The first spiritual knightly orders of the Middle Ages began to form during the Crusades, that is, in the period from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries.
Reason for the creation of orders
Knightly orders are created under the strict guidance of the Catholic Church with the aim of spreading Catholicism in the Holy Land, as well as for the active 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 Templars 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 care for 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 Hospitallers were entrusted with the task of vigilantly protecting the Holy Land and its inhabitants. The head of the order was the master, who was appointed to this position until his death.
Soon the Hospitallers began offering knightly armed escorts. The number of knights grew very quickly, and the order began to represent a significant force in the Middle East. The knights of the order showed themselves clearly on the field; they fought both on foot and on horseback. The knights wore black robes with large white crosses.
Since the middle of the twelfth century, there has been a division within the order into brother knights (warriors) and brothers doctors (they took care of the sick and poor). The Order of the Hospitallers did not obey anyone except the pope and had many privileges, including exemption from paying tithes to 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 was never captured by battle. They were able to take possession of the impregnable fortress only once, and then only thanks to deception.
After Jerusalem fell, the Hospitallers found refuge in the county of Tripoli, and then on the island of Cyprus, where the Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus was created. After the Templars were disbanded, the Hospitallers received part of their possessions.
Templars
The Templar Order was created in 1119, shortly after the First Crusade. King Baldwin of Jerusalem gave them premises within the walls of the Jerusalem Temple, where they established their headquarters. In 1139, the pope gave the knights of the order his patronage and some privileges. The Knights Templar were exempt from paying taxes, obeyed only the pope, and received lands for their use.
The Knights of the Templar Order 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 Crusaders 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 lives of his knights - captured Templar knights were executed.
Quickly recovering from their defeat, in 1191, the Templars took 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 expel the Knights Hospitaller and Teutons from Acre. Many Hospitallers and Teutons were killed and captured.
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 economics, and not military operations. 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 Templar Order were subject to mass arrests and executions. They are accused of blasphemy, debauchery, denial 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.
They founded states and dictated their will to European monarchs. The history of knightly orders began in the Middle Ages and is not finished yet.
Order of the Knights Templar
Date of foundation of the Order: 1119
Interesting Facts: The Templars are the most famous knightly order, the history and mysteries of which are the subject of many books and films. The topic of the “curse of Jacques de Molay” is still actively discussed by conspiracy theorists.
After being expelled from Palestine, the Templars switched to financial activities and became the richest order in history. They invented checks, carried out profitable usurious activities, and were the main lenders and economists in Europe.
On Friday, October 13, 1307, by order of King Philip IV the Fair of France, all French Templars were arrested. The order was officially banned.
The Templars were accused of heresy - of denying Jesus Christ, of spitting on the crucifix, kissing each other indecently and practicing sodomy. To “prove” the last point, it is still customary to mention one of the emblems of the Templars - two poor knights sitting on one horse, which served as a symbol of the non-covetousness of the knights of the order.
Warband
Date of foundation of the order: 1190
Interesting Facts: The Teutonic motto is “Help-Protect-Heal.” Initially, this is what the order was doing - helping the sick and protecting German knights, but at the beginning of the 13th century the military history of the order began, it was connected with an attempt to expand the Baltic states and Russian lands. These attempts, as we know, ended unsuccessfully. The “black day” of the Teutons was the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, in which the combined forces of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania inflicted a crushing defeat on the Order.
Deprived of its former military ambitions, the Teutonic Order was restored in 1809. Today he is involved in charity work and treating the sick. The headquarters of the modern Teutons is in Vienna.
Order of the Dragon
Date of foundation of the order: 1408
Interesting Facts: Officially, the Order of the Dragon was founded by the King of Hungary, Sigismund I of Luxembourg, but in the Serbian folklore tradition, the legendary hero Milos Obilic is considered its founder.
The knights of the order wore medallions and pendants with images of a golden dragon with a scarlet cross curled into a ring. In the family coats of arms of the nobles who were members of the order, the image of a dragon was usually framed by the coat of arms.
The Order of the Dragon included the father of the legendary Vlad the Impaler, Vlad II Dracul, who received his nickname precisely because of his membership in the order - dracul means “dragon” in Romanian.
