Knight Order of the group Deus Vult

The foundation of the sovereign order of the Byzantine Eagle reaches back into antiquity with the establishment of the Golden Militia by Emperor Constantine. Perhaps, even before that, the Praetorian Guards and avocati that formed the ranks of the imperial bodyguard comprised an honored body that eventually merged into the Equestrian Order subsequently named that of the Byzantine Eagle. Constantine established the Constantinian Order of Golden Knights to carry the labrum, the Chi Rho standard, but also instituted an elite bodyguard of Christian knights and nobles of equestrian rank, who not only performed military service but also engaged in administration of medical services, Christian charity and the care of the sick and disabled. Several of these knights and nobles initiated a series of hospitals and military centers in the Holy Land and were charged with the defense of pilgrims and maintenance of the holy shrines and churches.

The Order was loosely maintained by the descendents of the initial Roman knights and nobles but fell into abeyance following the Muslim invasion of the Holy Land, when the order suffered considerable losses in manpower and materials. Ultimately, it was maintained in the Italian/Beneventan tradition, especially by those Orthodox Christian scholars and nobles who flourished in the Byzantine possessions in southern Italy during the Dark Ages of Western Europe. These scholars and physicians maintained the principles of the order and the Sacred Bull of Constantine which initiated its founding and reconstituted the order along Western European lines following the First Crusade.

At this time, the Order received its official name, the Sovereign Military Order of the Byzantine Eagle, as it sought to assist the Byzantine Emperor in the reclamation of Byzantine lands from the Muslim Arabs and Turks. The order formed a body of Imperial Cavalry and was divided by ranks into Knights (Cavalrymen), Officers, Tribunes (company grade officers) and Knights Grand Cross (field grade officers). The position of Grand Master was a hereditary position, held under the auspices of the Byzantine Crown and the persona of the Grand Master existed in the body of the Emperor himself, or a member of the Imperial Household.

Knights Grand Cross in the Order were Orthodox citizens of Byzantium but the rank and file members of the Order came from all over Europe and were recruited from among the Rus, Pole, Wallach, Magyar and German people. The standards of the Order flew valiantly in the midst of the Byzantine host at Manzikert, defended the walls of Thessaloniki and Adrianople and ultimately, fought to the last defending Emperor Alexius V during the Crusader sack of Constantinople in 1204.

☩■▬▬▬▬▬▬▬๑۩๑†|The Knight Orders|†๑۩๑▬▬▬▬▬▬▬■☩

Hospitaler Order

The Teutonic Order

Order of The Dragon

Holy Sepulchre Order

Templar Order

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