120-558: Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain KG (16 October 1863 – 16 March 1937) was a British statesman, son of Joseph Chamberlain and older half-brother of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain . He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for 45 years, as Chancellor of the Exchequer (twice) and was briefly Conservative Party leader before serving as Foreign Secretary . Brought up to be the political heir of his father, whom he physically resembled, he
240-674: A Royal Peculiar , was not under diocesan jurisdiction. The office of Chancellor was removed from the Bishop of Oxford (the outgoing bishop, Thomas Strong , had been outspoken in the Edward VIII abdication crisis ), and so it was withheld from his successor, Kenneth Kirk , and has since been held by one of the Knights and Ladies Companion. The office of Register has been held by the Dean of Windsor since 1558. The Garter Principal King of Arms
360-476: A cocked hat with a plume , and a sword on a white baldric. For the Order's ceremonial occasions, such as the annual Garter Day, the members wear elaborate vestments and accoutrements , which include: Up until the middle part of the 20th century, it was customary to wear Tudor style under-dress, consisting of white silk embroidered doublet , breeches , full hose , white doeskin pumps with satin bows and
480-867: A state visit to the United Kingdom. The Emperor was particularly pleased by the restoration to the Garter. The Order has six officers: the Prelate , the Chancellor , the Register, the Garter Principal King of Arms , the Usher , and the Secretary. The offices of Prelate, Register, and Usher were created on the order's establishment; those of Garter Principal King of Arms and Chancellor, in
600-507: A " Greater Britain " which would also encompass the predominantly white self-governing colonies and dominions. The League could not agree on its primary role of focusing on either defence or trade, and was dissolved in 1893. Canadian advocates of imperial federation were termed "Canadian Imperialists" and their ideology was "Canadian Imperialism" in Canadian historiography since Carl Berger 's 1970 book The Sense of Power identified this as
720-440: A distance from his first-born son. In 1868, his father married Harriet's cousin, Florence, and had further children, the oldest of whom, Neville , would become Prime Minister in the year of Austen's death. Austen was dominated by his elder sister and was therefore sent away to be educated first at Rugby School "to release him from her thrall", before passing on to Trinity College, Cambridge . While at Trinity College, he became
840-587: A government, he survived in good health until March 1937, dying just ten weeks before his younger half-brother, Neville, became the first and only member of the Chamberlain dynasty to become prime minister. Chamberlain died at the age of 73 in his London home, 24 Egerton Terrace, on 16 March 1937. He is buried in East Finchley Cemetery in London. His estate was valued at probate at £45,044,
960-728: A junior Whip of the Liberal Unionists after the general election, Austen's main role was to act as his father's "standard bearer" in matters of policy. Following the Conservative and Unionist landslide win in the election of 1895 , Chamberlain was appointed Civil Lord of the Admiralty , holding that post until 1900, when he became Financial Secretary to the Treasury . Lord Salisbury retired as prime minister in July 1902, and
1080-552: A lifelong friend of F. S. Oliver , a future advocate of Imperial Federation and, after 1909, a prominent member of the Round Table movement . Chamberlain made his first political address in 1884 at a meeting of the university's Political Society and was vice-president of the Cambridge Union . It would seem that from an early age his father had intended for politics to be Austen's future path, and with that in mind, he
1200-702: A member of the War Cabinet in April 1918 as Minister without Portfolio , replacing Lord Milner , who had become Secretary of State for War . Following the victory of the Lloyd George coalition in the 1918 general election , Chamberlain was again appointed to the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer in January 1919 and immediately faced the huge task of restoring Britain's finances after four years of wartime expenditure. Citing ill health, Law retired from
1320-433: A motion was passed there for fighting the forthcoming election as an independent party. Chamberlain resigned the party leadership rather than act against what he believed to be his duty. He was succeeded by Law, whose views and intentions he had predicted the evening before the vote at a private meeting. Law formed a government shortly thereafter, but Chamberlain was not given a post, but it seems that he would not have accepted
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#17327758524961440-555: A new insight into his nominal superior in the government (by now, the Conservative Party was by far the largest partner in the government). It was an unfortunate change of allegiance for Chamberlain, for by late 1921, the Conservative backbenchers were growing more and more restless for an end to the coalition and a return to single-party (Conservative) government. Conservatives in the House of Lords began, in public, to oppose
