What is an Order of Chivalry?
An”Order” of Chivalry is an organization of Knights, usually named after a Christian Patron Saint (such as the Order of St. John) or named after a place sacred to Christians (the Order of the Holy Sepulchre). Originally, there were no Orders of Chivalry; Knights were independent, and Knighthood was passed on from one Knight to a worthy man who had proved himself in battle, a practice which gave rise to the secular (non-religious) “Knight Bachelor” (which type of Knighthood still exists, as described below). However, as the King and Church began to recognize the value of Chivalry and Knighthood as marks of honor, the need developed to control the distribution and granting of the honor; therefore, Orders began to form, with the King or the high Church official granting Charters and sometimes acting as the head of the Order (the “Grand Master”) who controlled and asserted authority over the honor. The individual Knights of an Order cannot themselves grant Knighthood, but rather, the Order