Order of Calatrava
Date of foundation of the order: 1158
Interesting Facts: The first Catholic order founded in Spain was created to defend the Calatrava fortress. In the 13th century it became the most powerful military force in Spain, capable of fielding between 1,200 and 2,000 knights. At its peak, under Chiron and his son, the order controlled 56 commanderies and 16 priories. Up to 200,000 peasants worked for the order, its net annual income was estimated at 50,000 ducats. However, the order did not have complete independence. The title of grandmaster, starting from the time of Ferdinand and Isabella, has always been borne by Spanish kings.
Hospitallers
Date of foundation of the order: around 1099.
Interesting Facts: The Hospice Order, the Hospitallers, the Knights of Malta, or the Johannites, is the oldest spiritual order of knighthood, which received its unofficial name in honor of the hospital and church of St. John the Baptist. Unlike other orders, the Hospitallers accepted female novices into their ranks, and all men who joined the order were required to have a noble title.
The order was international, and its members were divided according to linguistic principles into seven langes in the Middle Ages. Interestingly, the Slavic languages belonged to the Germanic language. The 72nd Grand Master of the order was Russian Emperor Paul the First.
Despite the vow of non-covetousness, the Hospitallers were one of the richest orders of knighthood. During Napoleon's capture of Malta, the French army caused almost three tens of millions of lire worth of damage to the order.
Order of the Holy Sepulcher
Date of foundation of the order: 1099
Interesting Facts: This powerful order was created during the First Crusade and the emergence of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Its king stood at the head of the order. The order's mission was to protect the Holy Sepulcher and other holy places in Palestine.
For a long time, the Grand Masters of the order were the Popes. It was not until 1949 that the title was transferred to members of the Vatican Curia.
The order still exists today. Its members around the world include representatives of royal families, influential businessmen, and the political and scientific elite. According to a 2010 report, the order's membership exceeded 28,000. Its headquarters are located in Rome. More than $50 million was spent on the order's charitable projects between 2000 and 2007.
Order of Alcantara
Date of foundation of the order: 1156
Interesting Facts: The Order was originally created as a partnership to defend the frontier fortress of San Julian de Peral in Spain against the Moors. In 1177 the partnership was elevated to an order of knighthood; he pledged to wage perpetual war against the Moors and defend the Christian faith.
King Alfonso IX in 1218 donated the city of Alcantara to the order, where it settled under a new name. Before the occupation of Spain by the French in 1808, the order controlled 37 counties with 53 towns and villages. The history of the order was full of vicissitudes. It grew richer and poorer, it was abolished and restored several times.
Order of Christ
Date of foundation of the order: 1318
Interesting Facts: The Order of Christ was the successor to the Templars in Portugal. The Order is also called Tomar - after the name of the Tomar Castle, which became the residence of the Master. The most famous Tomarese was Vasco da Gama. On the sails of his ships there is a red cross, which was the emblem of the Order of Christ.
The Tomarians were one of the main pillars of royal power in Portugal, and the order was secularized, which, of course, did not suit the Vatican, which began to award its own Supreme Order of Christ. In 1789 the order was finally secularized. In 1834, the nationalization of his property took place.
Order of the Sword
Date of foundation of the order: 1202
Interesting Facts: The official name of the order is “Brotherhood of the Warriors of Christ.” The knights of the order received the nickname “sword bearers” because of the swords depicted on their cloaks under the clawed Templar cross. Their main goal was to capture the Eastern Baltic. According to the agreement of 1207, 2/3 of the captured lands became the property of the order.
The plans of the eastern expansion of the Swordsmen were thwarted by the Russian princes. In 1234, in the battle of Omovzha, the knights suffered a crushing defeat from the Novgorod prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, after which Lithuania, together with the Russian princes, began campaigns on the lands of the order. In 1237, after the unsuccessful Crusade against Lithuania, the Swordsmen joined the Teutonic Order and became the Livonian Order. It was defeated by Russian troops in the Livonian War in 1561.
Order of Saint Lazarus
Date of foundation of the order: 1098
Interesting Facts: The Order of Saint Lazarus is notable for the fact that initially all its members, including the Grand Master, were lepers. The order received its name from the place of its founding - from the name of the hospital of St. Lazarus, located near the walls of Jerusalem.
It is from the name of this order that the name “infirmary” comes from. The knights of the order were also called “Lazarites”. Their symbol was a green cross on a black cassock or cloak.