1560-564: A position even if he had been offered one. Austen and Neville Chamberlain, Iain Duncan Smith and Liz Truss are the only four Conservative leaders not to lead the party into a general election. Until William Hague (1997–2001), Austen had been the only Conservative overall leader in the history of the party not to become prime minister. After the second resignation of Law in May 1923 (Law died from throat cancer later that year), Chamberlain
1680-616: A relatively modest sum for such a famous public figure. Much of his father's fortune had been lost in a failed attempt by his younger brother Neville to grow sisal in the West Indies in the early 1890s, and unlike Neville, he never went into business to make money for himself. Knight of the Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in
1800-500: A separate ideology from Canadian nationalism . Noted Canadian Imperialists included George Monro Grant , Sir George Robert Parkin , Stephen Leacock , Sir Sam Hughes , and George Taylor Denison III . In 1900, Thomas Hedderwick , a Scottish Liberal Party MP, raised the issue in the British House of Commons . Recalling to the House the contributions of Dadabhai Naoroji and Mancherjee Bhownagree , Indian MPs serving in
1920-525: A single state with an imperial parliament headquartered in London . Such proposals were never put into effect, and decolonisation would eventually happen to a vast majority of Britain 's colonies beginning from the mid 20th century. The new parliament was envisioned to cooperatively deal with internal trade, foreign relations, defence, and other issues that affected the entire federation. The new parliament would have representatives from India that would rule
2040-406: A slender margin. After a short period of internal party campaigning, Chamberlain determined to withdraw from the contest for the good of the still-divided party. He succeeded in persuading Long to withdraw with him in favour of Law, who was subsequently chosen by unanimous vote as a compromise candidate. Chamberlain's action, while it prevented him from attaining the party leadership and, arguably,
2160-590: A special place in his heart for the duration of his life. While attending the University of Berlin , Austen developed a suspicion of the growing nationalism in Germany based upon his experience of the lecturing style of Heinrich von Treitschke , who opened up to him "a new side of the German character – a narrow-minded, proud, intolerant Prussian chauvinism", the consequences of which he was later to ponder during
2280-426: A statute of Queen Elizabeth II, the installation of "Ladies Companion of the Garter" became possible. In 2022, Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos , became the first Black Lady Companion of the Order since its foundation. Eliza Manningham-Buller , Baroness Manningham-Buller, became the first Lady Companion to be appointed chancellor of the Order , on 18 June 2024. Membership in the Order is strictly limited and includes
2400-526: A struggle and if the Honourable Member for Limehouse [Clement Attlee] is sitting on the government benches while London is being bombed, do you think he will hold the language he held today? If he does he will be one of the first victims of the war, for he will be strung up by an angry and justifiably angry populace to the nearest lamp post. In addition to speaking eloquently in Parliament on
2520-472: A sword belt with sword, under the robes. Nowadays, morning dress or a lounge suit is worn, except for coronations when Tudor under-dress is worn by the canopy-bearers. On other occasions when decorations are worn, the members wear simpler insignia: On the death of a member, the Lesser George and breast star are returned personally to the sovereign by the former member's nearest male relative, and
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#17327758524962640-783: A worship service, before which the formal installation of the new knights takes place. While (then just) knights continued to be invested with their ensigns, the formal installation of knights at St George's Chapel ceased in 1805. Installation, along with the annual Garter service, returned in 1948; on the occasion of the order's 600th anniversary. Members are assigned positions in the order of precedence , coming before all others of knightly rank, and above baronets . The wives, sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Companion are also assigned precedence. Relatives of Ladies Companion are not, however, assigned any special positions. (Generally, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their wives.) The Chancellor
2760-546: Is ex officio the senior officer of the College of Arms (the heraldic authority of England), and is usually appointed from among the other officers of arms at the College. As the title suggests, Garter Principal King of Arms has specific duties as the Order's officer of arms, attending to the companions' coats of arms and banners of arms , which are exhibited in the chapel. The Secretary, who acts as deputy to Garter in
2880-646: Is also assigned precedence, but since 1837 the office has been held by a diocesan bishop of the Church of England or a peer , who have a higher precedence than that bestowed by the Chancellorship. Knights Companion prefix " Sir " and Ladies Companion prefix " Lady " to their forenames. Wives of Knights Companion may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but no corresponding privilege exists for husbands of Ladies Companion. Such forms are not used by royalty, peers, peeresses, or Anglican clergymen, who instead use only
