Noble Hearts THE ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM. Stephen Lautens Editor

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2 Noble Hearts THE ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM Stephen Lautens Editor 2005

3 NOBLE HEARTS: The Order of Saint Joachim ISBN Published by Golden Pheasant Press Toronto, Canada The Order of Saint Joachim All rights reserved Printed in Canada Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, scanning, digitizing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the author and the publisher of this book. The scanning, uploading or distribution of this book, including text, photographs or illustrations, or any other parts thereof via the Internet or by any other electronic or mechanical means without the written permission of both the author and the publisher is illegal and punishable under U.S., Canadian and international law.

4 PREFACE His Excellency The Chevalier Col Prof. V. Helmut von Bräundle-Falkensee GCJ The Laird of Bladnock and Lochanbards Grand Master of The Equestrian, Secular and Chapterial Order of Saint Joachim Nobili is the ancient motto displayed on the insignia of our noble and illustrious Order of St. Joachim. Nobility (Nobilitas as said in ancient times) is now along with ranks and titles usually considered a rare and even a slightly unfashionable term. But our contemporary society and the world in general needs nobility of heart and spirit more than ever, and I hope that the many knights and dames who proudly wear the insignia of our Order may attain this humanitarian and philosophical goal in their daily lives and activities. May our patron Saint Joachim, as good Shepherd bless all of those who serve our sick, disabled, needy and homeless brothers and sisters. To all of our members I want to express my best greetings and all good wishes on the occasion of this, the 250 th anniversary of the founding of our illustrious Order. THE GRAND MASTER 2005

5 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION...1 THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE ORDER...3 INTRODUCTION TO SIR LEVETT HANSON S CHAPTER ABOUT THE ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM...19 OF THE EQUESTRIAN SECULAR AND CHAPTERAL ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM BY SIR LEVETT HANSON...25 ST. JOACHIM AND THE GOSPEL OF JAMES...65 THE ABRIDGED STATUTES AND RULES OF THE ORDER GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE ORDER OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE...87

6 The Order of Saint Joachim 1 INTRODUCTION By The Chevalier Stephen Lautens, KCJ Grand Herald of The Order of Saint Joachim This small book in some sense has been 250 years in the making. On June 20 th, 1755 fourteen nobles, military men and gentlemen of the Holy Roman Empire gathered together in the town of Leitmeritz in Bohemia to found a new order of knighthood they named The Knights of the Order of Jonathan, Defenders of the Honour of Divine Providence. From the very beginning they were unique. Not only did the Order not belong to any particular noble house with a hereditary Grand Master, but they were uniquely composed of both Catholics and Protestants at a time when other knightly orders catered exclusively to one or the other, and in fact wars still raged throughout Europe where sides were drawn up on religious lines, with Catholic Austria pitted against Protestant Prussia. They originally took the name The Order of Jonathan as a pledge of friendship to each other, from the story in the Book of Samuel of David s pledge of friendship to Jonathan. These young men also committed themselves to religious tolerance and the care of the poor, the needy, the sick, and the widows and orphans of war. Progressively, the Order also admitted women as members from a very early stage. In 1785 the Order decided on a name change, and it became The Equestrian, Secular and Chapterial Order of Saint Joachim, taking its name from the father of the Virgin Mary. Saint Joachim represents humour, wisdom and humanity and encourages the use of human traits for higher intentions. He was also revered for his generosity. His figure continues to grace the insignia of The Order as a reminder of these virtues, along with NOBILI, from Nobili Cordi, meaning noble hearts. The Order of Saint Joachim has always been a small order of knighthood, and as a result has often been overlooked by the history books. Much of the information that is available from secondary sources is unreliable. For example, Dr. A.C. Mackey s 1898 Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry has a fanciful description of The Order of Saint Joachim as a secret association instituted in Germany near the end of the eighteenth century. Its recipients swore that they believed in the Trinity, and would never waltz. Nothing indicates the Order ever felt strongly about the waltz or any other kind of dance. Another modern commentator on knightly orders has publicly voiced doubts about Admiral Horatio Nelson being a Knight Grand Commander of The Order of Saint

7 2 Nobili Cordi Joachim, even though the jacket he was wearing when mortally wounded at Trafalgar bearing his insignia of The Order of Saint Joachim is on public display at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. At the time Admiral Horatio Nelson was made a Knight Grand Commander of the Order in 1802 there were only 75 members worldwide. Today the Order is not much larger, however there has recently been a growth in both interest and membership. On the Order s 250 th anniversary its members and the public have a renewed interest in not only its genuine history, but also in a commitment to the values of chivalry, namely: justice, charity, loyalty, honour, bravery, humility and virtue. This book is primarily a collection of articles about the Order s founding and early history. In reading the chapter on the Abridged Rules of the Order from 1793 (Abrégé des Statuts et Réglemens de l Ordre Équestre Séculier et Chapitral de St. Joachim), one gets the sense of the grandeur of the Order at the end of the 18 th century. It held elaborate and dignified ceremonies, observed solemn feast days, maintained a tribunal to deal with offences and accusations, and even provided for its own students and centre of learning. Also reproduced here is the very important chapter about The Order of Saint Joachim published in 1803 by its energetic Vice Chancellor, Sir Levett Hanson. He had access to many of the Order s documents which have since been lost or scattered through war or the passage of time. Hanson passes down to us through his writing the Order s early history, mission and rituals. There is also a short article about how George Washington almost became a Knight Grand Commander of the Order, and how the Order s approach to the new American Republic shaped American policy towards social status. Two hundred and fifty years later the original founding members of the Order would be both disappointed and pleased. They would be disappointed to find that after the passage of 250 years the world still has far to go to achieve their original goal of religious tolerance, and there is still no shortage of widows and orphans of war, religious or otherwise. They would however be pleased to find that the seed they planted 250 years ago in Bohemia continues to grow, and The Order of Saint Joachim continues to attract individuals from around the world who still dedicate themselves to the work they began a quarter millennium ago. STEPHEN LAUTENS Editor June 20, 2005

8 The Order of Saint Joachim 3 THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE ORDER By Chevalier Stephen Lautens, KCJ Who were the founders of The Order of Saint Joachim? History shows that The Order of Saint Joachim (at that time named The Knights of the Order of Jonathan, Defenders of the Honour of Divine Providence) was established on the 20th of June, 1755 by fourteen German noblemen and distinguished military leaders. Sir Levett Hanson, Vice Chancellor of The Order of Saint Joachim, lists these fourteen founding members in his 1803 work An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood at present existing in Europe: 1 Prince Christian Franz von Sachsen-Coburg Saalfeld Duke von Württemburg-Oels Prince Piccolomini Count von Clary und Aldringen Baron von Eib Ritter 2 Fachner von Trauenstein Keck von Schwarzbach Count von Kollowrat-Krakowsky Baron von Milchling Baron Moser von Filseck Count von Nostitz Baron Reichlin von Meldegg Wiedersperger von Wiedersperg Baron von Zobel von Giebelstadt Some details about these founding noblemen and military leaders have been lost to time. For example, there is no information currently available that identifies the individuals named Baron von Eib and Keck von Schwartzbach 3. As these fourteen 1 Sir Levett Hanson, An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood at present existing in Europe, London, 1803, pp Hanson uses the French noble prefix de, which has been changed here to von in keeping with the German tradition, although some German nobles occasionally used the French prefix as well. Hanson s chapter on the Order of Saint Joachim is also reproduced in this book. 2 Ritter = Knight. In this case it could also refer to a knighthood granted by a sovereign rather than conferred through an Order of chivalry. 3 Except the family name Keck von Schwartzbach appears in Magdeburg in the 1600s.

9 4 Nobili Cordi men were identified by family name and title alone presumably because their names were at one time well known enough to identify them in many cases it is now difficult to positively identify to which specific individual Hanson refers. The children of the rulers of German sovereign states regardless of title - are often styled prince and princess, even if their parents have the hereditary title and rank of Duke (Herzog), Baron (Freiherr), Count (Graf) or Knight (Ritter). To make matters more confusing, hereditary rulers within the Holy Roman Empire are also often elevated to the rank of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire by the Emperor, and so may have dual titles of different rank. One of the things that is striking about the identified individuals is the relatively young age of these noblemen when the Order was founded. Prince Christian Franz von Sachsen-Coburg Saalfeld was only 25 in Reichsgraf von Kollowrat-Krakowsky was 28. Graf Franz Xaver von Montfort was one of the oldest at 33. Although lifespans were considerably shorter in the 18 th century (for the lower classes anyway), the founders would still be considered relatively young men. Most of these founding members also had a connection with Bohemia, including Prince Piccolomini, Count von Clary und Aldringen, Count von Kollowrat- Krakowsky, Ritter Fachner von Trauenstein, Count von Nostitz, and Wiedersperger von Wiedersperg. Those who were not actually from Bohemia were from the neighbouring independent German states, such as Württemberg-Oels or Sachsen- Coburg-Saalfeld. The decision to found the Order was made by the founding fathers in the Bohemian town of Leitmeritz (now Litomerice). The Kingdom of Bohemia (now the modern Czech and Slovak Republics) with its capital in Prague, was at the centre of many of Europe s major military, political and religious conflicts from the 16 th century on. It was an early convert to Protestantism after 1517, which put it in conflict with neighbouring Catholic states and the Holy Roman Empire resulting in numerous wars of religion over the next three centuries. The Defenestration of Prague in 1618, where two Catholic imperial councillors were assaulted in defiance of Hapsburg authority, precipitated the Thirty Years War, which laid waste to Bohemia and eventually involved most of Europe. Frederick the Winter King was elected rival king of Bohemia. Frederick and the Protestants were crushed in the battle of the White Mountain in 1620, and Bohemia effectively became a satellite of Catholic Austria for the next almost two hundred years. Many of the nobles from Bohemia after that date were ethnic Germans, as Austria also pursued an aggressive policy of Germanization. This is reflected in the German

10 The Order of Saint Joachim 5 names of many of the founders of the Order from Bohemia. Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II a supporter of The Order of Saint Joachim who made one of the Order s knights, Christian von Leiningen, the Chamberlain of the Imperial Household was the last Austrian ruler to be crowned king of Bohemia in Even after the founding of the Order is 1755, Bohemia continued to be a flashpoint of Europe. The Seven Years War ( ) broke out one year after the founding of the Order. It arose out of the attempt of the Austrian Habsburgs to win back the rich province of Silesia on the northern border of Bohemia, which had been taken from them by Frederick II the Great of Prussia during the War of the Austrian Succession. By the summer of 1756, the major powers of the Austrian-led alliance were poised for an attack on Prussia, but Frederick the Great took the initiative and launched a pre-emptive attack on Austrian ally Saxony on August 29, 1756 and forced its surrender. In the spring of 1757 Frederick advanced south into Bohemia, defeating the Austrians at the Battle of Prague on May 6, A month later, however, he was forced to retreat from Bohemia, having suffered a heavy defeat in the Battle of Kolín. It was in the context of these wars and the relative strategic importance of Bohemia that the Order was created. Although the wars that raged throughout the 18 th century were largely between Protestant Prussia and Catholic Austria (and Catholic France and Protestant England in western Europe and North America), they were often only notionally about religion itself. While other orders of knighthood were firmly and exclusively aligned generally with only the Catholic faith, The Knights of the Order of Jonathan, Defenders of the Honour of Divine Providence was dedicated to the tolerance of all religions, and its founding members included members of both Catholic (Kollowrat) and Protestant (Sachsen-Coburg- Saalfeld) noble houses. No other knightly order was specifically dedicated to the tolerance of all religions and welcomed members of both Protestant or Catholic faiths as equals. There are likely several reasons for the Order s ecumenical nature and emphasis on religious tolerance. Religion had divided Europe since the 1500s, often violently. Bohemia and the other border states between the Protestant north and Catholic south and had borne the brunt of the religious wars as well as internal religious persecution. The Order s founding members clearly believed that preaching and practicing religious tolerance could help avoid further sectarian violence and the suffering it caused. Larger forces were also at work in the 18 th century. The 1700s saw the birth and growth of the Enlightenment, with its belief in the brotherhood of man and equality,

11 6 Nobili Cordi with a universal Supreme Being at the core of all religions. These concepts were particularly embraced by young members of the aristocracy, who were well educated and more cosmopolitan in their outlook, including both Protestants like Frederick the Great and Catholics like Austrian Emperor Joseph II. The individuals who made up the founding members of the Order would have been particularly receptive to Enlightenment ideals, not just because of their age, but also because of their families, who were known as patrons of the arts and sponsors of leading intellectuals and scholars. Many of them embarked on ambitious building programs, as did the Graf von Mortfort and the Duke of Württemberg-Oels. Freemasonry was another product of the Enlightenment, and took hold in Europe by the mid-18 th Century. There are a few direct and several indirect associations between the founders of the Order and Freemasonry, notably in the person of Leopold Reichsgraf von Kollowrat- Krakowsky. When the Elector of Bavaria suppressed the Bavarian Illuminati in 1784 and again in 1785, its founder, Adam Weishaupt, fled Bavaria and finally found welcome in Gotha, where he was offered refuge by Duke Ernst II of Sachsen-Gotha-Altenberg, a relative of founder Prince Christan Franz of Sachsen-Coburg- Saalfeld. Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenberg was himself a member of the Bavarian Illuminati. 1 In addition to a dedication to equality, charity, tolerance and the brotherhood of man, German Freemasonry, unlike its French counterpart, required a belief in God, usually referred to as the Supreme Being. Author A.M. Perrot in his 1821 work Historische Sammlung aller Ritterorden der verschiendenen Nationen 2 described the Order s ancient mission: 1 A certain Johann Karl Freiherr von Ecker und Eckhoffen was the Order s Chancellor in Von Ecker und Eckhoffen had a history of being involved with the many mystical societies that flourished at the end of the 18 th Century. He was a leader of the Bavarian Illuminati and founded with his brother the Order of Freres inities de l'asia, an off-shoot of the German Rose Croix. 2 A.M. Perrot, A Historical Collection of all Knightly Orders of Various Nations, Leipzig, 1821.

12 The Order of Saint Joachim 7 The Knights solemnly vow to worship the Supreme Being, show tolerance towards all religions, loyalty towards their princes, support the needs of their military, the poor, widows and orphans. While the use of the phrase Supreme Being ( des höchsten Wesens ) has a particularly Masonic ring to it, it was a concept shared by other Enlightenment philosophical schools and secret societies. It is also noteworthy that while German Freemasonry promoted equality, it also was respectful of authority and social distinctions, making it particularly attractive to aristocrats who were wary of some of the Enlightenment s more radical and revolutionary elements. This is reflected in the Order s oath to show loyalty towards their princes and to support the needs of their military. The Order was also conceived out of the need to support the poor, widows and orphans. This is repeated in the actual ceremony of conferring knighthood where a candidate is specifically reminded as the spurs are placed on his feet: A Knight shall feel in himself the calling, and shall not want any encouragement to succour the poor and needy, the Widow and the Fatherless! Charity is one of the principal virtues and objects of chivalry. That the Order specifically provides for the support of widows and orphans is not surprising as so many were created by the continual wars of the 18 th century which devastated Bohemia and the surrounding German states. While what follows are by no means meant to be exhaustive biographies, these brief sketches of the Order s founding members are meant to give an idea of their lives and the turbulent times they lived in. PRINCE CHRISTIAN FRANZ VON SACHSEN-COBURG SAALFELD His Serene Highness Prince Christian Franz von Sachsen-Coburg 1 Saalfeld was the Order s first Grand Master. He was the son of Franz Josias, Herzog (Duke) von Sachsen-Coburg Saalfeld and Anne Sophie, Prinzessin (Princess) von Schwarzburg- Rudolstadt. He was the older brother of the famous field marshal Prince Friedrich Josias ( ). Prince Christian Franz was born on January 25, 1730, and so was only 25 years old when the Order was created, and 26 when he became the Order s first Grand Master a year later in Prince Christian Franz s father, Duke Franz Josias, ruled the Duchy of Sachsen- Coburg Saalfeld from 1735 until He initially ruled jointly with his brother Duke 1 The English spelling of the ducal house name is often rendered as Saxe-Coburg or Saxe- Cobourg.

13 8 Nobili Cordi Christian Ernst from 1735 until 1745 when his brother died leaving him to rule alone until his own death in The descendants of the Sachsen-Coburg Saalfelds ruled the duchy of Coburg until 1918 and the duchy of Saalfeld until 1826 when they acquired Gotha (becoming the Duchy of Sachsen-Coburg Gotha) in exchange for ceding the territory of Saalfeld to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. The duchy was located in south central Germany, near the Bohemian (Czech) border. The family line continues today and the current head of the ducal House of Sachsen-Coburg Gotha is His Serene Highness Prince Andreas, himself known for his dedication to charitable works. Arms of the Ducal House of Sachsen- Coburg Saalfeld The house of Sachsen-Coburg Saalfeld produced the direct ancestors of many of the royal families of Europe. The descendants of the Sachsen-Coburg Saalfelds included nine sovereign rulers at the same time: the Grand Duke of Sachsen- Weimar-Eisenach, the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, the Duke of Sachsen-Coburg Gotha, and five kings - those of Great Britain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Saxony and Portugal. This was accomplished by a series of brilliant marriages. German statesman Otto von Bismarck once referred to the house of Sachsen-Coburg with humourous admiration as the stud farm of Europe. Prince Christian Franz s family line includes both Queen Victoria, Queen of England, and also that of her husband, Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel of Sachsen-Coburg Gotha, who is better remembered to history as Prince Albert, the Prince Consort. Queen Victoria s mother was Victoria Prinzessen von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld. Through them, Prince Christian Franz s family line can be traced directly through down to the present British Royal Family and Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. The Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfelds were also related to the ruling house of Leiningen, which produced three successive Grand Masters of the Order immediately following the second Grand Master, the Graf von Montfort. Prince Christian Franz relinquished the Grand Mastership of the Order in 1773 in favour of Franz Xavier, Graf von Montfort. Regardless, The Order of Saint Joachim continued to be associated with the House of Sachsen-Coburg until at least the end of the 19th century. It is erroneously listed as a knightly order belonging to the House of

14 PRINCE CHRISTIAN FRANZ VON SACHSEN-COBURG SAALFELD First Grand Master ( ) The Order of Saint Joachim (The Order of Jonathon) Photo courtesy of Sammlung Herzoglicher Kunstbesitz Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha, Schloss Callenberg, Coburg Artist: Johann Friedrich Leberecht Reinhold ( )

15 10 Nobili Cordi Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld in A.M. Perrot s 1821 reference book 1, and the 1878 Enciclopedia Araldico-Cavalleresca also attributes it to Sachsen-Coburg. 2 Although it was Chapterial in electing its own Grand Master rather than the position being inherited through royal or noble succession, The Order of Saint Joachim frequently appears described as a house order of the noble line of Sachsen-Coburg. The colour of the ribbon of the insignia of The Order of Saint Joachim is green, which was taken from the colour of the arms and banner of the House of Sachsen-Coburg Saalfeld. As well, the arms of The Order of Saint Joachim are surmounted with the ducal crown of the House of Sachsen-Coburg. Prince Franz Christian never married, and died in Coburg on September 18 th, 1797 at the age of 67. He is buried in the family crypt at the St. Morizkirche in Coburg. DUKE OF WÜRTTEMBERG-OELS The Duke of Württemberg-Oels in 1755 was Karl Christian Erdmann, Herzog von Württemberg-Oels. He was born in Wilhelminenort in 1716 and had an exceptionally long reign from 1744 to In 1741 he married Marie Sofie, Comtesse zu Solms- Laubach ( ). Württemberg-Oels was a duchy in Silesia (now southern Poland). Beginning in the 13th century Silesia together with Bohemia came under German cultural and political influence. In the 16th century it became part of Austria and a significant part of the inhabitants were Germanized. Duchess Elisabeth Marie of Münsterberg-Oels, the only child of the Silesian Duke Karl Friedrich, married Silvius Nimrod von Württemberg ( ). After her father's death, Silvius Nimrod von Württemberg was granted the Duchy of Münsterberg-Oels by emperor Ferdinand III and he founded the line of Württemberg-Oels. In 1742 Prussia conquered most of Silesia. In 1748 Duke Karl Christian founded a hunting lodge in the nearly impenetrable forests of Upper Silesia. He established a court there, which included, among many things, a remarkable zoological garden. The city that quickly grew up around it became Carlsruhe, a flourishing cultural centre. The family dynasty ended with the death of Karl Christian Erdmann, Herzog von Württemberg-Oels in 1792, and his lands were inherited by his nephew, Herzog August von Braunschweig. 1 2 Historische Sammlung aller Ritterorden der verschiendenen Nationen, op. cit. Goffredo di Crollalanza, Enciclopedia Araldico-Cavalleresca, Pisa: 1878, p. 320.

