What orders were there in the Middle Ages? Knightly orders of the Middle Ages. The emergence of a new knightly monastic order

From 1100 to 1300, 12 knightly spiritual orders were formed in Europe. Three turned out to be the most powerful and viable: the Order of the Templars, the Order of the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Order.

Templars. Officially, this order was called the “Secret Knighthood of Christ and the Temple of Solomon,” but in Europe it was better known as the Order of the Knights of the Temple. His residence was located in Jerusalem, on the site where, according to legend, the temple of King Solomon was located (from the French temple - “temple”). The knights themselves were called templars. The creation of the order was proclaimed in 1118-1119. nine French knights led by Hugo de Paynes from Champagne. For nine years these nine knights remained silent; not a single chronicler of that time mentions them. But in 1127 they returned to France and declared themselves. And in 1128, a church council in Troyes (Champagne) officially recognized the order.

The Templar seal depicted two knights riding the same horse, which was supposed to speak of poverty and brotherhood. The symbol of the order was a white cloak with a red eight-pointed cross.

The goal of its members was “to take care, as far as possible, of roads and paths, and especially of the protection of pilgrims.” The charter prohibited any secular entertainment, laughter, singing, etc. Knights were required to take three vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. The discipline was strict: “Everyone does not follow his own will at all, but is more concerned about obeying the orderer.” The Order becomes an independent combat unit, subordinate only to the Grand Master (de Paynes was immediately proclaimed by him) and the Pope.

From the very beginning of their activities, the Templars gained great popularity in Europe. Despite and at the same time thanks to the vow of poverty, the order begins to accumulate great wealth. Each member donated his fortune to the order free of charge. The order received large possessions as a gift from the French and English kings and noble lords. In 1130, the Templars already had possessions in France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, and by 1140 - in Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Holy Land. In addition, the templars not only protected pilgrims, but also considered it their direct duty to attack trade caravans and rob them.

Templars by the 12th century. became owners of unheard-of wealth and owned not only lands, but also shipyards, ports, and had a powerful fleet. They lent money to impoverished monarchs and thereby could influence government affairs. By the way, it was the Templars who were the first to introduce accounting documents and bank checks.

The Knights of the Temple encouraged the development of science, and it is not surprising that many technical achievements (for example, the compass) were primarily in their hands.

Skilled knight surgeons healed the wounded - this was one of the duties of the order.

In the 11th century The Templars, as “the bravest and most experienced people in military affairs,” were granted the fortress of Gaza in the Holy Land. But arrogance brought a lot of harm to the “soldiers of Christ” and was one of the reasons for the defeat of Christians in Palestine. In 1191, the collapsed walls of the last fortress defended by the Templars, Saint-Jean-d'Acre, buried not only the Templars and their Grand Master, but also the glory of the order as an invincible army. The Templars moved from Palestine first to Cyprus, and then finally to Europe. Huge land holdings, powerful financial resources and the presence of knights of the order among high dignitaries forced the governments of Europe to reckon with the Templars and often resort to their help as arbitrators.

In the 13th century, when the Pope declared crusade against the heretics - the Cathars and Albigensians, the Templars, the support of the Catholic Church, almost openly came out on their side.

In their pride, the Templars imagined themselves omnipotent. In 1252, the English king Henry III, outraged by their behavior, threatened the Templars with confiscation of land holdings. To which the Grand Master replied: “As long as you do justice, you will rule. If you violate our rights, you are unlikely to remain king.” And this was not a simple threat. The Order could do it! The Knights Templar were many influential people in the kingdom, and the will of the overlord turned out to be less sacred than the oath of allegiance to the order.

In the XIV century. King Philip IV the Fair of France decided to get rid of the obstinate order, which, due to lack of affairs in the East, began to interfere, and very actively, in the state affairs of Europe. Philip did not at all want to be in the place of Henry of England. In addition, the king needed to solve his financial problems: he owed the Templars a huge amount of money, but he did not want to give it back.

Philip used a trick. He asked to be accepted into the order. But Grand Master Jean de Male politely but firmly refused him, realizing that the king wanted to take his place in the future. Then the Pope (whom Philip placed on the throne) invited the Templar Order to unite with its eternal rivals - the Hospitallers. In this case, the independence of the order would be lost. But the master again refused.

Then, in 1307, Philip the Fair ordered the arrest of all Templars in the kingdom. They were accused of heresy, serving the devil and witchcraft. (This was due to the mysterious rites of initiation into members of the order and the subsequent preservation of the secrecy of its actions.)

The investigation lasted seven years. Under torture, the templars confessed to everything, but during a public trial they recanted their testimony. On March 18, 1314, the Grand Master de Male and Prior of Normandy were burned to death over a low fire. Before his death, the Grand Master cursed the king and the Pope: “Pope Clement! King Philip! Not even a year will pass before I call you to God’s judgment!” The curse has come true. The pope died two weeks later, and the king died in the fall. Most likely, they were poisoned by the templars, skilled in making poisons.

Although Philip the Fair failed to organize the persecution of the Templars throughout Europe, the former power of the Templars was undermined. The remnants of this order were never able to unite, although its symbols continued to be used. Christopher Columbus discovered America under the Templar flag - a white banner with a red eight-pointed cross.

Hospitallers. The official name is “The Order of the Horsemen of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem” (from the Latin gospitalis - “guest”; originally the word “hospital” meant “hospital”). In 1070, a hospital for pilgrims to holy places was founded in Palestine by the merchant Mauro from Amalfi. Gradually, a brotherhood was formed there to care for the sick and wounded. It grew stronger, grew, began to exert quite a strong influence, and in 1113 it was officially recognized by the Pope as spiritual knightly order.

