What orders were there in the Middle Ages? Knightly orders in medieval history
Knightly Orders in history are quite an interesting phenomenon. On the one hand, stories about them are shrouded in romanticism and mysticism, and on the other, various kinds of outrages and barbarism. It is known that from 1100 to 1300, 12 knightly spiritual orders were formed in Europe, but three orders turned out to be the most viable and famous. These are the Order of the Templars, the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Order. In this article we will look at them in more detail and try to fill the gaps in this topic. 
Order of the Tamliers
Officially, this order was called the “Secret Knighthood of Christ and the Temple of Solomon,” but in Europe it was better known as the Order of the Knights of the Temple. His residence was in Jerusalem, on the site where, according to legend, the temple of King Solomon (temple - temple (French)) was located. The knights themselves were called templars. The creation of the order was proclaimed in 1118-1119 by nine French knights led by Hugo de Payns from Champagne. For nine years these nine knights remained silent, not a single chronicler of that time mentions them. But in 1127 they returned to France and declared themselves. And in 1128 the Church Council in Troyes (Champagne) officially recognized the order.
The Templar seal depicted two knights riding the same horse, which was supposed to speak of poverty and brotherhood. The symbol of the order was a white cloak with a red eight-pointed cross.
The goal of its members was “to take care, as far as possible, of roads and paths, and especially of the protection of pilgrims.” The charter prohibited any secular entertainment, laughter, singing, etc. Knights were required to take three vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. The discipline was strict: “Everyone does not follow his own will at all, but is more concerned about obeying the orderer.” The Order becomes an independent combat unit, subordinate only to the Grand Master (de Paynes was immediately proclaimed by him) and the Pope.
From the very beginning of their activities, the Templars gained great popularity in Europe. Despite and at the same time thanks to the vow of poverty, the order begins to accumulate great wealth. Each member donated his fortune to the order free of charge. The order received large possessions as a gift from the French king, the English king, and noble lords. In 1130, the Templars already had possessions in France, England, Scotland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, and by 1140 - in Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary and the Holy Land. In addition, the templars not only protected pilgrims, but also considered it their direct duty to attack trade caravans and rob them.
Templars by the 12th century. became owners of unheard of wealth and owned not only lands, but also shipyards, ports, and had a powerful fleet. They lent money to impoverished monarchs and thereby could influence government affairs. By the way, it was the Templars who were the first to introduce accounting documents and bank checks.
The Knights of the Temple encouraged the development of science, and it is not surprising that many technical achievements (for example, the compass) were primarily in their hands. Skilled knight surgeons healed the wounded - this was one of the duties of the order.
In the 11th century The Templars, as “the bravest and most experienced people in military affairs,” were granted the fortress of Gaza in the Holy Land. But arrogance brought a lot of harm to the “soldiers of Christ” and was one of the reasons for the defeat of Christians in Palestine. In 1191, the collapsed walls of the last fortress defended by the Templars, Saint-Jean-d'Acre, buried not only the Templars and their Grand Master, but also the glory of the order as an invincible army. The Templars moved from Palestine first to Cyprus, and then finally to Europe. Huge land holdings, powerful financial resources and the presence of knights of the order among high dignitaries forced the governments of Europe to reckon with the Templars and often resort to their help as arbitrators.
In the 13th century, when the Pope declared a crusade against the heretics - the Cathars and the Albigensians, the Templiers, the support of the Catholic Church, almost openly came out on their side.
In their pride, the Templars imagined themselves omnipotent. In 1252, the English king Henry III, outraged by their behavior, threatened the Templars with confiscation of land holdings. To which the Grand Master replied: “As long as you do justice, you will rule. If you violate our rights, you are unlikely to remain king.” And this was not a simple threat. The Order could do it! The Knights Templar were many influential people in the kingdom, and the will of the overlord turned out to be less sacred than the oath of allegiance to the order.
In the XIV century. King Philip IV the Fair of France decided to get rid of the obstinate order, which, due to lack of affairs in the East, began to interfere, and very actively, in the state affairs of Europe. Philip did not at all want to be in the place of Henry of England. In addition, the king needed to solve his financial problems: he owed the Templars a huge amount of money, but he did not want to give it back.
Philip used a trick. He asked to be accepted into the order. But Grand Master Jean de Male politely but firmly refused him, realizing that the king wanted to take his place in the future. Then the Pope (whom Philip placed on the throne) invited the Templar Order to unite with its eternal rivals - the Hospitallers. In this case, the independence of the order would be lost. But the master again refused.
Then, in 1307, Philip the Fair ordered the secret arrest of all Templars in the kingdom. They were accused of heresy, serving the devil and witchcraft. (This was due to the mysterious rites of initiation into members of the order and the subsequent preservation of the secrecy of its actions.)
The investigation lasted seven years. Under torture, the templars confessed to everything, but during a public trial they renounced their testimony. On March 18, 1314, the Grand Master de Male and Prior of Normandy were burned to death over a low fire. Before his death, the Grand Master cursed the king and the Pope: “Pope Clement! King Philip! Not even a year will pass before I call you to God’s judgment!” The curse came true: the Pope died two weeks later, and the king died in the fall. Most likely they were poisoned by the templars, skilled in making poisons.