3000-749: Is likely to have been inspired by the Castilian Order of the Band , established in about 1330. At the time of its foundation, the Order consisted of King Edward III, together with 25 Founder Knights, listed in ascending order of stall number in St George's Chapel : They are all depicted by individual portraits in the Bruges Garter Book compiled c. 1431 , and now in the British Library . Various legends account for
3120-466: Is widely believed to have been instrumental in saving the government from defeat on the floor of the House. Chamberlain was again briefly considered in 1935 for the post of Foreign Secretary but was passed over once the Abyssinia Crisis was over for being too old for the job. Instead, his advice was sought as to the suitability of his former Parliamentary Private Secretary , now Minister for
3240-599: The cordon sanitaire , the French alliance system in Eastern Europe between the wars. Once France had abandoned its allies in Eastern Europe as the price of better relations with Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia would have no Great Power ally to protect them and would be forced to adjust to German demands. Chamberlain believed that they would peacefully hand over the territories claimed by Germany such as
3360-632: The Black Rod . St George's Chapel in Windsor is the mother church of the Order of the Garter and the location of special services in relation to the Order. During their lifetime, all members of the Order of the Garter are entitled to display their heraldic crests and banners in St George's Chapel. While the Garter stall plates ( see below ) stay in the chapel permanently, the crests and banners of deceased knights are, following presentation at
3480-704: The British honours system , it is outranked in precedence only by the decorations of the Victoria Cross and the George Cross . The Order of the Garter is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George , England's patron saint . Appointments are at the Sovereign 's sole discretion, typically made in recognition of national contribution, service to the Crown, or for distinguished personal service to
3600-626: The Kellogg-Briand Pact , which theoretically outlawed war as an instrument of policy. Chamberlain also said that Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was "a man with whom business could be done". After his less satisfactory engagement in issues in the Far East and Egypt and the resignation of Baldwin's government after the election of 1929 , Chamberlain resigned his position as Foreign Secretary and went into retirement. Chamberlain briefly returned to government in 1931 as First Lord of
3720-543: The Locarno Treaties (1925), aimed at preventing war between France and Germany , for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize . Chamberlain last held office as First Lord of the Admiralty in 1931. He was one of the few MPs supporting Winston Churchill 's appeals for rearmament against the German threat in the 1930s and remained an active backbench MP until his death in 1937. Austen Chamberlain
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3840-804: The Round Table movement , which continues to this day as a forum and promoter of the Commonwealth of Nations and also by the Royal Commonwealth Society which continues to promote the Commonwealth. In recent years, following the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union , many of the concepts behind the Imperial Federation have found a new life within the CANZUK movement. Critics sceptical of
3960-673: The Sudetenland , the Polish Corridor and the Free City of Danzig . Promoting territorial revisionism in Eastern Europe in Germany's favour was one of Chamberlain's principal reasons for Locarno. Together with Aristide Briand of France, Chamberlain and Stresemann met at the town of Locarno in October 1925 and signed a mutual agreement (together with representatives from Belgium and Italy ) to settle all differences between
4080-563: The West Indies , and Fiji . The future of the empire remained uncertain, as it was unclear what the result would be if all colonies eventually became self-governing. Among other concerns, it would be very difficult for British interests to be maintained if every colony was essentially already sovereign. New national identities emerging throughout the dominions was also a cause for concern. Growing autonomy for Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa led to each of them adopting coats of arms of their own rather than continuing to use those of
4200-470: The 15th century; and that of Secretary, in the 20th century. William of Edington , Bishop of Winchester , was the first Prelate of the Order, and that office has since been held by his successors at Winchester, traditionally a senior bishopric of the Church of England . The office of Chancellor is now held by one of the companions of the order. For most of its existence, the Bishop of Salisbury has held
4320-498: The 17th century, there were only thirteen such knights. King Charles II increased the number to 18 (in large part because of funds allocated from Sir Francis Crane's will) after his coronation in 1660. After the knights objected to being termed "poor", King William IV redesignated them in the 19th century as the Military Knights of Windsor. The poor knights were impoverished military veterans, required to pray daily for
