Knighthood, Orders of. Knights of the Middle Ages banded themselves together in groups called orders. They vowed loyalty to their king or lord and formed a military organization to defend his land against enemies. During the Crusades, orders of knighthood fought the Muslims in the Holy Land. The knights who joined these orders took religious vows to live as monks as well as loyal fighting brothers. The most famous of the religious orders were the Knights Hospitallers, the Knights Templars, and the Teutonic Knights.
Honorary orders.
Honorary orders of knighthood were copied from the military orders of knighthood of the Middle Ages. They were founded by a ruler or lawmaking body to honor achievement and give special favor. In many countries, membership in these orders is given for achievement in the arts, the sciences, and business, as well as for military distinction.
The chief British orders of knighthood, with the dates of their founding, include: The Order of the Garter (1349); the Order of the Thistle (1687); the Order of the Bath (1725); the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (1818); and the Royal Victorian Order (1896). The Order of the British Empire was created in 1917. It has five different classes for men and women, two of which carry the honor of knighthood. They are Knights (or Dames) Grand Cross and Knights (or Dames) Commander. A knight who does not belong to any special order is known as a knight bachelor.
In the United Kingdom, new knights are named on New Year’s Day or in the spring. Membership in an order entitles the holder to be called Sir. The wife of a knight is called Lady. A woman who is given the rank corresponding to knighthood is called Dame.
Other well-known European orders of knighthood and their founding dates are the Seraphim of Sweden (1748), the Golden Fleece of Spain and Austria (1429), the Danish Order of the Elephant (1462), the Saint Andrew of Russia (1698), the Black Eagle of Prussia (1701), the Legion of Honor of France (1802), and the Norwegian Order of Saint Olaf (1847).
A person who is made a member of an order of knighthood receives a badge or jewel at a ceremony called an investiture. On formal occasions, the person wears the star of the order on his or her chest.
United States.
There are no official orders of knighthood in the United States. But several organizations have called their members knights. The best known of these groups is the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal order of Roman Catholic men. Another organization, the Knights of Labor, formed a major trade union movement.