Although Philip the Fair failed to organize the persecution of the Templars throughout Europe, the former power of the Templars was undermined. The remnants of this order were never able to unite, although its symbols continued to be used. Christopher Columbus discovered America under the Templar flag: a white banner with a red eight-pointed cross.
The official name is “The Order of the Horsemen of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem” (gospitalis - guest (Latin); originally the word “hospital” meant “hospital”). In 1070, a hospital for pilgrims to holy places was founded in Palestine by the merchant Mauro from Amalfi. Gradually, a brotherhood was formed there to care for the sick and wounded. It grew stronger, grew, began to exert quite a strong influence, and in 1113 it was officially recognized by the Pope as a spiritual knightly order.
Knights took three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience. The symbol of the order was an eight-pointed white cross. It was originally located on the left shoulder of the black robe. The mantle had very narrow sleeves, which symbolized the monk's lack of freedom. Later, knights began to wear red robes with a cross sewn on the chest. The order had three categories: knights, chaplains and serving brethren. Since 1155, the Grand Master, who was proclaimed Raymond de Puy, became the head of the order. The General Chapter met to make the most important decisions. Members of the chapter gave the Grand Master a purse with eight denarii, which was supposed to symbolize the knights’ renunciation of wealth.
Initially, the main task of the order was caring for the sick and wounded. The main hospital in Palestine housed about 2 thousand beds. The knights distributed free aid to the poor and organized free lunches for them three times a week. The Hospitallers had a shelter for foundlings and infants. All sick and wounded had the same conditions: clothing and food of the same quality, regardless of origin. From the middle of the 12th century. The main responsibility of the knights becomes the war against infidels and the protection of pilgrims. The Order already has possessions in Palestine and Southern France. The Johannites, like the Templars, began to gain great influence in Europe.
At the end of the 12th century, when Christians were driven out of Palestine, the Johannites settled in Cyprus. But this situation did not suit the knights much. And in 1307, Grand Master Falcon de Villaret led the Johannites to storm the island of Rhodes. The local population, afraid of losing their independence, fiercely resisted. However, two years later the knights finally gained a foothold on the island and created strong defensive structures there. Now the Hospitallers, or, as they came to be called, the “Knights of Rhodes,” became an outpost of Christians in the East. In 1453, Constantinople fell - Asia Minor and Greece were completely in the hands of the Turks. The knights expected an attack on the Oszhrov. It was not slow to follow. In 1480 the Turks attacked the island of Rhodes. The knights survived and repelled the attack. The Ioannites simply “became an eyesore to the Sultan” with their presence near its very shores, making it difficult to rule the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the Turks' patience was exhausted. In 1522, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent vowed to expel Christians from his domains. The island of Rhodes was besieged by a 200,000-strong army on 700 ships. The Johannites held out for three months before Grand Master Villiers de Lille Adan surrendered his sword to the Sultan. The Sultan, respecting the courage of his opponents, released the knights and even helped them with the evacuation.
The Johannites had almost no land in Europe. And so the defenders of Christianity arrived on the shores of Europe, which they had defended for so long. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V offered the Hospitallers the Maltese archipelago to live in. From now on, the Knights Hospitaller became known as the Order of the Knights of Malta. The Maltese continued their fight against the Turks and sea pirates, fortunately the order had its own fleet. In the 60s XVI century Grand Master Jean de la Valette, having at his disposal 600 knights and 7 thousand soldiers, repelled the attack of a 35 thousand-strong army of selected Janissaries. The siege lasted four months: the knights lost 240 cavaliers and 5 thousand soldiers, but fought back.
In 1798, Bonaparte, going with an army to Egypt, took the island of Malta by storm and expelled the Knights of Malta from there. Once again the Johannites found themselves homeless. This time they found refuge in Russia, whose emperor, Paul I, they proclaimed Grand Master as a sign of gratitude. In 1800, the island of Malta was captured by the British, who had no intention of returning it to the Knights of Malta.
After the assassination of Paul I by the conspirators, the Johannites did not have a Grand Master or a permanent headquarters. Finally, in 1871, Jean-Baptiste Cescia-Santa Croce was proclaimed Grand Master.
Already from 1262, in order to join the Order of the Hospitallers, it was necessary to have a noble origin. Subsequently, there were two categories of those entering the order - knights by birthright (cavalieri di giustizzia) and by vocation (cavalieri di grazzia). The latter category includes people who do not have to provide evidence of noble birth. It was enough for them to prove that their father and grandfather were not slaves and artisans. Also, monarchs who proved their loyalty to Christianity were accepted into the order. Women could also be members of the Order of Malta. Grand Masters were chosen only from knights of noble birth. The Grand Master was almost a sovereign sovereign, Fr. Malta. The symbols of his power were the crown, the “dagger of faith” - the sword and the seal. From the Pope, the Grand Master received the title of “guardian of the Jerusalem court” and “guardian of the army of Christ.” The order itself was called the “Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem."
