Military Orders

Domini Cani
The Hounds of God  

The Monastic Military Orders were initially formed to provide Hospytals and
Protection to Pilgrims on their journeys to the Sacred Places and to fight the
Saracens. The Warrior Monks, of course, bore Arms and fought as well as
subscribing to the monastic precepts of chastity, poverty, and obedience under
various Rules. Mainly those of the Augustinians founded by St. Augustine of Hippo
in Numidia ca. 400 A.D.; Benedictines, founded by St. Benedict of Nursia in Italy in
529 A.D.; and Cistercian, founded by St. Robert of Molesme, a Benedictine Abbot,
in France in 1098. Unless otherwise noted these Orders were formed in Jerusalem.

The major Knightly Orders active in the 11th and 12th Centuries are briefly listed
below. The dates given are approximate. The flags on the left will be the
identifying armbands for the Orders. Common referral names are in bold.




    950
    Italy
    Order of St. James of Altopascio,
    Order of the Tau.  
    Papal approval in 1239.Formed to protect pilgrims initially
    between Lucca and Genoa. Augustinian Rule. Dark grey or
    black habit with a white Tau cross and a red hood with a white
    Tau cross.


    1098(1130)
    Military and Hospytaler Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem
    Lazarians.
     Probably originated with a Leper Hospytal in Jerusalem before
    the first Crusade. Augustinian Rule. Black habit with a green
    cross.


    1070 (1113)
    Order of Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem
    Hospitalers.
    Papal approval in 1113. Originated with a Hospital. Second
    only to the Templars became the most numerous, powerful,
    and well endowed economically. Augustinian Rule. Red or
    black habit with a white cross.


    1099 (1114)
    Canons of the Holy Sepulchre.
    Papal approval in 1143. Cared for the churches of Mt. Sion
    and Mt. Olivet as well as the Holy Sepulchre as well as
    protecting  Pilgrims. Augustinian Rule. White habit with a red
    Jerusalem cross. This Order is restricted to Pilgrimage Staff.


    1115
    Order of Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon
    Templars.
    The founders had only one horse between them and are often
    depicted riding tandem. The first "official" Warrior Monks.
    Originally protected Pilgrims from Jerusalem to Jerico and the
    river Jordan. Quickly became the most numerous,             
    powerful and economically endowed of the Warrior Monks.
    The "bankers" of the Europeans. Cistercian Rule. White habit
    with a red cross.

    1102
    Spain
    The Knightly Order of St. James of the Sword/Compostela
    Santiago
    Founded in Spain to protect Pilgrims to the shrine Of St. James
    the Apostle in Compostela. Along with Calatrava, the most
    numerous and powerful. Augustinian Rule. White habit with a
    red cross of Santiago.


    1157
    Spain
    Order of the Knights of Calatrava.
    Sancho of Castile formed the Order and gave them the castle
    of Calatrava,  to defend and protect the road to Toledo and
    fight the Moors. Their armour was always black. Cistercian
    Rule. White hooded habit with a red cross of Calatrava.


    1156 (1166)
    Spain
    Knights of Alcántara
    (Knights of St. Julian de Pereiro)
    Alcántara. Papal approval 1183. Controlled by the Knights of
    Calatrava until 1218 when they became the Knights of
    Alcántara. Formed to protect the borders of León and Castile.
    Cistercian Rule. Black habit with green cross of Calatrava.


    1162
    Portugal
    Knights of St. Benedict of Aviz.
    (Knights of Evora)
    Portuguese Brethren of St. Mary of Evora became the Knights
    of Aviz in 1211 though under the control of the Spanish Knights
    of Calatrava. Benedictine Rule, later modified Cistercian. White
    habit with a green cross of Calatrava.


    1176
    Spain
    Hospytalers of Our Lady of Montjoie.
    Became the Order of Trufac in Aragon. Incorporated by the
    Order of Calatrava in 1221. Cistercian Rule. Black habit with a
    cross half white, half red. Often a Maltese cross.


    1190
    Order of the Teutonic House of St. Mary in Jerusalem
    Teutons.
     Papal approval in 1199. Started as strictly hospytals under the
    Augustinian Templar Rule but later adopted the Cistercian
    Templar Rule. Were always a small military presence in the
    Holy Land. Their true forte was in Baltic Crusades against the
    pagan Kuman, Prusiskai (Prussians), Livonians, Lithuanians,
    etc. Though they maintained a presence in the Holy Land. The
    HochMeisters were granted the title of Prince and could bear
    the Imperial Eagle on their  Arms in 1226. Probably Cistercian
    Rule. White habit with a black cross.


    1191
    Hospytalers of St. Thomas of Canterbury at Acre
    Knights of St. Thomas Acon.
    Maintained its Hospytal role in addition to fighting the Moslems.
    Cistercian Rule. Confused heraldry: white Scallop shell on a
    red cross, half red and half white cross, white cross upon a red
    cross, black habit or white habit.
Crusade to Jerusalem
Nov 3-5, 2007
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