Order of chivalry facts for kids

Alfonso XIII of Spain (left) with his cousin, the future King George V (right) during his State Visit to the United Kingdom in 1905. Alfonso is wearing the uniform of a general of the British Army, the Royal Victorian Chain, the sash and star of the Garter, the cross of the Order of Charles III, the neck badge of the Golden Fleece, and the badge of the four Spanish military orders. George, then Prince of Wales, is wearing the neck badge of the Golden Fleece, the sash and grand cross grade of the Order of Charles III, the Royal Victorian Chain, and the stars of the Garter and the Order of St Michael and St George.

A chivalric order, order of chivalry, order of knighthood or equestrian order is an order, confraternity or society of knights typically founded during or in inspiration of the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades (1099-1291), paired with medieval concepts of ideals of chivalry.

During the 15th century, orders of chivalry, or dynastic orders of knighthood, became a mere courtly fashion, some of them purely honorific, consisting of nothing but the badge. These institutions in turn gave rise to the modern-day orders of merit of states.

Images for kids

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  Investiture of three new members of the Order of the Knot (miniature from the order's statutes, 1352/4).

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  Spanish orders of chivalry. In the centre, the Order of the Golden Fleece, 1820

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  Lemuel Francis Abbott's portrait of Admiral Lord Nelson depicting his honours embroidered on his coat jacket

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  Insignia of the British Order of the Garter.

See also

In Spanish: Orden de caballería para niños