The knights had certain responsibilities to the order - they could not leave the barracks without the permission of the Grand Master, they spent a total of 5 years in the convention (dormitory, more precisely, the barracks of the knights) on the island. Malta. The knights had to sail on the ships of the order for at least 2.5 years - this duty was called a “caravan”.
By the middle of the 19th century. The Order of Malta is transforming from a military one into a spiritual and charitable corporation, which it remains to this day. The residence of the Knights of Malta is now located in Rome.
The Cross of the Order of Malta has served since the 18th century. one of the highest awards in Italy, Austria, Prussia, Spain and Russia. Under Paul I it was called the cross of St. John of Jerusalem.
In the 12th century. In Jerusalem there was a hospital (hospital) for German-speaking pilgrims. He became the predecessor of the Teutonic Order. Initially, the Teutons occupied a subordinate position in relation to the Order of the Hospitallers. But then in 1199 the Pope approved the charter of the order, and Henry Walpot was proclaimed Grand Master. However, only in 1221 were all the privileges that the other, senior orders of the Templars and Johannites had extended to the Teutons.
The knights of the order took vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. Unlike other orders, whose knights were of different “languages” (nationalities), the Teutonic Order was mainly composed of German knights.
The symbols of the order were a white cloak and a simple black cross.
The Teutons very quickly abandoned their duties of protecting pilgrims and treating the wounded in Palestine. Any attempts by the Teutons to interfere in the affairs of the powerful Holy Roman Empire were suppressed. Fragmented Germany did not provide the opportunity to expand, as the Templars did in France and England. Therefore, the Order began to engage in “good activities” - to carry the word of Christ to the eastern lands with fire and sword, leaving others to fight for the Holy Sepulcher. The lands that the knights conquered became their possession under the supreme power of the order. In 1198, the knights became the main striking force of the crusade against the Livs and conquered the Baltic states, at the beginning of the 13th century. founding the city of Riga. This is how the state of the Teutonic Order was formed. Further, in 1243, the knights conquered the Prussians and took the northern lands from the Polish state.
There was another German order - the Livonian Order. In 1237, the Teutonic Order united with him and decided to move to conquer the northern Russian lands, expanding its borders and strengthening its influence. In 1240, the order's allies, the Swedes, suffered a crushing defeat from Prince Alexander Yaroslavich on the Neva. And in 1242
The same fate befell the Teutons - about 500 knights died, and 50 were taken prisoner. The plan to annex Russian territory to the lands of the Teutonic Order was a complete failure.
The Teutonic Grand Masters were constantly afraid of the unification of Rus' and tried to prevent this by any means. However, a powerful and dangerous enemy stood in their way - the Polish-Lithuanian state. In 1409, war broke out between him and the Teutonic Order. The combined forces in 1410 defeated the Teutonic knights at the Battle of Grunwald. But the Order's misfortunes did not end there. The Grand Master of the order, like the Maltese, was a sovereign sovereign. In 1511, he became Albert of Hohenzollern, who, being a “good Catholic,” did not support the Reformation, which was fighting against the Catholic Church. And in 1525 he proclaimed himself the secular sovereign of Prussia and Brandenburg and deprived the order of both possessions and privileges. After such a blow, the Teutons never recovered, and the order continued to eke out a miserable existence.
In the 20th century German fascists extolled the previous merits of the order and its ideology. They also used the symbols of the Teutons. Remember, the Iron Cross (a black cross on a white background) is an important award of the “Third Reich”. However, the members of the order themselves were persecuted, apparently as having failed to live up to their trust. The Teutonic Order exists in Germany to this day.
November 13, 2011 by RetromanSpiritual knightly orders
As we have already said, even before the start of the Crusades, shelters for pilgrims could be seen on the roads of Europe and the East leading to Jerusalem. In the middle of the 11th century. one of the residents of the Italian city of Amalfi founded another shelter at the very end of the journey - in Jerusalem: a hospital for sick pilgrims, and named it in honor of St. John the Merciful, the Patriarch of Alexandria, who lived in the 7th century. It was this hospital that was destined to give rise to a phenomenon that became almost the hallmark of the European Middle Ages - the orders of knighthood. The oldest of them, known to us by the unofficial nickname “Hospitaliers,” was called in documents: “Order of Horsemen of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.”
The monks who served in the hospital were not always able to lead the righteous life of meek brothers. The periodic need to protect the sick and the property of the hospital often forced the monks to take up arms. According to some reports, they even hit the rear of the defenders of Jerusalem during its siege by the Crusaders in 1099. After the capture of Jerusalem, the number of such shelters increased, the staff of these institutions, which declared themselves a monastic order, formed almost exclusively from tonsured Crusader knights, became increasingly belligerent .