Knights took three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience. The symbol of the order was a white eight-pointed cross. It was originally located on the left shoulder of the black robe. The mantle had very narrow sleeves, which symbolized the monk's lack of freedom. Later, knights began to wear red robes with a cross sewn on the chest. The order had three categories: knights, chaplains and serving brethren. Since 1155, the Grand Master, who was proclaimed Raymond de Puy, became the head of the order. The General Chapter met to make the most important decisions. Members of the chapter gave the Grand Master a purse containing eight denarii, which was supposed to symbolize the knights' renunciation of wealth.

Initially, the main task of the order was caring for the sick and wounded. The main hospital in Palestine housed about 2 thousand beds. The knights distributed free aid to the poor and organized free lunches for them three times a week. The Hospitallers had a shelter for foundlings and infants. All sick and wounded had the same conditions: clothing and food of the same quality, regardless of origin. From the middle of the 12th century. The main duties of the knights become the war against infidels and the protection of pilgrims. The Order already has possessions in Palestine and Southern France. The Johannites, like the Templars, began to gain great influence in Europe.

At the end of the 12th century, when Christians were driven out of Palestine, the Johannites settled in Cyprus. But this situation did not suit the knights much. And in 1307, Grand Master Falcon de Villaret led the Johannites to storm the island of Rhodes. The local population, afraid of losing their independence, fiercely resisted. However, two years later the knights finally gained a foothold on the island and created strong defensive structures there. Now the Hospitallers, or, as they came to be called, the “Knights of Rhodes,” became an outpost of Christians in the East. In 1453, Constantinople fell - Asia Minor and Greece were completely in the hands of the Turks. The knights expected an attack on the island. It was not slow to follow. In 1480 the Turks attacked the island of Rhodes. The knights survived and repelled the attack. The Ioannites simply “became an eyesore to the Sultan” with their presence near its very shores, making it difficult to rule the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the Turks' patience was exhausted. In 1522, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent vowed to expel Christians from his domains. The island of Rhodes was besieged by a 200,000-strong army on 700 ships. The Johannites held out for three months before Grand Master Villiers de Lille Adan surrendered his sword to the Sultan. The Sultan, respecting the courage of his opponents, released the knights and even helped them with the evacuation.

The Johannites had almost no land in Europe. And so the defenders of Christianity arrived on the shores of Europe, which they had defended for so long. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V offered the Hospitallers the Maltese archipelago to live in. From now on, the Knights Hospitallers began to be called the Order knights of malta. The Maltese continued their fight against the Turks and sea pirates, fortunately the order had its own fleet. In the 60s XVI century Grand Master Jean de la Valette, having at his disposal 600 knights and 7 thousand soldiers, repelled the attack of a 35 thousand-strong army of selected Janissaries. The siege lasted four months: the knights lost 240 cavaliers and 5 thousand soldiers, but fought back.

In 1798, Bonaparte, going with an army to Egypt, took the island of Malta by storm and expelled the Knights of Malta from there. Once again the Johannites found themselves homeless. This time they found refuge in Russia, whose emperor, Paul I, they proclaimed Grand Master as a sign of gratitude. In 1800, the island of Malta was captured by the British, who had no intention of returning it to the Knights of Malta.

After the assassination of Paul I by the conspirators, the Johannites did not have a Grand Master or a permanent headquarters. Finally, in 1871, Jean-Baptiste Cescia-Santa Croce was proclaimed Grand Master.

Already from 1262, in order to join the Order of the Hospitallers, it was necessary to have a noble origin. Subsequently, there were two categories of those entering the order - knights by birth (cavalieri di giustizzia) and by vocation (cavalieri di grazzia). The latter category includes people who do not have to provide evidence of noble birth. It was enough for them to prove that their father and grandfather were not slaves and artisans. Also, monarchs who proved their loyalty to Christianity were accepted into the order. Women could also be members of the Order of Malta.

Grand Masters were chosen only from knights of noble birth. The Grand Master was almost the sovereign sovereign of the island of Malta. The symbols of his power were the crown, the “dagger of faith” - the sword and the seal. From the Pope, the Grand Master received the title of “guardian of the Jerusalem court” and “guardian of the army of Christ.” The order itself was called the “Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem.”

The knights had certain responsibilities to the order - they could not leave the barracks without the permission of the Grand Master, and spent a total of five years in the convention (dormitory, more precisely, the barracks of the knights) on the island of Malta. The knights had to sail on the ships of the order for at least 2.5 years - this duty was called a “caravan”.

By the middle of the 19th century. The Order of Malta is transforming from a military one into a spiritual and charitable corporation, which it remains to this day. The residence of the Knights of Malta is now located in Rome.

The Cross of the Order of Malta has served since the 18th century. one of the highest awards in Italy, Austria, Prussia, Spain and Russia. Under Paul I it was called the Cross of St. John of Jerusalem.

Teutons (Teutonic, or German, order. “Order of the House of St. Mary of the Teutonic”). In the 12th century. in Jerusalem there was a hospital (“hospital house”) for German-speaking pilgrims. He became the predecessor of the Teutonic Order. Initially, the Teutons occupied a subordinate position in relation to the Order of the Hospitallers. But then in 1199 the Pope approved the charter of the order, and Henry Walpot was proclaimed Grand Master. However, only in 1221 were all the privileges that the other, senior orders of the Templars and Johannites had extended to the Teutons.

