Order of the Golden Fleece

See also: Golden Fleece (homonymy)

The Ordre of the Golden Fleece is a formerly prestigious order of knighthood founded to Bruges the January 10th 1430 by Philippe the Good, duke of Burgundy, at the time of its marriage with Isabelle of Portugal.

History

This order was intended to bring closer the Burgundian nobility to Philippe the Good and to make it possible to the duke to honor his close relations. The first knight was Guillaume of Vienna. With died of Philippe in 1467, his/her son Charles Bold the became large-Master of the order, then, with died of this last in 1477, his/her son-in-law Maximilien I {{er}} of Habsbourg, which had married Marie of Burgundy. Indeed, the order was transmitted only by the men, or, in the absence of male heir, with the husband of the heiress until majority of the son of this one. Thus the order arrived it at Charles Quint, which made of it the most important order of monarchy habsbourgeoise, and fixed the number of knights at 51 in 1517. To the abdication of the emperor, the Fleece passed to the Spanish branch until the War of succession of Spain. Philippe V, grandson of Louis XIV and new king of Spain, continued to confer the order, but the branch of the Habsbourgs of Austria decided to take again the order on its account. The international law not having never solved the question, there exists two Orders since then of the Golden Fleece: the Austrian order and the Spanish order (this last being only recognized by the French Republic). The medieval collections of the order, remained possession of the Habsbourgs, are exposed to the Schatzkammer, Vienna.

The first members of the Order were, in the order, Philippe the Good, Guillaume of Vienna, Regnier Pot and Jean of Roubaix.

Badge

The badge consists of a skin of gold ram, recalling the legend of the Golden Fleece, suspended to a collar. This one includes/understands an alternation of Briquet S (instrument of steel in the shape of B to rub the stones with fire and emblem of Philippe the Good) and stones with fire from where emergent of the flames. These symbols illustrate the currency of the order: Ante Ferit Quam Flamma Micet (It strikes before the flame does not shine). Some also think that the lighter is stylized into two B interlaced pointing out the sovereignty of the dukes on " both Bourgognes" (the duchy of Burgundy and the Franche-Comté). The knights of the Order can also carry the badge to a red cord in saltire with the coll.

The Order today

  • the Austrian Order kept a certain aristocratic and religious character. He is recognized moral person by Austria since 2000, and it is Karl Habsburg-Lothringen which is large-Master.

  • the Spanish Order opened since the 19th century with not-catholics and commoners. It is Juan Carlos I {{er}} of Spain which is large-Master today.

The king of the Belgians Albert II is one of the rare Heads of catholic European States to being at the same time knight about the Spanish Golden Fleece and knight about the Austrian Golden Fleece.

See too

External bonds

  • friendly Brotherhood of the Golden Fleece

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