Translator's comment.

This is the most complete publication known to me, which is devoted in general to the knightly orders of the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The classification of military orders given in the article, despite the year of writing (1911), is quite relevant and makes it possible for those who are interested in history to streamline the chaos that this type of crusading movement sometimes appears in journalism and near-historical literature. Of course, the fact that by the time this article was written there were no works by prof. Smeila, prof. Riley-Smith, A. Fori, M. Melville, R. Grousset could not but affect the accuracy of many of the facts presented. But, thanks to access to the archives of the Vatican, the author of the article was able to give a lot of information from unpublished papal bulls and other Catholic sources that had not been found anywhere before.
There were no particular difficulties during the translation. The only thing that had to be done for maximum accuracy in terminology was to translate Hospitaller orders not traditionally, as "hospital" or "charitable" orders, but as "hospitable orders". Such a translation much more accurately reflects their essence and reveals that they were not engaged in "giving alms" or "care for the sick" but in a comprehensive non-military support for pilgrims.
The final section, " General organization military orders" is omitted due to the fact that the data given there for todaythey do not carry useful information, but on the contrary, they can mislead inexperienced readers.

Knightly orders

Military (knightly) orders.

Under this term, historians count about a hundred knightly brotherhoods, both secular and religious, even without counting the apocryphal and stillborn ones. So big number demonstrates the ardor with which the Middle Ages welcomed an institution that fully corresponded to the two main occupations of the era - war and religion. Later, the royal government adapted this new idea to their own needs, creating secular orders of chivalry - to strengthen their own positions or to encourage loyal nobles. These orders were created until there was not a single country left that did not have them.

Apocryphal orders.

As a rule, they were "established" by individuals. Adventurers tried to play on the vanity of the nobles, arbitrarily founding their own knightly brotherhoods, and providing (far from free of charge) their insignia to generous dupes. Based on this, all such orders are rightly considered apocryphal.
In the 17th century, Marino Caraccioli (1624), a Neapolitan aristocrat, proclaimed himself Hereditary Grand Master of Rrden of the Knights of St. George, who claimed to be descended from Constantine the Great.
In 1632, Balthasar Giron, who called himself an Abyssinian, arrived in Europe as a representative of nothing less than the Order of St. Anthony of Ethiopia. Almost immediately, he was exposed by the orientalist Abraham Eklensis. (1646)
At the court of Louis XIV, a certain black man labored, who arrived from the Gold Coast, who pretended to be a prince keeping a certain tradition into which Bossuet initiated him (1686). Before returning to "his dominion" he instituted the Order of the Star and the Virgin Mary.

Stillborn orders.

An ordinary order of chivalry is a brotherhood that combines knighthood with monastic vows. This implies that it is both a secular and spiritual institution. In order to belong to the clerics, he needs to be confirmed by the pope, and to carry the sword, the authorization of a secular ruler is required. Knightly orders who do not have such official recognition should be deleted from history, even if they appear in all historical works devoted to military monastic orders. Nevertheless, the fact remains - the orders that did not pass the initial stage of initiation existed. Such orders can be classified as stillborn.
In the "Bullarium romanum" - a set of papal bulls, not a single mention was found of the order called the "Wing of St. Michael", the foundation of which is attributed to Alfonso I (1176), nor the "Order of the Ship", which, supposedly, Saint Louis established on the eve of the crusade in Tunisia, during which he died (1270), nor of the "Argonauts of St. Nicholas" attributed to the Neapolitan king Charles III (1382).
Philippe de Mezier, Chancellor of the Kingdom of Cyprus, wrote the charter of the "Order of the Passion of Christ" (1360), the text of which has recently been published. This statute has not been ratified.
After the conquest of the island of Lemnos from the Turks, Pope Pius II established the "Order of the Virgin of Bethlehem", into which he intended to further transform older orders that no longer corresponded to their purpose (1459), but the imminent loss of the island ceased to exist this organization. The same fate befell the “German Order of the Knights of Christ”, and conceived (1615) under Pope Paul V, to combat duels, the Order of France, the “Order of the Magdalene” (1614) and the “Order of the Comprehension of the Virgin Mary”, the statutes of which were written by the Duke of Mantua and approved Urban VIII (1623), remained without application.