The knights of the order took vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. Unlike other orders, whose knights were of different “languages” (nationalities), the Teutonic Order was mainly composed of German knights.

The symbols of the order were a white cloak and a simple black cross.

The Teutons very quickly abandoned their duties of protecting pilgrims and treating the wounded in Palestine. Any attempts by the Teutons to interfere in the affairs of the powerful Holy Roman Empire were suppressed. Fragmented Germany did not provide the opportunity to expand, as the Templars did in France and England. Therefore, the Order began to engage in “good activities” - to carry the word of Christ to the eastern lands with fire and sword, leaving others to fight for the Holy Sepulcher. The lands that the knights conquered became their possession under the supreme power of the order. In 1198, the knights became the main striking force of the crusade against the Livonians and conquered the Baltic countries at the beginning of the 13th century. founding Riga. This is how the state of the Teutonic Order was formed. Further, in 1243, the knights conquered the Prussians and took the northern lands from the Polish state.

There was another German order - the Livonian Order. In 1237, the Teutonic Order united with him and decided to move to conquer the northern Russian lands, expanding its borders and strengthening its influence. In 1240, the order's allies, the Swedes, suffered a crushing defeat from Prince Alexander Yaroslavich on the Neva. And in 1242, the same fate befell the Teutons - about 500 knights died, and 50 were taken prisoner. The plan to annex Russian territory to the lands of the Teutonic Order was a complete failure. The Teutonic Grand Masters were constantly afraid of the unification of Rus' and tried to prevent this by any means. However, a powerful and dangerous enemy stood in their way - the Polish-Lithuanian state. In 1409, war broke out between him and the Teutonic Order. The combined forces in 1410 defeated the Teutonic knights at the Battle of Grunwald. But the misfortunes of the order did not end there. The Grand Master of the order, like the Maltese, was a sovereign sovereign. In 1511, he became Albert of Hohenzollern, who, being a “good Catholic,” did not support the Reformation, which was fighting against the Catholic Church. And in 1525 he proclaimed himself the secular sovereign of Prussia and Brandenburg and deprived the order of both possessions and privileges. After such a blow, the Teutons never recovered, and the order continued to eke out a miserable existence.

In the 20th century German fascists extolled the previous merits of the order and its ideology. They also used the symbols of the Teutons. Remember, the Iron Cross (a black cross on a white background) is an important award of the Third Reich. However, the members of the order themselves were persecuted, apparently as having failed to live up to their trust.

The Teutonic Order formally exists in Germany to this day.

References:

To prepare this work, materials from the site http://www.bestreferat.ru were used

Emergence knightly orders, due to the advent of the Crusades in the XII-XIII centuries. Such organizations were communities of military personalities and Catholic monks. The ideology of the orders was associated with the confrontation between infidels, pagans, robbers, heretics, Muslims and other unholy heresies they considered. Knights of such orders were on the side of the Inquisition and fought against witches. The plans of the orders included constant forays and raids in the Holy Land, Ottoman Empire, Spain, Lithuania, Estonia, Prussia and even Russia. In these lands, their necessity was to introduce Catholicism to the Orthodox believers, or to overthrow Muslim rule by force.
Many knightly orders, under the influence of constant support from the state, became wealthy and dominant. At their disposal were land, peasant work force, economics and politics.
At the head of the knightly order was the Grand Master or Grandmaster. Its leadership was appointed by the Catholic Pope. The master gave instructions to commanders, commanders and marshals. The chiefs had subordinate provincial divisions of the orders. The marshals managed financial affairs. The commanders carried out the orders of castles and fortresses. Volunteers who just joined the orders were called neophytes. Each newcomer underwent a rite of passage. Serving in the knightly order was considered honorable and prestigious. Heroic deeds were greatly appreciated by their fans.
In total there were about 19 orders of knighthood. The most famous of them are the Templar Order, the Hospitaller Order and the Teutonic Order. They are so famous that legends are made about them to this day, books are written, films are made and games are programmed.

