European history knows many knightly orders founded in different eras. Some of these famous orders later became powerful organizations that possessed countless treasures and influenced the course of history.
10. Order of St. Lazarus
This community was founded in Palestine in the 11th century. It was based on the idea of helping crusaders suffering from leprosy, which then extended to the jurisdiction of the Greek Patriarchate. The organization could join the knights, overcome by this terrible disease.
For more than two hundred years since its foundation, the community was not personally recognized by the Pope, while it had certain privileges and its members could collect donations.
9. Order of Christ
The order was created in the 14th century by the Portuguese monarch Dinis. His main goal was to fight Muslims. As a result, all the property of the Portuguese Templars was transferred to this military-religious community.
The knights who joined this community took an active part in long sea expeditions.
The Order of Christ was dissolved in 1910, but after almost seven years it was restored as an exclusively civilian.
8. Order of Alcantara
At first, this organization was a military-religious community of knights. The first mention of the order is found in the papers of King Leon. These historical documents also contain evidence that the monarch transferred vast land allotments to the brotherhood.
7. Order of the Dragon
The main task of the members of this Hungarian order was to protect the royal house from internal and external threats. In addition, the order was engaged in the identification and capture of heretics and pagans.
As official symbols, the knights of the order used medallions and pendants on which the dragon was depicted. The ceremony of admitting new members to the order was accompanied by a magnificent ritual.
6. Order of Calatrava
This order was created in the 12th century in Spain. The order officially ceased to exist in 1838. The history of the creation of this community of knights is described in detail by Rodrigo Toledsky, who was familiar with the creators of the order.
The Order of Calatrava in the process of asserting its influence for some time became one of the most powerful military religious organizations in Spain, which also had its own regular army, consisting of monk warriors.
5. Order of the Holy Sepulcher
Historians consider this order to be the most ancient. The history of its origin begins from the time of the Crusades. The founder of the chivalrous community was the Duke of Gottfried of Bouillon. The main function of the knightly order is to protect the Holy Sepulcher conquered from Muslims.
4. Order of the Swordsmen
Within this community there was a certain gradation of its members - all of them were divided into knights, priests and servants.
Knights usually became small feudal lords. Employees usually became free peasants or townspeople. The master was in the voice of the order, and the most important decisions were made by the chapter.
It is worth noting that the Order of the Swordsmen at the time of its creation and in the first years of its existence did not have significant power and the number of knights included in its composition was not at all great. In addition, at first the organization did not receive persons from noble families.
Not earlier than 1205, members of the order took part in a military campaign against the Gentiles. Their main task was also to protect the churches erected in Livonia and to force the catholicization of opponents of Christianity.
3. The Teutonic Order
This order was created by the German crusaders at the end of the 12th century. His main task was to spread the influence of the Pope in the Baltic states and in the western lands of Russia. In the territories captured by the Order of the Knights, a policy of forcibly imposing the Catholic faith on the population was carried out.
In the first half of the XIV century, the Teutonic Order managed to achieve unprecedented power until now. However, along with an increase in the well-being of members of this military-religious organization, a violation of discipline appeared. Knights, mired in luxury, could no longer boast of valor or loud achievements.
At the end of the XIV century there was a significant strengthening of the military and political reinforcements of Poland. As a result, in 1410, the Polish king Vladislav II defeated the army of the Teutonic Order in the Battle of Grunwald.
This order was restored in Austria in the first half of the XIV century. Then he personified the Catholic noble community.
2. Order of St. John
The main purpose of this chivalrous community was to care for the poor, sick or mutilated pilgrims. Members of the order were entrusted with a mission to care for and preserve the Holy Land under the jurisdiction of the Pope.
The Order of the Hospitallers and the Order of the Templars became the most powerful Christian communities of knights, whose influence spread throughout the region.
In numerous battles with Muslims, members of the order dressed in black tunics with white crosses - this was a characteristic symbol of the Hospitallers.
In the XII century, inside the order there was a fragmentation into fellow warriors who were responsible for the performance of military tasks, and brother-healers engaged in a humanitarian mission.
Then he, as before, remained primarily a religious organization, so its members had many privileges granted by the Pope himself. For example, the knights of the order were directly subordinate to the Vatican, could not tithe and had the opportunity to own their own religious buildings.
1. Order of the Templars
This community was founded in 1119 by a small group of knights led by Hugo de Payne. This happened immediately after the completion of the First Crusade, for the defense of Jerusalem, surrounded on all sides by hostile neighbors.
In addition, the huge number of Christian pilgrims who poured into Jerusalem after the capture of the city by Christians needed reliable protection.
It is worth noting that there is a difference between the actual foundation of the Templar Order and its recognition from the Pope, when it became a separate monastic fraternity.