List of 11 Famous Knight Orders of the Middle Ages & the Present Day

Knights are some of the most famous figures of the Middle Ages. They were of noble birth and learned the skills of a fighter at a young age. 

After proving themselves on the battlefield, a medieval knight would receive his knighthood title from a king or other high-ranking individual. 

This could be performed in an elaborate and well-planned ceremony, or could be a simple moment of recognition on the battlefield.

Once a man earned his knighthood, he continued to serve his master as a soldier. Knights were expected to represent their superiors well. This meant following the expectations of medieval chivalry and acting charitably towards lesser folk. 

Several influential knight orders were founded during the Middle Ages to provide a sense of brotherhood and charitable services. These military orders were unique to the Middle Ages and were distinctly Christian. 

Knight orders provided protection for pilgrims and established hospitals and other charities in Europe and the Near East. They were the forerunners of chivalric orders, which operate today as honorific and charitable groups. 

The first and most famous of medieval military orders was the Knights Templar. This organization set the precedent for other organizations of knights, both internationally and nationally.

International knight orders functioned in places like Jerusalem and offered protection and services for pilgrims from across Europe. National knight orders sprang up from their international counterparts and operated in individual countries based on their specific goals. 

The following is a list of the most famous and influential knight orders of the Middle Ages. While they functioned at different times and in different places, they were united in their goals of protecting pilgrims, promoting Christianity, and preserving their power. 

1) Order of Saint James of Altopascio

(1070) 

The first organization to resemble a typical medieval knight order was the Order of Saint James of Altopascio. It was founded by Matilda of Canossa in 1070 for the purpose of safeguarding roads and caring for the sick. 

This order was the first to check all the boxes of a medieval knight order: assisting pilgrims, managing hospitals, and possessing a military presence in the lands in which it operated.

2) Knights Hospitaller

(1099)

The Knights Hospitaller was formed in 1099 when founding members opened a hospital in Jerusalem. The order went on to offer armed escort for pilgrims traveling to the city. 

Members of the order were organized into three ranks: knights, men-at-arms, and chaplains. Knights of the order wore distinct red coats with white crosses decorating their fronts. 

The Knights Hospitaller operated 7 forts and 140 estates in Jerusalem at the height of their power. At one point, the order even had strongholds in Rhodes and Malta. 

The Knights Hospitaller’s downfall occurred in the 18th century, when Napoleon captured Malta in 1798. The order was suppressed throughout Northern Europe and England shortly after the takeover of Malta. 

3) Order of the Holy Sepulchre

(1099)

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre operated under the protection of the Holy See and answered to the pope as the sovereign of the group. 

Like other knight orders of the Middle Ages, the Order of the Holy Sepulchre offered protection for pilgrims to Jerusalem. It also maintained and protected the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jersusalem. 

The order still exists today and is made up of an estimated 30,000 members worldwide. The group obviously no longer serves in a military capacity, but instead runs a variety of charities. 

4) Knights Templar

(1119)

The Knights Templar is the most famous of all medieval knight orders. It was founded in 1119 and was endorsed by the Catholic Church of Rome to protect pilgrims. 

The order started out as a modest organization but quickly grew thanks to donations from across Europe. The order gained land and operated businesses. The wealth of the order was so great that at one time the Knights Templar actually owned the island of Cyprus. 

Because of its involvement in business in both Europe and the Near East, and Knights Templar is often considered the the world’s first multinational corporation. 

While the Knights Templar was made up of knights wearing signature white mantles with red crosses, few were actual combatants. The order gained most of its power and prestige through banking and business. 

The group would hold the assets of pilgrims, creating an early form of credit in medieval Europe. 

Their function as a bank would lead to the group’s downfall. King Philip IV of France was indebted to the Knights Templar and became jealous of their wealth and power. He arrested, tortured, and killed many members after accusing them of various heinous acts. 