Warband

Warband was a German, knightly community with a spiritual ideology, which was formed at the end 12th century.
According to one version, the founder of the order was a noble duke Frederick of Swabia November 19, 1190. During this period, he captured Acre fortress V Israel, where hospital residents found a permanent home for him. According to another version, at the moment when the Teutons captured Acre, a hospital was organized. Ultimately, Frederick transformed it into a spiritual knightly order led by the clergyman Conrad. IN 1198 the community of knights was finally approved under the name of the spiritual knightly order. Many spiritual figures of the Templars and Hospitallers, as well as clergy from Jerusalem, arrived at the solemn event.
The main goal of the Teutonic Order was to protect local knights, heal the sick and fight heretics who, by their actions, contradicted the tenets of the Catholic Church. The most important leaders of the German community were Pope And Holy Roman Emperor.
IN 1212-1220. The Teutonic Order was moved from Israel to Germany , in town Eschenbach, which belonged to the lands of Bavaria. Such an initiative came to the mind of Count Boppo von Wertheim and he turned his idea into reality with the permission of the church. Now the spiritual knightly order began to rightfully be considered German.
By this time, the success of the knightly order began to bring great enrichment and glory. Such a merit could not have been achieved without the Grand Master Hermann von Salza. In Western countries, many fans of the Teutons are beginning to appear, wanting to take advantage of the mighty strength and military power of the German knights. So, Hungarian King Andras II turned to the Teutonic Order for help in the fight against the Cumans. Thanks to this, German soldiers gained autonomy in the lands of Burzenland, southeastern Transylvania. Here the Teutons built 5 famous castles: Schwarzenburg, Marienburg, Kreuzburg, Kronstadt and Rosenau. With such protective support and support, the cleansing of the Polovtsians was carried out at an accelerated pace. In 1225, the Hungarian nobility and their king became very jealous of the Teutonic Order. This led to numerous evictions from Hungary, with only a small number of Germans remaining, joining the Saxons.
The Teutonic Order was involved in the fight against the Prussian pagans in 1217 who began to seize Polish lands. Prince of Poland, Konrad Mazowiecki, asked for help from the Teutonic Knights, in return, promising the captured lands, as well as the cities of Kulm and Dobryn. Sphere of influence began in 1232 , when the first fortress was built near the Vistula River. This justification marked the beginning of the construction of the city of Thorn. Following this, numerous castles began to be erected in the northern regions of Poland. These included: Velun, Kandau, Durben, Velau, Tilsit, Ragnit, Georgenburg, Marienwerder, Barga and famous Koenigsberg. The Prussian army was larger than the Teutonic one, but the Germans cunningly entered into battles with small detachments and lured many to their side. Thus, the Teutonic Order was able to defeat them, even despite the assistance of the enemy from the Lithuanians and the Pomeranians.
The Teutons also invaded Russian lands, taking advantage of the moment of their weakening from the Mongol oppressors. Gathering a united army Baltic And Danish crusaders, and also inspired by the instructions of the Catholic Pope, the German order attacked Pskov possessions of Rus' and captured village Izborsk. Pskov was under siege for a long time, and later was finally captured. The reason for this was the betrayal of many Russian residents of this region. IN Novgorodskiy lands, the crusaders built a fortress Koporye . Russian sovereign Alexander Nevskiy, during the battles liberated this fortress. And ultimately, united with Vladimir reinforcements, he returned Pskov to Rus' in a decisive Battle on the Ice April 5, 1242 on Lake Peipsi. The Teutonic troops were defeated. The decisive defeat forced the order to leave the Russian lands.
Ultimately, the Teutonic Order began to weaken and significantly lose its power. The constant influence of the German invaders, aggressive Lithuania And Poland against the order . Polish Army And Principality of Lithuania forced the Teutons to suffer defeat at the Battle of Grunwald July 15, 1410. Half of the army of the Teutonic Order was destroyed, captured, and the main commanders were killed.

Order of Calatrava

Order of Calatrava was the very first knightly and Catholic order of Spain since the 12th century. The order was founded by Cistercian monks in Castile in 1157. And in 1164, the order was officially confirmed by the pope Alexander III. The name itself " Calatrava" originates from the name of the Moorish castle, located in the lands of Castile and held in battle by the king Alfonso VII V 1147. The existing castle was constantly attacked by enemies. At first it was defended by the Templars, and later, at the insistence of Abbot Raymond, monastic knights of peasant origin came to the rescue, led by Diego Velasquez. After constant clashes with enemies, Order of Calatrava, received a new birth in 1157 under the leadership of King Alfonso.
Later, after 1163 years The influence of the order expanded significantly, which made it possible to carry out attack raids. Many knights did not like the new militarization and left the community. New rules were included in the disciplinary routine. Warriors had to go to bed in knightly armor and wear white cloth, with a symbol of a cross-shaped flower in the form of a red lily.
The Order of Calatrava organized a number of military campaigns with successful military forays. The king of Castile rewarded the knights, where victorious glory warmed up the warriors to serve Aragon. But after the glorious victories, a streak of defeats followed. Irreconcilable enmity with the Moors from Africa forced the warriors of the order to surrender their positions and the fortress to Calatrava in 1195. After this, the order began to accumulate new forces in a new, built Salvatierre Castle . New warriors were invited there. But in 1211 and this castle fell miserably to the Moors. The Crusade helped return the lost Calatrava to the knights. 1212. Under such pressure, the Moors weakened and their dominance lost significance. The Order of Calatrava, for security reasons, moved its residence to a new location. The distance from the old location was about 8 miles. Under new influence, 2 new orders were organized: Alcantara and Avisa.
In the 13th century, the Order of Calatrava became strong and powerful. In military participation, the community could field a huge number of knights. But further wealth and power made the royal nobility show envy towards him and give rise to new conflicts.

Order of Avis

The appearance is due community Calatravas when former participants at the time of the crusade 1212, for reliability, organized in the new lands, Portuguese Order of Avis for protection from the Moors. In the interests of the kings, the idea arose to keep crusading knights in the service to fight the infidels. The Templars, who previously lived in Portuguese lands, had a huge influence on the Order of Avis. IN 1166 knightly community, the eastern city was successfully liberated Evora. In honor of such a significant event, the sovereign presented the leadership of the order with existing lands. IN XV century, the Royal Council of Portugal, organized a campaign in North Africa. The very first leader of Avis became Pedro Afonso. The Avis Castle was made the main center of the order. Important decisions and spiritual regulations were made here. Ultimately, the knights of the Order of Avis became full landowners with their own colonies. The Portuguese Order gained financial power, which allowed it to control political and economic decisions.