16 The Order of Saint Joachim 11 PRINCE PICCOLOMINI The Piccolominis began as an Italian noble family, prominent in Siena from the 13 th century onwards, and acquired diverse landholdings throughout the Holy Roman Empire. The founding member of the Order is identified as Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Piccolomini of Nachod. Nachod is situated on the Mettau river on the northern border of Bohemia, at the entrance of the Lewin-Nachod pass. The Nachod castle was given to Italian general Prince Ottavio Piccolomini in 1634 by Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II as a reward for his military service to the Austrians and betrayal of his former commander Wallenstein. His betrayal of Wallenstein was immortalized in Schiller s epic of the same name. The Piccolomini family made Nachod the family seat. The member of the Piccolomini family who was a founding member of the Order is likely the grand-nephew of the famous Prince Octavio Piccolomini, the Duke of Almalfi, probably the son of Principe e Conte Don Pompeo, 6 th Prince Piccolomini d Aragona del Sacro Romano Impero, born in 1694 and died in Nachod, Bohemia in In 1756 (one year after the Order s founding and the same year as the election of Prince Christian Franz as first Grand Master) his grand-nephew Prince Piccolomini von Nachod was also the commander of the Imperial troops at Koniggratz at the start of the Seven Years War. There were two popes in the Piccolomini family Pius II and Pius III. A Piccolomini also defended Bohemia against Prussia in the later Austro-Prussian war of Coincidentally, there is a related 16 th century family member who was canonized as Saint Joachim Piccolomini of Sienna. No doubt it didn t hurt to have two popes in the family. GRAF VON CLARY UND ALDRINGEN The noble family of von Clary und Aldringen was widespread and influential. Its members intermarried with many of the German royal houses and are descendants of Philippe de Beau. Descendants included many serving members of the government of the Austrian Empire, including at least one Prime Minister. The most likely member of the family to be one of the founding members of the Order is Leopold Kaspar Graf von Clary und Aldringen, who was born in Prague on January 2, 1736 and died in Vienna on November 23, 1800.

17 HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR LEOPOLD II NACHOD, BOHEMIA 1740 SEAT OF PRINCE PICCOLOMINI

18 The Order of Saint Joachim 13 RITTER FACHNER VON TRAUENSTEIN Little is known about Ritter Franz Fachner von Trauenstein, except he was a Bohemian nobleman and soldier. In 1771 he had reached the rank of Oberstleutnant / Oberst and was Regimental Commander of the 8 th Bohemian Dragoon Regiment. COUNT VON KOLLOWRAT-KRAKOWSKY Leopold Reichsgraf von Kollowrat-Krakowsky ( ) was also a prominent Bohemian statesman. He was the Bohemian-Austrian High Chancellor and President of the Court Chamber, and enjoyed the favour and protection of the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. He is also one of the few direct connections between the founding members of the Order and the some of the other Enlightenment secret societies of the last half of the 18h century, including Freemasons and the Illuminati. In 1783 be became master of a Masonic Lodge in Prague and Deputy Master of the Zur wahren Eintract Lodge in Vienna. In 1786 he joined the Zur Wahrheit Lodge in Vienna and between 1782 and 1788 he was a member of the Parisian Lodge Les Amis Reuni. In 1788 he became a member of the Gold- und Rosenkreuzer. In 1782 he was recruited into the Bavarian Illuminati by Baron von Knigge at the Wilhelmsbader Convention of Masons and in 1784 became the national leader of the Illuminati for Austria. In an age of contradictions, Reichsgraf von Kollowrat also appears to have been a Knight member of the much more orthodox Order of Saint John of Jerusalem based in Malta. A close relative, Emmanuel von Kollorath was Grand Prior of the important Priory of Bohemia for the Order of St John. It is also almost certainly Leopold von Kollowrat the Order of St. John s records refer to as having presided over the first ever Masonic Lodge on Malta itself. In 1785, according to Doublet, de Rohan s [Grand Master of the Knights of St John] French secretary, forty adepts and Kollowrat asked the Duke of Cumberland, Grand Master of the London Lodge for a constitution. 1 1 R. Cavaliero, The Last of the Crusaders: The Knights of St John and Malta in the Eighteenth Century, (Hollis & Carter: London) 1960, p. 72.

19 LEOPOLD REICHSGRAF VON KOLLOWRAT-KRAKOWSKY

20 The Order of Saint Joachim 15 COUNT VON NOSTITZ (-RIENECK) Graf von Nostitz-Rieneck is another Bohemian noble, related to Anton Johann von Nostitz- Rieneck, Marshal of Bohemia. The member of the von Nostitz-Rieneck family who is referred to as a founder of the Order is likely either Graf Franz Anton von Nostitz-Rieneck, High Burggraf of Bohemia ( ) or his brother Friedrich Moritz von Nostitz-Rieneck, President of the Courtly War Council ( ). BARON MOSER VON FILSECK The von Filsecks first appear in Uhingen in Baden- Württemberg in about In 1568 the Moser von Filseck family, which had served as mayors of Uhingen and acquired considerable lands, were ennobled by the Kaiser. Arms of Moser von Filseck WIEDERSPERGER VON WIEDERSPERG Arms of the Grafshaft Rieneck (Nostitz-Rieneck) The Baron von Filseck referred to in the Order s records may have been Johann Jakob III. A curious historical side note is a descendant of this noble family was Daniel D. Thomkins ( ) who served as Vice-President of the United States of America. Johann Franz Friedrich, Freiherr Wiedersperger von Wiedersperg has been identified as the founding member of the Order. 1 In fact, modern historian and genealogist Roman, Freiherr von von Prochazka suggests that the creation of the Order was at the instigation of Freiherr Wiedersperger von Wiedersperg, and not first Grand Master Prince Christian Franz. He further suggests that Wiedersperger von Wiedersperg may have acted as the Order s interim leader between its founding in 1755 and the election 1 Prochazka, Roman, Freiherr von, Genealogisches Handbuch erloschener bohmischer Herrenstandsfamilien, Neustadt an der Aisch, Degener, 1973.

21 16 Nobili Cordi of Prince Christian Franz as the first Grand Master in The Wiedersperger von Wiedersperg family were hereditary barons in Bohemia. The family line still exists today. REICHLIN VON MELDEGG It is not known which member of the von Meldegg family was a founder of the Order. The family is prominent in both Austria and Württemberg, and based in Überlingen on the Bodensee. Überlingen was a possession of the Graf von Montfort the Order s second Grand Master. Überlingen was sold to Austria on the Graf von Montfort s death in 1780 to settle debts. Anselm Reichlin von Meldegg was an Imperial Prince of Kempten, a Benedictine abbey that that had recognition as an autonomous ecclesiastic state within the Holy Roman Empire. ZOBEL VON GIEBELSTADT Freiherr Friedrich Zobel von Giebelstadt was born May 24, 1704 at Messelhausen am Main and died there on September 16, The town of Messelhausen in Baden was their family seat and location of the family church and crypt. The noble family of Zobel von Giebelstadt was also prominent in nearby Württemberg. His ancestors include Melchior Zobel von Giebelstadt, the Archbishop of Würzburg from 1544 to 1558, and the family was listed in books of aristocracy and in tournaments as early as 948. From these brief biographical sketches we see the founding members of The Order of Jonathan (soon to be renamed The Order of Saint Joachim) shared a certain amount of geography, philosophical outlook, and even bloodlines. They were all from Bohemia or the numerous German states either on its borders or nearby. Some were related by marriage, but clearly they were also bound together by certain Enlightenment ideas that were gaining popularity at the time. Many of them pursued ambitious building and cultural programs, often to the ruin of their noble estates. Others were deprived of their hereditary lands in the Napoleonic Wars, or through natural attrition or the passage of time. They came from different religions when wars of religion pitted German states against each other. Moreover, they bound themselves together with oaths of friendship and mutual assistance in the tradition of the biblical David and Jonathan at a time when military and political alliances changed daily, often with Bohemia as both the prize and the battleground.

22 BOHEMIA IN 1766

23 SIR LEVETT HANSON (SEATED) AND GENERAL RICHARD WILFORD Artist: Nathaniel Hone (1777)

24 The Order of Saint Joachim 19 AN INTRODUCTION TO SIR LEVETT HANSON S CHAPTER ABOUT THE ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM By Chevalier Malcolm Davies KJ, Ph.D. 1 The historical background Of the Equestrian Secular and Chapteral Order of Saint Joachim is just one chapter from an extensive two volume work on chivalric orders by Levett Hanson titled An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood at present existing in Europe. Hanson was himself Knight Grand Cross of St Philip and Knight Vice-chancellor of The Order of Saint Joachim. It is only natural that due to his close connections with the Order he should write in more detail about The Order of Saint Joachim than about any of the other Orders described in his book. The book became quite popular and is referred to by several other writers on chivalry from the same period. Levett Hanson was born in 1754 in Yorkshire. He met Horatio Nelson at school and the two became friends for life. In 1773 he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, and then to Emmanuel, but before completing his degree he left for a grand tour of the continent. The reasons for his leaving school included an unspecified brawl. His first European tour inspired him so much that afterwards he rarely returned to England for the remainder of his life. In 1780 he became Councillor to Prince Philip of Limbourg 2, Duke of Holstein at Ghent, who rewarded him by making him Grand Chancellor and Knight Grand Cross of his family order, The Order of St. Philip. But Hanson enjoyed travelling too much to stay in one place for long and in 1787 visited the court of Ferdinand, Duke of Palma where he was made a member of the Academy. After spending some time with Lady Emma Hamilton and her husband he moved on to become in 1791 Chamberlain to Ercole III Rinaldo d Este, Duke of Modena, with the rank of brigadier-general. In 1794 Hanson incurred the suspicion of the Austrian government and was compelled to leave Modena. On arriving in Innsbruck that year he was arrested. It appears Hanson incurred the wrath of the increasingly reactionary Austrian empire for being a suspected secret agent of the Masonic Lodges and radical so-called Jacobean 1 2 Additional footnotes and introductory material by Chevalier Stephen Lautens, KCJ. Luxemburg

25 20 Nobili Cordi Clubs. 1 He was alleged to have used his positions at court and his frequent travels to help organize Masonic and radical Jacobean opposition to the Austrian government in Italy. Hanson was clearly an active Freemason, and almost certainly used his contacts and travels as opportunities to visit other Masons and their lodges - not to mention the noble families who frequented them. Considering his relationships with many of the noble families of Europe, it would appear to be completely out of character for him to have any interest in revolution or radical Jacobean causes. After being kept in confinement for 11 months Hanson was tried in Vienna and released, taking refuge in Germany. He settled at Erlangen as an honoured friend of the Saxe-Hildburghausen family, who awarded him their family Order. In 1800 he became acquainted with The Order of Saint Joachim and became its Knight Vice Chancellor, responsible for the general affairs and administration of the Order. During this same period in Erlangen, Hanson conceived writing a book that detailed all the knightly orders of Europe. He wrote to all the sovereigns and noble houses of Europe, requesting details of their orders of knighthood. He used his book as an opportunity to visit many courts personally. In 1803 he finally published An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood at present existing in Europe. It was printed in two volumes in Hamburg and published in 1803 in London. Befitting such a subject, the books were richly printed on thick paper and quarterbound in leather with gold stamped spines. Interestingly, he does not identify himself by name as the author anywhere in the book or dedication. The book is extravagantly dedicated to his schoolmate, Admiral Horatio Nelson, the hero of the age, and Knight Grand Commander of The Order of Saint Joachim. In his last years he moved farther into northern Europe, spending time in many of the royal courts, ultimately dying in Copenhagen in An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood at present existing in Europe begins with a list of many British citizens who had been awarded foreign knighthoods. This might have been partly to guarantee the sale of a number of copies, although it also reinforced Hanson s own belief in the international nature of chivalric orders. The preface and dedication are not signed, and he does not identify himself as the author. The frontispiece only identifies the author as an Officer of the Chancery of The Equestrian-Secular and Chapteral Order of Saint Joachim. This encourages me to think that for Hanson the ideals of Knighthood were never based on personal 1 Levett Hanson of Normanton ( ): Un agente segreto fra logge massoniche e club giacobini, ( Levett Hanson of Normanton: A Secret Agent of the Masonic Lodges and Jacobean Clubs ), AA.VV., Formazione e controllo dell'opinione pubblica a Modena nel '700, a cura di A. Biondi, Modena: 1986, pp

26 The Order of Saint Joachim 21 glorification or merely earning money. Part of the investiture ceremony of The Order of Saint Joachim contains the words he shall be ever disposed to do good, in such wise that his right hand Knoweth not what his left hand giveth. This is of course a biblical text (Matthew 6:3) and we will return to it later when discussing the duty of a knight, but in this context it can be seen as a thought which is viewed by Hanson as being a landmark of knighthood to work modestly, and anonymously. The Order of Saint Joachim cannot really be compared to any other chivalric Order. It has its own individual place in the history of chivalry. Hanson begins his chapter by highlighting the modernity of the Order: It now becomes our Duty to speak of one, founded in 1755, in a manner similar to those above mentioned; [i.e. those of St John and the Teutonic Order] but for purposes more suited to the modes of living and Spirit of the present age. Around 1800, when Hanson was writing, The Order of Saint Joachim was an Order for today suitable for his contemporary world. He was speaking as someone who had experienced in his own time the upheavals caused by the French and other European Revolutions, the Enlightenment and the decay of the Feudal system. The ancient chivalric orders only accepted members of ancient noble families as members. The Order of Saint Joachim could also accept those who by their own efforts had ennobled themselves. This was forward looking. Another difference between other orders and The Order of Saint Joachim is to be found in its establishment, not by a ruling sovereign, but by a group of princes, nobles and even gentlemen. According to the understanding of that period or even later it was not a conventional Order of Knighthood. The establishment of an Order in this period was anything but unusual. Innumerable groups of friends, specially but not only those in aristocratic circles, formed societies or clubs which they formed as Orders. These could be philosophical or philanthropic groups, or even groups for tobacco smoking, coffee drinking, or supper clubs. Many, because of their short-sighted or frivolous nature, either disappeared or simply became societies or clubs. The Order of Saint Joachim (or the The Knights of the Order of Jonathan, Defenders of the Honour of Divine Providence as it first began) appears to have been different from the beginning. It was no religiously or nationally intolerant collection of individuals. It consisted of Catholic and Protestant nobles and army officers from many different states. Ladies were invited to join, as Hanson put it: Since its first Institution, Ladies have been admitted into the Order of Malta: and that of Saint Joachim. By the time Hanson was writing he could contrast his Order with other mere clubs or popular societies: Knightly Confraternities of this kind have no other View than to maintain

27 22 Nobili Cordi and protect good Order, and to strengthen and defend the lawful Power of the Sovereign; whereas on the contrary, all popular Societies tend evidently and absolutely to undermine and destroy the former, and to entirely eradicate, or completely annihilate the latter. The above phrase was also clearly meant to reassure a suspicious and jittery aristocracy in Europe that The Order of Saint Joachim was in no way a subversive or revolutionary group, but dedicated to the support of their respective Kings. The Order of Saint Joachim soon rose in stature. In 1767 the name was revised to omit the reference to Jonathan, and this steady increase in the seriousness of intent of the Order climaxed when: Reasons of the utmost consequence having in a course of Time ( ) rendered a Revision of the Constitution of this Order, a measure of indispensable necessity; to the end that such Changes, as were suitable to existing Circumstances, might be made, with regard to the Statutes thereof: in 1785, a decree of the general-chapter was the result of Its Deliberations: which, renewing and rectifying the Act of its first Foundation, constituted this Knightly Militia, under the name of: the Equestrian, Secular, and Chapteral Order of Saint Joachim, the blessed Father of the holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ! The Order was maturing and changing in character. The end result was an Order of which its knights could justly be proud. According to Hanson the year 1787 was a turning point. It was not till then that it was raised to so high a degree of perfection. In August 1790 the King of Hungary and Bohemia recognised the Order and allowed its badges to be worn in public just months before he became the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold II. Shortly after, in April 1791 Frederick William II, King of Prussia 1 recognised the Order. Finally, before Nelson could accept and wear the insignia of the Order as an honour, he needed the permission of George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland. After a thorough search by the English College of Arms into the nature and validity of The Order of Saint Joachim, permission and recognition were granted in the warmest of terms. The philosophy and ceremonial Much of what Hanson writes shows his competence as a lawyer. He seems to enjoy the dry, logical turn of phrase and the legal Latin tag. But where his more literary gifts are given free reign in describing the investiture ceremony, he makes us feel present at the occasion which he is talking about. We are there with him following the procession as the Grand-Master takes his place on the canopied Chair of State 1 Frederick William II ( ), King of Prussia ( ).

28 The Order of Saint Joachim 23 surrounded with his officer-knights. The ceremony is important. But even more important is the philosophy of knighthood expressed in the words which are used during the ceremony: A Knight is a free man and no Servant; therefore he must bend himself only before the law; but otherwise, he must be Master over himself and his Passion. Weapon and Arms are given to a Knight to fight for God and Religion; A Knight shall feel in himself the calling, and shall not want any encouragement to succour the poor and needy, the Widow and the Fatherless! he shall be ever disposed to do good, in such wise that his right hand Knoweth not what his left hand giveth! When the Gloves are presented to him, the Grand-Master says: So clean and white as they are shall be the conscience of a Knight, and each of his Actions. Whilst the Grand-Master suspends the insignia around the neck of the newly-made Knight, He says to him: This Cross is received by a Knight of Saint Joachim, as the Sign which elevates him to the rank, and entitles him to the Alliance and Friendship of his Brethren, take it meritoriously, and wear it all your life worthily, to the glory of God; to the splendour of the Order; and, to the especial honour of yourself! Upon putting on the Hat, the Grand-Master pronounces the following words: Concord and good intelligence are the surest promoters of general happiness; the foundation stones of prosperity; and, the only means by which this Order can attain the ends for which it is established. Love and Peace be with us! Whole chapters could be written about the symbolism of each of these quotations. We are told later on that if possible the full ceremony should be undertaken, but if the candidate lives too far away a smaller number of knights can confer the honour on him. If the candidate is isolated then the honour can, in a last resort, be awarded in writing. The disruption of war during Hanson s time, the relatively few number of knights of the Order, and its international nature, made this provision necessary. Let us hope that the knights who receive their knighthood by communication are given a copy of these words to take to heart. Over the centuries these words continue to speak to us today. Note on Editorial Practise: The footnotes are the editor s. The end note is Hanson s. Where helpful the spelling has been modernised. The names of personages where the original has upper-case have been changed to lower-case. Original capitals in the style of the time have been retained.