Being the target of the king of France made the Knights Templar unpopular with the masses. Military failures compounded negative attitudes towards the influential order. Rivalries between the Knights Templar, the Knights Hospitaller, and the Teutonic Knights also led to the downfall of this famous knight order. 

5) Order of Saint Lazarus

(1119)

The Order of Saint Lazarus operated a hospital for lepers in Jerusalem. In addition to charitable acts, the order also fought in the Battle of La Forbie and the Defense of Acre in 1291. 

The order’s involvement in both charitable and military operations in the Near East was characteristic of knight orders of the Middle Ages. 

Like other organizations, the Order of Saint Lazarus endured for centuries. In 1572, the order was merged with the Order of Saint Maurice. It still exists today as the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus. 

6) Order of Calatrava

(1158)

The Order of Calatrava was a famous and highly influential knightly order of Spain. Founded in 1158, the order operated from the Calatrava Castle, which was given to Cistercian monks. The order successfully defended the castle from the Moors. 

Their contributions earned them the recognition of the pope in 1164. At the height of the Order of Calatrava’s power, they were mostly autonomous feudal lords who answered only to the pope. 

The order still exists and has approximately 250 active members.

7) Order of Santiago

(1160)

The Order of Santiago was formed in 1160 in Spain. It operated during the Reconquista, or re-Christianization of the Iberian Peninsula. 

The order successfully resisted the Moors and protected pilgrims traveling to holy places. 

The Order of Santiago was largely influenced by the Knights Templar and the order blended the rules of the Knights Templar and Augustinian monks. 

This organization still exists in Spain today. 

8) Teutonic Knights

(1190)

The Teutonic Knights, or Teutonic Order, formed in 1190 in Acre, Jerusalem. It aided pilgrims to the Holy Land and created hospitals in the city. 

German merchants founded the order and later gained the approval of Pope Clement III. The order moved to Transylvania in 1211, but was later expelled from the country after trying to form their own autonomous state. 

The Teutonic Knights were highly active in military campaigns in Central Europe and the Baltic states. They hired mercenaries and operated naval fleets in the Baltic Sea. 

As shown in the map above, the Teutonic Knights took over much of modern-day Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. They maintained a 500 year conflict with Lithuania as they attempted to Christianize the region. 

At the peak of their power in 1407, the Teutonic Knights controlled Prussia, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and several islands in the Baltic Sea. 

Infighting and major defeats in wars against the Poles and Lithuanians eventually diminished the Teutonic Knights’ power. 

Napoleon dissolved the group’s military might in 1809 and the Teutonic Knights operated as a charitable group throughout the 19th and early 20th century. The Nazis outlawed the group, but it reformed in 1945. 

9) Knights of Saint Thomas

(1191)

The Knights of Saint Thomas formed in 1191 during the Third Crusade. The group was named after the martyred Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. 

The order was English and served wounded English soldiers. Members also buried dead soldiers in Jerusalem. The Knights of Saint Thomas became involved in military activities starting in 1227, when they defended the city of Acre. 

The group eventually moved to the island of Cyprus after the fall of Acre. Like other orders, the group existed for several centuries. King Henry VIII dissolved the Knights of Saint Thomas in 1538. 

10) Livonian Brothers of the Sword

(1202)

The Livonian Brothers of the Sword were the most important knightly order of Eastern Europe. They operated from Riga starting in 1202. 

Members were of mostly noble birth and included knights, soldiers, and artists. 

While the Livonian Brothers of the Sword proved fearless in military campaigns, their tactics were deemed too brutal by the Church. As a result, they were merged with the Teutonic Knights and served as a lesser group within the larger order. 

11) Order of Saint Stephen

(1561)

Cosimo de Medici formed the Order of Saint Stephen in 1561 as a response to the expansion efforts of the Ottoman Empire. The order fought the Turks and Corsair pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. 

The order was instrumental in preventing the expansion of the Ottomans in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. 

The last military engagement of the Order of Saint Stephen occurred in 1719. The group still exists with less than 100 members.