Order of Santiago

Order of Santiago was a Spanish order of knighthood that was formed around 1160. The word "Santiago" was named after the patron saint of Spain. The main task of the order was to protect the pilgrims' road to the chambers of the Apostle James. The order arose in two cities at once, Leon And Cuenca. These 2 urban lands competed with each other, thereby taking the dominant influence into their hands. But after their unification by the Castilian king Ferdinand III, the problem was successfully resolved. The Order was moved to the city of Cuenca.
Unlike other knightly communities and Calatrava, Santiago's routine was much gentler than others. All members of the order had the right to marry. Thanks to this, the Order of Santiago was much larger in the number of its inhabitants and in its proportionate volume. It had 2 cities, more than a hundred villages and 5 monasteries.
The number of troops was 400 horsemen and 1000 foot knights. The Order of Santiago actively participated in battles with Muslims and the Crusades. The charter required newcomers to serve as rowers for a six-month period before joining the ranks of soldiers. All ancestors of a given crusader had to be noble and of noble blood.
The managing leaders of the order were constantly replaced by others. Over the course of several centuries, 40 masters were replaced. All 15th century, was in the championship for the rightful influence over the order.

Order of Saint Lazarus

Order of Saint Lazarus arose in Palestine under the influence of the Crusaders and Hospitallers in 1098. At first, the community was a hospital for visitors. Knights suffering from leprosy were received in her chambers. Later, it turned into a powerful, paramilitary military order. It contained Greek ideology, which was responsible for spiritual decisions. The symbol of Lazarus was a green cross on a white background. This image was painted on coats of arms and on clothes made of light-colored material. At the very beginning of the historical period, the Order of Lazarus was not recognized by the church leadership and was considered to exist unofficially.
"Saint Lazarus"took part in hostilities against Muslims in Jerusalem. This was the period of the Third Crusade in 1187. And in 1244 The Order of Lazarus lost the battle in Forbia which happened 17 October. Such a defeat ended with the expulsion of the knights from Palestine. The order was moved to France, where it began to engage in medical craft.
IN 1517 there was a unification of the community with the Order of St. Mauritius. Despite this, the Order of Lazarus still continued to exist.

Order of Montegaudio

Order of Montegaudio is a Spanish order of chivalry, which was founded by Count Rodrigo Alvarez in 1172. This founder was a member of the Order of Santiago. The name Montegaudio was given by the participants in honor of one hill from which the crusaders discovered Jerusalem. Thus, a fortress was built on this hill, and soon the order itself was formed. IN 1180 the community officially recognized the church leadership and the Catholic pope Alexander III. The symbol of Montegaudio was a red and white cross, which was half painted over. It was worn on all attributes of equipment, including on clothes made of white cloth. All members of the community led an alienated lifestyle. Their life routine was similar to the Cistercians.
IN 1187 Many members of the Order of Montegaudio took part in the bloody battle of Hattin with the Muslim armies. The outcome of the duel ended in the complete defeat of Montegaudio, where most of the knights were killed. The survivors took refuge in Aragon. Here, in 1188, V Teruel city, members of the former knightly community organized a medical hospital Holy Redeemer.
IN 1196, the Order of Montegaudio was disbanded due to a lack of knights to join the ranks. Its former members united with Templars and with Order of Calatrava .

Order of the Sword

Order of the Sword was a German, knightly order with a Catholic ideology, formed in 1202 monk Theodoric. He was also Deputy Bishop Albert Buxhoeveden from Latvia, who preached in Livonia. The order was officially approved by the Catholic Church in 1210. The main symbolizing design was a red cross drawn on top of a scarlet sword on a white background.
The sword-bearers were subject to the leadership of the bishop. All actions were carried out only with his approval. The entire routine was supported by the Templar charter. The community of the order was divided into knights, priests and servants. The knights were descendants of small feudal lords. Servants were recruited from ordinary townspeople, who became squires, servants, messengers and artisans. master stood at the head of the order, and chapter decided his important matters.
As in all other orders, castles were built and fortified in the occupied territories. Most of the captured lands were transferred to the rule of the order. The rest was handed over to the bishop.
The Order of the Swordsmen was at enmity with Lithuania and the Semigallians. Military campaigns were carried out by both sides against each other. Russian princes often participated on the side of the Lithuanians. IN February 1236 took place crusade against Lithuania, which ended in the complete defeat of the order and the murder master's degree Volguina von Namburg. The remnants of the Swordsmen joined the Teutonic Order May 12, 1237.

Dobrinsky Order

Dobrinsky Order Poland, was organized as a defense against Prussian invasions. Its founders are Polish princes and bishops who wanted to create a prototype of the Teutonic Order. 1222, a significant date of its creation. The symbolism of the community was very similar to the sword bearers. The routine and discipline were exactly like them and the Templar Order.
The same red sword was visible in the images, but only in place of the cross was a scarlet star. It characterized Jesus' appeal to the pagans. The drawing could be seen on all the knightly paraphernalia of this community.
The Order was hiring 1500 German knights for his retinue, who gathered in the Polish city of Dobrynya. At the head " dobrinichi" got up Konrad Mazowiecki.
The glory and exploits of the Dobrin Order were unsuccessful. The community existed for about 20 years and only 1233, in the battle of Sirgun the knights distinguished themselves by winning 1000+ Prussians. Further, the order united with the Teutons, with the favor of the pope. Later, in 1237 Konrad Mazowiecki wanted to reassemble the Order of Dobrin in the Polish castle of Dorogiczyn, but Danil Galitsky broke them. The final cessation of existence occurred in XIV century, when absolutely all the leaders of the order died.

Order of Montesa

Order of Montesa was a Spanish knightly order that was formed in XIV century. It was organized in 1317, in Aragon. He continued the ideology of the Templars and roughly followed the tradition of the Crusaders. The Spanish crown was in great need of protection from the Moors from the south, so it was always glad to receive the support of the followers of the Templars. New decree of the Catholic Pope 1312, who oppressed the rights of the Templars, obliged them to transfer to the ranks of this Order of Montesa at the command of King of Sicily Jaime II.
The order was named after the fortress Saint George in Montes. It was here that he was first educated. IN 1400 there was a merger with the order San Jorge de Alfama, doubling the existing force. IN 1587 the kingdom of Spain subjugated Montesa's property and the order began to depend on him. This situation continued until 19th century until all the possessions of the knightly community were confiscated by Spain.