At first, the order was not military and was engaged exclusively in charitable activities, helping lepers, but from October 1187 the Lazarites began to participate in hostilities. They went into battle without helmets, their faces, disfigured by leprosy, terrified their enemies. Leprosy in those years was considered incurable and the Lazarites were called “the living dead.”
In the Battle of Forbia on October 17, 1244, the order lost almost all of its personnel, and after the expulsion of the crusaders from Palestine, it settled in France, where it is still engaged in charity work today.
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 presented in the article, despite the year of writing (1911), is quite relevant and allows those who are interested in history to streamline the chaos that this type of crusader movement is sometimes presented in journalism and near-historical literature. Of course, the fact that at the time of writing this article there were no works by Prof. Smaila, prof. Riley-Smith, A. Forey, M. Melville, R. Grousset could not but affect the accuracy of many of the facts cited. But, thanks to access to the Vatican archives, the author of the article was able to provide a lot of information from unpublished papal bulls and other Catholic sources that had not previously been found anywhere.
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” but as “hospital orders”. This translation much more accurately reflects their essence and reveals that they were not engaged in “distributing alms” or “caring for the sick” but in providing comprehensive non-military support to pilgrims.
The final section, “General Organization of Military Orders,” has been omitted because the data given there is currentday do not provide useful information, but on the contrary, 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 taking into account apocryphal and stillborn ones. Such a large number demonstrates the fervor with which the Middle Ages welcomed an institution that was fully consistent with the two main concerns of the era - war and religion. Later, the royal power adapted this new idea to its needs, creating secular orders of knighthood - to strengthen its own positions or to reward 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 “founded” 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 the Knights of St. George, who claimed to have origins with 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 Ecclensis. (1646)
At the court of Louis XIV, a certain black man, who arrived from the Gold Coast, worked as a prince, posing as a prince keeping a certain tradition into which Bossuet initiated him (1686). Before returning to “his dominion,” he established the Order of the Star and the Virgin Mary.
Stillborn orders.
An ordinary order of knighthood is a fraternity that combines knighthood with the taking of monastic vows. This implies that it is both a secular and a spiritual institution. In order to belong to the clerics, he needs confirmation by the pope, and to bear the sword requires the authorization of a secular ruler. Orders of chivalry that do not have such official recognition should be erased from history, even if they appear in all historical works devoted to military monastic orders. Nevertheless, the fact remains that orders that did not go through 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 founding of which is attributed to Alfonso I (1176), nor of the "Order of the Ship", which, allegedly, Saint Louis established on the eve of the crusade in Tunisia, during which he died (1270), nor about the "Argonauts of St. Nicholas" attributed to the Neapolitan king Charles III (1382).
Philippe de Maizier, 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 charter was not 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 rapid loss of the island ceased the existence of this organization. The same fate befell the “German Order of the Knights of Christ”, and the Order of France, the “Order of Magdalene” (1614) and the “Order of the Comprehension of the Virgin Mary”, conceived (1615) under Pope Paul V to combat duels, the statutes of which were written by the Duke of Mantua and approved Urban VIII (1623) remained unused.
"Genuine" orders
The era of the Crusades is over. The orders that existed at this time can be divided into three categories: large regular orders, small regular orders and secular orders.
Great regular orders.
appeared during the Crusades - since then they have had 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 others. After only a hundred years (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, the Order of Aves was established in Portugal, modeled on the Templar Rule. At the same time, the Order of Calatrava arose in Castile, and the “Order of Alcantara” in León.
Military hospitality orders
Simultaneously with purely military orders, others arose that combined both military and hospitality functions. The most famous among them are the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem and the Teutonic Knights, both still exist today. The “Order of Sanyago”, which spread to the territories of Castile, Leon and Portugal, can also be included in this category.
Orders of Hospice
In the end, purely hospitable orders, whose leaders, nevertheless, called themselves knights, but never took part 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 with the “Order of Our Lady of the Redeemer” (also known as Nuestra Seàora de Merced, Mercedrians, or “Order of the Holy Virgin of Mercy”), established in 1218 in Aragon by St. Peter Nolasco for the ransom of captives. It included both knights and clerics, and was initially seen as a military order, but there was constant disagreement over who would hold the post of Grand Master and in what rank. John XXII (1317) left the Grand Mastership to the clergy, 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", established by Alexander III (1180), which was very similar to the "Order of Calatrava", with which it was soon united.
