KNIGHTHOOD
132
KNILL
conquest of Rhodes, 1308. Driven out of Rhodes by the Turks, 15-22, they received Malta from the emperor Oharles V, 1530. The order expired with the surrender of the island to Napoleon in 1798, See Hospitallers. (III.) The Kiiif/hts of the Temple, or Red Cross Knights, founded in 1118 by two French Crusaders, Hugo de Pa- ijanis and Godfrey Aldemar (or of St. Omer), and organ- ized in 1128. Their rules were tlrawn up for them by Bernard of Clairvaux. Their badge was a red cross em- broidered on a white cloak ; their emblem, two luiights on one horse, to indicate their vow of poverty. They soon, however, acquired immense wealth, and were ac- cused of horrid vices and crimes ; but Ashmole remarks that many sober men judge that their wealth was their greatest crime. After sharp persecutions and iniqui- tous trials, they were suppressed with savage cruelty in France by Philippe le Bel, 1310, and soon after in other countries. They were charged with the possession of 40,000 lordships in Europe. See Templars,
(IV,) The Knights of Mart/, or the Teutonic Order, established for the support of poor pilgrims of all na- tions by wealthy German knights, organized in 1190 by the survivors of the army of Frederick Barbarossa, Their distinctive garb was a white mantle, having on the front a black cross with a white potence. Before the loss of Palestine, the Teutonic knights, under their grand-master Hermann von Salza, had directed their ef- forts and arms against the Prussians, Lithuanians, and heathen tribes of north-eastern Europe, By the secu- larization of Prussia, in 1525, under their grand-master Albert of Brandenburg, the order was broken up, was deprived of its most valuable possessions, and passed out of notice. See Teutonic Knights.
(V.) The Knights of San Salvador, founded by Al- phonso V of Aragon in 1 118. Extinguished, and its com- manderies added to the crown, by Charles II, 1665.
(VI. ) Tlie Knights of Santiago de la Espada, in Spain, refer their origin to 837, but received their detinite con- stitution in 1170,
(VII.) The Knights of Alcantara, 1158, and, (VIII.) The Knights of Calatrava, 1199, were insti- tuted to guard the western and southern portions of Spain against the Moors. The grand-mastership of both was ultimately assumed by the crown of Spain.
The regular orders of knighthood were designed to promote Christian virtues and Christian conduct, and to employ chivalrous energies for the maintenance and extension of Christianity, and the protection of Chris- tendom against Saracens and Pagans. These functions they unquestionably discharged in their better age, and while such services were essentially necessary. With merit came favor, and power, and wealth, and arro- gance, and negligence, and itUeness, and luxury, and other vices. It is the old and oft-repeated stoiy of en- ergy declining into corruption. But they had afforded Europe time and security to develop, knit together, and confirm its civilization and its strength. When they were extinguished by secular greed for their pos- sessions, their aptitude had disappeared, " Othello's occupation was gone" when " villainous saltpetre" had totally changed the organization of armies and the con- duct of battles. It was chiefly during this period of confusion that sovereigns and princes, desirous of pre- serving the amusements, exercises, attachments, loyaltj', splendors, and honors of knighthood — perhaps, also, of perpetuating its spirit — instituted princely in imitation of the regular orders, Tlie enimieration and descrip- tion of the multitude of such associations would afford little additional illustration of knighthood. It must suf- fice to name a few of these imitative establishments.
VI, Honorary Knighthood. — Of this there were the following orders : ......
" Instituted
The Order of the White Elephant of Denmark..' 1190.
" the White Eagle of Poland l.B-2.5.
" the Garter 1343,
the Bath 139!).
" the Golden Fleece 1430.
" the Thistle 1&40.
Institfltcd The Order of Saint Esprit 157S.
" Saint Louis 1693.
" Saint Andrew and Saint Catharine 1698.
" the Bhick Eagle of Prussia 1705.
" Saint Geor>re"(i'or Russia) 1769.
" Saint Patrick 1783,
" the Legion of Honor 1802,
" the Iron Crown (for Italy) 1805.
There is no necessity, and would be little propriety in noticing titular and social, or fantastic knighthood here. In 1790, Burke lamented that " the age of chivalry was gone," Its expiring gleams gilded the stark forms of Bayard at the Sesia and of Sir Philip Sidney at Zut- phen. An institution which, even after a long decline, could breed such characters as these, had obviously ren- dered an enduring ser^dce to humanity. The age of chivalry may be gone, and the forms of chivalry may be relegated to the domain of Romance, but its spirit lives on, offering examples which the young still wel- come in their dreamy and joyous days, and which the mature and the old still contemplate with fond and rev- erential regard. The ideal remains — purified by time, freed from the frailities and alloys of its former embodi- ment— and aids in fashioning modem sentiment to the conception and admiration of the Christian gentleman. Disregarding the vices which connected themselves with chivalry, but which were not of its essence, knighthood merits the commendation invariably bestowed upon it by discerning historians. It aimed to achieve — as far as the circumstances of its actual manifestation permitted ; it did achieve, in thought, if rarely in act — what the oath of the new-made knight bound him to pursue as his rule of action through life. Its influences are transmitted to the passing generation, which has itself witnessed shin- ing illustrations of their aliiding efficacj',