29

30 The Order of Saint Joachim 25 OF THE EQUESTRIAN SECULAR AND CHAPTERAL ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM Instituted June the 20th A.D In 1048 as related in the foregoing pages, many devout and pious Persons were induced to institute an Order for the Defence and Safe-guard of the Pilgrims, who visited that Country, which is equally celebrated, on Account of the Birth and Passion, of Jesus Christ. To administer to the sick and needy to heal the wounded and to protect the feeble against the Arm of the Strong were the Duties especially assigned to this Christian Militia. It was composed of the Flower of the Nobility and Gentry, who from all parts of Europe, repaired to the holy Land. This Order, as already observed, has successively been denominated, the Brothers Hospitalers of Saint John of Jerusalem; the Knights of Rhodes; and lastly, of Malta. Its Institution gave rise to that, known by the Appellation of the Teutonic. This was instituted in 1181, and was composed of natives of Germany and none others. Of these Orders, we have given a circumstantial and exact Account, respecting their rise, progress, and present State. It now becomes our Duty to speak of one, founded in 1755, in a manner similar to those above mentioned; but for purposes more suited to the modes of living and Spirit of the present age. On the 20th of June 1755, the equestrian, secular, and Chapteral Order of Saint Joachim was instituted by several Princes and Nobles of the highest Rank, in Germany, and by several military Men of very great Distinction: and those, who the first were invested therewith, were named, The Knights of the Order of Jonathan, Defenders of the Honour of Divine Providence. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg; the Duke of Würtemberg-Oels; Prince Piccolomini; the Comte de Clary and Aldringhen; the Baron d Eib; the Chevalier Fachner de Trauenstein; M. Keck de Schwarzbach; the Comte de Kollowrath-Krakowsky; the Baron de Milchling; the Baron Moser de Filseck; the Comte de Nostitz, the Baron

31 26 Nobili Cordi Reichlin de Meldegg; M. Wiedersperger de Wiedersperg; 1 and the Baron de Zobel de Giebelstadt, were the first original Founders of this illustrious Equestrian Corps. His Serene Highness Christian Francis Duke of Saxe-Cobourg (an elder Brother of the celebrated Field-Marshal-Duke) was the first Grand-Master. He was elected and installed on the 20th June 1756, being the first anniversary Day of the Foundation. His Serene Highness exercised the Functions attached to this Dignity, during the space of seventeen years, and the Order acquired additional lustre, by the names of the Princes of Nassau-Saarbruck, and Sulkowsly; and those of several Reigning-Comtes; Comtes; and Barons of the Empire; 2 and other Persons of Note; being added to those of the original Founders. This Prince resigned the Grand-Mastership in His Highness, however, had the Satisfaction of being long a Witness to the Progress and Augmentation of the Order; and lived until the 18th of September On the third of August 1773 His Highness Francis-Xavier reigning Comte of Montfort, and of the Holy Roman Empire, was, by the general Chapter unanimously elected to fill the Dignity of Grand-Master of the Order, vacant by the Resignation of the Duke of Saxe-Cobourg; and during his Administration, Numbers of Persons of Distinction were installed with much Ceremony. A sudden Death deprived the Knights of their second Grand-Master on the 24th of March 1780 upon which, His Highness George-Charles-Louis, reigning Comte of Leiningen-Westerbourg, 3 Lieutenant-General of Infantry in the Service of the United Provinces, 4 and Knight of the Royal-Order of Merit of Prussia, and of that of Fidelity of Baden; was called to the Grand-Mastership by the unanimous Voice of the general Chapter Noble siblings in Germanic states shared their noble titles, so the M. (Monsieur) would normaly indicate that Keck de Schwarzbach and Wiedersperger were gentlemen, likely military officers, rather than nobles. The Wiedersperger family were hereditary barons of Bohemia and the founding member of the Order has been identified as Johann Franz Friedrich, Freiherr (Baron) Wiedersperger von Wiedersperg, and so this appears to be an oversight by Hanson. The Holy Roman Empire: the Emperors during this period were: Francis I ( ), Joseph II ( ) Leopold II ( ) and Frances II ( ). Hanson s only footnote appears at this point. The editor has placed it as an end note. It traces the family connection between the Grand Master s House of Leiningen-Westerburg and the kings of England. The Netherlands.

32 The Order of Saint Joachim 27 The third Grand-Master was pleased to accept this Dignity; and on the 4th of November 1784 he took possession thereof with the accustomed Formalities. On the 19th of March His Highness was removed from this transitory Life, and from the Government of the Order, to the great Grief of the Knights-Brethren, and His Highness Charles-Gustavus, reigning Comte of Leiningen-Westerbourg, who had been elected Coadjutor on the 4th of November 1784, succeeded to his late most illustrious Father, on the 16th of May It was in 1767 that the first Grand-Master, and the majority of the constitutional Representatives of the Order, were induced through a principle of devotion to suppress the Name of Jonathan, 1 and in the Place thereof to substitute that of: in Honour of the Divine Providence ; of which this Order had till then borne the glorious Surname of the Defenders. But it was not until 1773 that the second Grand-Master, and the general Chapter, unanimously thought proper, solemnly to confirm the same, in memory of the Day, rendered auspicious, by the Deliverance of his late Majesty, Stanislaus-Augustus, King of Poland, 2 who in 1771, was by the especial Interposition of Providence, miraculously rescued from the Hands of those execrable Assassins, who had conspired against the Life of the best of Princes, and of Men. In a word: Reasons of the utmost consequence having in a course of Time ( ) rendered a Revision of the Constitution of this Order, a measure of indispensable necessity; to the end that such Changes, as were suitable to existing Circumstances, might be made, with regard to the Statutes thereof: in 1785 a decree of the general-chapter was the result of Its Deliberations: which, renewing and rectifying the Act of its first Foundation, constituted this Knightly Militia, under the name of: 1 2 The reference to Jonathan continued in the Order in both Hanson s time and the present through the Order s motto Juxit Amicos Amor (Love hath united friends). It is a reference to the Book of Samuel, Chapter 20, which tells of the enduring friendship between David and Jonathan, after whom the Order took its original name. It was chosen to represent the friendship that bound the original members together. The motto still appears on the breast cross of a Knight Commander of the Order. Stanislaus II Augustus ( ) King of Poland. Born in 1732 he owed his advance in life to the influence of his uncles who sent him to St Petersburg with the English ambassador. Subsequently he was accredited to the Russian court as the ambassador of Saxony. He was introduced to the Grand Duchess Catherine II, who was irresistibly attracted to the handsome and brilliant young nobleman. Stanislaus returned to Warsaw and with the assistance of both Catherine and Frederick II of Prussia was elected king of Poland on September 7, In 1768 anti-russian members of the Polish nobility united and in 1770 declared Stanislaus deposed. Stanislaus retained his crown and survived an assassination attempt in A national uprising took place in 1794 and was defeated by Russian and Prussian troops, but in 1795 Poland was partitioned again between Prussia and Russia and Stanislaus abdicated and went to live in Russia. He was a generous patron of the arts, science, and literature.

33 FRANZ XAVER GRAF VON MONTFORT Second Grand Master ( )

34 JOACHIM MURAT ( ) Marshal of France, Grand Duke of Berg ( ) King of Naples ( ) Napoleon seized the lands of the Order s 4th Grand Master in 1793 and took him to France as a prisoner. A.G. Mackey in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (1909: Vol. 2) states that after being named the Grand Duke of the Berg in 1806, French Marshal Murat also proclaimed himself Grand Master of The Order of Saint Joachim, presumably through his possession of the Grand Master s lands. It is certain, however, that The Order rejected his claim and Count Ferdinand Karl III of Leiningen-Westerburg-Neuleiningen, son of the previous Grand Master who died Napoleon s prisoner, continued in the position as the Order s 5th Grand Master.

35 30 Nobili Cordi the Equestrian, Secular, and Chapteral Order of Saint Joachim, the blessed Father of the holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ! Unfortunately, the sudden Death of the third Grand-Master, prevented him from giving a new, solid and salutary Constitution to the Order, as it had been resolved upon by himself, and his predecessor. But the Epoch the most interesting to this Foundation, being reserved for the year 1787, it was not 'till then that it was raised to so high a degree of perfection, as it has attained at present; and that, through the indefatigable Zeal, and Wisdom of the fourth Grand-Master, and of those Members, who composed the General-Chapter of the Order. His Highness, walking in the Foot-Steps of his two immediate Predecessors, and assisted by the most judicious Co-operators, was enabled to establish the truest Principles of Probity and Economy in the Administration of the Order: and they spared no possible efforts to avert all prevarications, and to render this Institution useful to the Nobility and Gentry of both Sexes, by the Establishment of Commanderies and other benefices, which have been endowed to that intent. Although these Benefices, are not at this juncture, of sufficient importance to merit much Attention; nevertheless, the Restorers of this Chapteral Order, will ever consider themselves as sufficiently recompensed for their painful, but honourable labours of so many years, if some individuals of the indigent Nobility, and especially young Persons, shall obtain a little relief, and some assistance with respect to their Wants; and they are encouraged to answer for it, that magnanimous Persons of opulent Families (which are fertile in great and good men, who have the welfare of mankind really at Heart) will continue to enlist themselves under the banner of this Order, and second by their generous and open Countenance, an institution, the glorious, humane, charitable and virtuous ends of which, give it a right to pretend 1 to universal Approbation, and to aspire to that flourishing state, which we have reason to flatter ourselves it will attain, provided that the Propagation and Prosperity thereof shall answer the expectations we hitherto have been authorised to form. On the 17th of June 1798, the IVth Grand-Master expired at Paris. 2 So early as the Month of February 1793 the French Army, under General Custine, 1 had taken 1 2 Pretend = lay claim to. Karl II Gustav Reinhard Waldemar, Graf von Leiningen-Westerburg-Neuleiningen, 4 th Grand Master of the Order ( ). When Napoleon created the Confederacy of the Rhine as a French puppet state he imprisoned Duke Karl II in 1793 and confiscated his lands. He died in French custody in the Abby of Saint Germain in Napoleon's brother-in-law, Joachim Murat, was installed as the Governor of the newly created Duchy of the Berg in Some records suggest that Joachim Murat attempted to assume the Grand Mastership of The Order of Saint

36 The Order of Saint Joachim 31 possession of all the States of His Highness, which were situated on the left side of the Rhine he was conducted a close prisoner to Paris, and was, until the hour of his Death strictly confined in the Abbey of Saint-Germain. In 1787 Ferdinand-Charles, the eldest son of the Grand-Master, last mentioned, was postulated by the Order as presumptive Successor to that Dignity: on the 27th of June 1798 he was unanimously elected Grand-Master; and on the 7th of September installed, in a manner suitable to the then existing State of Circumstances. During the Regency of the fourth Grand-Master, the Order was solemnly and formally acknowledged and sanctioned by His Apostolic Majesty Leopold the second, King of Hungary and Bohemia, and that only a short time previous to his Election to the Imperial Dignity. This Event, His Highness was pleased to announce to the Order, by the following Rescript, bearing date: Heiningen, August the first 1790, You will see by the present, that our well beloved son, Christian has rendered an essential Service to our Order, in obtaining permission from the Council of War, of his Apostolic Majesty, the King of Hungary and Bohemia, to wear the Badge thereof, this will authorise the whole Army to wear the same Distinction; that is to say, such as may be henceforward invested therewith. Our son was obliged to transmit the Statutes to the Council of War; which was pleased to praise, and to approve the same. We are happy to have it in our power to make you acquainted with so desirable an event; and we send you herewith, an authentic Copy of the Royal concession. COPY His Majesty, in consequence of the Deliberation of the Council of War, bearing date, the twenty third of last month, having been most graciously pleased to grant to the Sub-Lieutenant Comte de Leiningen, His Royal Permission to wear the Cross of the Order of Saint Joachim; the Commandant of the Regiment is therefore charged to give information of the same to the said Sub-Lieutenant. Signed, Bender Comte de Balliet de Latour. 1 Joachim. His leadership was rejected and the legitimate Grand Master's line continued through the son of the previous Grand Master, the next Duke of Leiningen. Murat left to become King of Naples in 1808 and was eventually executed in General Adam Philippe de Custine was probably the most violent and bullying of the revolutionary liberators. Georg Forster, a notable resident of Mainz told Custine that the inhabitants would have been less cruelly deceived if they had been told from the start we have come to take everything. See Patriots and Liberators, Simon Schama, 1977, Vintage Books: 1992, p. 8.

37 32 Nobili Cordi June the eleventh Hille, Secretary. Shortly after his Accession to the Imperial Throne, His Majesty, as a mark of his Princely Affection was pleased to nominate the Comte Christian de Leiningen to the Dignity of Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace. This event, (the acknowledgement of the Order by his Imperial Majesty), was indeed of a nature so important to the Order, as to induce His Majesty Frederic William the second, late King of Prussia, to acknowledge it in a similar manner. On the twenty seventh of April 1791 a Royal grant was most graciously issued, to the following effect: CONCESSION In Favour of M. de Cronhelm, Lieutenant and Adjutant of the Regiment of light Infantry, by which permission, is granted him to wear the decoration particularly appertaining to the Commanders of the Order of Saint Joachim, in conformity to the Statutes of that Order. His Majesty the King of Prussia, my Sovereign, having learnt from M. de Voss, Colonel-Commandant of the Regiment of light Infantry, that M. de Cronhelm Lieutenant and Adjutant of the said Regiment, was installed at Gründstadt in the Empire, as a Knight of the Order of Saint Joachim; and that he is at present a Commander of the said Order, which Dignity, may in process of time, be of singular Advantage to him: being however obliged by the Statutes, to wear the Decorations assigned to the Commanders of the said Order; he most humbly requests His Majesty, to grant him his most gracious permission to that effect. His Majesty, therefore, in consequence of the Resolution taken by his Ministers, the twenty fourth of last Month, has most graciously granted to the said Lieutenant de Cronhelm, His Royal Permission, to the end that he may publicly wear the Decorations, especially appertaining to a Commander of the said chapteral Order of Saint Joachim, in conformity to the Statutes thereof, and make use of the same, upon all Occasions, without hindrance, or molestation; promising to Lieutenant de Cronhelm, in virtue of the concession issued from his Council, to protect and maintain him in the enjoyment of this Privilege, so often as shall be necessary. And thereupon the said M. de Cronhelm, and all and everyone, whom it may concern, must regulate themselves conformably to these presents. In Witness whereof, the said grant was sealed with the Royal

38 The Order of Saint Joachim 33 Seal, and signed by the Ministers of State, and the Chiefs of the Department of the Order. Done and given at Berlin, the 27th April (L. S.) By His Majesty's special command, Woellner. We, the underwritten, do hereby attest, that the present Copy, is in all respects conformable to the original; and that in consequence of the desire manifested to us, we have signed the same, and have caused the Seal of the light Infantry-Regiment, to be affixed thereto. Done at Mittenwald the 20th of May, The Council of War of the Regiment of light Infantry. The Colonel Commandant of the Regiment of light Infantry. (L. S.) de Voss. Schneider, Auditor. The recognising and sanctioning this Order, was, on the part of their Imperial and Prussian Majesties, a measure extremely judicious. Knightly Confraternities of this kind have no other View than to maintain and protect good Order, and to strengthen and defend the lawful Power of the Sovereign; whereas on the contrary, all popular Societies tend evidently and absolutely to undermine and destroy the former, and to entirely eradicate, or completely annihilate the latter. On the 20th of June 1795, the Prince Czetwertykski was invested with the Ensigns of Grand-Commander. Since the accession of the Vth Grand-Master 1, to the regency of this illustrious Order, it has, notwithstanding the war which raged so long in the Empire, continued in a State, highly prosperous and flourishing. Several Persons of Distinction have been enrolled as Knights, Commanders, and Grand-Commanders: and His Majesty the 1 Graf Ferdinand Karl III von Leiningen-Westerburg-Neuleiningen, Grand Master from 1798 to He was the de facto Grand Master of the Order following the capture and imprisonment of his father, Graf Gustav Reinhard Waldemar Karl II, by Napoleon in 1793, until his father s death in captivity in Graf Karl II was the 4 th Grand Master of the Order from 1787 to 1798.

39 34 Nobili Cordi reigning King of Prussia, has solemnly and authentically acknowledged this equestrian Institution, in the same form and manner, as was in 1791, practised by his late Royal Father. But the event which has stamped an indelible Mark of Celebrity on the Order, is the Nomination and Reception of Nelson, that illustrious Hero of the Age, in Quality of Grand-Commander, of this equestrian Militia. Although the Order of Saint Joachim can boast of Princes of the Houses of Saxony and Nassau, and of many Nobles of the oldest, and prime families of the German Empire, who have been invested with this Dignity; yet do the Knights of the present, and so will all those of future generations, ever consider this as a circumstance which to the whole Body, is of the highest moment and importance. Upon that Basis, will henceforward be established, the everlasting edifice of its Fame and Glory. On the 14th of September 1801, the general Chapter thought proper, unanimously, to confer the Distinction upon Horatio, Lord Viscount Nelson, Duke of Bronte, and the Chancellor was especially commissioned to give Orders to the Master of the Ceremonies to the end that it might be officially announced to that Nobleman. This was done by a letter in date September the 29th 1801, that being the Birthday of this great and unrivalled Commander. In truth what Day, could, on all accounts, be so suitable? It is at once the anniversary Feastday of the chief of the angelic Host, and of the Birth of one of the brightest Ornaments of the Navy of Great Britain. Did we live in ages of Roman or Barbaric Superstition such a peculiar combination of Epochas, as the foregoing, would be considered as prophetically Auspicious. Might we be allowed to compare human exploits to those which are divine; or the Efforts of a Mortal, to those of a Celestial being; how justly could the Parallel be drawn upon the present Occasion? the heavenly warrior, appears to have been the scriptural Archetype of the Hero, who fought for his God his Country and his Sovereign! The agitations which accompanied the conclusion of the last war having prevented the new-elected Grand-Commander from communicating the Decree of the general chapter to his liege Sovereign; and from obtaining the Royal approbation, to accept and wear the Insignia of the Order; that illustrious Body was not therefore apprised of these so much wished for Events until early in the commencement of the year The approbation of His Britannic Majesty, and the consequent acceptance of the Conqueror of Aboukir, were then formally notified to the Chancellor, as the principal organ of the General-Chapter; and those notifications were couched in terms the most polite and the most expressive.