"Genuine" orders

The era of the Crusades is over. The orders that existed at that time can be divided into three categories: large regular orders, small regular orders and secular orders.

Large regular orders.

appeared during the Crusades - since then they have a common emblem for all - a cross worn on the chest.

Military monastic orders.

The oldest of these is the Order of the Temple, which actually served as a model for the rest. After only a century (sic!) of existence, it was dissolved by Pope Clement V, but two of its fragments survived into the 14th century - the "Order of Christ" in Portugal and the "Order of Montesa" in Spain. In the twelfth century in Portugal, on the model of the Templar charter, the "Order of Aves" was established. At the same time, the Order of Calatrava arose in Castile, and in León, the "Order of Alcantara".
Military hospitable orders
Simultaneously with purely military orders, others arose that combined both military and hospitable functions. The most famous among them are the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem and the Teutonic Knights, both exist today. This category also includes the "Order of Sanyago", which spread to the territory of Castile, Leon and Portugal.

Hospice orders

In the end, purely hospitable orders, whose leaders, nevertheless, called themselves knights, but never participated in battles, were such orders as the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, and the Order of the Holy Spirit of Montpellier. This list can be continued by the "Order of Our Lady the Redeemer" (also known as the Nuestra Señora de Merced, the Mercedrians, or the "Order of Mercy of the Holy Virgin") founded in 1218 in Aragon by St. Peter Nolasco to ransom the captives. It included both knights and clerics, and was originally regarded as a military order, but had constant disagreements about who and in what rank would hold the post of Grand Master. John XXII (1317) left the Grand Mastership to the clerics, resulting in a mass transfer of knights to the newly founded Order of Montesa.

Small regular orders.

In the twelfth century there are references to the "Order of Montjoie", approved Alexander III(1180), which was very similar to the "Order of Calatrava", with which he was soon merged.
In 1191, after the siege of Acre, Richard of England, fulfilling his crusading vow, established the "Order of St. Thomas of Canterbury", as a hospice order, to help the English pilgrims. He may have been associated with the Hospitallers of St. John, and went with them to Cyprus after the loss of Palestine. Its existence is confirmed by the list of bulls of Alexander IV and John XXII. Little has been preserved of the order, with the possible exception of the architecturally remarkable Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Cyprus.
Much better known is the history of the Order of the Swordsmen (SchwertzbrÄder, Ensiferi, Swordbearers) in Livonia, which was founded by Albert, the first bishop of Riga (1197), in order to carry faith in the Baltic lands and protect newly converted Christians from pagans, who still remained many in this part of Europe. A crusade was organized against these pagans, but the crusaders who were serving temporary service, having fulfilled their vows, left hastily and, as in Palestine, it became necessary to have a permanent order there. This order adopted the charter and emblem from the Templars - a red cross on a white cloak, from there the name Ensiferi came from. The order was approved in 1202 by the bull of Innocent III. It was open to all comers, regardless of background, and was crowded with aimless adventurers whose excesses infuriated the pagans more than led them to conversion. The order did not last long and had only two grand masters, the first of which, Winnon, was killed by one of his own brothers in 1209, and the second Volguin, fell on the battlefield in 1236, along with 480 knights of the order. At the request of the survivors, they were accepted into the Teutonic Order, transforming into its branch "Livonian Knights" headed by the master of the province (1238). The possessions they conquered under Charles V (1525) became a principality and their last master Goddar Kettler () secularized and became the hereditary Duke of Courland under the suzerainty of the Polish crown (1562).
The "Gvidenti of Our Lady of Bologna" was approved by Pope Urban IV in 1262 and dissolved by Sixtus VI in 1589, when the military orders were no longer associated with noble knights who could ensure peace in difficult times.
The "Order of St. George of Aflam" in Aragon was recognized in 1363 by Urban V and in 1399 merged with the Order of Montesa.
The "Order of the Knights of St. George" in Austria was founded by Emperor Frederick III and approved by Pope Paul II in 1468, but after a short existence, due to insufficient possessions, the order gave way to a secular knightly brotherhood.
The "Order of Pope Stephen" was founded in Tuscany by the Grand Duke Cosmo I and approved by Pius IV in 1561. It was based on the Benedictine Rule. He had an administrative center in Pisa, and was obliged to equip a certain number of galleys to fight the Turks in the Mediterranean, in the likeness and in conjunction with the "caravans" of the Order of Malta.