In 1191, after the siege of Acre, Richard of England, fulfilling his crusader vow, established the Order of St. Thomas of Canterbury as a hospice order to help 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 a list of bulls of Alexander IV and John XXII. Little has been preserved from 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 Swordbearers (Schwertzbräder,Ensiferi, Swordbearers) in Livonia, which was founded by Albert, the first bishop of Riga (1197), in order to bring faith to the Baltic lands and protect newly converted Christians from the pagans, of whom there were still many this part of Europe. A crusade was organized against these pagans, but the crusaders who were serving temporary service, having fulfilled their vow, hastily left and, just like 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, and from there the name Ensiferi came. 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 did more to enrage the pagans than to lead them to conversion. The order did not last long and had only two grand masters, the first of whom, 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" led by the master of the province (1238). The possessions they conquered under Charles V (1525) became a principality and their last master Goddard Kettler () was secularized and became the hereditary Duke of Courland under the suzerainty of the Polish crown (1562).
The "Guidenti of Our Lady of Bologna" was approved by Pope Urban IV in 1262 and dissolved by Sixtus VI in 1589, when military orders were no longer particularly associated with noble knights who could provide peace in difficult times.
The "Order of St. George of Aflame" in Aragon was recognized in 1363 by Urban V and in 1399 united 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 fraternity.
The "Order of Pope Stephen" was founded in Tuscany by Grand Duke Cosmo I and approved by Pius IV in 1561. It was based on the Benedictine Rite. He had an administrative center in Pisa, and was obliged to equip a certain number of galleys for battle with the Turks in the Mediterranean Sea, in the likeness of and in conjunction with the “caravans” of the Order of Malta.
Secular orders.
Dating back to the fourteenth century, brotherhoods of secular knights were organized along the lines 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 monarchical family) and, as a rule, consisting of devout 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 of the 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" took its name from the characteristic emblem worn on the left knee. There are many stories told about this icon, the authenticity of which is highly questionable. We know nothing about the origins of the "Order of Bath", the creation of which dates back to 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 existed since 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. Lazarus, which was completely destroyed during the French Revolution.
Austria and Spain
Austria and Spain currently dispute the right to the "Order of the Golden Fleece", founded by Duke Philip the Good and confirmed by Pope Eugene IV in 1433 and expanded by Leo X in 1516.
Piedmont
In Piedmont the Order of the Annunziata in its later form dates from the reign of Charles III, Duke of Savoy in 1518, but the first dedication to the Virgin Immaculate occurs in the reign of Amadeus VIII, first Duke of Savoy, and was made by the antipope known as Felix V (1434). Even before this dedication, there was an “Order of the Necklace” in Savoy, the chapter of which was located in the Pierre-Chatel Cathedral in Bugey. It was there that the Knights of Annunziata celebrated the Annunciation, so that they can be considered the legal successors of the “Order of the Necklace”. After the transfer of the Bugey to France, they converted 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, at the wedding of his son Francis II, established the Order of the Knights of the Most Precious Blood, in honor of the relic, which was kept in the capital of the duchy.
Pontifical secular orders
Finally, let us 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 it the right to accept into its ranks a limited number of knights by patent. 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 defend 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.
MIRфUS, 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
Order of St. John (Hospitaliers)
Christian pilgrims came to the Holy Land exhausted from travel; many fell ill and were left without care. Immediately after Jerusalem was taken by the crusaders (1099), several French knights united to found a hospice in which pilgrims could find shelter. They formed a spiritual congregation, whose members pledged to devote themselves to caring for the poor and sick, to live on bread and water, and to wear simple clothing, “like the poor, their masters.” These knights lived on alms, which the people they sent collected in all Christian countries and which they then stored in the room for the sick. Their hospital was called the “Hospital of the Jerusalem Hospital” or the Hospital of St. John. Later he changed his character. In addition to the knights, there were also novices, that is, servants who looked after the sick. The hospital sheltered up to 2 thousand sick people, and alms were distributed daily; they even say that the Muslim Sultan Saladin disguised himself as a beggar in order to familiarize himself with the charitable activities of the Hospitallers. This spiritual-knightly order retained its name, the Hospitallers of St. John (or Johannites) and its seal, which depicted a sick man stretched out on a bed with a cross at his head and a lamp at his feet. But the knights who joined the Order of St. John formed a military community whose task was to fight the infidels.