40 PORTRAIT OF LORD HORATIO NELSON FROM The Death of Lord Nelson by William Beatty (London: 1807) This portrait was drawn by the artist after viewing Nelson s body immediately following his death at Trafalgar. It shows him in the uniform he was wearing when mortally wounded, with the embroidered breast cross of a Knight Grand Commander of The Order of Saint Joachim (bottom)

41 HORATIO NELSON S INSIGNIA AS A KNIGHT GRAND COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM These images are from a 19th century photograph of the actual cross and breast badge awarded to Lord Nelson as a Knight Grand Commander of The Order of Saint Joachim on April 2, As a Knight Grand Commander the white enamel cross (top) was worn on the hip suspended from a broad, dark green cordon. The hanger at the time took the form of a golden knight s helmet. In this image it appears that the cross has been attached backwards showing the reverse of the badge with a green cross pattee. The front of the cross should show the image of St. Joachim. Knights of the Order wore a similar, but smaller cross. The bottom image is Lord Nelson s breast badge worn by Commanders and Grand Commanders of the The Order of Saint Joachim. This is the metal and enamel version. Nelson generally wore the wire embroidered version on his uniform coat (see accompanying portrait). These badges were stolen from the Painted Hall of Greenwich Hospital in December 1900 and have never been recovered. Nelson s embroidered breast star is still attached to the coat he was wearing at Trafalgar.

42 The Order of Saint Joachim 37 Thus has this Chapteral Order been amply gratified by the solemn and authentic recognition of the King of Great Britain 1, and by the reception of a Nobleman, from whose Name, every Order must acquire a brilliancy, which, time, the Devourer of all things, can never efface, or eclipse. On the second of April 1802, all the accustomed formalities, as prescribed by the Statutes, having been scrupulously observed; and previously gone through; the Chancellor presented the usual Diploma to the General- Chapter, which, by the willing suffrages of all present, having received the unanimous Sanction of the Deputies of the different Classes, was then signed by His Highness the Grand-Master countersigned by the Chancellor and the great Seal of the Order being solemnly affixed thereto; the same with the appropriate Ensigns was immediately transmitted to Horatio, Lord Viscount Nelson, a Peer of the United Kingdoms; and Duke of Bronte, and a Magnat of the ancient, and loyal Kingdom of the two Sicilies. Although the Order is at present under the administration of a Comte; 2 yet must it be observed, that he is an independent Sovereign of the Holy Roman Empire; and who enjoys his seat and suffrage at the Diet of that venerable Body. Indeed, none other, save a reigning Sovereign, can, according to the constitutional laws, be elected to the Dignity of Grand-Master. His Highness, who now holds the reins of Government, is in the same Class with, and of equal Rank to the Houses of Habsbourg and Nassau; previous to their being advanced to the imperial Dignity: and the Order is entitled to a distinguished place amongst those which are chapteral: we mean that of Malta, and the Teutonic, the former of which is governed by a Gentleman, chosen from the Bosom of the Senior Bailiffs; or Grand-Commanders; or Grand-Crosses; of that Order. Since its first Institution, Ladies have been admitted into the Order of Malta: and that of Saint Joachim, being; likewise chapteral, the same Principle has been adopted, with respect to its general Organisation. It is at present composed of His Highness the Grand-Master, of His Excellency the Grand-Prior; of thirteen Grand-Commanders, (all Persons of the first Distinction) of seventeen Commanders; and forty four immediate Knights; who are men invested with honourable Employments who by 1 2 The warrant of George III permitting Admiral Lord Nelson to accept and wear the insignia of a Knight Grand Commander of The Order of Saint Joachim is dated 15th July, 1802, and registered in the British College of Arms. The Royal Warrant of King George III was also issued for three other English contemporaries of Admiral Nelson to accept and wear the insignia of a Knight Grand Commander of The Order of Saint Joachim. These included Viscount Merton, Lt.-Col. Charles Imhoff, and Philip D'Auvergne, Prince de Boullion, Rear Admiral of the Blue. Graf Ferdinand Karl III von Leiningen-Westerburg-Neuleiningen. At the time of Hanson s writing, the Duke of Leiningen-Westerburg-Neuleiningen was still without his lands because of Napoleon s ongoing wars in Europe. He was recognized as the legitimate ruler by countries at war with France.

43 38 Nobili Cordi Birth, are Noblemen, or Gentlemen and whose lives and conduct are highly irreproachable. There are two young Noblemen, who are Expectants: one Lady Grand-Cross: nine Ladies of the small Cross: and nine Gentlemen, Members, ad Honores. Of the Constitution of the Order and of the Qualities necessary to be admitted therein This secular and equestrian Order has always one Grand-Master, elected for life: the other Members, are Persons of both Sexes, and are classed as follows: A) The Male in Grand-Commanders; Commanders; Knights-immediate; or junior Knights; and Expectants; B) The Female in Ladies-Grand-Crosses; Ladies wearing the small Cross; and Ladies Expectants. The Members of this secular and equestrian Order, are not limited to any certain or fixed number. Birth and Virtue open the road to all Gentlemen: and it depends upon every one to be admitted as a Grand-Commander; as a Commander; or as a Knight, only; according to their option. The sons of Noblemen, and Gentlemen, can be matriculated as Expectants, as soon as they are born; and so on to the Age of nineteen. By that means, they have the hopes to obtain a Commandery so much the sooner. They have likewise an advancement with respect to the Stipendium, and they continue advancing in Rank, with respect to the Order. But, as soon as an Expectant has reached the 20th year of his Age, and possesses all the Qualities which entitle him to his admission, then he will be knighted, and receive the Cross. Princes, and the sons of reigning Grand-Masters, have the same right, with this difference: viz. if they think proper to postulate the Cross immediately, they can have it as Knights; Commanders; or Grand-Commanders, but, it must be observed, that this grace is accorded without prejudice to the Seniority of the older Expectants, or Knights, who cannot thereby be deprived of their rights to a Commandery. Only those who are really of hereditary Nobility, and gentry bearing Coats of Arms, can ever be admitted, as Knights; Commanders; or Grand-Commanders. The Counsellor of the Order forms the only exception. He being chosen as having studied the Laws; and as such being obliged to superintend the observance of them in every

44 The Order of Saint Joachim 39 respect; it therefore follows, that it is not necessary he should he a Nobleman. But, he must have the Title of Counsellor to the reigning Grand-Master; and remains a Knight, only, without being capable of becoming a Commander; or a Grand- Commander. In the military line, only those who have the rank of superior Officers, can be made Knights; or Commanders; and only those who have the rank of a Field-Officer, can be admitted as Grand-Commanders. In the civil rank, no one can be invested with the Ensigns of Knighthood, unless he is advanced beyond the Age of a Scholar, or a Student. Those only can be admitted as Commanders; or as Grand-Commanders; who have employments at Courts; respectable and first rate-offices under Governments; or the rank of actual-privy-counsellor of state: notwithstanding this Restriction, nothing can exclude from the Commanderies attached to the Knights-Commanders, and Knights-Grand-Commanders, those, who in their Turns, become entitled to such Benefices. Those who are incapable of being admitted or received as Knights etc. etc. of this equestrian Chapteral and secular Order, are as follows: Such as are accused of blasphemy; such as are guilty of high-treason; rebellion: or felony to their Sovereign. Those who desert their Service in time of war; or are cashiered with Ignominy. Those who have acted contrary to every principle of duty, conscience and honour. The Badge, appertaining to the Knights, Commanders, and Grand-Commanders, consists of a gold Cross with eight points, the whole enamelled in white. In the middle, and on both sides, is a laurel Crown enamelled on a flat Circle. Upon the foreside, is the figure of Saint Joachim in a green dress, with a white sash round the Body; from his left Shoulder is suspended a white scrip, and, upon his Head, he wears a green cap, according to the oriental Fashion. In his left hand is a Shepherd s Crook. Upon the reverse is a green Cross-pattée. 1 This Cross hangs by a large gold Ring from a knightly helmet of massy Gold, and is worn suspended from a dark green watered Ribbon A Cross-pattée is an upright cross with four equal length arms, wider at the ends than at the mid point where the arms meet. Literally a paw cross (in German, a Tatzenkreuz ). Its most common and recognizable example is the Prussian Iron Cross. The contemporary cross of a Knight of the Order is shown in Perrot, op. cit. (see illustration).

45 40 Nobili Cordi The Grand-Master wears over the Coat, from the right Shoulder to the left side, a Ribbon of the breadth of the hand: to the loop of which is attached the Grand-Cross. He likewise wears a Star upon his Coat, such as will be mentioned hereafter. The secular Grand-Commanders wear the same cross suspended from the same Ribbon and over the coat likewise. The Grand-Commanders, who are Ecclesiastics wear the same cross suspended from the same Ribbon; but it is worn en Sautoir, or about the Neck. All the Grand-Commanders, seculars and ecclesiastics, wear a Star upon their coat, similar to that of the Grand-Master. The cross assigned to the class of the Commanders, is likewise similar to the one worn by the Grand-Master, and the Grand-Commanders, Seculars, as well as Ecclesiastics; but it is something smaller. It is worn en Sautoir, and is suspended from a Ribbon of the breadth of three fingers. All the Commanders, Seculars and Ecclesiastics wear a Star upon their coats; of which a Description will be given. The Knights wear the small cross attached to a Ribbon, nearly equal in breadth to that worn by the Commanders. It is worn suspended from the Neck; but, they have not the Silver Star embroidered upon the coat, as have the Commanders. The Grand-Master, and the Grand-Commanders, wear upon the left breast of their coats, a Star of eight points embroidered in Silver; 1 in the middle, on a white satin ground, is embroidered a green cross-pattée surrounded with a laurel Crown: around all which; upon a border of dark green Velvet; is embroidered the Motto, JUNXIT AMICOS AMOR, 2 in letters of Gold. The whole is terminated with the date of the creation, 1755 in figures of Gold. The Commanders, wear on the left Breast of their coats, a Star of Silver, bearing eight points. It is of the dimensions of three inches taken from the Diameter of the circle; which circle is ornamented with a green cross-pattée. Excepting on occasions of Solemnity, those who are secular Grand-Commanders; or are superior Officers; or who enjoy a Commandery; are free to wear, ad libitum, the Decorations of Knights, or Commanders: and so they can appear in the ordinary Assemblies. In like manner, it is permitted to all and every ecclesiastical and secular 1 2 This badge can be seen in the accompanying illustration of Admiral Lord Nelson, who wore the embroidered version of the star of a Knight Grand Commander on his naval uniform. There was also a metal version. Nelson was wearing this star at Trafalgar in 1805 when he was mortally wounded. The actual jacket he wore at Trafalgar with The Order of Saint Joachim s insignia is preserved in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England. Love hath united friends. The reference to the Book of Samuel, Chapter 20, which tells of the enduring friendship between David and Jonathan, and the original name of the Order.

46 The Order of Saint Joachim 41 Grand-Commander; although not in possession of a Commandery; to wear, ad libitum, the Decorations of Knights, or Commanders. Finally, it is permitted to all, the Knights; Commanders; and Grand-Commanders, to wear the cross of Knight only, pendant from a Ribbon two fingers broad, and attached from the second to the third button hole of their coat; save when they assist at the Assemblies of the Order. The Expectants wear the Ribbon (of the breadth of two fingers) so disposed that it passes from the second to the third button hole of the coat. It is formed into a Knot, on which is embroidered in Silver the Words, CRESCAM, UT PROSIM! 1 All the Knights are constantly obliged to wear some Badge, and that, in an ostensible manner. In case they do not, they will be fined for such omission. The first time, the Fine will amount to one Ducat; and the second, to two Ducats; which will be appropriated to the Order, ad pios usus, and by neglecting more and more, to appear with the Insignia, such omission shall be formally and officially reported to the Order; and the refractory Member, shall be deprived of his Dignity. The Knights, Commanders, and Grand-Commanders, are obliged, according to their respective ranks, to add to their Seals and other armorial bearings, the Insignia of the Order. The Uniform worn by the Grand-Master, consists of a Waist-coat and small cloaths of superfine white cloth; the coat is of superfine Scarlet-cloth, lined with white; the cuffs and collar, are of dark; green Velvet; the buttons are white; and thereupon, a green cross-pattée is engraved, according to the rules of Blazonry. The coat is distinguished with two silver Epaulettes embroidered, and adorned with a green cross-pattée. The Grand-Master has four such crosses, upon each Epaulette; the Grand-Commanders, three; the Commanders, two, and the Knights, one. The Sword is decorated with a Knot of green and Silver. The Grand-Master wears his Hat bordered with a point D Espagne of Silver, and adorned with a white Feather. During the Assembly of the general Chapter, and on all days of Solemnity, the Grand-Master, the principal Members of the Chapter, and such Knights as then reside at the Court of the Grand-Master, appear in Boots and Spurs, and carry a Cane, à la Millitaire; and, in their Hats, which are plain, they wear a green Cockade, and likewise an Aigrette, or plume of green and white Feathers. When at the Residence of the Grand-Master, all the Knights are obliged to appear constantly with the Uniform; and each Knight, wheresoever he may be, is in duty bound to wear it as much as possible. Nevertheless, all who appertain to the ecclesiastical body; and those who are still attached to the military Service; are 1 I will grow so that I might do good. (Prosim from prosum - to do good, be useful)

47 These are the illustrations of the ancient insignia of the Order of Saint Joachim from A.M. Perrot's book, Historische Sammlung aller Ritterorden der verschiendenen Nationen (A Historical Collection of all Knightly Orders of Different Nations) published in Leipzig in Figure 8 (left) shows the neck insignia of Grand Commanders, Commanders and Knights, suspended from a green watered silk ribbon with a knightly helm hanging device. The front shows St. Joachim with his staff, and the reverse displays a green cross. Figure 9 (below) is the breast cross worn by Grand Commanders and Commanders, with The Order's motto surrounding the centrepiece: DEO PRINCIPI LEGI. On the facing page is the present insignia of the modern Order of Saint Joachim. Above is the neck cross worn by members with the rank of Knight and above. It hangs by a large gold ring from a dark green, watered silk ribbon. The centre shows St. Joachim with his staff, surrounded by a green border and the word NOBILI. Below is the modern breast cross worn by Commanders and above. It is a silver, scaled cross, with a green and white centre with the motto: JUNXIT AMICUS AMOR, surrounded by a gold wreath.

48

49 44 Nobili Cordi exempted from such regulation. To the latter it is not even permitted to appear otherwise at the general chapter of the Order, than with the Uniform of their respective Corps. The Aspirants to the Order may wear the Uniform; save with this difference: the two Silver Epaulettes must not he embroidered nor ornamented with the green Cross. This secular and equestrian Order has established a particular Class to distinguish the noble, virtuous, and meritorious actions of Persons of every rank: it is denominated The Class of Honorary Members. In which can be admitted Persons who are of the civil ranks of Society; and who are justly distinguished for their merit and learning. They have no right however to expect any advancement to the Dignity of Knight; Commander; or Grand-Commander; nor to obtain a Commandery. These Members of Honour wear a cross which is nearly like to that worn by the Knights: it is ½ inch in length, and is worn at the button hole of the waist-coat, pendant from a Ribbon of the breadth of two fingers. But, it is not surmounted with an Helmet; nor are the laurel crowns on the circular parts. Both the attributes of the Order, which are on each circular part, are surrounded with a green bordering 1 ; on one side, is the inscription, NOBILI, and upon the other, CORDI. 2 Of the Reception and investiture of the Members of the Order All those who desire to be received, or to be inscribed, as Expectants, in this equestrian Order, must nominate a Sponsor, who is either a Grand-Commander; a Commander; or a Knight thereof; and who shall present him to the Grand-Master. Unless this formality is duly observed, no one is, or shall be admitted therein. The Sponsor undersigns the Petition, by which the Postulant requests permission of the Grand-Master, to be allowed to produce his Proofs, ad rem: and likewise therein announces the place of his Birth, and of his actual residence. The Grand-Master, in the ordinary Chapter, then accords such permission to the Postulant, on condition that he shall produce the proofs of his Nobility; or of his extraction as a Gentleman; before the nearest prefecture, which shall be established in the Neighbourhood of the Postulant. 1 2 This is the form of cross that is now worn by all members of the modern Order of the rank of Knight and above. Nobili Cordi: trans = noble hearts.

50 The Order of Saint Joachim 45 The Prefecture, sends these Proofs to the ordinary Chapter; to which it adds its conscientious Advice, and opinion there-upon. To this, the Chancellor annexes the report of the Master of the Ceremonies, and of the Herald: and presents the said Instrument to the ordinary Chapter, with his opinion. All Memorials, and justificative Proofs; being; first duly and scrupulously examined in the ordinary Chapter; the reception is granted, or rejected, according to the plurality of the Voices of such Members as are present. Each Postulant must give in his genealogical table, accompanied with his Christian and family Name and with the Arms of the family emblazoned, according to the laws of Heraldry. It is only necessary, however, that this Extraction, and descent as a Gentleman, shall he proved on the side of the Father, since the Proofs indispensable towards his admission originate by no means with the Mother; except, so far as regards the legitimacy of birth, in the state of lawful wedlock. This genealogical table is meant to prove, in a concise and summary manner, the different degrees of descent and filiation; accordingly as they are therein specified. It must be accompanied with a certificate respecting the character and reputation of the Postulant; which is certified and signed by three Gentlemen who are established, or who are in Offices of responsibility. This Instrument must be, sub vidi Nobili; and with the Seals of the Arms of the Witnesses annexed thereto. It must likewise be authentically legalised before the Magistrate of the place where it is executed: or, by the representatives of some equestrian, or gentlemanly body; to which the Postulant may belong: to the end, that full and certain belief, may be, judicially, and extra-judicially, given to the same. With respect to the admission into this Order, all certificates and acts executed by Notaries, are entirely excluded. In case the Postulant, or his Parents, have lately received a grant of hereditary Nobility, he is bound to produce the original Diploma, or a Copy, certified and legalised in due form. Likewise the lineal Descent and conjugal filiation, must be proved, as in the foregoing Article. Parents, or Guardians, who desire to have their Children, or Pupils, inscribed as Expectants, undersign the Petition to that effect, which is to be presented to the Grand- Master. The Baptismal certificate is annexed thereto: and it is therein expressed, that it is the Pastor of the Parish, ipso facto, who gives it. This certificate must be duly legalised, ab Ordinario loci to the end that full and certain belief, may be, judicially and extra-judicially, given to the same. Over and above all this, no Expectant shall be created a Knight, until he has strictly fulfilled all the Obligations which are prescribed by the Statutes.