Under Raymond du Puy, the first Grand Master, the order became knightly. In 1113, Pope Paschal II approved the order's charter, obliging the monks to fight for the Holy Sepulcher. The Hospitallers, or Johannites, as they were often called by the name of the hospital, were distinguished by a red cloak with a white cross, which we now call the “Maltese”. The fact is that after the ousting of Europeans from Palestine, the Johannites settled on the island of Rhodes in 1309, and in 1522 they moved to Malta, where they live well to this day.
A similar story happened with another knightly order - the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, better known as the Templars.
At the beginning of the 12th century. the poor French nobleman Hugh de Payns, in the company of eight of his relatives, who, like him, went on a crusade, established an order to protect pilgrims, which they called the “Poor Knights.” The French crusaders were so poor that they even had to travel together on one horse (and this image became one of the symbols of the Templars). Most likely, no one would have ever heard of this religious initiative, but Hugo de Payns and another of the “founding fathers” of the order, Godefroy de Saint-Omer, turned out to be excellent organizers. The popularity of the “Poor Knights” grew all the time, the order was replenished with more and more new members, and in 1128 it was officially recognized at the Council of Troyes. Its charter was commissioned to be written by the famous religious figure of the time, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the founder of the monastic order of the Bernardines. The difference between the Templars was a white cloak with a red cross.
Here is what Archbishop William of Tire, who was the chancellor of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and a major medieval historian, wrote about the creation of the Templar Order:
“Several noble knights, men of true faith and God-fearing, expressed a desire to live in severity and obedience, to renounce their possessions forever, and, surrendering themselves into the hands of the supreme ruler of the church, to become members of a monastic order. Among them, the first and most famous were Hugh de Payns and Godefroy de Saint-Omer. Since the brotherhood did not yet have their own temple or home, the king provided them with temporary refuge in his palace, built on the southern slope of the Temple Mount. The canons of the temple that stood there, under certain conditions, ceded part of the walled courtyard for the needs of the new order. Moreover, King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, his entourage and the patriarch with his prelates immediately provided support for the order by allocating to it some of their land holdings - some for life, others for temporary use - thanks to which members of the order could receive a livelihood. First of all, they were ordered, in atonement for their sins and under the leadership of the patriarch, to “protect and protect pilgrims going to Jerusalem from attacks by thieves and bandits and take every possible care of their safety.”
Later, at the end of the 12th century, a third - Teutonic - order arose. It appeared in 1190–1191. and, as the name implies, it was replenished almost exclusively by immigrants from German lands. The Teutonic Order grew out of the hospital brotherhood of St. Mary during the Third Crusade, its members were distinguished by white cloaks with a black cross.
The principles by which the orders lived united the seemingly incompatible roles of a monk and a knight; the humility of the former was surprisingly combined with the belligerence of the latter. However, surprisingly, this strange hybrid not only survived, but also turned out to be one of the most successful social inventions of the time. The orders quickly increased in numbers, and their influence both in the conquered territories and in the Christian world as such grew explosively.
The fact is that the main problem of the crusaders has always been inconsistency of actions and the lack of a unified command. Therefore, the knightly orders, with their strict hierarchy and impeccable discipline, quickly became the most combat-ready military units of the time, taking an active part in almost all the battles of the Crusades era. In fact, it was they who made up the standing army of the crusaders, the ranks of which were replenished by knights arriving from Europe. It was they who were usually entrusted with the protection of fortresses, the maintenance and expansion of which was too heavy a financial burden for both the lords and the monarchy. From the point of view of maintaining constant combat readiness, the orders were an important military trump card. But from a political point of view, the increase in the number of their members was a disaster for the newly formed Latin states, since the orders were an independent military party, the interests of which did not always coincide with the interests of the kingdoms and duchies.
The activities of the orders, not accountable to local authorities, were controlled directly by the pope. The orders were headed by Grand Masters. The entire system was built on the principles of a strict hierarchy and strict discipline. The orders' regulations were extremely strict. Knights took monastic vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. According to the charter of the Teutons, for example, written on the basis of the charters of the Hospitallers and Templars, the brothers had to pray at least five hours a day, fast 120 days a year, knightly entertainment (tournaments, hunting) was prohibited. Severe punishments followed for violations of the rules of conduct (for striking a layman, failure to fast, divulging the secrets of the order, and the like).
The spiritual knightly orders had their own fortresses, lands, and had enormous wealth, which made them a significant political force. The fact is that the orders were engaged not only in war, but also pursued an active economic policy.
The Templars, for example, were allowed to engage in financial transactions by a special decree of the pope, and soon banking became one of the main activities in the order. It was the Templars who invented checks, and there was no longer a need to take the coveted gold with them on a dangerous journey. It was enough to deposit the required amount at the nearest templar preceptory, take in return that same check - a small piece of parchment with a fingerprint, and then, having reached the right place, receive your money there with a very small deduction. Due to the fact that the network of commanderies covered almost all of Europe and the Middle East (in the 13th century there were more than five thousand of them, including dependent castles and monasteries), there were plenty of people willing to take advantage of these services.