Only knights of noble birth or the side sons of princes were allowed to be among the Hospitallers; each new member had to bring with him full weapons or contribute 2 thousand Turkish sous to the arsenal of the order. In all states of Syria, the princes granted the Hospitallers the right to build castles outside the cities and fortified houses in the cities. The main settlements of the spiritual knightly order of the Johannites were in the regions of Antioch and Tripoli, around Lake Tiberias and on the Egyptian border. His Markab Castle, built in 1186, occupied the entire area of the plateau, which sloped steeply into the valley, had a church and a village, and contained a garrison of a thousand people and supplies for 5 years; The bishop of Valenia found refuge here. In all European countries the Hospitallers acquired possessions; in the 13th century they had, according to legend, 19 thousand monasteries. In each of them lived several knights with commander; many villages named after Saint-Jean are ancient Hospitaller villages command.
Entrance to the Palace of the Grand Masters of the Johannite Order on the island of Rhodes
Order of the Templars (templars)
Before this spiritual-knightly order changed its character, several knights, who were bored with caring for the sick, wanted to find an occupation that would better suit their tastes. In 1123, eight French knights formed a brotherhood whose members pledged to accompany pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem to protect them against infidels; They elected Hugh de Payens as Grand Master of the Order. King Baldwin gave them part of his palace, the so-called Temple(literally “Temple”) , built on site ancient Solomon's temple; they took the name Poor Brothers of the Temple of Jerusalem, or Templars (lit. “Templars”). The famous saint of that time, Bernard of Clairvaux, patronized them and took part in drawing up their charter, which partly reproduced the Cistercian charter. The charter of the spiritual-knightly order of the Templars was approved at the Council of Troyes (1128). The order consisted of members of three kinds; monastic vows of poverty, obedience and chastity were obligatory for everyone. Knights the Templars had people of noble birth; they alone could be the heads of monasteries and hold positions in the order. Servants there were rich townspeople who gave their property to the order and took the place of either squires or stewards; they managed the financial affairs of the Templar Order; the coastal commander, who oversaw the boarding of ships and the disembarkation of pilgrims, was a minister. Priests performed spiritual duties in the order. The popes who patronized the Templars allowed them to have their own chapels and cemeteries and choose their own priests to perform divine services in their monasteries. They decreed that all clergy in the service of the order should submit not to their bishop, but to the Grand Master of the Templars (bull 1162). Thus, the spiritual knightly order of the Templars became an independent church within the Roman Church, subordinate only to the pope. Secular princes, especially French ones, out of respect for these knights, who devoted themselves to the continuous war of the crusade, gave them large gifts. Later, the order owned 10 thousand monasteries in Europe, a fleet, banks and such a rich treasury that it could offer 100 thousand gold for the island of Cyprus.
Armament and emblem of the spiritual knightly order of the Templars
Both the Hospitallers and the Templars were French orders. When the Germans began to come to the Holy Land in greater numbers, they also felt the need to have a hospice in which their language would be spoken. There was a refuge for German pilgrims in Jerusalem, but it depended on the Order of the Hospitallers. During the siege of Saint-Jean d'Acre (1189) by the crusaders, several Germans gathered their sick on one ship, which had fallen into disrepair. The German princes gave them funds to found a hospital, which was organized in 1197 on the model of the hospital of St. John. Members of the new order were German knights who pledged to both care for the sick and fight the infidels.They took the name Brothers of the German House, and later they began to be called more often knights of the Teutonic Order. During the stay of Emperor Frederick II in Palestine, they acquired estates and built themselves the Montfort Castle near Saint-Jean d'Acre (1229), which remained the center of the order until 1271.
Hermann von Salza - Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, moved his residence from Palestine to the Baltic at the beginning of the 13th century
General features of spiritual knightly orders
All three of these spiritual-knightly orders were religious brotherhoods and took the usual three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Each order was organized on the model of Cluny or Cistercian. General Chapter(that is, the collection of officials and heads of monasteries that were part of the order) governed the entire order. Individual monasteries were like estates that were managed at the expense of the order. But these monks were also knights: their mission was war. They were all, without exception, of noble origin, and their leaders were often large lords. The head of the spiritual knightly order was called not an abbot, but a grand master, the head of a monastery was not a prior, but a commander. Their clothes were half monastic, half military: they wore knightly armor and a cloak on top. The Hospitallers had a black cloak and a white cross; the Templars have a white cloak and a red cross; The knights of the Teutonic Order have a white cloak and a black cross. Each order, with its own treasury, its estates, fortresses and soldiers, was like a small state.