51 46 Nobili Cordi Those who shall be received as Members, ad Honores must produce their Baptismal certificate, in the same forma probante; and moreover, an attestation signed and sealed by the Knights of the Order, proving the lawful and conjugal Birth of the Persons to be received; that they are esteemed, pro ingenuis; and, that no objection can be made against their manners and good calling. All these proofs, nevertheless, do not by any means give an undoubted and indisputable right to be received as a Knight of this Order. On the contrary, the Order most absolutely reserves to itself the choice of the Postulant: insomuch that the reception depends entirely upon the free Will of the Grand-Master, and the ordinary Chapter. Upon receiving an assurance, in due form, that the reception is granted, a day is fixed for the investiture. All the Knights of the Order, present, assemble in a body; they pay their Respects to the Grand-Master, and accompany him to the Chapter-Hall, in the following Order: The Herald opens the Procession The Knights The Commanders The Grand-Commanders The six Deputies of the Order, two and two The highest Secular Chief-Capitular (present) with the Book of the Statutes The other Secular Chief-Capitulars, two and two The highest ecclesiastical Chief-Capitular, (present) carries the holy Bible The other ecclesiastical Chief-Capitulars, two and two; next comes The Postulant, on his right hand-side walks the Master of the Ceremonies, bearing the Sword of State The Grand-Master alone The Coadjutor, and Grand-Prior; if they be present The Chancellor, and the Treasurer When the Grand-Master has taken his place, and is seated upon the Chair of State, under the Canopy, the Chancellor and Treasurer take their places; the one on his right

52 The Order of Saint Joachim 47 hand, and the other on the left. The Books 1 of the laws are laid upon the table, which stands on the right hand. Each Person present, takes his proper place; two Knights covered, and holding their Swords drawn, stand, the one on the right hand, the other on the left, of the Grand-Master; but at some distance from the Chancellor and Treasurer. And, in the same manner, two others stand, one on each side the Door of the chapter-hall, and withinside. Hereupon the Herald receives the Sword of State from the Hands of the Master of the Ceremonies, and remains with it by the side of the Grand-Master. Meanwhile the Master of the Ceremonies conducts the Postulant to a Station opposite to the Grand-Master; but at some little distance. After the Chancellor has pronounced a Speech relative to the Duties of the Order; and after the Veni Creator 2 is chanted to the sound of Instrumental-Music; the Master of the Ceremonies conducts the Postulant into a particular Room, and once more recommends to him the fulfilling the Duties of the Order; and that he shall earnestly resolve so to do; and henceforward, remain faithful and adhere to the observance thereof. This done, the Postulant is habited with the Uniform, and is reconducted to the Grand-Master; who, during the ceremony, is surrounded by all the ecclesiastical and secular Officers, according to their respective ranks. After the Postulant has answered this Question of the Grand-Master: If it be his free Will, and earnest desire to be admitted into this secular, chapteral, and equestrian Order of Saint Joachim; and to take part in fulfilling the duties and obligations which form the Basis thereof; to the honour of God, and for the benefit of mankind? With YES the two senior Chief-Capitulars bring, the ecclesiastical one, the Bible, which he lays on the Knees of the Grand-Master; and the secular one, the book of the Statutes; which he presents to the Chancellor, and delivers to him. The Postulant then kneels on both Knees at the Foot of the Chair of State; and laying his three forefingers of the right hand upon this Passage of the Gospel of St. John: In the beginning was the word etc. 3 he repeats, word for word, the oath, which the Chancellor pronounces. Thereupon, all the secular Knights put on their hats, and drawing their Swords, remain in one posture, until the ceremony of investiture is entirely concluded. The Oath being taken; the Bible, and the Statutes are again placed on the table The Books of the laws refers to the Bible and the Statutes of the Order. See Appendix 1. See Appendix 2. This passage has a special place in several chivalric Orders, and is open during the investiture ceremony.

53 48 Nobili Cordi Then the Grand-Master rises from the chair of State, and the postulant Kneeling, receives from him the customary stroke of Knighthood, with the Sword of State; this done, the Grand-Master raises him, making use of the following form of words: A Knight is a free man and no Servant; therefore he must bend himself only before the law; but otherwise, he must be Master over himself and his Passion. When girding the Sword about him: the Grand-Master says to him: Weapon and Arms are given to a Knight to fight for God and Religion; to defend the Person of the Sovereign, and his State; and even to sacrifice his Body, Life, Blood and fortune for their Service: to protect the honour of the Order; and in case of need, his Brethren and Sisters likewise; on that account shall a Knight embellish himself with this Ornament, which is the noblest and most worthy! Whilst the Spurs are putting on; which is performed by the two junior Knights the Grand-Master says: A Knight shall feel in himself the calling, and shall not want any encouragement to succour the poor and needy, the Widow and the Fatherless! he shall be ever disposed to do good, in such wise that his right hand Knoweth not what his left hand giveth! When the Gloves are presented to him, the Grand-Master says: So clean and white as they are shall be the conscience of a Knight, and each of his Actions. Whilst the Grand-Master suspends the Cross (which Badge, the Treasurer presents to him) around the Neck of the new made Knight, He says to him: This Cross is received by a Knight of Saint Joachim, as the Sign which elevates him to the rank, and entitles him to the Alliance and Friendship of his Brethren, take it meritoriously, and wear it all your life worthily, to the glory of God; to the splendour of the Order; and, to the especial honour of yourself! Upon putting on the Hat, the Grand-Master pronounces the following Words: Concord and good intelligence are the surest promoters of general happiness; the foundation stones of prosperity; and, the only means by which this Order can attain the ends for which it is established. Lastly The Grand-Master gives the Kiss of Peace to the new-made Knight, with these Words: Love and Peace be with us!

54 The Order of Saint Joachim 49 After the Te Deum Laudamus 1 is chanted to the sound of Trumpets and martial Music; the Master of the ceremonies; the Grand Officers; and all the Knights; who are present; embrace the new made Knight; each one according to his respective rank. In case the Day destined for holding the general chapter should take place on the Day of the investiture; then, so soon as the ceremony is over; the new Knight; and all those who have not seat and voice, shall retire: but when the Session is over, they are immediately reconducted to the Chapter-Hall, by the Master of the ceremonies. A procession, is thereupon, formed to the banquet Hall; which is opened by the Master of the ceremonies, carrying the Sword of State, before the Grand-Master. The newmade Knight follows him; afterwards come all the other Members present, two and two, according to their respective rank: lastly the Chancellor and the Treasurer, close the procession. On the Day of investiture, the new-made Knight enjoys the rank immediately after the Grand-Master. Accordingly as circumstances with respect to religion may make it necessary; the Grand-Master possesses a discretionary power to perform the ceremony in the chapel of the Order; in which case it is the Duty of the Master of the ceremonies to regulate all matters relative thereto; in a manner consistent with the functions of divine Worship. In case a Knight is to be received who lives at some Distance from the place of the chief Residence of the Order; the Grand-Master delegates the Power of granting the investiture, to the Senior, and most honourable Members, (who live in the neighbourhood) and they take care that the Solemnity is performed in the most proper manner. When even this, from circumstances, is totally impracticable; then, all deficiencies, with regard to the above formal ides, are completely remedied, and supplied, by means of the most ample letters-patent. The reception of a Member, ad honores is performed in the cabinet of the Grand- Master, in presence of the Chancellor; the Treasurer; the Master of the ceremonies; and a certain number of Knights. After the Grand-Master has proposed this question to the Candidate: If it be his free and earnest will to be admitted as an honorary Member of the order of St. Joachim; and to employ his means in future, to the glory of God, to the prosperity of the Order, and to the good of mankind? He answers Yes! takes the Oath Kneeling; and receives from the Grand-Master the Insignia: But, on this occasion the stroke of Knighthood is omitted. 1 See Appendix 3.

55 50 Nobili Cordi Each Member of the Order, after he has taken the oath personally must deliver in the same in writing. It must be in his own hand-writing; signed with his own hand; sealed with his family Seal; and delivered to the Chancellor, who deposits it in the Archives. Respecting the Class of Ladies of the Order; of the Proofs required for their Reception; of the Insignia appertaining to this Class; of the Solemnities observed on their Reception; and of their respective Duties With Regard to the fair Sex, this Chapteral Institution is not limited to any certain Number. Noble Birth, and good Extraction; as being descended from a Gentleman; or the being married to a Gentleman, whose Birth and Conduct are unexceptionable; entitles every Lady, or Dowager of a Gentleman, and every young unmarried Lady; to be received. They are distinguished in the following Manner: Ladies-Grand-Crosses; Ladies wearing the small Cross; and Ladies-Novices. Thus, they are classed in the Register; and take Rank accordingly; deriving from their Dignities such Benefits and Advantages as are particularly attached thereto. Each Noble Lady; Gentlewoman; or Widow; can be immediately received as a Lady-Grand-Cross; or she can he received as a Lady wearing the small-cross, until she is in possession of a Commandery. But so soon as she is in the immediate possession of that Dignity, she is obliged to be received as a Lady-Grand-Cross. A young Lady must be at least sixteen years of Age before she can be admitted to the Honour of receiving the small-cross; and cannot be invested with the Dignity of Lady-Grand-Cross until she enjoys a Commandery. 1 But should a young Lady be betrothed to a Gentleman, in that case, she can Petition the Grand-Master to be admitted as a Lady-Grand-Cross; and after receiving the Diploma, can assume the insignia of a Lady-Grand-Cross, on her wedding day. Princesses, and the Daughters of reigning families, can receive the Insignia, as Ladies-Grand-Crosses, so soon as they are baptized: nevertheless, such reception can 1 This is a remarkable casual reference, as it suggests that women in the Order would not only be admitted as full members, but could actually head a Commandery as administrator and the Grand Master s representative.

56 The Order of Saint Joachim 51 in no wise prejudice the rights and claims of the older Members, with respect to the Commanderies attached to this class. Every Gentleman has a power to procure for his Daughter, (even in her tender youth) a right to a Commandery, 1 and as making a part of her future Dowry, he can have her inscribed, or matriculated, as a Novice, as soon as she is born; and until she is in the sixteenth year of her Age. From that period, she will regularly advance to the enjoyment of a Commandery, according to her turn; and without interruption. So soon as the sixteen years are accomplished, the Lady-Novice must be formally received and admitted to the Honours of the small Cross, otherwise she will lose her claims to a Commandery. A young Lady, wearing the small Cross, and who marries a Man who possesses not hereditary Nobility; or who is not strictly speaking a Gentleman; does not thereby deprive herself of her right to a Commandery. But, she cannot attain to the rank of Lady-Grand-Cross, previous to her being in the actual possession of a Commandery. Until she is invested therewith, she must continue to wear the Insignia of a Lady of the Order, unless her Husband be created a Nobleman; or procure some employment, which entitles him to the rank of a Gentleman. As personal Virtue, hereditary Nobility; and gentility of descent, or Extraction; entitle Ladies to be admitted into this equestrian foundation, and chapteral Order; so, on the contrary; a vicious Life; corrupted Morals; and disorderly Manners; are an insuperable Bar. All those are formally and absolutely excluded, whose conversation, life, and manners, are repugnant to the principles of Religion, Morality, and female Honour. When on such accounts, a Lady is denounced, to the Order, by a Knight thereof, as having insinuated herself therein, (although her Life and Conduct are such, as render her Unworthy of being received) then the Right appertains to the Grand-Master, and to the general-chapter, to degrade so unworthy a Person; and to deprive her of the Insignia; and that, without even being obliged to name the accuser Nevertheless, the Person so degraded, has a Right to examine the Protocol of the general-chapter, to the end that she may exhibit her Defence. Thereupon, the Counsellor of justice is obliged to plead her cause, and that in the Manner the most advantageous for her 1 A Commandery was not only an administrative district and responsibility. It could also provide the Commander usually appointed for life based on seniority with a steady income in the form of annual dues, fees or oblations from the Order s members under their jurisdiction. In some orders Commanders (sometimes called Priors in other orders) became very wealthy, since their ability to levy fees and tithes also extended to the local population in the form of a tax for military protection and the enforcement of law and dispensing of justice. A Commandery was often used by knightly orders as a form of pension.

57 52 Nobili Cordi Reputation and Honour. Should it however be proved that such a Lady is really innocent; in that case, the denouncer shall be named, and as a Calumniating Brother, shall be degraded, from the Order; and expelled from its Bosom. To Accusations preferred, or denunciations made by anonymous Persons; by such as are guided by Malice, or credulity; and who are not Knights of this Order, no Attention will be given. They shall, in toto be deemed false; scandalous; and ill founded; and treated as such. As this equestrian, secular and chapteral Order has chosen the holy Joachim as a Model for Imitation; and as an Example whose virtues are ever worthy the Imitation of all good Men; 1 so is it the particular Duty of the Ladies to regard the Piety, the Resignation, the Patience, and the peaceable domestic Virtues, of the holy Anna, his Spouse, (the Mother of the blessed Virgin Mary) as patterns worthy their especial Imitation. Moreover, the Ladies who are received, are obliged to observe the Practice of all the Duties which are specified with respect to the Knights: that is to say, so far, as is consistent with the difference of Sexes. They must endeavour to distinguish themselves, above other Women, by the Practice of every moral and social Virtue: and must conscientiously fulfil the Duties attached to their Sex; and which especially appertain unto them, as Wives, Mothers, and Mistresses of Families. Inviolable Fidelity in the Marriage State: Tenderness and carefulness, with Regard to the Persons and Education of their Children: Mildness and Beneficence towards their Inferiors and Servants: and Charity and Generosity towards the Poor and Needy, the Widow and the fatherless, ought ever to be the cardinal Points of the Compass of Life, by which they must steer their Conduct; and regulate the whole of their Lives and Actions. Moreover, they are obliged to take the three following Vows: 1) As well in the single as in the married State, they shall educate Children as true Mothers ought to do: that is to say, such as are entrusted to their care, in the first Instance; and such as are their own, in the second. They must endeavour to make them useful Members of the State to which they belong, and must further and promote the Education, of other young people. 2) Each Lady of the Order, must distinguish herself, with respect to her Apparel, by wearing none but honourable and decent Dresses. 1 Saint Joachim, the apocryphal father of the Virgin Mary, is the Patron Saint of fathers, grandfathers, grandparents, married couples, cabinet makers and linen traders. He traditionally represents humour, wisdom and humanity and encourages the use of human traits for higher intentions. He was also known for his generous offerings at the Temple.

58 The Order of Saint Joachim 53 3) Each Lady of the Order, must avoid playing at Games of Hazard; and never play deep upon any Occasion; since gaming has but too often been; and still too frequently is, the Ruin of many Families. To the fair-sex, who are received into this illustrious, equestrian, secular and chapteral Institution, are assigned the same Insignia as those which are attributed to, and worn by the Knights: save, that in the Place of the golden Helmet, the Cross is surmounted with a golden Death s Head, placed upon two Cross bones. 1 This Emblem is meant to point out to the Ladies the Fragility of human Beauty: to make them never lose Sight of their latter End: and, as a reflecting mirror; whenever they look thereupon; to show that the Christian and moral Virtues are far superior to all external Charms; and are in Reality the only Basis on which can be built, true Felicity in this World, and a happy Eternity in the one which is to come. The Ladies-Grand-Crosses wear the Cross attached to a Ribbon of the Breadth of three Fingers; of the same Colour as that worn by the Knights. It is worn round the Shoulders in such a Manner, that the Cross is pendant on the Middle of the Breast: and, upon the left Breast is worn the silver Star, in the same Manner as by the Grand-Commanders. The Ladies, wear the small Cross attached to a Ribbon of the Breadth of two Fingers, and it is arranged with a Knot and Loop so as to be worn upon the left Breast. The Ladies-Novices wear upon the left Breast, a Knot of Ribbon, upon which is embroidered in Silver, the Word, VIRTUTI! 2 The Ladies-Grand-Crosses, and the Ladies of the Order, are obliged constantly, to wear the Insignia. In Case of Non-Performance, they are liable to the same Punishments, and Forfeitures, as those to which, in similar Cases, the Knights are exposed. On such Days, however, as are not considered as Days of Ceremony; or, are not especially observed, as being consecrated to the Solemnities and Festivals of the Order, it is permitted to the Ladies-Grand-Crosses, and to the Ladies of the small Cross, to wear the Insignia of the Ladies-Novices; but the latter can wear their distinctive Badge, when in full Dress only. On the 20th of June, and on the 4th of 1 2 See the accompanying illustration of what to today s sensibilities appears as a macabre hanging device. Skulls and cross-bones were at one point very popular and common memento mori, and employed to make the point described by Hanson. Virtue, but also signifying moral perfection, courage and excellence.

59 54 Nobili Cordi November, as likewise on all the Feast-Days of the Order, all such Ladies, as are decorated therewith, in case they present themselves, or appear at the Court of the Grand-Master, must be dressed in black Silk, and the unmarried, in white, made up after the Mode of the Country: on other Occasions the Dress and Colour depend upon themselves, entirely. Each Noble Lady, or Gentlewoman, who desires to be received into this illustrious Institution, must choose herself a Sponsor, or Curator, either a Knight, Commander, or a Grand-Commander, who is obliged, without delay, to present her Petition to the Grand-Master. He must then present, to the ordinary Chapter, the Proofs of her Nobility and virtuous Life; which must be attested by three Nobles, or Gentlemen: and he must take care that every point relative to the future Reception, shall be duly observed, as in the Case of those who are received as Knights thereof. When the Reception is accorded, and the Lady is in the Neighbourhood of the Grand-Master, then are the following Ceremonies of Investiture, observed upon such Occasions. The Lady appears in a black silk Dress, if she is married, or a Widow, and in a white one, in case she is unmarried; she is assisted by two Ladies, or Ladies-Grand-Crosses of the Order; and likewise by her Sponsor, or Curator; and, is conducted by the Master of the Ceremonies into the Chapter-Hall, where she takes place immediately opposite to the Grand-Master. Thereupon, the Chancellor, in a short Speech, announces the Duties and Obligations of the Order; and when the Lady has answered the following Question: If it be her true and earnest Desire to be received into the illustrious chapteral Institution of St. Joachim; and to take part in the fulfilling the Duties thereof, to the Glory of God, to the Honour of herself, and to the Benefit of Society! with Yes! then must she take the Oath of the Order, according to the usual Formulary; and whilst so doing, she must lay the three fore Fingers of her right Hand, upon the left Breast; and afterwards deliver the same in writing. This Instrument must be executed in the same Manner as is prescribed in Cases of the Reception of the Knights of the Order. It must be undersigned by her Sponsor and Curator; and finally be delivered to the Chancellor, who deposits it in the Archives. This done, the Grand-Master invests her with the Insignia; in doing which he is assisted by the two Ladies Assistants. The Grand-Master says to her: This Cross is received by a Lady of the Order of Saint Joachim, as the Sign which elevates her to the Rank, and entitles her to the Alliance and Friendship of her Brethren, and Sisterhood and as a Proof that she has bound herself to pay due Obedience to the Statutes thereof. Take it meritoriously, and wear it all your Life worthily, to the Glory of God! to the Splendour of the Order! and to the Honour of yourself!

60 LADIES GRAND CROSS (MID 19TH CENTURY) Hanson describes the cross worn by the fair Sex as being surmounted with a golden Death's Head, placed upon two Cross bones. This Emblem is meant to point out to the Ladies the Fragility of human Beauty: to make them never lose Sight of their latter End: and, as a reflecting mirror; whenever they look thereupon; to show that the Christian and moral Virtues are far superior to all external Charms; and are in Reality the only Basis on which can be built, true Felicity in this World, and a happy Eternity in the one which is to come.