4440-422: The 19 yere [ sic ] of this kinge, he made a solempne feest at Wyndesore, and a greate justes and turnament, where he devysed, and perfyted substanegally, the order of the knyghtes of the garter; howe be it some afferme that this order began fyrst by kynge Rycharde, Cure de Lyon, at the sege of the citye of Acres; where, in his great necessyte, there were but 26 knyghtes that fyrmely and surely abode by
4560-516: The 1924 Geneva Protocol , which threatened to dilute British sovereignty over the issue of League of Nations economic sanctions. Despite the importance to history of other pressing issues, his reputation chiefly rests on his part in the negotiations over what came to be known as the Locarno Pact of 1925. Seeking to maintain the postwar status quo in the West, Chamberlain responded favourably to
4680-641: The Admiralty in Ramsay MacDonald 's first National Government but soon retired later that year after his actions in regards to the Invergordon Mutiny . Many of the officers at the time state that the mutiny at Invergordon was a direct result of the action of the Admiralty under Chamberlain's leadership who accepted the cuts in pay for the crews as a result of the Government's need to reduce expenditure. The First Sea Lord Frederick Field
4800-671: The British Liberal governments due to their preference for international free trade . It would not be until the British Empire Economic Conference in 1932 that Imperial Preference would be implemented; however, the policy did not survive World War II . Support for imperial federation waned with World War I which produced greater feelings of national identity in several dominions, Canada and Australia in particular. Defence concerns and problems of imperial cooperation were partially resolved through
4920-487: The CANZUK movement make the argument that "distance and the size of trading partners matter more than historical links in determining trading relationships between countries". Conversely, advocates argue that technological advances now make it possible to fly from the United Kingdom to Australia in under 24 hours, seriously overcoming the limitation of distance which hampered the idea a century ago. They remark that internet and
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5040-558: The Companions of the Order and their spouses, and by the Officers of the Order. After the banquet all the knights and ladies of the order, together with the prelate, chancellor and other officers of the order, in their mantles and ceremonial robes, led by the Military Knights of Windsor, move in procession, watched by a great crowd of spectators, through the castle, down the hill, which is lined with soldiers, to Saint George's Chapel for
5160-581: The Crown. From the late 15th century, there was a formal ceremony of degradation, in which Garter King of Arms , accompanied by the rest of the Heralds , processed to St George's Chapel. While the Garter King read aloud the Instrument of Degradation, a Herald climbed up a ladder and removed the former Knight's banner , crest , helm , and sword , throwing them down into the quire . Then the rest of
5280-755: The Exchequer. He then served as Conservative Party leader in the Commons (1921–1922), before resigning after the Carlton Club meeting voted to end the Lloyd George Coalition. Like many leading coalitionists, he did not hold office in the Conservative governments of 1922–1924 . By now regarded as an elder statesman, he served an important term as Foreign Secretary in Stanley Baldwin 's second government (1924–1929). He negotiated
5400-494: The First World War and the crises of the 1930s. Austen returned to England in 1888, lured largely by the prize of a parliamentary constituency. He was first elected to parliament as a member of his father's own Liberal Unionist Party in 1892, sitting for the seat of East Worcestershire . Owing to the prominence of his father and the alliance between the anti- Home Rule Liberal Unionists and Conservatives , Chamberlain
5520-404: The French throne, and the Order of the Garter was created to help pursue this claim. The use of the garter as an emblem may have derived from straps used to fasten armour, and may have been chosen because it held overtones of a tight-knit "band" or "bond" of knightly "supporters" of Edward's cause. There is a connection between the Order of the Garter and the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and
5640-453: The Garter named was Queen Alexandra, by her husband King Edward VII . King George V also made his consort, Queen Mary , a Lady of the Garter and King George VI subsequently did the same for his wife, Queen Elizabeth , and his daughter Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II). Throughout the 20th century, women continued to be associated with the Order, but save for foreign female monarchs, they were not made Companions. In 1987, by
5760-408: The Garter", belong to the royal family . These titles were introduced in 1786 by King George III so that his many sons would not curtail the number of non-royal companions. He created the statute of supernumerary members in 1805 so that any descendant of King George II could be installed as such a member. In 1831, this statute was extended again to include all descendants of King George I . With