Emergence knightly orders, due to the advent 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 between infidels, pagans, robbers, heretics, Muslims and other unholy heresies they considered. Knights of such orders were on the side of the Inquisition and fought against witches. The plans of the orders included constant attacks and raids on the Holy Land, the Ottoman Empire, Spain, Lithuania, Estonia, Prussia and even Russia. In these lands, their necessity was to introduce Catholicism to the Orthodox believers, or to overthrow Muslim rule by force.
Many knightly orders, under the influence of constant support from the state, became wealthy and dominant. At their disposal were land plots, peasant labor, economics and politics.
At the head of the knightly order was the Grand Master or Grandmaster. Its leadership was appointed by the Catholic Pope. The master gave instructions to commanders, commanders and marshals. The chiefs had subordinate provincial divisions of the orders. The marshals managed financial affairs. The commanders carried out the orders of castles and fortresses. Volunteers who just joined the orders were called neophytes. Each newcomer underwent a rite of passage. Serving in the knightly order was considered honorable and prestigious. Heroic deeds were greatly appreciated by their fans.
In total there were about 19 orders of knighthood. The most famous of them are the Templar Order, the Hospitaller Order 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 Frederick of Swabia November 19, 1190. During this period, he captured Acre fortress V Israel, where hospital residents 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 led by the clergyman Conrad. IN 1198 the community of knights was finally approved under the name of the spiritual knightly order. Many spiritual figures 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 local knights, heal the sick and fight heretics who, by their actions, contradicted the tenets of the Catholic Church. The most important leaders of the German community were Pope And Holy Roman Emperor.
IN 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 the mind of Count Boppo von Wertheim and he turned his idea into reality with the permission of the church. Now the spiritual knightly order began to rightfully be considered German.
By this time, the success of the knightly order began to bring great enrichment and glory. Such a merit could not have been achieved without the Grand Master Hermann von Salza. In Western countries, many fans of the Teutons are beginning to appear, wanting to take advantage of the mighty strength and military power of the German knights. So, Hungarian King Andras II turned to the Teutonic Order for help in the fight against the Cumans. Thanks to this, 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 Polovtsians was carried out at an accelerated pace. In 1225, the Hungarian nobility and their king became very jealous of the Teutonic Order. This led to numerous evictions from Hungary, with only a small number of Germans remaining, 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 captured lands, as well as the cities of Kulm and Dobryn. 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 Koenigsberg. The Prussian army was larger than the Teutonic one, but the Germans cunningly entered into battles with small detachments and lured many to their side. Thus, the Teutonic Order was able to defeat them, even despite the assistance of the enemy from the Lithuanians and the Pomeranians.
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 Rus' 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. IN Novgorodskiy lands, the crusaders built a fortress Koporye
. Russian sovereign Alexander Nevskiy, during the battles liberated this fortress. And ultimately, united with Vladimir reinforcements, he returned Pskov to Rus' in a decisive Battle on the Ice April 5, 1242 on Lake Peipsi. 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, aggressive Lithuania And Poland against the order . Polish Army And Principality of Lithuania forced the Teutons to suffer defeat at the Battle of Grunwald July 15, 1410. Half of the army of the Teutonic Order was destroyed, captured, and the main commanders were killed.
Order of Calatrava
Order of Calatrava was the very first knightly and Catholic order of Spain since the 12th century. The order was founded by Cistercian monks in Castile in 1157. And in 1164, the order was officially confirmed by the pope Alexander III. The name itself " Calatrava" originates from the name of the Moorish castle, located in the lands of Castile and held in battle by the king Alfonso VII V 1147. The existing castle was constantly attacked by enemies. At first it was defended by the Templars, and later, at the insistence of Abbot Raymond, monastic knights of peasant origin came to the rescue, led by Diego Velazquez. After constant clashes with enemies, Order of Calatrava, received a new birth in 1157 under the leadership of King Alfonso.