Is it any wonder that over time the Templars became the largest creditors in Europe? According to many historians, it was the wealth of the order and the exorbitant debts of the French crown (and not only it) that became the main reason for the defeat and dissolution of the Order of the Temple at the beginning of the 14th century.
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The first spiritual knightly orders of the Middle Ages began to form during the Crusades, that is, in the period from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries.
Reason for the creation of orders
Knightly orders are created under the strict guidance of the Catholic Church with the aim of spreading Catholicism in the Holy Land, as well as for the active fight against infidels - Muslims and pagans.
The most powerful spiritual knightly orders
The most ancient and most influential knightly orders of the Middle Ages are considered to be the Order of the Templars and the Order of the Hospitallers. Both orders were created at the very beginning of the era of the Crusades.
Hospitallers
At first, the Hospitallers were not an order as such, it was an organization whose task was to care for the wounded and poor Christians, pilgrims, who were in the Holy Land. But after the capture of Jerusalem, the organization turns into a knightly order. The Knights Hospitallers were entrusted with the task of vigilantly protecting the Holy Land and its inhabitants. The head of the order was the master, who was appointed to this position until his death.
Soon the Hospitallers began offering knightly armed escorts. The number of knights grew very quickly, and the order began to represent a significant force in the Middle East. The knights of the order showed themselves clearly on the field; they fought both on foot and on horseback. The knights wore black robes with large white crosses.
Since the middle of the twelfth century, there has been a division within the order into brother knights (warriors) and brothers doctors (they took care of the sick and poor). The Order of the Hospitallers did not obey anyone except the pope and had many privileges, including exemption from paying tithes to the church and the right to own land.
The Hospitallers in the Holy Land were engaged in the construction of fortifications, so they owned seven large fortresses. The most powerful fortification of the Hospitallers was the stronghold of Krak des Chevaliers, which was never captured by battle. They were able to take possession of the impregnable fortress only once, and then only thanks to deception.
After Jerusalem fell, the Hospitallers found refuge in the county of Tripoli, and then on the island of Cyprus, where the Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus was created. After the Templars were disbanded, the Hospitallers received part of their possessions.
Templars
The Templar Order was created in 1119, shortly after the First Crusade. King Baldwin of Jerusalem gave them premises within the walls of the Jerusalem Temple, where they established their headquarters. In 1139, the pope gave the knights of the order his patronage and some privileges. The Knights Templar were exempt from paying taxes, obeyed only the pope, and received lands for their use.
The Knights of the Templar Order fought in white robes with a red cross. They fought both on horseback and on foot. The knights of the order had squires. The foot warrior was armed with a long sword and shield, while the horseman also used a spear, shield and sword.
They demonstrated their military talents at the Battle of Ramla, where the Crusaders managed to defeat the forces of Saladin.
The Templars were a powerful force in Europe, and especially in England, because their master held a seat in parliament.
In 1187, the Knights Templar are defeated by Saladin's forces and many of them are captured. The master of the order is believed to have converted to Islam and exchanged his life for the lives of his knights - captured Templar knights were executed.
Quickly recovering from their defeat, in 1191, the Templars took an active part in the capture of Acre. When the Crusaders recapture Jerusalem in 1199, the Templars massacre many of the city's Muslim civilians.
The Templars behave quite cruelly, even with their brothers. They expel the Knights Hospitaller and Teutons from Acre. Many Hospitallers and Teutons were killed and captured.
In 1291, the Templars were forced to leave Acre and other cities of the Holy Land, as they could not resist the onslaught of the Muslims.
The Templars were very rich, since the basis of their activities was economics, and not military operations. They protected trade routes, gave loans, accepted donations, and engaged in usury. In addition, the order possessed huge land plots.
Like the Hospitallers, the Templars are engaged in the construction of fortresses and roads. In the Holy Land they owned eighteen large castles. The Templars became the largest bankers in Europe.
At the beginning of the fourteenth century, members of the Templar Order were subject to mass arrests and executions. They are accused of blasphemy, debauchery, denial of Christ and other sins. In 1312 the order was officially dissolved.
Other knightly orders of the Middle Ages
Less influential were the Teutonic Order, the Order of the Holy Sepulcher, the Order of Santiago, the Order of Christ and others.
The history of religion tells about the spiritual searches of different peoples over the centuries. Faith has always been a person’s companion, giving meaning to his life and motivating him not only for achievements in the internal sphere, but also for worldly victories. People, as you know, are social creatures, and therefore often strive to find like-minded people and create an association in which they could jointly move towards the intended goal. An example of such a community is monastic orders, which included brothers of the same faith, united in their understanding of how to put the precepts of their mentors into practice.
Egyptian hermits
Monasticism did not originate in Europe; it originated in the vast expanses of the Egyptian deserts. Here, back in the 4th century, hermits appeared, striving to get closer to spiritual ideals in a secluded distance from the world with its passions and vanity. Not finding a place for themselves among people, they went into the desert, lived in the open air or in the ruins of some buildings. They were often joined by followers. Together they worked, preached, and offered prayers.