Order of Christ

Order of Christ was a knightly order in Portugal, which continued the craft of the Templars. IN 1318 Portuguese King Danish, officially adopted and established this community. All members of the order received dominant lands and a castle from Pope John Tomar . This stone defense withstood the formidable onslaught of the warring Moors.
IN 1312 The order turned out to be dissolved and for many noble leaders this situation did not suit them. IN 1318 King Danish gathers all the former knights into a new community called "Christ's Militia". The new castle became the habitat Castro Marim in the south of the Algarve. After a turbulent time in combat with the Moors, the knights were again in danger of collapse. Prince Henry turned the order against the rulers of Morocco in order to collect taxes from African products for the restoration of the castle of Tomar.
Many members of the order took part in seafaring voyages, including with Vasca da Gama. The ships' sails bore the symbols of the order, in the form of a large scarlet cross. Some members of the order began to contradict the rules and regulations associated with celibacy. Therefore, Pope Alexander Borzhdu had to make significant changes to the internal regulations of the discipline, in favor of its participants.
King Manuel relied on the constant support of the order and ultimately, such dependence led to the seizure of church property in favor of the state. The final transition of the Order of Christ from ecclesiastical influence to the kingdom took place in 1789.

Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem

The foundation of this order belongs to Godfrey of Bouillon. This famous leader led First Crusade, and after graduation, created a community in 1113 with blessings Popes. Godfrey had a great opportunity to take the proposed power into his own hands by ruling the Kingdom of Jerusalem. But the noble character of the knight chose the path of renouncing the throne, choosing at the same time the status of the main defender of the Holy Sepulcher.
The main goal of all members of the order was to protect Christian pilgrims from aggressive foreigners and spread the faith in the earthen districts of Palestine. Many of the pilgrims eventually decided to join the knightly community. Replenishment of the ranks of sacred warriors could be carried out by mercenaries from Palestine.
IN 1496 Order of the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord of Jerusalem was moved from Jerusalem V Rome. This position contributed to leading the community Pope Alexander IV as Grand Master.

Order of St. George

Order of St. George- this is a knightly order Hungary created by the king Karl Robert in 1326. The reason for the creation of such an order was to strengthen the position of the king, which was under threat from the Hungarian aristocracy. The whole mess escalated into armed confrontation between the true sovereign and the barons. In this fight Carl Robert I had to steadfastly adhere to my titular position, which was encroached upon by outside nobility. Many nobles supported the king and his views.
The knight's tournament served as a demonstration event marking the official beginning of the opening of the order. The number of knights of St. George did not exceed 50. They took an oath to serve faithfully to their king, protect the church craft from heretics and pagans, and also protect the weak from vile enemies and invaders. New warriors were accepted only with the agreement of all members of the community. The Order, unlike many, did not have a Grand Master. But St. George had a chancellor, as well as a secular and spiritual judge.
The symbol of the order was a red shield with a white double cross on it.

8-04-2017, 13:38 |

Monastic and knightly orders Western Europe this is perhaps the most attractive theme of the Middle Ages. Probably, in terms of popularity, it is on a par with. The theme of knightly orders is attractive for its mystical meaning, which many contemporaries surrounded it with. Knightly and monastic orders later became the prototype for the creation of various secret organizations in Europe.

The most famous order is the Order of the Templars. He has already been mystified to such an extent that many curses and murders have been attributed to him. Not everything is so simple. This topic is not entirely purely historical. It is more like a more philosophical topic that requires deep understanding. Understanding is needed in order to understand what a medieval order is, whether mysticism is inherent in it, and whether all the secrets of these organizations have been unraveled.

The emergence of knightly orders

Traditionally, the time of origin of the orders of knights is attributed to the period - this is approximately the beginning of the 12th century. If you remember, in Clermont in 1096, Pope Urban II convened a council and proclaimed the idea of ​​​​committing a crusade. It was necessary to recapture the holy lands in Jerusalem, which were captured by the Muslims, where the main shrines of Christians were located. The participants of the campaign had to forgive all their sins.

In the course of the movement, knightly orders were born, which retained their monastic rules. The very word “order” literally means to obey. This is how half-monks and half-warriors appeared in the Early Middle Ages. Moreover, this was not very typical for that period. At the same time, members of the order could shed blood and pray, while they protected pilgrims () on the way to Jerusalem.

If we go into more detail, the monastic orders had their own humane prehistory. Orders were formed gradually starting from the 7th century. At that time there was a hospital for pilgrims. This is a place where pilgrims could rest and heal. It was located in Jerusalem. There, believers could take a break before heading home. The hospital existed on donations from Christian countries and wealthy pilgrims. After civil strife in the Arab Caliphate, the hospital was closed, but in 1023, by order of the Egyptian Caliph, it was reopened.

How did a simple hospital become related to monastic orders? The point is that the provision medical care was associated with the activities of monasteries. The monks were obliged to provide shelter and assistance to wanderers and pilgrims. So the hospital named after St. John the Baptist in Jerusalem soon became monastic. Those monks were called Ionites, or Hospitallers.