Secular orders.

Dating back to the fourteenth century, the fraternities of secular knights were organized on the basis of large regular military monastic orders. As in subsequent years, we find in these orders a secular patron, an oath to serve the Church, and a sovereign, determined by the charter of the Grand Master (usually a member of the ruling monarchic family) and, as a rule, consisting of pious people. Many of them asked for approval from the Holy See, which, on the other hand, gave them spiritual support.
The main such orders were:

England.

In England, Edward III, in memory of the legendary Knights round table established in 1349 a brotherhood of twenty-five knights, exclusively princes of the blood, and foreign princes under the patronage of St. George and provided them with the church of Windsor Castle for the chapter. This "Order of the Garter" takes its name from the distinctive emblem worn on the left knee. There are many stories about this badge, the authenticity of which is very doubtful. We do not know anything about the origin of the "Order of Bath", the creation of which dates back to the time of the coronation of Henry IV (1399). The third order, the "Scottish", originally the "Order of the Thistle", dates from the reign of James V of Scotland (1534). This order exists to this day, but it was converted to Protestantism.

France.

In France, there was from the time of the reign of John the Good (1352) the "Order of the Star", the "Order of St. Michael", founded by Louis XI (1469), the "Holy Spirit", founded by Henry III (1570), the "Virgin Mary of Carmelite" united by Henry IV with the Order of St. Lazar, which was completely destroyed during the French Revolution.

Austria and Spain

Austria and Spain are currently contesting the "Order of the Golden Fleece", founded by Duke Philip the Good and confirmed by Pope Eugene IV in 1433 and enlarged by Leo X in 1516.

Piedmont

In Piedmont, the Annunziata in its later form dates from the reign of Charles III, Duke of Savoy in 1518, but the first consecration to the Immaculate Virgin was in the reign of Amadeus VIII, first Duke of Savoy, and was made by an antipope known as Felix V (1434). Even before this initiation, there was an "Order of the Necklace" in Savoy, the chapter of which was located in the cathedral of Pierre-Châtel in Bug. The Knights of Annunziata also celebrated the Annunciation there, so they can be considered the successors of the "Order of the Necklace". After the transfer of Bugey to France, they transformed their chapters into the newly founded Camaldolese monastery in the Turin mountains (1627)

Mantua

In the Duchy of Mantua, Duke Vincent Gonzaga, with the approval of Paul V, established the order of the "Knights of the Most Honorable Blood" for the wedding of his son Francis II, in honor of the relic, which was kept in the capital of the duchy.

Pontifical secular orders

In the end, we mention a number of pontifical secular orders, the oldest of which is the "Order of Christ", which arose simultaneously with the same organization in Portugal in 1319. Having approved the latter, John XXII granted him the right to admit a limited number of knights into his ranks by patents. Nowadays, it is a reward for the merits of any person, regardless of origin.
The same can be said about the “Order of St. Peter”, established by Leo X in 1520, about the “Order of St. Paul”, founded by Paul III in 1534, and the “Virgin Mary of Loretta”, created by Sixtus V in 1558 in order to guard and protect the church there. These distinctions were mainly given to members of the papal curia.
There are a number of questions regarding the "Order of the Holy Spirit", which was formerly subordinate to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and was reorganized by Pope Pius X. The "Knights of St. Catherine of Sinai" were neither a secular nor a regular order.

Bibliography.

MIRFUS, Origine des chevalier et ordres militaires (Antwerp, 1609);
FAVYN, Histoire des ordres de chevalerie (2 vols., Paris, 1620); BIELENFELD, Geschichte und Verfassung aller Ritterorden (Weimar, 1841);
CAPPELETI, Storia degli ordini cavallereschi (Leghorn, 1904);
CLARKE, Concise History of Knighthood, II (London, 1884);
DIGBY, The Broad Stone of Honor (London, 1876-77);
LAWRENCE-ARCHER, The Orders of Chivalry (London, 1887);

(c) 2007 by Kevin Knight. All rights reserved.
Written by C.H. Moeller. Transcribed by Wm Stuart French, Jr.. Dedicated to Rev. Raphael Bridge, O.S.B.

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York

Translation from English (c) 2007

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.