and some privileges. The Knights Templar were exempt from paying taxes, obeyed only the pope and received land for their use.

The Knights Templar fought in white robes with a red cross. They fought both on horseback and on foot. The knights of the order had squires. The foot warrior was armed with a long sword and shield, while the horseman also used a spear, shield and sword.
They demonstrated their military talents at the Battle of Ramla, where the crusader troops managed to defeat the forces of Saladin.

The Templars were a powerful force in Europe, and especially in England, because their master held a seat in Parliament.
In 1187, the Knights Templar are defeated by Saladin's forces and many of them are captured. The master of the order is believed to have converted to Islam and exchanged his life for the life of his knights - the captured Knights Templar were executed.

Quickly recovering from defeat, in 1191, the Templars take an active part in the capture of Acre. When the crusaders recapture Jerusalem in 1199, the Templars massacre many of the city's Muslim civilians.

The Templars behave quite cruelly, even with their brothers. They drive the Knights Hospitaller and the Teutons from Acre. Many Hospitallers and Teutons were killed and taken prisoner.

In 1291, the Templars were forced to leave Acre and other cities of the Holy Land, as they could not resist the onslaught of the Muslims.

The Templars were very rich, since the basis of their activities was the economy, and not fighting. They protected trade routes, gave loans, accepted donations, and engaged in usury. In addition, the order possessed huge land plots.

Like the Hospitallers, the Templars are engaged in the construction of fortresses and roads. In the Holy Land, they owned eighteen large castles. The Templars became the largest bankers in Europe.

At the beginning of the fourteenth century, members of the Knights Templar are subject to mass arrests and executions. They are accused of blasphemy, debauchery, renunciation of Christ and other sins. In 1312 the order was officially dissolved.

Other knightly orders of the Middle Ages

Less influential were the Teutonic Order, the Order of the Holy Sepulcher, the Order of Santiago, the Order of Christ and others.