Monks in the world were workers of different professions, and each brought something of their own to the community. In 328, Pachomius the Great, who was once a soldier, decided to organize the life of the brothers and founded a monastery, the activities of which were regulated by the charter. Soon similar associations began to appear in other places.
Light of knowledge
In 375, Basil the Great organized the first large monastic society. Since then, the history of religion has flowed in a slightly different direction: together the brothers not only prayed and comprehended spiritual laws, but were engaged in studying the world, comprehending nature, and the philosophical aspects of existence. Through the efforts of the monks, the wisdom and knowledge of mankind passed through the dark ages of the Middle Ages without getting lost in the past. Reading and improvement in the scientific field were also the duties of the novices of the monastery in Monte Cassino, founded by Benedict of Nursia, considered the father of monasticism in Western Europe.
Benedictines
The year 530 is considered the date when the first monastic order appeared. Benedict was famous for his asceticism, and a group of followers quickly formed around him. They were among the first Benedictines, as the monks were called in honor of their leader. The life and activities of the brothers were conducted in accordance with the charter developed by Benedict of Nursia. Monks could not change their place of service, own any property and had to completely obey the abbot. The regulations prescribed prayers seven times a day, constant physical labor, interspersed with hours of rest. The charter determined the time of meals and prayers, punishments for the guilty, necessary for reading the book.
Structure of the monastery
Subsequently, many monastic orders of the Middle Ages were built on the basis of the Benedictine Rule. The internal hierarchy was also preserved. The head was the abbot, chosen from among the monks and confirmed by the bishop. He became the lifelong representative of the monastery in the world, leading the brothers with the assistance of several assistants. Benedictines were expected to submit completely and humbly to the abbot.
The inhabitants of the monastery were divided into groups of ten people, headed by deans. The abbot and the prior (assistant) monitored compliance with the charter, but important decisions were made after a meeting of all the brothers together.
Education
The Benedictines became not only an assistant to the Church in converting new peoples to Christianity. In fact, it is thanks to them that today we know about the contents of many ancient manuscripts and manuscripts. The monks were engaged in rewriting books and preserving monuments of philosophical thought of the past.
Education was compulsory from the age of seven. Subjects included music, astronomy, arithmetic, rhetoric and grammar. The Benedictines saved Europe from the harmful influence of barbarian culture. Huge libraries of monasteries, deep architectural traditions, and knowledge in the field of agriculture helped maintain civilization at a decent level.
Decline and rebirth
During the reign of Charlemagne there was a period when the monastic order of the Benedictines was going through hard times. The Emperor introduced tithes in favor of the Church, demanded that monasteries provide a certain number of soldiers, and gave vast territories with peasants to the power of bishops. The monasteries began to become richer and became a tasty morsel for everyone eager to increase their own well-being.
Representatives of the worldly authorities were given the opportunity to found spiritual communities. The bishops transmitted the will of the emperor, becoming more and more immersed in worldly affairs. The abbots of the new monasteries only formally dealt with spiritual issues, enjoying the fruits of donations and trade. The process of secularization gave rise to a movement for the revival of spiritual values, which resulted in the formation of new monastic orders. The center of unification at the beginning of the 10th century was the monastery in Cluny.
Clunians and Cistercians
Abbot Bernon received an estate in Upper Burgundy as a gift from the Duke of Aquitaine. Here, in Cluny, a new monastery was founded, free from secular power and vassal relations. The monastic orders of the Middle Ages experienced a new rise. The Clunians prayed for all the laity, lived according to a charter developed on the basis of the provisions of the Benedictines, but more strict in matters of behavior and daily routine.
In the 11th century, the monastic order of the Cistercians appeared, which made it a rule to follow the rules, which frightened off many followers with its rigidity. The number of monks increased greatly due to the energy and charm of one of the leaders of the order, Bernard of Clairvaux.
Great multitude
In the XI-XIII centuries, new monastic orders of the Catholic Church appeared in large numbers. Each of them marked something in history. The Camaldoules were famous for their strict rules: they did not wear shoes, encouraged self-flagellation, and did not eat meat at all, even if they were sick. The Carthusians, who also respected strict rules, were known as hospitable hosts who considered charity a vital part of their ministry. One of the main sources of income for them was the sale of Chartreuse liqueur, the recipe of which was developed by the Carthusians themselves.
Women also made their contribution to monastic orders in the Middle Ages. At the head of the monasteries, including men's, of the Fontevrault brotherhood were abbesses. They were considered the vicars of the Virgin Mary. One of the distinctive points of their charter was the vow of silence. The Beguines, an order consisting only of women, on the contrary, did not have a charter. The abbess was chosen from among the followers, and all activities were directed towards charity. Beguines could leave the order and get married.
Knightly and monastic orders
During the Crusades, associations of a new kind began to appear. The conquest of Palestinian lands was carried out under the call of the Catholic Church to liberate Christian shrines from the hands of Muslims. A large number of pilgrims were heading to the eastern lands. They had to be guarded in enemy territory. This was the reason for the emergence of spiritual knightly orders.