61 56 Nobili Cordi Instead of receiving the Accolade; 1 as is usually conferred upon each Knight, on the Conclusion of the Ceremony of His Reception the new-elected Lady presents her right Hand to the Grand-Master; and successively to the Chief-Capitulars, then present. When a Lady is received, who resides at too great Distance from the Place of Residence of the Grand-Master; the same Ceremonies are observed, as in Cases of Investiture of Knights non-present. Persons of the fair Sex, although not distinguished by hereditary Nobility, or genteel Extraction; but who distinguish themselves by a virtuous conduct, and by Nobility of Heart; are entitled to receive this Order, as a Recompence of Honour conferred upon Actions of Merit. To that Intent, a particular Class is founded, which is denominated The Class of Honorary Relatives of the Order; No unmarried Person can be received into this Class. Such Persons only are entitled to be invested with this Distinction, as are married to a Man in Possession of hereditary Nobility; or, to a Gentleman: or, to a Person who exercises some public and honourable Employment; or whose true Nobleness of Heart; severe Virtue; Liberality to the Poor; Knowledge and Practice of domestic Economy; and Zeal for the Education of Youth; render them worthy, and capable of receiving this honourable Distinction. Such Honorary relatives, must content themselves with the Rank especially assigned to them. Unless married to a Gentleman; or unless their Fathers, or Husbands receive a Grant of hereditary Nobility; or are invested with such Offices as are deemed equivalent thereto; they never can be advanced to the Dignity of Lady; or Lady-Grand-Cross. But, should such Events, as the aforementioned take place; then, in Case they think proper to solicit such advancement; it will be assuredly accorded to them. The Insignia, worn by such Persons, are the same as those assigned to those of the Male Sex, who are received ad Honores; and are worn, attached to the Ribbon of the Order, and affixed upon the left Breast. Their Reception is performed in the same Manner, as is exemplified respecting the Male Sex; or accordingly as may be ordained by the ordinary Chapter. 1 Also known as the dubing, or the traditional stroke of knighthood on the candidate s shoulders with the Sword of State.

62 The Order of Saint Joachim 57 The Fees of Honour ordained by the general Chapter of the most illustrious Equestrian Order of Saint Joachim, to be paid to the Chancery, by those who shall be received Knights-Companions; upon their Reception therein; are thus regulated: Till December the 31st 1800 every Postulant who shall have exhibited the Proofs required by the Statutes, shall be received upon paying the Fees of Honour, in the following Proportions. Species-Ducats 1) The Grand-Master pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) The Coadjutor, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) A Grand-Commander, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) A Commander, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) A Knight, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) An Expectant, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) A Lady Grand-Cross, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) A Lady honoured with the small Cross, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) A Lady Expectant, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) An honorary Member of the Male Sex, pays as Fees of Honour to the Chancery, the Sum of ) An honorary Member of the Female Sex, pays the same From January the first 1801 no one can be admitted into the Order upon paying the fees specified in the above Statement, unless he can prove that one of his Ancestors; or at least a Brother, or Sister of his Great Grand-Father; has been a Member thereof, before the year This especial Preference, accorded to such Families, is meant as an eternal Remembrance of their having assisted at the original Foundation: and all others who wish to be admitted, after this Period, must submit to the paying one fourth more than the Sum mentioned in the List of Fees: or, in general, whatsoever the Chief-Chapter shall think proper. The Fees of Honour, and Chancery-Fees, being duly acquitted; each Member; according to his Rank; receives the Diploma; the Ensigns and Statutes of the Order, and, the Act of Matriculation. Upon being raised to a higher Rank, each Member is, as it were, repaid the first Sum which he already paid

63 58 Nobili Cordi at the Time of his Reception; as the same is allowed to him in the Account of his Admission Fees; and is deducted from the Fees of Honour: thus a Knight pays upon Admission 82 Species-Ducats; upon becoming a Commander, he pays only the Difference, or 82 Species-Ducats more, and so on, with Respect to the Dignity of Grand-Commander, in Proportion.

64 The Order of Saint Joachim 59 END NOTE [Hanson s Footnote See footnote, above] It is a very remarkable Circumstance, and particularly worthy of Notice, that in the tenth Century, a marriage was solemnised between Hermannus Billung Duke of Saxony, and Hildegardis of Westerbourg. This Prince by the Marriage of his thrice great Grand-Daughter Wulfhildis with Henry the III surnamed Niger, Duke of Bavaria, was one of the immediate Ancestors of His Britannic Majesty. Hildegardis of Westerbourg, His Consort, was of the Family of His Highness the Grand-Master. It is clearly proved in the Genealogy of the House Brunswick; of which the following is an Extract: The line of Billung: Hermanus Billung, the son of Billung, of Stubeckshom, a Person of great Eminence in Luneburg, was created Duke of Saxony on the Elbe, A. D By the Emperor Otto I in reward of the signal services he had rendered the Emperor. He married Hildegardis of Westerburg, by whom he had two sons and two Daughters, and dying A. D. 973 was succeeded by his eldest son Benno or Bernhard I who died A. D. 1011, when his oldest son Bernard II became Duke, he married Bertrada, daughter of Harold II, King of Norway and died in Ordulf, his eldest son, succeeded to the Dutchy, and died By his first Wife Gisela, Daughter Olaus, King of Norway, he had a one son, Magnus who succeeded his Father in 1074 dying in 1106, was the last Duke of the Saxons of this race. By his second Wife, Sophia, Daughter of Geysa II King of Hungary, he had a Daughter, Wulfhildis, sole Heiress to the Dukedom of Saxony, who was married to Henry III, surnamed Niger or the Black, Duke of Bavaria before observed. See Collin s Peerage Vol. I. pag. 9

65 The first and last pages of the Statutes of the Order of The Divine Providence printed in The last page describes the Order s first uniform: For Commanders of the Grand Cross, a sky blue uniform, their chest, collar and cuffs the colour of fire. Epaulettes of silver and a hat with a white feather, a cloak also of sky blue... It also contains the Oath of the Order: I swear by God and the Saint Evangelist, to conform completely to the Laws and Regulations of the Illustrious Order of the Honour of the Divine Providence, into which I have been received, to apply all my efforts for the good & the interests of this institution, to stand by my confreres in all instances of good and reverses of Fortune, and to not leave this lauadable for any reason or on any pretext. This I swear by the eternal Truth.

66 The frontispiece and first page of the Statutes and Laws of the Illustrious Equestrian Order of Jonathan privately published in 1768 for the use of its members. The cover identifies Johann Christopher de Gritseh as The Order Chancellor and Counsellor and Prince Christian Franz von Sachsen-Coburg Saalfeld as Grand Master. This and the previous document were taken from Germany by the Red Army of the Soviet Union at the end of World War II and placed in the archives of the NKVD, the Soviet Secret Police. They were likely taken from either one of the German national libraries or archives, or perhaps from the personal home or offices of Carl Eduard, the Duke of Sachsen-Coburg Gotha, and former Duke of Argyle, who served as the President of the German Red Cross from 1933 to 1945.

67 62 Nobili Cordi APPENDIX 1 The Veni Creator 1 Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, and lighten with celestial fire: thou the anointing Spirit art, who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart. 2 Thy blessed unction from above is comfort, life, and fire of love: enable with perpetual light the dullness of our blinded sight. 3 Anoint and cheer our soiled face with the abundance of thy grace: keep far our foes, give peace at home, where thou art guide no ill can come. 4 Teach us to know the Father, Son, and thee of both to be but One: that, through the ages all along, this may be our endless song: Praise to thy eternal merit, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen R. Maurus (c ) translated by J. Cosin ( )

68 The Order of Saint Joachim 63 APPENDIX 2 The Gospel of St John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

69 64 Nobili Cordi APPENDIX 3 The Te Deum Laudamus We praise Thee, O God: we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship Thee, the Father everlasting. To Thee all Angels cry aloud, the Heavens, and all the Powers therein: To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry: Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory. The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee: The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee: The noble army of Martyrs praise Thee. The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge Thee: The Father, of an infinite majesty: Thine honorable, true, and only Son: Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. When Thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man, Thou did st not abhor the Virgin s womb. When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death. Thou did st open the kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father. We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge. We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood. Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints in glory everlasting. O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine heritage. Govern them, and lift them up forever. Day by day, we magnify Thee. And we worship Thy name ever, world without end. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us. Let Thy mercy be upon us, as our trust is in Thee. In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted: let me never be confounded.

70 The Order of Saint Joachim 65 ST. JOACHIM AND THE GOSPEL OF JAMES By Chevalier Stephen Lautens KCJ The sole source of information about St. Joachim is the Gospel of James, sometimes known as the Infancy Gospel of James, but more properly called the The Protevangelion of James. The Gospel of James is an apocryphal gospel, meaning it is non-canonical and not accepted as true by the ecclesiastical authorities. Joachim features prominently in this document from the very beginning: Chap. I: 1. In the history of the twelve tribes of Israel we read there was a certain person called Joachim, who being very rich, made double offerings to the Lord God, having made this resolution: My substance shall be for the benefit of the whole people, that I may find mercy from the Lord God for the forgiveness of my sins. The first five chapters of the Gospel of James 1 tells how Joachim finds he is the only man in all the twelve tribes of Israel who has no children and has failed in his duty to produce offspring for the survival of his people, and is therefore prohibited from offering up sacrifices to God. Joachim then goes into the wilderness for a forty day fast, resolved to remain there until he receives God s blessing. Both he and his wife Anna, who fears Joachim has died in the wilderness, are visited by angels, who announce their piety and prayers have been rewarded and that Anna is pregnant. The child she bears is Mary, who becomes the mother of Jesus. The document presents itself as being written by James: I, James, wrote this history in Jerusalem. The purported author is James the Just, believed in some traditions to be the half brother of Jesus Christ. Scholars have established that, based on the style of the language and the theological concerns, and the fact that the author is apparently not aware of contemporary Jewish customs, the work is almost certainly not the work of James, who is believed to have died in AD 64, but by someone of a later date who has appropriated his name. Its content, emphasizing the continued virginity of Mary, would seem to make it an unlikely document to have been written by a brother of Jesus. In fact this is the earliest text that explicitly claims that Joseph was a widower who already had children by a previous marriage at the time that Mary became his wife. James the Just is purported to be one of Joseph s children by his first wife, and thus Jesus older half-brother when Joseph later married Mary. 1 These first five chapters of the Gospel of James are reproduced below.

71 66 Nobili Cordi The general consensus is that the Gospel of James was actually composed some time in the 2nd century AD; probably written about 150 AD. The first mention of it is by 3rd century Christian theologian Origen, who relies on the text to demonstrate that the brethren of the Lord were sons of Joseph by a former wife. So the text was already old enough in the second quarter of the 3rd century to be taken as authentic by Origen. The Gospel of James is one of several surviving Infancy Gospels that represent the miracle literature that was created to satisfy the hunger and demand of early Christians for more detail about the early life of their Savior. In Greek an infancy gospel was termed a protevangelion, a pre-gospel narrating events of Jesus' life before those recorded in the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Such a work was intended to be apologetic, doctrinal, or simply to satisfy one's curiosity. The literary genre that these works represent shows stylistic features that suggest dates in the second century and later. Other infancy gospels in this tradition include The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, The Infancy Gospel of Matthew, The Infancy Gospel of Mark, and the so-called Arabic Infancy Gospel, all of which are considered apocryphal. Most of these Gospels were omitted during the process of editing the Bible into a single, authoritative book. The contents of the Gospel of James describe the birth and childhood of Mary, the mother of Jesus, her coming of age and betrothal to Joseph, and the birth and early childhood of Jesus. The Gospel of James is in three equal parts: the first eight chapters containing the story of Mary's own unique birth and childhood; the second eight chapters concerning the crisis posed by Mary's becoming a woman and thus her imminent pollution of the temple, her assignment to Joseph as guardian and the tests of her virginity; and the last eight chapters relating the Nativity, with the visit of midwives, the hiding of Jesus from Herod in a feeding trough, and even the parallel hiding of John the Baptist from Herod in the hills with his mother Elizabeth. These legends are embellishments upon the stories found in Matthew and Luke. Among extra-canonical traditions recorded in the Gospel of James are the introduction of Joseph as a widower with several children who is merely Mary's guardian, the birth of Jesus in a cave, and the martyrdom of John the Baptist's father Zechariah during the slaughter of the infants. The Gospel of James also has the Nativity taking place in a cave rather than in a barn attached to an inn. Many early renaissance Sienese and Florentine paintings of the Nativity show the baby Jesus not in a barn but in a cave.

72 The Order of Saint Joachim 67 The cave setting of the Nativity in the Gospel of James likely comes from a similar resurrection cult popular a few hundred years before and after the birth of Jesus. The cult of the man-god Mithra was a popular and venerated in Persia and Rome, with Mithra having been born in a cave to a virgin on December 25th, died, was buried in a cave and rose from the dead three days later. The cult of Mithra predates Jesus, and some scholars suggest that later Christian writers borrowed some of the Mithric traditions to either compete against this popular cult or make Christianity more acceptable and familiar to Roman converts. Of one hundred and forty surviving Greek manuscripts, the fullest surviving text of the Gospel of James is a 10th century codex in the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. Some indication of the popularity of the Infancy Gospel of James may be drawn from the fact that so many manuscripts containing it have survived. No early Latin versions are known, but it is relegated to the apocrypha in the Gelasian decrees. As with the canonical gospels, the vast majority of these come from the tenth century or later. The earliest known manuscript of the text, a papyrus dating to the late 3rd century, was found in 1958, now in the Bodmer Library, Geneva. Though the book is not an official part of Christian canon and hence apocryphal, the Gospel of James may be the earliest document attesting the veneration of Mary and her continuing virginity. It also is the sole source naming and describing the lives of Joachim and Anna as the parents of Mary. Even though not accepted as part of the Bible, the Gospel of James has been widely read and adopted by many Christians. The Gospel of James was translated into Syriac, Ethiopic, Coptic, Georgian, Old Slavonic, Armenian, Arabic, Irish and Latin and widely read throughout Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe where many medieval towns and villages bear his name, including St. Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where the famous silver coin, the Joachimsthaler, was minted. It is particularly strong in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox faiths. Joachim was such a popular figure among ordinary Christians that, even though apocryphal, the Catholic Church felt compelled to acknowledge Joachim as a saint and recognize him with his own his feast day in the 1600s. Images of Saint Joachim are often identified by the presence of some of his associated symbols, such as a book or scroll representing linen makers and doves representing peace. On the Order's insignia he is shown with a shepherd's staff, a symbol for the Christian word and an emblem of the good shepherd. His robes are of green, a symbol of hope. He is shown in old art forms always as an old man often in the company of his wife Anne, and, it is thought, sometimes with the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The traditional tomb of St. Anne and St. Joachim was discovered in Jerusalem in 1889.

73 68 Nobili Cordi St. Joachim is the Patron Saint of fathers, grandfathers, grandparents, married couples, cabinet makers and linen traders. Saint Joachim represents humour, wisdom and humanity and encourages the use of human traits for higher intentions. The historical literature does not make it clear why The Order of Saint Joachim chose to take its final name from St. Joachim after being originally founded as The Order of Jonathan, then becoming simply The Defenders of the Divine Providence. It may be simply that in addition to the qualities he represents, as a charitable order of chivalry, The Order of Saint Joachim was also hoping to emulate his generosity in their good works as illustrated by the opening chapter of the Gospel of James: there was a certain person called Joachim, who being very rich, made double offerings to the Lord God, having made this resolution: My substance shall be for the benefit of the whole people, that I may find mercy from the Lord God for the forgiveness of my sins.

74 The Order of Saint Joachim 69 THE GOSPEL OF JAMES CHAPTER 1 1. In the history of the twelve tribes of Israel we read there was a certain person called Joachim, who being very rich, made double offerings to the Lord God, having made this resolution: My substance shall be for the benefit of the whole people, that I may find mercy from the Lord God for the forgiveness of my sins. 2. But at a certain great feast of the Lord, when the children of Israel offered their gifts, and Joachim also offered his, Reuben the high-priest opposed him, saying, It is not lawful for you to offer your gifts, seeing you have not begotten any offspring in Israel. 3. At this Joachim, being concerned very much, went away to consult the registries of the twelve tribes to see whether he was the only person who had begotten no offspring. 4. But upon inquiry he found that all the righteous had raised up seed in Israel; 5. Then he called to mind the patriarch Abraham, how that God in the end of his life had given him his son Isaac; upon which he was exceedingly distressed and would not be seen by his wife: 6. But retired into the wilderness, and fixed his tent there, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying to himself, 7. I will not go down either to eat or drink, till the Lord my God shall look down upon me, but prayer shall be my meat and drink. CHAPTER 2 1. In the meantime his wife Anna was distressed and perplexed on a double account, and said, I will mourn both for my widowhood and my barrenness.

75 70 Nobili Cordi 2. Then drew near a great feast of the Lord, and Judith her maid said, How long will you thus afflict your soul? The feast of the Lord is now come, when it is unlawful for anyone to mourn. 3. Take therefore this hood which was given by one who makes such things, for it is not proper that I, who am a servant, should wear it, but it well suits a person of your greater character. 4. But Anna replied, Depart from me, I am not used to such things; besides, the Lord has greatly humbled me. 5. I fear some ill-designing person has given you this, and you are come to pollute me with my sin. 6. Then Judith her maid answered, What evil shall I wish you when you will not hearken to me? 7. I cannot wish you a greater curse than you are under, in that God has shut up your womb so you could not be a mother in Israel. 8. Anna was exceedingly troubled at this, and having on her wedding garment, went about three o'clock in the afternoon to walk in her garden. 9. And she saw a laurel tree and sat under it, and prayed to the Lord, saying, 10. O God of my fathers, bless me and regard my prayer as you blessed the womb of Sarah, and gave her a son Isaac. CHAPTER 3 1. And as she was looking towards heaven she perceived a sparrow's nest in the laurel, 2. And mourning within herself, she said, Woe is me, who begat me? and what womb did bear me, that I should be thus accursed before the children of Israel, and that they should reproach and deride me in the temple of my God? Woe is me, to what can I be compared? 3. I am not comparable to the very beasts of the earth, for even the beasts of the earth are fruitful before you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared? 4. I am not comparable to the brute animals, for even the brute animals are fruitful before you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared? 5. I cannot be compared to these waters, for even the waters are fruitful before you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared?

76 The Order of Saint Joachim I am not comparable to the waves of the sea; for these, whether they are calm or in motion, with the fishes which are in them, praise you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared? 7. I am not comparable to the very earth, for the earth produces its fruits and praises you, O Lord! CHAPTER 4 1. Then an angel of the Lord stood by her and said, Anna, Anna, the Lord has heard your prayer; you will conceive and bring forth, and your progeny shall be spoken of in all the world. 2. And Anna answered, As the Lord my God lives, whatever I bring forth, whether it be male or female, I will devote it to the Lord my God, and it shall minister to him in holy things, during its whole life. 3. And behold there appeared two angels, saying to her, Behold Joachim your husband is coming with his shepherds. 4. For an angel of the Lord has also come down to him, and said, The Lord God has heard your prayer; make haste and go from here, for behold Anna your wife will conceive. 5. And Joachim went down and called his shepherds, saying, Bring me here ten shelambs without spot or blemish, and they will be for the Lord my God. 6. And bring me twelve calves without blemish, and the twelve calves will be for the priests and the elders. 7. Bring me also a hundred goats, and the hundred goats will be for the whole people. 8. And Joachim went down with the shepherds, and Anna stood by the gate and saw Joachim coming with the shepherds. 9. And she ran, and hanging about his neck, said, Now I know that the Lord has greatly blessed me: 10. For behold, I who was a widow am no longer a widow, and I who was barren shall conceive. CHAPTER 5 1. And Joachim abode the first day in his house, but on the next he brought his offerings and said,

77 72 Nobili Cordi 2. If the Lord be propitious to me, let the plate which is on the priest's forehead make it manifest. 3. And he consulted the plate which the priest wore, and saw it, and behold sin was not found in him. 4. And Joachim said, Now I know that the Lord is propitious to me, and has taken away all my sins. 5. He went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and he went to his own house. 6. And when nine months were fulfilled to Anna, she brought forth, and said to the midwife, What have I brought forth? 7. And she told her, A girl. 8. Then Anna said, the Lord has this day magnified my soul; and she laid her in bed. 9. And when the days of her purification were accomplished, she nursed the child and called her name Mary.