Transformation of a monastic order into a knightly one

In order for a monastic order to become a military or knightly order, only one step had to be taken. The military at that time was needed to protect pilgrims on the caravan routes on the way to Jerusalem. Initially, these soldiers were even recruited from among local Muslim Arabs. In principle, this did not matter much. They were simply people who accompanied caravans of pilgrims.

In 1096 everything changed, in 1099 the first was successful and they took Jerusalem. Pilgrims (crusaders) and their military guards entered the city. The establishment of the Kingdom of Jerusalem begins. Gradually, some of the knights, from among the crusaders, entered service at John's Hospital in Jerusalem.

1099-1113 This is a period of hidden development of the hospital. At that time it was not yet clear what kind of organization this was. Either this is a hospital with a small military guard, or it is still a knightly military organization. Further, the activities of this hospital intersect with the activities of another knightly organization. It will become, along with the Hospitallers, the most famous knightly monastic order. And her activities will attract the attention of historians and other scientists.

The emergence of a new knightly monastic order

Hugh de Payen and other knights and servants organized a detachment that was supposed to guard the pilgrims who were traveling to Jerusalem along the dry route. Arriving in Jerusalem, the knights turned to the king with a request to appoint them officially as guards of pilgrims and to provide premises for the placement of the order. So they promised to defend the Christian faith and bring income to the local treasury.

The knights were given premises in former stables, which were located in a previously existing Jewish temple. Later they received their name from the French language - Templars. This is how the next knightly monastic order appears, which does not yet have official status. There are no rules yet, no charter. Initially, it was simply an organization of people who decided to devote themselves to such activities - that is, to wage war against the infidels and protect the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Gradually another new order appears. There in Jerusalem, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, that is, in the center of the Christian faith. This is the guard of the Holy Sepulchre. Now they are called the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher and are often confused with the Order of the Templars. First of all, their emblems are similar at first glance. Unlike other orders, these knights do not have a leader (master). And they report directly to the king of Jerusalem. As part of the king's personal army, the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher received various privileges from him.

The Knights of the Holy Sepulcher received payment from the King of Jerusalem. However, their respect in society was somewhat less than that of the Hospitallers and Templars. These two orders lived off donations from pilgrims and merchants. The Templars were also respected and received donations from church communities and other people who were not directly involved in the campaign. However, these people wanted to receive the Pope's blessing and have their sins absolved.

Registration of the status of knightly orders

Only 20 years after the start of the activities of these orders, a monk and a very revered man, Saint Bernard wrote a treatise or charter of the knightly monastic order. In it, he clearly defined that the knight-monk is a completely new, elite and prestigious, holy and formidable social stratum. The presence of such status in a person sharply elevated him in society.

A member of the order - he is a monk, that's why

1. Must be restrained;
2. Observe all fasts;
3. Pray daily;
4. He has no right to touch women;
5. Cannot have his own property.

In exchange for such obedience, he receives good food, clothing, and weapons. They fought and were considered the military elite of that time. It was for such knights that the modern concept of pension provision subsequently appeared. A wounded or maimed warrior still continued to remain a member of the order and received food and other benefits. The spiritual aspect was also important - a representative of the order could count on the salvation of his soul. Even if he committed some misdeeds, the war with the Muslims atoned for everything.

Such knightly organizations represented a microstate. They were subordinate to the master, subject to discipline. This made it an important part of the military structure. For them there was no term of service in a year, as was the case, for example, with ordinary knights. They must always be ready to go into battle at the first call.

The structure and life of knightly monastic orders

The Templars and other orders were always ready. Even when there was no military action, the knight had to engage in daily military training:

1. Workout;
2. Education;
3. taking care of your horse;
4. caring for your weapon;

All these are the main occupations of a member of the order. If you take a Knight Hospitaller, he also serves in a hospital, that is, he receives medical skills. At the same time, it doesn’t matter what family the knight belongs to and what his rank is, he must do this.

It can be assumed that in this way the military elite became more and more disciplined and moderate. Everyone in the order must understand that they serve a higher purpose and must submit to it. The main goal is more important than any humiliation and misfortune, it is above all.

Knightly monastic orders become over time a new militia, a new elite of the military hierarchy. And many subsequent victories are connected precisely with the actions of the orders. Any successes increased the status of the orders and elevated them among other military units. Attempts were made to found new orders; several dozen of them were founded later. The largest orders have been studied by historians, some of them have survived to this day in one form or another, mainly as charitable organizations.

When joining the ranks of the order, the knight renounced his property and all material benefits. He passed it on to his relatives. Very often, knights donated their wealth to the order. Over time, many knightly organizations became rich in this way, mainly through plots of land. These were feudal plots inhabited by serfs. They fulfilled all feudal duties, and the income went to the benefit of the order.

The rise of spiritual orders

With all the wealth that the orders received as donations, they did not stop there. By having overall management of their properties, they streamlined their farms and made them more productive. Thus their wealth increased even more. It can be assumed that religious orders became the first capitalist organizations in Europe.

Over time, the economy of such orders began to play an even greater role than their military component. They continued to protect pilgrims and religious sites in the same way. At the same time, they did this in small detachments. Only a noble person could become a member of the order. Usually these were the younger sons of feudal lords, who could no longer claim to inherit a land plot.

Thus, knightly organizations arose from the beginning. Over time, they turned into a powerful military organization that had its own charter and was very disciplined. During their heyday they had an extensive economic activity, with which they received income for the benefit of the order.