Later, after 1163 years The influence of the order expanded significantly, which made it possible to carry out attack raids. Many knights did not like the new militarization and left the community. New rules were included in the disciplinary routine. Warriors had to go to bed in knightly armor and wear white cloth, with a symbol of a cross-shaped flower in the form of a red lily.
The Order of Calatrava organized a number of military campaigns with successful military forays. The king of Castile rewarded the knights, where victorious glory warmed up the warriors to serve Aragon. But after the glorious victories, a streak of defeats followed. Irreconcilable hostility with the Moors from Africa forced the warriors of the order to surrender their positions and the fortress to Calatrava in 1195. After this, the order began to accumulate new forces in a new, built Salvatierre Castle
. New warriors were invited there. But in 1211 and this castle fell miserably to the Moors. The Crusade helped return the lost Calatrava to the knights. 1212. Under such pressure, the Moors weakened and their dominance lost 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 new influence, 2 new orders were organized: Alcantara and Avisa.
In the 13th century, the Order of Calatrava became strong and powerful. In military participation, the community could field a huge number of knights. But further wealth and power made the royal nobility show envy towards him and give rise to new conflicts.
Order of Avis
The appearance is due community Calatravas when former participants at the time of the crusade 1212, for reliability, organized in the new lands, Portuguese Order of Avis for protection from the Moors. In the interests of the kings, the idea arose to keep crusading knights in the service to fight the infidels. The Templars, who previously lived in Portuguese lands, had a huge influence on the Order of Avis. IN 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. IN XV century, the Royal Council of Portugal, organized a campaign in North Africa. The very first leader of Avis became Pedro Afonso. The Avis Castle was made the main center of the order. Important decisions and spiritual regulations were made here. Ultimately, the knights of the Order of Avis became full landowners with their own colonies. The Portuguese Order gained financial power, which allowed it to control political and economic decisions.
Order of Santiago
Order of Santiago was a Spanish order of knighthood that was formed around 1160. The word "Santiago" was named after the patron saint of Spain. The main task of the order was to protect the pilgrims' road to the chambers of the Apostle James. The order arose in two cities at once, Leon And Cuenca. These 2 urban lands competed with each other, thereby taking the dominant influence into their hands. But after their unification by the Castilian king Ferdinand III, the problem was successfully resolved. The Order was moved to the city of Cuenca.
Unlike other knightly communities and Calatrava, Santiago's routine was much gentler than others. All members of the order had the right to marry. Thanks to this, the Order of Santiago was much larger in the number of its inhabitants and in its proportionate volume. It 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 battles with Muslims and the Crusades. The charter required newcomers to serve as rowers for a six-month period before joining the ranks of soldiers. All ancestors of a given crusader had to be noble and of noble blood.
The managing leaders of the order were constantly replaced by others. Over the course of several centuries, 40 masters were replaced. All 15th century, was in the championship for the rightful 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. Knights suffering from leprosy were received in her chambers. Later, it turned into a powerful, paramilitary military order. It contained Greek ideology, which was responsible for spiritual decisions. The symbol of Lazarus was a green cross on a white background. This image was painted on coats of arms and on clothes made of light-colored material. At the very beginning of the historical period, the Order of Lazarus was not recognized by the church leadership and was considered to exist unofficially.
"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 Forbia which happened 17 October. Such a defeat ended with the expulsion of the knights from Palestine. The order was moved to France, where it began to engage in medical craft.
IN 1517 there was a unification of the community with the Order of St. Mauritius. Despite this, the Order of Lazarus still continued to exist.
Order of Montegaudio
Order of Montegaudio is a Spanish order of chivalry, which was 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 one hill from which the crusaders discovered Jerusalem. Thus, a fortress was built on this hill, and soon the order itself was formed. IN 1180 the community officially recognized the church leadership and the Catholic pope Alexander III. The symbol 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 cloth. All members of the community led an alienated lifestyle. Their life routine was similar to the Cistercians.
IN 1187 Many members of the Order of Montegaudio took part in the bloody battle of 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, V Teruel city, members of the former knightly community organized a medical hospital Holy Redeemer.
IN 1196, the Order of Montegaudio was disbanded due to a lack of knights to join the ranks. Its former members united 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 was also Deputy Bishop Albert Buxhoeveden from Latvia, who preached in Livonia. The order was officially approved by the Catholic Church in 1210. The main symbolizing design was a red cross drawn on top of a scarlet sword on a white background.