78 The Order of Saint Joachim 73 THE ABRIDGED VERSION OF THE STATUTES AND RULES OF THE EQUESTRIAN, SECULAR AND CHAPTERIAL ORDER OF ST JOACHIM, 1793 By Chevalier Malcolm Davies, KJ, Ph.D 1 The chapter by Levett Hanson on The Order of Saint Joachim in An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood at present existing in Europe, published in 1803, was based on information that Hanson had in his possession as Vice-Chancellor of the Order, a post which he had held from Judging from the quotations which he gives, from letters and other documents, he must have had free access to the Order archives. A relatively small part of his text is a close and well-made translation of a standard handbook presented to all members of the Order: The Abrégé des Statuts et Réglemens de l Ordre Équestre Séculier et Chapitral de St. Joachim. This document, which I shall refer to as the Abrégé, is the subject of this article, a copy of which I have recently discovered in a library at The Hague. The Abrégé is written in French and was published in Grunstadt in At this time French was the lingua franca of the aristocracy, the well-to-do and the diplomatic corps. The title page has a very nice cartouche of the official seal of the order. The same cartouche had already been used on the cover of the Etat présent de l Ordre published in 1789 and was presumably a standard element which would be used in all the publications of the Order. The Order motto is on the reverse of the title page: Junxit Amicus Amor! Love bound together friends. The Preface The Preface briefly summarizes the history of the Order to date. This is interesting not because of any new details it adds, but because of its established and matter-of-fact tone. The Order was obviously a flourishing and respected institution. It was solemnly founded by members of the top nobility of Germany and by distinguished members of the army. This was on 20 June Those who were first decorated were named 1 Additional footnotes by Chevalier Stephen Lautens, KCJ.

79 74 Nobili Cordi knights of the Order of Jonathan, Defenders of the Honour of Divine Providence. Exactly a year later the chief founder, Prince Christian Franz of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was elected Grandmaster. In 1773 he resigned in favour of Franz Xavier, Count of the Holy Roman Empire and of Montfort who was elected unanimously as the second Grandmaster. He died suddenly on 24 March It appears that there was a fouryear regency by George Charles Louis, Reigning Count of Leiningen-Westerbourg who was formally installed as Grandmaster on 4 November He in turn died on 19 March 1787 and was followed by his son, Charles Gustav Reinhard Woldemar, reigning Count of Leiningen-Westerbourg. The last two names Reinhard Woldemar are left out by Hanson in his English work published some 14 years later. Charles Gustav had been elected Adjunct Grandmaster at the same time as his father s official appointment. He became Grandmaster on 16 May The author of the Abrégé goes on to discuss the name of the Order. This section is translated almost verbatim by Hanson in his An Accurate Historical Account of all the Orders of Knighthood at present existing in Europe: It was in 1767 that the first Grand Master, and the majority of the constitutional Representatives of the Order, were induced through a principle of devotion to suppress the Name of Jonathan, and in the Place thereof to substitute that of: in Honour of the Divine Providence ; of which this Order had till then borne the glorious Surname of the Defenders. But it was not until 1773 that the second Grand Master, and the general Chapter, unanimously thought proper, solemnly to confirm the same, in memory of the Day, rendered auspicious, by the Deliverance of his late Majesty, Stanislaus Augustus, King of Poland, 1 who in 1771, was by the especial Interposition of Providence, miraculously rescued from the Hands of those execrable Assassins, who had conspired against the Life of the best of Princes, and of Men. In a word: Reasons of the utmost consequence having in a course of Time ( ) rendered a Revision of the Constitution of this Order, a measure of indispensable necessity; to the end that such Changes, as were suitable to existing Circumstances, might be made, with regard to the Statutes thereof: in 1785 a decree of the general Chapter was the result of Its Deliberations: which, renewing and rectifying the Act of its first Foundation, constituted this Knightly Militia, under 1 Stanislaus II Augustus ( ) King of Poland had a long an turbulent reign ( ), which saw Poland partitioned three times. He was elected king and kept on the throne by Russia and Prussia often to the extreme displeasure of the Polish nobility. Stanislaus survived an assassination attempt in 1771.

80 The Order of Saint Joachim 75 the name of: the Equestrian, Secular, and Chapteral Order of Saint Joachim, the blessed Father of the holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ! The year 1787, when Charles Gustav became Grandmaster, seems to have marked a milestone in the development of the Order. It was then that the Order became more active and better run. There was a genuine intention to help those in need. A footnote in the Abrégé, which is omitted by Hanson, quotes at length from The Philosophical and Political History of the French Islands in the West Indies (L Histoire philosophique et politique des Isles françoises dans les Indes occidentales) by the Abbot Raynal, published in Lausanne. Apparently prior to 1787 the Order had become very lax in performing any real charitable works. It had not even been meeting its principal aim of providing for members of the Order who had fallen on hard times. The anonymous commentator who wrote the preface uses the word prevarication. He is emphasising that the new Grandmaster and his officers, since 1787 have avoided the prevarication of which earlier Arms of the Ducal House of Leiningen-Westerburg governors of the Order may have been guilty. Hanson leaves out this footnote - perhaps by then the Order was better fulfilling its ideals and the note was redundant. The quotation from l Abbé Raynal is a heart-felt account of a real case. A good citizen founded two institutions for men and women who were ill or who had fallen on hard times in the French American colonies. At this time such a venture was unique in the New World. It could never have been financed by the authorities, nor was this expected. When it was founded, it was easily able to exist, and to carry out its tasks by the generous gifts of many benefactors. However, these benefactors gradually reduced their gifts and no alternative funding could be found. At this point the author reverts to language which is a cry from the heart. He is being the eighteenth-century equivalent of an investigative journalist and a philosopher all in one: In this way nothing good can exist between men! And the wealthy even attack the poor in their sanctuary of safety, if the gibbet does not already do it for them. Ill wishers! You do not know the full atrocity of your actions. Then he tries to provide an example that a

81 76 Nobili Cordi wealthy person might understand: If a highwayman were to attack you and to steal all your possessions would you be guilty or would the highwayman be guilty? The answer is obvious and yet you would now have nothing, and would be punished as being poor and lazy. You yourself would be considered as the guilty party. But would you deserve this inhumanity, cowardliness and prevarication? No, of course not. If anything this quotation reminds us of how hard times were before the social provisions of the modern era. Societies like The Order of Saint Joachim were often the only protection against poverty. There was no unemployment benefit or health care. The preface finishes with a passage that is again literally reproduced in translation by Hanson. The author says that although the charitable works that have lightened the burden of some poor, and enabled others to benefit in other ways, still not enough is being done. However, magnanimous people from well-to-do families (which have many great and generous members who have the welfare of mankind really at heart) will continue to enlist themselves under the banner of this Order. And by their generosity they will make the order the kind of charitable institution that will be respected by others. It will be the kind of Order of which we can be justifiably proud. This, almost poignantly, is where the preface of the Abrégé ends. It concludes with such optimism, and is so forward looking. But look once again at the year of publication: Hanson, writing almost a decade later, picks up the thread. What does he say about this date? As early as the month of February, 1793 the French army, under General Custine, had taken possession of all the States of His Highness Charles Gustav of Leiningen-Westerbourg, our 4th Grandmaster, which were situated on the west side of the Rhine. He was conducted a close prisoner to Paris, and was, until the hour of his death on the 17th of June 1798 strictly confined in the Abbey of Saint- Germain, Paris. The writer of the preface of the Abrégé obviously could not know what was in store for that year when he wrote his hopeful and optimistic preface. The Order continued with Ferdinand Charles, the eldest son Charles-Gustav being unanimously elected Grandmaster on 27 June 1798 and installed on 7 September in a manner suitable to the then existing State of Circumstances. This probably means that it was a humble event, without as much pomp ceremony as members might have wished, due to the political upheavals taking place. The French Revolution and its creation Napoleon was running its course throughout Europe.

82 The Order of Saint Joachim 77 Faith and Good Works The preface to the Abrégé fills eleven pages. Forty-eight pages follow specifying the statutes, the rules and the duties of the Order. It would not be worthwhile translating this verbatim but there are several interesting features. The first section is about the duties of members. The first duty is to profess the dogma of existence of the Trinity and of the supreme Providence. This idea of a supreme Providence instead of using the word God is a parallel with the French philosophical concept of calling God the Supreme Being in this period. However, someone seems to have put a slightly different, and perhaps more thoughtful slant on the idea. God is not just there - being but doing nothing. Rather, He is the supreme provider. In Anglican churches after the collection we often hear All things come from you O Lord, and of your own have we given you, which expresses a similar thought. The second duty is also interesting. At a time when your profession of a different faith could still have you locked up or cost you your life, the members of The Order of Saint Joachim must advance tolerance. Then follow the temporal duties: The member should distinguish himself or herself in the highest degree of faithfulness towards their Sovereign. This does not only refer to loyalty towards the Grandmaster. In the many different countries in which members lived they would need to be loyal to their own rulers. This was asking for a major commitment in that turbulent time. Today we might translate this as meaning obeying the laws of the land. After this, members were required to help the poor and needy. The poor and needy include members of the Order who had fallen on hard times, but the concept is also extended to widows and orphans without taking into account their station in life given by birth or religious beliefs. Members were never to refuse to give alms to those who request them. They should also contribute to the costs of education. Finally they should respect the sacred duties of marriage. With what is perhaps a slightly strange juxtaposition, these charitable duties are immediately followed by a summary of the dues to be received by the Grandmaster 1000 Rhenish Florins to be presented as a free gift, a gift of obedience. Several others also benefit from annual gifts: the four eldest Knights Grand-Cross 500 florins per year; the four which follow 400 florins per year; the two eldest Dames Grand-Cross

83 78 Nobili Cordi 300 florins per year; and the two which follow 200 florins per year. This was a form of pension. The idea is that everyone contributes, year after year, eventually becoming one of the eldest, and therefore a beneficiary. There was also a study grant. The three eldest Expectants were to receive 200 florins in three successive years to help with their studies at a university or a military academy. For the eldest female Expectant there is also a gift: 500 florins, for once and for all, on the occasion of her marriage or on entering a convent. Commanderies and other Benefices should expand in keeping with their revenue. Advancement in the Order should be through seniority and not through favouritism. According to the Abrégé the ranks are: 1) Knights Grand-Cross, Knights Commander, Knights and Expectants. 2) Ladies Grand-Cross, Ladies Little-Cross and Expectants. Hanson uses different terms but means the same: 1) Grand Commanders; Commanders; Knights immediate or junior Knights; and Expectants 2) Ladies Grand Crosses; Ladies wearing the small Cross; and Ladies Expectants. The requirements for membership ideally require hereditary nobility and the Christian faith (but without regard to denomination). However, military officers may also become knights. Ranks of Major and above may choose to be admitted as Knights Grand-Cross immediately. In civilian life those who have a position at court, the title of Councillor or possess lands may be created Commander and Grand-Cross. A member from any background who becomes head of a Commandery may proceed to the rank of Grand-Cross. The minimum age for becoming a knight of the Order is 20 years old. However, the children of Princes and Counts may become decorated immediately after baptism. Even so, they must then follow the same promotion routine and wait their turn together with the other members of the Order. Any gentleman may put his child forward as an Expectant between birth and the age of 19. Blasphemers, traitors and deserters, and those who have violated good faith and honour can never become members of the order.

84 The Order of Saint Joachim 79 Medals, Dress and Other Regalia The section which follows deals with the medals, dress and other regalia to be worn by the members. Hanson s version is very similar. The medals and dress are as he describes it, and the same as in other descriptions. The secular Grand-Cross members wear their broad cordon from top right to lower left across the chest because it is derived from a sword belt. The religious Grand-Cross knights would not have carried a sword. They wear their cordon from top left to lower right to show their peaceful intent. Knights were expected to have a small token of their membership on their lapel at all times under pain of a fine or, in extreme, exclusion form the order. In many countries the tradition of wearing a ribbon of an Order in the lapel still exists. In the Netherlands those who are knighted for services to the country or society have no title such as Sir but they wear a ribbon in their lapel. The French légion d honneur is a form of knighthood, again with no title but with a simple thread in the lapel. Knights of St. John usually have no title but can wear a small black and white knotted ribbon in the lapel or, on some occasions, a white octagonal cross about the same size as that received by members of The Order of Saint Joachim. The full regalia was only intended to be used on the solemn days, the special festival days, of the Order. Though not specified it was understood that members would be responsible for buying their own full dress uniforms. At this time even soldiers and sailors had to buy their uniforms out of their wages. You needed to be wealthy to be able to afford to be an officer and part of those costs included the many badges and different uniforms which would be needed. Usually the knight would order the uniform from his tailor and the medals from a jeweller using the descriptions and perhaps drawings which were available. However, another document does give a price list of various medals, ribbons and epaulets which may be bought from Jean Gottlob Grellmann, banker of the Order, at Hamburg. The Constitution The third section of the Abrégé deals with the constitution. The Grandmaster is the head of the Order for life, but this honour brings with it heavy responsibilities. He must look after the correct application of the statutes and must advance the interests of the Order. He must attend the meetings where he has two votes and a deciding vote. The Grandmaster was supported by many ecclesiastical and secular officers.

85 80 Nobili Cordi There was a group of twelve ecclesiastical officers: three Prelates, three Provosts, three Grand-Almoners, and three Deacons. In addition there were six more ecclesiastical officers, three sub-almoners, and three chaplains all of whom needed to be at least honorary associates of the Order. The Grandmaster had the final responsibility for the appointment of officers and there was to be no distinction as to whether they were Catholic or Protestant. There were eleven secular grand officers. A Chancellor who directs the chapter in all general matters, Vice-Chancellor, Treasurer, Master of Ceremonies, Four Prefects of four Departments of Correspondence, A Directorate Councillor, a Councillor to the treasury, and a Councillor of Justice. The Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and Treasurer must be knights Grand Cross. The Master of Ceremonies and Prefects are at least Commanders, the three councillors, at least knights of the Order. In addition there are secular officers: a Master Receiver and a Secretary who must be knights, a Herald, advisors to the committee and secretaries to the committee who must be at least associated members of the Order. The general chapter nominates all the secular officers, as well as six deputies for the three equestrian ranks and assessors of the four departments of correspondence about which we will say more later. We should not be surprised at this long list of officers and assistants. The many societies and Orders which were developed in this period strove towards completely new ideas of responsibility and equal opportunities. In The Order of Saint Joachim, as in eighteenth-century society in general, we are seeing the birth of democracy. The General, or Grand Chapter was made up of 32 people. This group was responsible for all new arrangements and for any changes to the statutes or rules. It was also responsible for examining the accounts, promotions, founding new Commanderies and Benefices and even for new appointments. They were also responsible for allowing honorary members to be received without contribution, settling differences between members, electing Grand officers, looking after the administration after his death and electing a successor. All grand officers are responsible for encouraging the Order to flourish. Each member of the chapter has one vote, which may also be given in writing. The Grandmaster has an extra casting vote in the case of a non-decisive vote. The secretary must record everything accurately and the minutes must be signed.

86 The Order of Saint Joachim 81 Solemn assemblies of the grand chapter and Order feasts are fixed for 20 June and 4 November annually at the house of the Grandmaster. It would not be possible for the whole general chapter to meet more often but it is essential that there is continuity. Therefore a group of nine people called the ordinary chapter will be considered enough to prepare decisions. They will meet on 24 April and 8 September to decide and get ready the matters to be discussed at the general chapter. The treasury will consist of a subcommittee of three to make sure that accounts are kept regularly and to minimise the possibility of fraud. The revenue will be kept in an iron safe with three separate locks. Each member of the subcommittee will have one key. Accounts will be checked every six months. Because the Order is and international order it is not possible for the general chapter to keep in touch with each individual member. This is why the four Departments of Correspondence, each with its own Prefect and Assessor have been created. Within the committees of each department the Prefect has an extra casting vote in the case of equal voting for an issue. Votes in writing are also acceptable in Departments. Departments are also responsible for the accomplishments of their members and are to bring shortcomings to the notice of the general chapter. They are responsible for making sure that the orders of the general chapter are carried out. The manner of electing a new Grandmaster is carefully described. A Grand-cross prior takes over ad interim. The Chancellor suggests three grand-crosses as candidates. At the time these rules were written only a Sovereign Lord, preferably of the Holy Roman Empire was to be grandmaster. It was possible to nominate someone who was not yet a member of the Order and to then create him a knight grand-cross before the election. A committee is formed of seven chosen knights who are to be electors for the day of the election. After they have chosen, the new grandmaster will be installed with all due ceremony. The Grand-prior is relieved of his interim responsibilities but is entitled to continue as the new Grandmaster s deputy. A new candidate member must have his nomination supported by at least one knight. The Department where he lives tests his case and examines his application and then the Prefect draws up a report to the chapter who will decide, having been advised by the Chancellor, the Herald and the Master of Ceremonies, if the reception should take place or the candidate should be refused. The candidate must submit a birth certificate and armorials of his family painted on vellum. Proofs of legitimacy and any noble titles are needed going back two generations. Other members, received as honorary Associates, need the signatures of three supporting knights together with a certificate

87 82 Nobili Cordi recognising the qualities recommending the candidate. Even so, none of these qualifications give the right to become a knight. Only the decision of the Grandmaster can grant that. The ceremony of investiture may be performed by the Grandmaster of by another member of the order placed in charge. It must be confirmed in writing. A copy, signed by the candidate must be kept in the archives of the Order. The Qualities and Duties of Ladies Any lady (married or a widow) with irreproachable morals, hereditary nobility or married to a gentleman may enter the Order. It depends on the lady whether she enters the order as a lady of the small, or grand cross. She should be at least sixteen years of age (for the small cross). Ladies associated with a Commandery will be ladies grand-cross. A lady small-cross can request to be made a lady grand-cross on the occasion of her marriage. She may wear the marks of her distinction for the first time on the day of her wedding. A lady who is vicious, whose honour is equivocal or who is convincingly accused of having lost her honour will lose her title. Ladies have the duty to look after the education of their children and to set them a good example. Dancing is not forbidden, but any violent movements that could endanger the health of an unborn child or violates the honour of womanhood by excess will be expelled. Ladies dress modestly and do not gamble in a way which might damage the fortune of the family. Ladies grand-cross wear a three-inch ribbon from right to left with a cross hanging in the middle. A silver grand-cross may be embroidered on the left breast. Ladies smallcross have a ribbon of two inches tied in a knot from which the cross hangs on the right breast. Expectants have the same cross on the left breast with Virtuti embroidered in silver on the ribbon. Although all ladies must always wear a sign of the Order on days which are not feast days this may be the small-cross and knotted ribbon on the left breast like an Expectant. Ladies may, of course, wear what they like and of any colour they choose, except on 20 June and 4 November when married ladies and widows must wear a black habit and unmarried ladies a white habit. The candidature of a lady should be supported by three knights who attest to her good character. Any lady who is an example to others, regardless of her state of nobility at birth, with nobility of soul by helping the poor, being a shining example of thrift and zealously furthering education can become an honorary Associate member. At the time when these regulations were formulated it was forbidden to accept a non-noble, bourgeois lady before she was married.