5880-494: The Garter, the Order of the Thistle and the dormant Order of St Patrick ) became a personal gift of the Sovereign once again. Thus, the sovereign personally selects Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter, without political influence. Appointments are typically announced on Saint George's Day (23 April). The Order includes supernumerary members, whose number do not count towards the limit of 24 companions. Several supernumerary members, known as "Royal Knights and Ladies of
6000-405: The Garter. Each June, on Garter Day, the members of the Order, wearing their habits and garter insignia, meet at Windsor Castle . When any new Knights and/or Ladies of the Garter are due for installation, an investiture ceremony is held in the Throne Room of Windsor Castle on the morning of Garter Day. This ceremony is attended by all available Knights and Ladies Companion of the Order, wearing
6120-412: The Garter. Knights and Ladies Companion are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters , a privilege granted to few other private individuals. While some families claim supporters by ancient use, and others have been granted them as a special reward, only members of the Royal Family, peers, Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter, Knights and Ladies of the Thistle, and Knights and Dames Grand Cross of
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#17327758524966240-449: The Garter. Queen Elizabeth I replaced the mantles in the 16th and 17th centuries with blue and purple gowns, but the red mantles returned in the 17th century under King Charles I . When the knights were renamed, the mantles were abandoned. The military knights now wear the old military uniform of an "army officer on the unattached list": black trousers with red stripe, a red double-breasted swallow-tailed coat, gold epaulets and brushes,
6360-491: The Green Knight (late 14th century). The motto is inscribed, as hony soyt qui mal pence , at the end of the text in the sole surviving manuscript in the British Library , albeit in a later hand. In the poem, a girdle , very similar in its erotic undertones to the garter, plays a prominent role. A rough equivalent of the Order's motto has been identified in Gawain's exclamation corsed worth cowarddyse and couetyse boþe ('cursed be both cowardice and coveting', v. 2374). While
6480-409: The Heralds kicked them down the length of the chapel, out of the doors, and into the castle ditch. The last such formal degradation was that of James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde , in 1716. During the First World War, two Royal Knights and six Stranger Knights, all monarchs or princes of enemy nations and including Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria , were struck off
6600-511: The High Altar, removed from the chapel. Sometimes they are then given to institutions that were connected with the late knight, or kept privately depending on family wishes. Originally after a knight's death, the crests became the property of Garter King of Arms, and these crests have been the subject of occasional exhibitions in the Earl Marshal's Court at the College of Arms . Garter stall plates are small enamelled and engraved brass plates located in St George's Chapel as memorials to Knights of
6720-598: The House of Commons, Hedderwick mooted the possibility that an autonomous India might one day be represented in an Imperial Parliament. One of the main obstacles to the scheme was what one of its proponents, Richard Jebb , called colonial nationalism. The granting of authority to a super-parliament composed of many competing interests was seen by opponents as a compromise to the powers of the local parliaments. Leading colonial supporters of imperial federation, such as Australian prime minister Alfred Deakin and Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence Sir Sam Hughes , however saw
6840-423: The Imperial Federation, Ireland would also have self-government, which was expected to reduce demand for independence in Ireland. By the 1880s the British Empire covered a quarter of the world's land area, and included a fifth of the world's population. There was no doubt about the vastness of the potential, and there was agreement that opportunities were largely wasted because politically and constitutionally there
6960-425: The Knights Companion. In return, they received a salary and lodging in Windsor Castle. The knights are no longer necessarily poor, but are still military pensioners. They participate in the Order's processions, escorting the members, and in the chapel services. However, they are not considered members of the Order. The poor knights originally wore red mantles , each of which bore St George's Cross, but did not depict
7080-428: The Labour Party opposed the White Paper. Clement Attlee said: We believe in a League system in which the whole world would be ranged against an aggressor. If it is shown that someone is proposing to break the peace, let us bring the whole world opinion against her. Afterwards Austen Chamberlain fully supported Baldwin and severely criticised Attlee's speech with the words: If war breaks out, and we become involved in