The sword-bearers were subject to the leadership of the bishop. All actions were carried out only with his approval. The entire routine was supported by the Templar charter. The community of the order was divided into knights, priests and servants. The knights were descendants of small feudal lords. Servants were recruited from ordinary townspeople, who became squires, servants, messengers and artisans. master stood at the head of the order, and chapter decided his important matters.
As in all other orders, castles were built and fortified in the occupied territories. Most of the captured lands were transferred to the rule of the order. The rest was handed over to the bishop.
The Order of the Swordsmen was at enmity with Lithuania and the Semigallians. Military campaigns were carried out by both sides against each other. Russian princes often participated on the side of the Lithuanians. IN February 1236 took place crusade against Lithuania, which ended in the complete defeat of the order and the murder master's degree Volguina 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 sword bearers. The routine and discipline were exactly like them and the Templar Order.
The same red sword was visible in the images, but only in place of the cross was a scarlet star. It characterized Jesus' appeal to the pagans. The drawing could be seen on all the knightly paraphernalia of this community.
The Order was hiring 1500 German knights for his retinue, who gathered in the Polish city of Dobrynya. At the head " dobrinichi" got up Konrad Mazowiecki.
The glory and exploits of the Dobrin Order were unsuccessful. The community existed for about 20 years and only 1233, in the battle of Sirgun the knights distinguished themselves by winning 1000+ Prussians. Further, the order united with the Teutons, with the favor of the pope. Later, in 1237 Konrad Mazowiecki wanted to reassemble the Order of Dobrin in the Polish castle of Dorogiczyn, 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 that was formed in XIV century. It was organized in 1317, in Aragon. He continued the ideology of the Templars and roughly followed the tradition of the Crusaders. The Spanish crown was in great need of protection from the Moors from the south, so it was always glad to receive the support of 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 at the command of King of Sicily Jaime II.
The order was named after the fortress Saint George in Montes. It was here that he was first educated. IN 1400 there was a merger with the order San Jorge de Alfama, doubling the existing force. IN 1587 the kingdom of Spain subjugated Montesa's property and the order began to depend on him. This situation 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. IN 1318 Portuguese King Danish, officially adopted and established this community. All members of the order received dominant lands and a castle from Pope John Tomar
. This stone defense withstood the formidable onslaught of the warring Moors.
IN 1312 The order turned out to be dissolved and for many noble leaders this situation did not suit them. IN 1318 King Danish gathers all the former knights into a new community called "Christ's Militia". The new castle became the habitat Castro Marim
in the south of the Algarve. After a turbulent time in combat with the Moors, the knights were again in danger of collapse. Prince Henry turned the order against the rulers of Morocco in order to collect taxes from African products for the restoration of the castle of Tomar.
Many members of the order took part in seafaring voyages, including with Vasca da Gama. The ships' sails bore the symbols of the order, 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 Borzhdu had to make significant changes to the internal regulations 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 belongs to Godfrey of Bouillon. This famous leader led First Crusade, and after graduation, created a community in 1113 with blessings Popes. Godfrey had a great opportunity to take the proposed power into his own hands by ruling the Kingdom of Jerusalem. But the noble character of the knight chose the path of renouncing the throne, choosing at the same time the status of the main defender of the Holy 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 decided to join the knightly community. Replenishment of the ranks of sacred warriors could be carried out by mercenaries from Palestine.
IN 1496 Order of the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord of Jerusalem was moved from Jerusalem V Rome. This position contributed to leading the community Pope Alexander IV as Grand Master.
Order of St. George
Order of St. George- this is a knightly order Hungary created by the king Karl Robert in 1326. The reason for the creation of such an order was to strengthen the position of the king, which was under threat from the Hungarian aristocracy. The whole mess escalated into armed confrontation between the true sovereign and the barons. In this fight Karl Robert I had to steadfastly adhere to my titular position, which was encroached upon by outside nobility. Many nobles supported the king and his views.
The knight's tournament served as a demonstration event marking the official beginning of the opening of the order. The number of knights of St. George did not exceed 50. They took an oath to serve faithfully to their king, protect the church craft from heretics and pagans, and also 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 symbol of the order was a red shield with a white double cross on it.