Members of the new associations, on the one hand, took three vows of monastic life: poverty, obedience and abstinence. On the other hand, they wore armor, always had a sword with them, and, if necessary, took part in military campaigns.
The knightly monastic orders had a triple structure: it included chaplains (priests), brother warriors and brother ministers. The head of the order - the grandmaster - was elected for a life term, his candidacy was approved by the Pope, who had supreme power over the association. The chapter, together with the priors, periodically assembled a chapter (a general gathering where important decisions were made and the laws of the order were approved).
The spiritual and monastic associations included the Templars, the Ionites (Hospitaliers), the Teutonic Order, and the Swordsmen. All of them were participants in historical events, the importance of which is difficult to overestimate. The Crusades, with their assistance, significantly influenced the development of Europe, and indeed the whole world. The sacred liberation missions got their name thanks to the crosses that were sewn onto the robes of the knights. Each monastic order used its own color and shape to convey the symbol and thus differed in appearance from the others.
At the beginning of the 13th century, the Church was forced to fight a huge number of heresies that arose. The clergy lost their former authority, propagandists spoke of the need to reform or even abolish the church system as an unnecessary layer between man and God, and condemned the enormous wealth concentrated in the hands of ministers. In response, the Inquisition appeared, designed to restore the people's respect for the Church. However, a more beneficial role in this activity was played by the mendicant monastic orders, which made complete renunciation of property a mandatory condition of service.
Francis of Assisi
In 1207, the Franciscan Order began to form. Its head, Francis of Assisi, saw the essence of his activity in preaching and renunciation. He was against the founding of churches and monasteries, and met with his followers once a year at an appointed place. The rest of the time the monks preached to the people. However, in 1219, a Franciscan monastery was built at the insistence of the Pope.
Francis of Assisi was famous for his kindness, his ability to serve easily and with complete dedication. He was loved for his poetic talent. Canonized just two years after his death, he gained a large following and revived respect for the Catholic Church. In different centuries, branches were formed from the Franciscan Order: the Capuchin Order, the Tertians, the Minimas, and the Observants.
Dominic de Guzman
The Church also relied on monastic associations in the fight against heresy. One of the foundations of the Inquisition was the Dominican Order, founded in 1205. Its founder was Dominic de Guzman, an irreconcilable fighter against heretics who revered asceticism and poverty.
The Dominican Order chose to train high-level preachers as one of its main goals. In order to organize suitable conditions for training, the initially strict rules requiring the brothers to live in poverty and constantly wander around the cities were even relaxed. At the same time, the Dominicans were not obliged to work physically: thus, they devoted all their time to education and prayer.
At the beginning of the 16th century, the Church was again experiencing a crisis. The clergy's commitment to luxury and vices undermined authority. The successes of the Reformation forced the clergy to look for new ways to return to their former veneration. This is how the Order of Theatines was formed, and then the Society of Jesus. Monastic associations sought to return to the ideals of the medieval orders, but time took its toll. Although many orders still exist today, little remains of their former greatness.
They founded states and dictated their will to European monarchs. The history of knightly orders began in the Middle Ages and is not finished yet.
Order of the Knights Templar
Date of foundation of the Order: 1119
Interesting Facts: The Templars are the most famous knightly order, the history and mysteries of which are the subject of many books and films. The topic of the “curse of Jacques de Molay” is still actively discussed by conspiracy theorists.
After being expelled from Palestine, the Templars switched to financial activities and became the richest order in history. They invented checks, carried out profitable usurious activities, and were the main lenders and economists in Europe.
On Friday, October 13, 1307, by order of King Philip IV the Fair of France, all French Templars were arrested. The order was officially banned.
The Templars were accused of heresy - of denying Jesus Christ, of spitting on the crucifix, kissing each other indecently and practicing sodomy. To “prove” the last point, it is still customary to mention one of the emblems of the Templars - two poor knights sitting on one horse, which served as a symbol of the non-covetousness of the knights of the order.
Warband
Date of foundation of the order: 1190
Interesting Facts: The Teutonic motto is “Help-Protect-Heal.” Initially, this is what the order was doing - helping the sick and protecting German knights, but at the beginning of the 13th century the military history of the order began, it was connected with an attempt to expand the Baltic states and Russian lands. These attempts, as we know, ended unsuccessfully. The “black day” of the Teutons was the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, in which the combined forces of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania inflicted a crushing defeat on the Order.
Deprived of its former military ambitions, the Teutonic Order was restored in 1809. Today he is involved in charity work and treating the sick. The headquarters of the modern Teutons is in Vienna.
Order of the Dragon
Date of foundation of the order: 1408
Interesting Facts: Officially, the Order of the Dragon was founded by the King of Hungary, Sigismund I of Luxembourg, but in the Serbian folklore tradition, the legendary hero Milos Obilic is considered its founder.
The knights of the order wore medallions and pendants with images of a golden dragon with a scarlet cross curled into a ring. In the family coats of arms of the nobles who were members of the order, the image of a dragon was usually framed by the coat of arms.