Knightly orders video

Order of St. John (Hospitaliers)

Christian pilgrims came to the Holy Land exhausted from travel; many fell ill and were left without care. Immediately after Jerusalem was taken by the crusaders (1099), several French knights united to found a hospice in which pilgrims could find shelter. They formed a spiritual congregation, whose members pledged to devote themselves to caring for the poor and sick, to live on bread and water, and to wear simple clothing, “like the poor, their masters.” These knights lived on alms, which the people they sent collected in all Christian countries and which they then stored in the room for the sick. Their hospital was called the “Hospital of the Jerusalem Hospital” or the Hospital of St. John. Later he changed his character. In addition to the knights, there were also novices, that is, servants who looked after the sick. The hospital sheltered up to 2 thousand sick people, and alms were distributed daily; they even say that the Muslim Sultan Saladin disguised himself as a beggar in order to familiarize himself with the charitable activities of the Hospitallers. This spiritual-knightly order retained its name, the Hospitallers of St. John (or Johannites) and its seal, which depicted a sick man stretched out on a bed with a cross at his head and a lamp at his feet. But the knights who joined the Order of St. John formed a military community whose task was to fight the infidels.

Only knights of noble birth or the side sons of princes were allowed to be among the Hospitallers; each new member had to bring with him full weapons or contribute 2 thousand Turkish sous to the arsenal of the order. In all states of Syria, the princes granted the Hospitallers the right to build castles outside the cities and fortified houses in the cities. The main settlements of the spiritual knightly order of the Johannites were in the regions of Antioch and Tripoli, around Lake Tiberias and on the Egyptian border. His Markab Castle, built in 1186, occupied the entire area of ​​the plateau, which sloped steeply into the valley, had a church and a village, and contained a garrison of a thousand people and supplies for 5 years; The bishop of Valenia found refuge here. In all European countries the Hospitallers acquired possessions; in the 13th century they had, according to legend, 19 thousand monasteries. In each of them lived several knights with commander; many villages named after Saint-Jean are ancient Hospitaller villages command.

Entrance to the Palace of the Grand Masters of the Johannite Order on the island of Rhodes

Order of the Templars (templars)

Before this spiritual-knightly order changed its character, several knights, who were bored with caring for the sick, wanted to find an occupation that would better suit their tastes. In 1123, eight French knights formed a brotherhood whose members pledged to accompany pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem to protect them against infidels; They elected Hugh de Payens as Grand Master of the Order. King Baldwin gave them part of his palace, the so-called Temple(literally “Temple”) , built on site ancient Solomon's temple; they took the name Poor Brothers of the Temple of Jerusalem, or Templars (lit. “Templars”). The famous saint of that time, Bernard of Clairvaux, patronized them and took part in drawing up their charter, which partly reproduced the Cistercian charter. The charter of the spiritual-knightly order of the Templars was approved at the Council of Troyes (1128). The order consisted of members of three kinds; monastic vows of poverty, obedience and chastity were obligatory for everyone. Knights the Templars had people of noble birth; they alone could be the heads of monasteries and hold positions in the order. Servants there were rich townspeople who gave their property to the order and took the place of either squires or stewards; they managed the financial affairs of the Templar Order; the coastal commander, who oversaw the boarding of ships and the disembarkation of pilgrims, was a minister. Priests performed spiritual duties in the order. The popes who patronized the Templars allowed them to have their own chapels and cemeteries and choose their own priests to perform divine services in their monasteries. They decreed that all clergy in the service of the order should submit not to their bishop, but to the Grand Master of the Templars (bull 1162). Thus, the spiritual knightly order of the Templars became an independent church within the Roman Church, subordinate only to the pope. Secular princes, especially French ones, out of respect for these knights, who devoted themselves to the continuous war of the crusade, gave them large gifts. Later, the order owned 10 thousand monasteries in Europe, a fleet, banks and such a rich treasury that it could offer 100 thousand gold for the island of Cyprus.

Armament and emblem of the spiritual knightly order of the Templars

Both the Hospitallers and the Templars were French orders. When the Germans began to come to the Holy Land in greater numbers, they also felt the need to have a hospice in which their language would be spoken. There was a refuge for German pilgrims in Jerusalem, but it depended on the Order of the Hospitallers. During the siege of Saint-Jean d'Acre (1189) by the crusaders, several Germans gathered their sick on one ship, which had fallen into disrepair. The German princes gave them funds to found a hospital, which was organized in 1197 on the model of the hospital of St. John. Members of the new order were German knights who pledged to both care for the sick and fight the infidels.They took the name Brothers of the German House, and later they began to be called more often knights of the Teutonic Order. During the stay of Emperor Frederick II in Palestine, they acquired estates and built themselves the Montfort Castle near Saint-Jean d'Acre (1229), which remained the center of the order until 1271.

Hermann von Salza - Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, moved his residence from Palestine to the Baltic at the beginning of the 13th century

General features of spiritual knightly orders

All three of these spiritual-knightly orders were religious brotherhoods and took the usual three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Each order was organized on the model of Cluny or Cistercian. General Chapter(that is, the collection of officials and heads of monasteries that were part of the order) governed the entire order. Individual monasteries were like estates that were managed at the expense of the order. But these monks were also knights: their mission was war. They were all, without exception, of noble origin, and their leaders were often large lords. The head of the spiritual knightly order was called not an abbot, but a grand master, the head of a monastery was not a prior, but a commander. Their clothes were half monastic, half military: they wore knightly armor and a cloak on top. The Hospitallers had a black cloak and a white cross; the Templars have a white cloak and a red cross; The knights of the Teutonic Order have a white cloak and a black cross. Each order, with its own treasury, its estates, fortresses and soldiers, was like a small state.