knighthood, orders of

Taken from the mid-15th-century French Livre des Belles Dames, this picture shows French chevalier (or knight) Jean de Saintre kneeling before a noble lady. His pointed shoes indicate his importance - as a man gained in rank or social standing, he was entitled to wear longer footwear.

Fraternity carrying with it the rank of knight, admission to which is granted as a mark of royal favour or as a reward for public services. During the Middle Ages in Europe such fraternities fell into two classes: religious and secular. The first class, including the Templars and the Knights of St John, consisted of knights who had taken religious vows and devoted themselves to military service against the Saracens (Arabs) or other non-Christians. The secular orders probably arose from bands of knights engaged in the service of a prince or great noble.

Austria The orders of imperial Austria have been officially discontinued.

Belgium The Order of Leopold (civil and military) was founded in 1832. Its motto is ‘Union is strength’. The administration of the order is vested in the foreign minister. The emblem consists of crossed swords and a crowned lion. The Iron Cross and Medal was founded in 1835; like the Order of Leopold, it was conferred on the revolutionary defenders of Belgium in the struggle against Dutch rule; hence the inscription ‘Indépendance de la Belgique’ (‘Belgian independence’).

Denmark The Order of the Elephant is officially dated as originating in the first half of the 15th century. It is rarely bestowed and commands high respect. Its distinctive emblem is a white elephant and mahout; its motto is ‘Magnanimi Pretium’. The Order of the Dannebrog, the second of the Danish orders of knighthood, was founded in 1219 by Waldemar II. In 1808 Frederick VI made it an order of merit for all the Danish people, whether for military or civil services. The decoration is a white enamelled gold cross, suspended by a white ribbon with a red border; the inscription reads ‘God and the King’.

France The Legion of Honour (Légion d'honneur), established in 1802, is the only surviving order in France. The order is now divided into five ranks: knights of the grand cross, grand officers, commanders, officers, and knights. This order of knighthood has more members than any other; however, the highest grades rank with the most exalted European orders. The president of the French republic is the grand master of the order, but the administration is vested in a grand chancellor. Military and naval members receive salaries when on the active list. There is a considerable number of foreign members. The decoration consists of a white enamelled star with double rays under a royal crown, in the centre of which is the effigy of Henry IV, and on the reverse the motto ‘Honneur et Patrie’ (‘Honour and Fatherland’). The star for knights is silver, and for the other classes gold.

Germany The following orders existed under the old German Empire: The Order of Albert the Bear (Anhalt); the orders of Fidelity, of Charles Frederick, of the Zahringen Lion, and of Berthold I (Baden); The Order of St Hubert and the military Order of Maximilian Joseph (Bavaria); The Order of Henry the Lion (Brunswick); the orders of Louis, of the Golden Lion, and of Philip the Magnanimous (Hesse); the orders of the Wendish Crown and of the Griffin (Mecklenburg-Schwerin); The Order of Duke Peter Frederick Louis (Oldenburg); the orders of The Black Eagle and of The Red Eagle, The Order for Merit, the orders of The Crown, of William, of The House of Hohenzollern, and, for women, of Service (Prussia); The Order of the Rauten Kröne, or Crown of Rue, the military Order of St Henry, and The Order of Albert (Saxony); The Order of Ernest (duchies of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Saxe-Meiningen); The Order of Vigilance (Saxe-Weimar); the orders of The Crown of Wurttemberg, of Frederick, and of Olga (Wurttemberg); and the Iron Cross. This last was instituted 1813 by Frederick William III for service in the War of Liberation, and granted to civil as well as military personnel. The decoration consists of a Maltese cross of iron edged with silver, and formerly the initial of the sovereign granting the award was in the centre; above, on the upper arm, is a crown, and below, on the lower arm, the date of the campaign. The Grand Cross of double the size is presented to the victor of a decisive battle. The cross is worn round the neck. The two remaining classes, called first and second, granted for bravery in action, are worn on the left breast. The order was revived by William I 1870, just before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, and again in the two world wars, when large numbers were awarded. The Prussian orders of the Black Eagle and For Merit were among the most distinguished in the world. The former was founded by the elector of Brandenburg on the day of his accession to the throne of Prussia in 1701. The emblem was a blue enamelled octagon, consisting of a cross with ‘F.r.’ (‘Fredericus Rex’) in the middle of the obverse, and a black eagle with expanded wings in each of the four spaces between the arms of the cross. Candidates must already have been knights of the Red Eagle. The Order for Merit, called ‘Pour le Merite’ in Germany, was divided into two classes: one military, and one for scientific and artistic achievement.