7200-445: The League of Nations, Anthony Eden for the post. From 1934 to 1937, Chamberlain was, with Winston Churchill , Roger Keyes and Leo Amery , the most prominent voice calling for British rearmament in the face of a growing threat from Nazi Germany . However, in 1935, Stanley Baldwin's government produced a White Paper and announced modest rearmament. Although Baldwin would forever be condemned for his failure to rearm sufficiently,
7320-440: The Liberal Unionist wing of the coalition (the two parties merged formally only in 1912). Chamberlain was opposed by Canadian-born Bonar Law , Walter Long and Irish Unionist Edward Carson . Given their standing in the party, only Chamberlain and Long had a realistic chance of success and though Balfour had intended Chamberlain to succeed him, it became clear from an early canvass of the sitting MPs that Long would be elected by
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#17327758524967440-406: The Monarch, the Prince of Wales , not more than 24 Companion members, and various supernumerary members. The monarch alone decides who is appointed. The monarch is known as the Sovereign of the Garter , and the Prince of Wales is known as a Royal Knight Companion of the Garter . Male members of the Order are titled "Knights Companion" and female members are called "Ladies Companion". Formerly,
7560-448: The Monarch. Membership of the order is limited to the sovereign, the Prince of Wales , and no more than 24 living members, or Companions. The order also includes Supernumerary Knights and Ladies (e.g., members of the British royal family and foreign monarchs). The order's emblem is a garter circlet with the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense ( Anglo-Norman for 'Shame on him who thinks evil of it') in gold script. Members of
7680-401: The Order, women were appointed "Ladies of the Garter", but some historians argue that they were not appointed Companions, as they were not Knights. Queen Philippa was the first Lady to be appointed in 1358. King Henry VII discontinued the practice in 1488; his mother, Margaret Beaufort , was the last Lady of the Garter before Queen Alexandra . Except for female sovereigns, the next Lady of
7800-407: The Unionist Party, and thus, he was a contender for the eventual leadership of the party itself. With the Unionists in disarray after electoral defeats at both the January and December 1910 elections, Balfour was forced from his position as party leader in November 1911. Chamberlain was one of the leading candidates to succeed as Conservative leader even though he was still technically a member of
7920-400: The United Kingdom. Some felt that the growing status of the dominions was not reflected in British symbols such as the Union Jack , and this led to calls for the creation of unifying symbols such as a British Empire flag to represent a new multinational reality. Creating an Imperial Federation thus became a popular alternative proposal to colonial imperialism . The plan was never firm, but
8040-409: The ability to instant message/call the other side of the world has greatly increased the connectivity between these four countries. In August 2018 the Canadian Conservative Party proposed a CANZUK treaty which aims to achieve free trade in goods and services, visa-free travel arrangements, reciprocal healthcare, increased consumer choice , increased travel protection, and security co-ordination between
8160-440: The appalling casualty lists he wish(ed) it had not been necessary to win so many ("victories")" there was talk of Chamberlain withdrawing support from the government. Lloyd George survived by claiming that the aim of the new inter-Allied Supreme War Council was purely to "coordinate" policy, not to overrule the British generals, who still enjoyed a good deal of support from Conservatives. Later, he returned to government and became
8280-410: The approaches of German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann for a British guarantee of Germany 's western borders. Besides promoting Franco-German reconciliation, Chamberlain's main motive was to create a situation in which Germany could pursue territorial revisionism in Eastern Europe peacefully. Chamberlain's understanding was that if Franco-German relations improved, France would gradually abandon
8400-399: The author of that poem remains disputed, there seems to be a connection between two of the top candidates and the Order of the Garter, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , and Enguerrand de Coucy , seventh Sire de Coucy . De Coucy was married to King Edward III's daughter, Isabella , and was given admittance to the Order of the Garter on their wedding day." Soon after the founding of
8520-541: The best features of small states. It was seen as a method of solving the Home Rule problem in Ireland, as England , Scotland, Wales, and Ireland (along with the other members of the Old Commonwealth ) would have their own Parliaments. Westminster would become a purely Imperial body. Supporters of the Imperial Federation regarded the United Kingdom as having two possible futures: imperial union of its colonies consisting of different ethnic groups and continued long-term importance in global affairs, or imperial dissolution and
8640-481: The best speeches which has been made". That Chamberlain was speaking against Gladstone's own Second Home Rule Bill does not seem to have dampened the enthusiasm of the Prime Minister, who responded by publicly congratulating both Austen and his father, Joseph, on such an excellent performance. That was highly significant, given the bad blood existing between Joseph Chamberlain and his former leader. Appointed