88 The Order of Saint Joachim 83 The Foundation of the Order and its Revenue This section of the Abrégé begins with an important phrase. The aims of the Order cannot be achieved without a proportional (financial) commitment by its members. As we know, the aims were ambitious and included a pension scheme, study scheme, marriage settlements, and monies for the less well off. Another aim was to establish an academy for the education of young gentlemen. The main income of the Order was derived from the fees of passage. This was invested to gain interest. New members who possessed lands could commit five percent percentage of the value of those lands as an annual gift instead of paying fees of passage. Other fees, to the chancellor and gifts must be paid in cash. Lands would not be bought by the order unless a knight was prepared to run it as a hereditary farm from the moment of acquisition for an annual salary of five percent of the value of the land. It could be inherited by the son or daughter of the original proprietor. The Hierarchy of the Order The Knights Grand Cross from before 1790 are the most senior and have the first claim to a Commandery. Every Commander, Knight and Expectant who has fully paid their rights of passage to become a Knight Grand Cross will be put in this list at the higher rank, provided they do not use the title until they are fully promoted and until their age and civil estate permits. These Knights Grand Cross before 1790 have priority in all cases. Anyone may achieve any rank after that date, but the earlier knights have precedence. Ladies who gain a Commandery do so in the order of their reception irrespective of their rank of Ladies Grand Cross, Little Cross or Expectant. Commanderies are for life however, on the death of the commander the heirs receive a quarter of three months income in addition to their normal inheritance. After this the provisions which are made for students are given in great detail. Expectants can begin to receive benefits from the age of 15. But they are not allowed to touch the money until they are 18 or 19. They may receive their grant for three years. Any Expectant who enters the church or military or civil service before the age of 20 also loses any rights to their grant. They may use it for one year to buy, for example, mathematical instruments. Less well-off Expectants can receive their grant for two years to purchase a military officers equipment or to further their religious or civil career. If the Expectant is given permission to stop studying by his Sovereign or Superior he may still receive his full grant for three years. If the Expectant dies, his parents may receive money equal to a quarter of three months of the grant.

89 84 Nobili Cordi Similar detailed thought has gone into the grants to be given to Lady Expectants, ecclesiastics, professors of the Order s own Academy and members of the board. Nine short rules determine that contributions are non-returnable and that the grants should come out of the interest on the Order s capital and so on. In the case of losses all grants are to be reduced pro rata. Other Rules All documents are to be signed and sealed by the Grand Master and Chancellor. All the armorials of the family of the Grand Master may include the green cross of the Order on a silver background. All diplomas should be in Latin. The other two official languages of the Chancellory at this time were to be German and French. All fines (not to exceed 20 Ducats) go to charity. Those neglecting to wear tokens of the Order are fined 1 ducat for the first offence and 2 for a repetition. There are maximum fines for an applicant not being truthful when applying for membership and for any member who publishes information about the Order without permission. There are punishments of fines and suspension in store for those whose lives do not measure up to the ideals of the Order. Only blasphemers and traitors may be expelled. However, military members should treat their enemies as kindly as possible. Those who defame the honour of another member and ladies who are convicted of abandoning virtue or of violating their marriages may also be excluded. In all cases there must be a proper and impartial legal form of trial. The precise composition of the courts for each type of case is then outlined. Miscellaneous Rules Finally there is are several miscellaneous rules listed in the Abrégé. The Order s Academy for the education of expectants should be situated in the residence of the Grand Master. The solemn days are 20 June and 4 November. Signs of mourning for members who have departed this life are worn for three days after 20 June. The feasts are 20 March (St Joachim) and 26 July (St Anne). Signs of mourning are to be worn for three months after the death of the Grand Master. Members of the Order are to be buried in their uniform, the hat and sword are placed on the coffin. The armorials of a deceased member are to be placed in the chapel of the Order at the Grand Master s residence. A list of all members and the state of the Order will be published annually. Rules can only be altered by the General Chapter. The Abrégé was signed at Grundstadt, on 20 June 1787 in the 33rd year of the Order by Charles Woldemar, Reigning Count of Leiningen Westerbourg, Elected Grand

90 The Order of Saint Joachim 85 Master of the Order. It was countersigned by John Charles Baron of Ecker and Eckhoffen, Chancellor of the Order and finally by Phillip Christian Hoffman, Licenced in Law, Councillor of Justice of the Order and as Secretary. It was originally published with the approval of the Order at Bronsvic. Conclusion The Abrégé teaches us several new things about the early days of the Order. It is an important addition to the Hanson document. It is earlier, in a different language (French rather than English) and gives a different slant on the Order. Hanson is interested in chivalry and knighthood for itself. There is no suggestion in the Abrégé that knighthood is to be desired as a non-functioning ornament to life. Knighthood is not the crowning of an achievement but a commitment to work continually towards achieving. The Order offers education, it influences morality, it can provide funds for marrying, it can care for the sick and less well off, and is finally a pension scheme. The Grand Master of the order provides accommodation for the chapel and the academy. This was clearly no sinecure it was hard work, and in those revolutionary days could be dangerous. Above all the charitable aims and intentions of the Order are emphasised. The tone is business-like, legalistic and at times possibly boring. But it is possible that the founders and the authors of the Abrégé saw The Order of Saint Joachim as having an immense potential for social good. They could see that a change was necessary. The old feudal order could be unjust and was under threat from many sides, but was a revolution really essential? Was it not possible for aristocrats, army officers, priests and gentlemen to form together a society which could look after each other, and after the poor and needy? Surely the aims of the Order as a charity are not so different today. These are aims to which the knights of the Order can relate to today. We can dispense with the pension, we can rely on our health service; a private academy would be something of a luxury but we can all donate towards the good causes of our choice. In this way there is a true continuity between the aims of the Order in 1755 and in In this way we can continue the name and tradition of the knighthood with justification, and keep the ideals and aims of The Order of Saint Joachim alive in the 21st century.

91 86 Nobili Cordi GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE ORDER OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE by Chevalier Craig Barclay KJ It is a well known fact that the great English admiral, Lord Nelson, was a proud member of The Order of Saint Joachim. What is less appreciated is that, but for the intervention of Congress in 1784, George Washington might also have been created a knight of The Order of Divine Providence (as The Order of Saint Joachim was known prior to 1785). 1 The Initial Approach In August 1783 George Washington received a letter from Warsaw from Chev. Jean de Heintz, which offered to make a number of leading American citizens knights of the Order of the Divine Providence: 2 Sir! Since Divine providence has so visibly favoured the noble efforts of that illustrious nation that makes up the Republic of the Thirteen United States in North America, in protecting it and giving it the force necessary to resist tyranny and re-establish its liberty and the rights of man and the nature of its states; the order known by the following name, Divine Providence, feeling perceptibly that divine protection has intervened effectively in the fate of the newborn republic and wanting in some fashion to take its part in bearing witness to its prosperity, has charged me as a chevalier and secretary of the said order to write to Your Excellency and propose to him that he request the Illustrious Congress that it nominate the necessary number of the most deserving of those eligible to create 12 Knights Grand Cross, 12 Knights Commanders, & 12 Knights, Petit Cross, of the above mentioned order of the Divine Providence. The insignia of the Knights Grand Cross are a star of gold, on the left side of the coat, on which are embroidered the words Junxit Amicus Amor, and the cross of the order suspended from a broad ribbon (of 1 2 This incident has been discussed in Myers, Minor, The Polish Order of 1783 Identified, The Miscellany of Honours, 3 (1981), Jean de Heintz to George Washington, May 3, 1783, with Washington s letter to Congress, August 28, 1783, Papers of the Continental Congress, Library of Congress.

92 The Order of Saint Joachim 87 which I send a sample) worn over the right shoulder. The second class wears the badge of the order on a neck ribbon and the star on the left side of the coat. The third class wears the cross on a neck ribbon, but without a star. If this unselfish proposition is accepted by the Illustrious Congress the insignia will be sent gratis immediately, with only the installation fees accepted (they are 110 ducats for the first class, 55 for the second, and 30 for the third). The order has no wish other than to want thus to acquire the esteem of the Illustrious Republic and Your Excellency, and it will please itself to be able to achieve this end. I have at the same time the honour to enclose to Your Excellency a list of all the Knights of the above mentioned order. The writer hopes for a response addressed to the Bankers Mons. Rothenburg in Danzig who is in correspondence with the chapter of the order. Flattered by the favourable opportunity that I have had to dare to write to a hero who has the admiration of our century, I end in assuring him humbly of the perfect veneration and deep respect with which I have the honour to be Sir, Your Excellency s most humble and obedient servant Chev. Jean de Heintz Major Warsaw May 3rd, 1783 Discussions in Congress Washington forwarded the letter, together with the accompanying pamphlet 1 and ribbon swatch, to Congress on 28 August Unfortunately, the timing of the Order s approach could not have been less fortunate. 1 L Ordre Institutué en Honeur de la Providence Divine et dedie a sa Majesté Stanislas August, Roi de Pologne, Grand Duc de Lithuanie (1778).

93 88 Nobili Cordi At the time the nation was embroiled in a controversy surrounding the status of the Society of the Cincinnati, an organisation founded by officers and former officers of the Republican army. The General Society of the Cincinnati was founded in May, 1783, at New York by Continental Army officers who fought in the American Revolution. Within 12 months branches of the Society were established in all 13 states and in France. About 2,150 of the 5,500 officers who were eligible to join did. The society was organised on an hereditary basis and, at a time when the future constitutional direction of the United States was far from certain, there were many who feared that its members might quickly come to form the basis of a hereditary noble class. Membership was open to descendants of Continental Army and Navy officers who were original members, who died in service, or who joined in their lifetime. Membership passes by right through the eldest son of the eldest surviving son successively from the Original Member. George Washington was elected the first President General of the Society in December 1783 and remained in that post until his death in The approach from Warsaw afforded Congress a heaven-sent opportunity to establish a principle that would lay to rest the spectre of the Society of Cincinnati developing into a new nobility. As Thomas Jefferson was later to recall: No circumstance indeed brought to the consideration of it expressly before Congress, yet it had sunk deep into their minds. An offer having been made to them on the part of the Polish order of divine providence to receive some of their distinguished citizens into that order, they made that an occasion to declare that these distinctions were contrary to the principles of the confederation. 1 On 5 January 1784 the committee which had been established to consider the Order s approach finally reported to Congress. Its conclusions were unequivocal: Resolved, That the late Commander in Chief, be requested to inform the Chevalier Jean de Heintz, Secretary of the Order of Divine Providence, that Congress entertain a high sense of the honour done them by that Order, in proposing to them to nominate a number of suitable persons to be created Knights of the Order of Divine Providence: but that Congress cannot, consistently with the principles of the Confederation, accept their obliging proposal Jefferson quoted in the Encyclopedie Méthodique, June 22, 1786, in Boyd, Julian (ed.), The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 10 (Princeton: 1950), pp See the committee s resolution reproduced below. Note that in the final draft Congress struck out the words entertain a high sense of the honour done them by and replaced it with are sensible to the attention done to them by

94 The Order of Saint Joachim 89 Washington s Reply Congress duly ratified the recommendation of the committee, and it was left to Washington himself to write directly to de Heintz: It appears to be incompatible with the principles of our national constitution to admit the introduction of any kind of Nobility, Knighthood, or distinctions of a similar nature, amongst the Citizens of our republic, yet I pray you will do me the goodness to make known to the illustrious Knights of the order of Divine providence, that we receive with the deepest gratitude and most perfect respect, this most flattering mark of their attention and approbation. Washington s reply to the Order appears to reflect genuine regret at the direction Congress instructed him to take, possibly also because it represented a blow to his own hopes for the domestic Society of the Cincinnati. The Order swiftly recovered Congress s rebuff and, as the rechristened Order of Saint Joachim, went on within a few years to received formal recognition from the courts of Hungary, Bohemia and Prussia. By then, any apparent sympathy for republican principles shown in de Heintz s letter appears to have dwindled, with Levett Hanson recording in 1803 that : Knightly Confraternities of this kind have no View than to maintain and protect good Order, and to strengthen and defend the lawful power of the Sovereign; whereas on the contrary, all popular Societies tend eventually and absolutely to undermine and destroy the former, and to intirely (sic) eradicate or completely annihilate the former. Today the modern Order of Saint Joachim reflects both traditions, combining a respect for tradition with the active support of liberal humanitarian causes. Ironically, even though Congress declined accepting The Order of Divine Providence on the basis that it was incompatible with the principles of our national constitution to admit the introduction of any kind of Nobility, Knighthood, or distinctions of a similar nature, amongst the Citizens of our republic, the hereditary Society of the Cincinnati flourished. Perhaps showing his sympathy for such institutions, Washington was elected the first President General of the Society later that same year in December 1783 and held it until his death. The General Society of the Cincinnati still exists to this day, and its acceptance is best shown by the fact that its insignia is still authorized for wear on US military uniforms.

95 LETTER FROM WASHINGTON TO CONGRESS Rocky Hill, August 28, Sir: Having just received the inclosed Letter from the Chevalier Heintz, containing propositions to Congress respecting the admission of a Number of American Characters as Members of an Order lately instituted in Poland, together with a List of the present Knights of the Order; I think it my duty to submit the Originals in the state they came into my hands to the consideration of Congress, and to request, that, I may be honored with their Instructions on the Subject, so that I may be able at the time of acknowledging the receipt of the Letter to make a reply to the proposals contained therein. With perfect respect etc. G. Washington [NOTE: The letter was read in Congress on August 29, 1783]

96 LETTER FROM WASHINGTON TO CHARLES THOMSON Dear Sir: Mount Vernon, January 22, 1784 The original letter and other Papers from the Chevr. de Heintz respecting the Order of the Knights of Divine Providence, were transmitted to Congress without a Copy being taken; I am a little at a loss therefore in what manner to direct my letter to him, but if I recollect right a mode pointed out for the address by the Secretary himself. Let me pray you therefore, my good Sir, to examine into this matter, & after giving my letter another cover, to put it into the proper channel for conveyance... With sentiments of sincere regd. etc. G. Washington

97 WASHINGTON S REPLY TO CHEVALIER DE HEINTZ To the Chev. Jean de Heintz: Sir: Mount Vernon, January 21, As soon as I had the honor of receiving your Letter containing a proposal of the order of the Knights of Divine Providence; I referred the subject of it to the decision of Congress, in my letter to that august Body dated the 28th. of August last, a copy of which is enclosed. Whereupon the United States in Congress assembled, were pleased to pass their Act of the 5th. Inst: which is properly authenticated by... [continued]

98 ...their Secretary, and which I have the honor of transmitting herewith. Notwithstanding it appears to be incompatible with the principles of our national constitution to admit the introduction of any kind of Nobility, Knighthood, or distinctions of a similar nature, amongst the Citizens of our republic, yet I pray you will have the goodness to make known to the Illustrious Knights of the order of Divine Providence, that we receive with the deepest gratitude and most perfect respect, this flattering mark of their attention and approbation. For the polite manner in which you have communicated the pleasure of the order, you will be pleased to accept my best acknowledgments. I have the honor, etc. G. Washington

99 CONGRESS RESOLUTION

100 UNITED STATES PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON SEAL AND DECORATION OF THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI

101 THE ORDER OF SAINT JOACHIM TODAY The Order of Saint Joachim has remained a relatively small Order with approximately 100 knights and members worldwide, although it has recently experienced a renewed era of interest and growth. The Grand Master of the Order is His Excellency Col. Prof. Vis. The Chevalier Helmut von Bräundle-Falkensee GCJ, FMA, MEASc, The Much Hon. Laird of Bladnock and Lochanbards, who makes his home in Austria. The administrative seat of the Order is now in England where it is a registered charity under the Grand Chancellor, His Excellency The Chevalier Leslie Rosan GCJ, Lord of Haverhill. The Order of Saint Joachim is not aligned with any country, religion or other body. It is ecumenical in nature, and reflects the Enlightenment and knightly ideals of tolerance, charity, justice and respect for all persons. Today it is an international Order dedicated to its original causes of children's charities, assisting the poor and homeless, and supporting ex-servicemen in need. More about the history and mission of The Order of Saint Joachim can be found on its website at

102 THE CONTRIBUTORS STEPHEN LAUTENS is a Canadian lawyer who practiced in Toronto as a barrister for over 10 years. For the past six years he was worked as a corporate executive and consultant, and is currently vice president of an international gold exploration company. He previously worked as a Special Assistant to a cabinet minister. In 1997 he served as president of The Lawyers Club and is also past president of the historic Ontario Club. He earned his law degree from Queen's University at Kingston and a history degree from Victoria College at the University of Toronto. He is a Governor of the National Newspaper Awards and also writes two weekly newspaper columns including a nationally syndicated column for the Sun Media Group. He is listed in the Canadian Who's Who. Chevalier Stephen Lautens KCJ is the Grand Herald of The Order of Saint Joachim and the Commander of Canada for The Order. MALCOLM DAVIES PH.D. gained his first diplomas, Licentiate and Fellowship of Trinity College of Music, London while he was at school in South Wales. He played viola in the National Youth Orchestra. In 1974 he gained a B.A. Hons. in music from Southampton University. Following this a grant from the Welsh Arts Council enabled him to study at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague where he gained a postgraduate degree in Choral Conducting. His doctorate is from the University of Utrecht. He has taught as an early music specialist at summer schools in France, England, Italy and Canada. He is the head of music at the International School of The Hague, and has conducted the Cecilia International Choir from its beginning. Chevalier Davies KJ is a Knight of The Order of Saint Joachim.

103 CREDITS The Order of Saint Joachim wishes to express its gratitude to His Highness Prince Andreas von Sachsen-Coburg Gotha and his staff at the Sammlung Herzoglicher Kunstbesitz Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha, Schloss Callenberg, Coburg, for giving permission for the use here of the portrait of our first Grand Master, Prince Christian Franz von Sachsen-Coburg Saalfeld. Special thanks go to Ms. Franziska Bachner of the Sammlung Herzoglicher Kunstbesitz Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha for locating the portrait in the ducal archives. The artwork for the heraldic crests that appear on pages 8, 12, 15 and 71 are copyright and reproduced with the permission of mikato, Die Linische Katze ( Washington s letters are reproduced from the Papers of the Continental Congress, Library of Congress. To the best of the author s knowledge, all other images are either public domain or copyright The Order of Saint Joachim.

104