Greece The Order of the Redeemer was founded in 1833 by King Otto to commemorate the deliverance of Greece after the War of Independence. The badge is a white enamelled cross, the wings of which are connected with oak and laurel leaves. The Order of George I was instituted in 1912.

Netherlands The Military Order of William was founded in 1815. Its emblem is a cross with the motto ‘For valour, devotion, loyalty’. The Order of Orange-Nassau was founded in 1892 by Queen Wilhelmina. The Order of the Netherlands Lion was founded in 1818 for civil merit.

Italy Titles of nobility are no longer recognized.

Japan The principal order is that of the Chrysanthemum, founded in 1877 and conferred only on members of the royal house or foreign princes.

Luxembourg The Order of Adolphus of Nassau founded in 1858; the Order of the Oak Crown (1858, revived); and the Order of the Golden Lion, the hereditary order of the grand duke, founded in 1890.

Monaco The Order of St Charles (1853, revived).

Norway The Order of St Olaf.

Poland The Order of the White Eagle; the Order of Polonia Restituta.

Portugal The orders of Christ, St James, and Aviz, were all originally spiritual orders, but were secularized in 1789. The first was a revival of the Templars after their abolition in France by Philip IV(the Fair); King Diniz of Portugal gave asylum to that order in consideration of their support against the Spanish Moors in Algarve. The emblem is a white cross within a red one.

Spain All orders were abolished after a republic was declared in 1931.

Sweden The Order of the Seraphim, or the Blue Ribbon, believed to have been founded in 1280 by Magnus I, is the most ancient and illustrious Swedish order. The badge is a star with the initials J.h.s. (Jesus hominum salvator). Other orders are those of the Pole Star, Charles XIII (granted to freemasons of high degree), the Vasa or Green Ribbon, and the Sword or Yellow Ribbon.

Turkey Titles were abolished in 1934.

United Kingdom and Ireland In addition to the orders listed above, the Military Knights of Windsor consist of retired officers with outstanding service records; they are attached to the Order of the Garter. The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick, the national order of Ireland, was founded in 1783 by George III. It was formed on the model of the Garter, and named after the Irish patron saint. The motto is ‘Quis separabit’ (‘Who shall separate’). The insignia are the star of the cross of St Patrick on a field argent, charged with three imperial crowns within a circle azure, with motto above. There have been no elections to the order since 1924. The Royal Victorian Order was founded in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It is awarded ‘for personal services to the queen and her successors’. The motto is ‘Victoria’. The order uses the Chapel Royal of the Savoy, London. The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire was established in 1878 under the grandmastership of the viceroy of India, to commemorate Queen Victoria's assumption of the title Empress of India. It was awarded for services to the Indian Empire. The collar is composed of elephants, peacocks, and Indian roses. The motto is ‘Imperatricis auspiciis’ (‘Under the auspices of the empress’). No appointments have been made since 1947. The Imperial Order of the Crown of India was founded in 1878 by Queen Victoria and limited to women of the royal house and high-ranking women in India, either British or Indian; it carried no rank or title. There have been no elections since the Queen and Princess Margaret were appointed in 1947. The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, instituted in 1861, comprised knights grand commanders, knights commanders, and companions. The collar of the star consists of links of lotus flowers, red and white roses, and palm branches. The motto is ‘Heaven's Light our Guide’. No appointments have been made since 1947. A Companion of Honour receives no title or precedence. Knights Bachelor do not constitute a royal order, but comprise the surviving representation of the ancient state order of knighthood. The Register of Knights Bachelor, instituted by James I in the 17th century, lapsed, and a voluntary association, known as the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor by royal command, was formed in 1908 with the primary objects of continuing the various registers dating from 1257, and obtaining the uniform registration of every created knight. A badge to be worn by Knights Bachelor was adopted in 1926.