8760-422: The bitter division of the two Unionist heavyweights, which threatened to split the coalition between supporters of Chamberlain's Imperial Tariff campaign and Balfour's more cautious advocacy of protectionism. While Austen supported his father's programme, his influence within the cabinet was diminished following the departure of the senior Chamberlain to the backbenches . Facing a resurgent Liberal opposition and
8880-592: The ceremonial aspects of the Order, has since 1952 typically also been selected from the other officers of the College of Arms. The office of Usher is held by the Usher of the Black Rod , who is also the Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Lords . At the founding of the Order of the Garter, 26 "poor knights" were appointed and attached to the Order and its chapel. This number was not always maintained, and by
9000-461: The ceremonial habits and garter insignia, and also by their spouses. The wording of the oath sworn by the new knights at this ceremony and of the Admonitions addressed to them in turn by the prelate and chancellor of the order when the several items of insignia are placed upon them are extremely similar to the traditions of the past. At the investiture ceremony, two senior knights or ladies of
9120-420: The coalition, disregarding calls for support from Chamberlain. In the country at large, Conservative candidates began to oppose the coalition at by-elections, and discontent spread to the House of Commons. In the autumn of 1922, Chamberlain faced a backbench revolt, largely led by Stanley Baldwin , designed to oust Lloyd George, and when he summoned the Carlton Club meeting 19 October 1922, of Conservative MPs,
9240-415: The earliest written version of this story dates from the 1460s, and it seems to have been conceived as a retrospective explanation for the adoption of what was then seen as an item of female underclothing as the symbol of a band of knights. In fact, at the time of the Order's establishment in the mid-14th century, garters were predominantly an item of male attire. According to another legend, King Richard I
9360-588: The failure of the Mesopotamian campaign (undertaken by the separately-administered Indian Army ) in 1915, including the loss of the British garrison during the Siege of Kut , Chamberlain resigned his post in 1917; as the minister ultimately responsible, the fault lay with him. He was widely acclaimed for such a principled act. After Lloyd George's Paris speech (12 November 1917) at which he said that "when he saw
9480-554: The following month Chamberlain was promoted to the position of Postmaster General by the new premier, the Conservative Arthur Balfour , who also designated this a cabinet position, and appointed him to the Privy Council . In the wake of the struggle between his father and Balfour, Austen Chamberlain became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1903. Austen's appointment was largely a compromise solution to
9600-618: The formation of the wartime coalition government , in 1915. Chamberlain joined the cabinet as Secretary of State for India . Like other politicians, including Arthur Balfour and George Curzon , Chamberlain supported the invasion of Mesopotamia to increase British prestige in the region, thus discouraging a German-inspired Muslim revolt in India. Chamberlain remained at the India Office after David Lloyd George succeeded Asquith as prime minister in late 1916, but following inquiries into
9720-512: The general proposal was to create a single federal state among all colonies of the British Empire. The federation would have a common parliament and would be governed as a superstate . Thus, Imperial unity could be maintained while still allowing for democratic government. The colonies would increase their influence while Britain would be able to share the costs of imperial defence. The best features of large states could be combined with
9840-518: The government of H. H. Asquith committed to the passage of a Third Home Rule Bill . Chamberlain was resolutely opposed to the dissolution of the Union with Ireland. To the strain then was added the death of his father in July 1914, only a few days after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria , which began the train of events that led to the war. Pressure from the Conservative opposition, in part led by Chamberlain, eventually resulted in
9960-452: The important office of Foreign Secretary from 1924 to 1929. Chamberlain was largely allowed a free hand by the easy-going Baldwin. It is as Foreign Secretary that Chamberlain's place in history was finally assured. In a difficult period in international relations, Chamberlain faced not only a split in the entente cordiale by the French occupation of the Ruhr but also the controversy over
10080-448: The installation of Emperor Alexander I of Russia in 1813, supernumerary membership was extended to foreign monarchs, who are known as "Stranger Knights and Ladies of the Garter". Each such installation originally required the enactment of a statute; however, a 1954 statute authorises the regular admission of Stranger Knights or Ladies without further special enactments. The sovereign may " degrade " members who have taken up arms against