The Order of the Dragon included the father of the legendary Vlad the Impaler, Vlad II Dracul, who received his nickname precisely because of his membership in the order - dracul means “dragon” in Romanian.
Order of Calatrava
Date of foundation of the order: 1158
Interesting Facts: The first Catholic order founded in Spain was created to defend the Calatrava fortress. In the 13th century it became the most powerful military force in Spain, capable of fielding between 1,200 and 2,000 knights. At its peak, under Chiron and his son, the order controlled 56 commanderies and 16 priories. Up to 200,000 peasants worked for the order, its net annual income was estimated at 50,000 ducats. However, the order did not have complete independence. The title of grandmaster, starting from the time of Ferdinand and Isabella, has always been borne by Spanish kings.
Hospitallers
Date of foundation of the order: around 1099.
Interesting Facts: The Hospice Order, the Hospitallers, the Knights of Malta, or the Johannites, is the oldest spiritual order of knighthood, which received its unofficial name in honor of the hospital and church of St. John the Baptist. Unlike other orders, the Hospitallers accepted female novices into their ranks, and all men who joined the order were required to have a noble title.
The order was international, and its members were divided according to linguistic principles into seven langes in the Middle Ages. Interestingly, the Slavic languages belonged to the Germanic language. The 72nd Grand Master of the order was Russian Emperor Paul the First.
Despite the vow of non-covetousness, the Hospitallers were one of the richest orders of knighthood. During Napoleon's capture of Malta, the French army caused almost three tens of millions of lire worth of damage to the order.
Order of the Holy Sepulcher
Date of foundation of the order: 1099
Interesting Facts: This powerful order was created during the First Crusade and the emergence of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Its king stood at the head of the order. The order's mission was to protect the Holy Sepulcher and other holy places in Palestine.
For a long time, the Grand Masters of the order were the Popes. It was not until 1949 that the title was transferred to members of the Vatican Curia.
The order still exists today. Its members around the world include representatives of royal families, influential businessmen, and the political and scientific elite. According to a 2010 report, the order's membership exceeded 28,000. Its headquarters are located in Rome. More than $50 million was spent on the order's charitable projects between 2000 and 2007.
Order of Alcantara
Date of foundation of the order: 1156
Interesting Facts: The Order was originally created as a partnership to defend the frontier fortress of San Julian de Peral in Spain against the Moors. In 1177 the partnership was elevated to an order of knighthood; he pledged to wage perpetual war against the Moors and defend the Christian faith.
King Alfonso IX in 1218 donated the city of Alcantara to the order, where it settled under a new name. Before the occupation of Spain by the French in 1808, the order controlled 37 counties with 53 towns and villages. The history of the order was full of vicissitudes. It grew richer and poorer, it was abolished and restored several times.
Order of Christ
Date of foundation of the order: 1318
Interesting Facts: The Order of Christ was the successor to the Templars in Portugal. The Order is also called Tomar - after the name of the Tomar Castle, which became the residence of the Master. The most famous Tomarese was Vasco da Gama. On the sails of his ships there is a red cross, which was the emblem of the Order of Christ.
The Tomarians were one of the main pillars of royal power in Portugal, and the order was secularized, which, of course, did not suit the Vatican, which began to award its own Supreme Order of Christ. In 1789 the order was finally secularized. In 1834, the nationalization of his property took place.
Order of the Sword
Date of foundation of the order: 1202
Interesting Facts: The official name of the order is “Brotherhood of the Warriors of Christ.” The knights of the order received the nickname “sword bearers” because of the swords depicted on their cloaks under the clawed Templar cross. Their main goal was to capture the Eastern Baltic. According to the agreement of 1207, 2/3 of the captured lands became the property of the order.
The plans of the eastern expansion of the Swordsmen were thwarted by the Russian princes. In 1234, in the battle of Omovzha, the knights suffered a crushing defeat from the Novgorod prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, after which Lithuania, together with the Russian princes, began campaigns on the lands of the order. In 1237, after the unsuccessful Crusade against Lithuania, the Swordsmen joined the Teutonic Order and became the Livonian Order. It was defeated by Russian troops in the Livonian War in 1561.
Order of Saint Lazarus
Date of foundation of the order: 1098
Interesting Facts: The Order of Saint Lazarus is notable for the fact that initially all its members, including the Grand Master, were lepers. The order received its name from the place of its founding - from the name of the hospital of St. Lazarus, located near the walls of Jerusalem.
It is from the name of this order that the name “infirmary” comes from. The knights of the order were also called “Lazarites”. Their symbol was a green cross on a black cassock or cloak.
At first, the order was not military and was engaged exclusively in charitable activities, helping lepers, but from October 1187 the Lazarites began to participate in hostilities. They went into battle without helmets, their faces, disfigured by leprosy, terrified their enemies. Leprosy in those years was considered incurable and the Lazarites were called “the living dead.”
In the Battle of Forbia on October 17, 1244, the order lost almost all of its personnel, and after the expulsion of the crusaders from Palestine, it settled in France, where it is still engaged in charity work today.