10200-529: The junior orders of chivalry are automatically entitled to them. Imperial Federation The Imperial Federation was a series of proposals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to create a federal union to replace the existing British Empire , presenting it as an alternative to colonial imperialism. No such proposal was ever adopted, but various schemes were popular in Australia , Canada , New Zealand , and other colonial territories. The project
10320-565: The kynge; where he caused all them to were thonges of blew leyther about theyr legges. And afterwarde they were called the knyghtes of the blew thonge." I am obliged for this passage to John Fenn, Esq; a curious and ingenious gentleman of East-Dereham, in Norfolk, who is in possession of the most rare book whence it is taken. Hence some affirm, that the origin of the garter is to be dated from Richard I* and that it owes its pomp and splendor to Edward III. The motto in fact refers to Edward's claim to
10440-430: The latest notice (according to the book) is 20 October 1345. Other dates from 1344 to 1351 have also been proposed. The King's wardrobe account shows Garter habits first issued in the autumn of 1348. Also, its original statutes required that each member of the Order already be a knight (what would now be referred to as a knight bachelor ) and some of the initial members listed were only knighted that year. Its foundation
10560-416: The latter directly, while the dominions such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Newfoundland , and South Africa as well as crown colonies such as Cyprus , Gibraltar , Malta , and Singapore would have internal self-government, although still accountable to this new parliament in London, similar to devolution that was granted to Northern Ireland , Scotland , and Wales during the late 20th century. In
10680-556: The leadership of the Conservative Party (in succession to Arthur Balfour ), but both withdrew in favour of Bonar Law rather than risk a party split on a close result. Chamberlain returned to office in H. H. Asquith 's wartime coalition government in May 1915, as Secretary of State for India , but resigned to take responsibility for the disastrous Kut Campaign . He again returned to office in David Lloyd George 's coalition government , once again serving as Chancellor of
10800-497: The leadership of the Conservative branch of the Lloyd George government in the spring of 1921. His seniority and the general dislike of Curzon, his counterpart in the House of Lords , helped Chamberlain to both succeed Law as Leader of the House of Commons and take over in the office of Lord Privy Seal . He was succeeded at the Exchequer by Sir Robert Horne ; it seemed that after ten years of waiting, Austen would again be given
10920-410: The matter, he was the chairman of two Conservative parliamentary delegations in late 1936 that met with Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin to remonstrate with him about his government's delay in rearming the British defence forces. More respected than Churchill, Chamberlain became something of an icon to young Conservatives, as the last survivor of Victorian high politics. Though he never again served in
11040-540: The movement as a way to increase the influence of the dominions over imperial defence and foreign policy. The colonial branches of the Imperial Federation League in fact outlived the demise of the home branch in London, which collapsed in 1896 when it failed to resolve internal disputes over imperial trade policy. While Joseph Chamberlain , Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1895 to 1903,
11160-467: The nations by arbitration, not war. For his services, Chamberlain was not only awarded the Nobel Peace Prize but also made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter . He was the first ordinary Knight Companion of the Garter since Elizabethan times (Sir Henry Lee ) to die without having been made a peer . He was the 871st Knight Companion of the Garter . Chamberlain also secured Britain's accession to
11280-458: The office, although laymen held it from 1553 to 1671. In 1837, after boundary changes made Windsor Castle fall in the diocese of Oxford , the Chancellorship was transferred to the Bishop of Oxford . A century later, the Bishop of Salisbury challenged this transfer, on the grounds that the Chancellorship had been attached to his office regardless of the diocese in which the chapel of the order lay; and that, in any event, St George's Chapel , as
11400-473: The opportunity of succeeding to the premiership. The Lloyd George coalition was beginning to falter, following numerous scandals and the unsuccessful conclusion of the Anglo-Irish War , and it was widely believed that it would not survive until the next general election. He had previously had little regard for Lloyd George, but the opportunity of working closely with the "Welsh Wizard" gave Chamberlain
11520-540: The order assist the Sovereign by placing the garter around the left leg of the new knight, or left arm of the new lady, and in the fastening of the riband and Lesser George about the body of the new knight or lady, and in the adjustment of the mantle and the collar. After the investiture ceremony at Windsor is concluded, a state luncheon is held in the Banqueting Room. This is attended by the royal family, by all
11640-489: The order wear it on ceremonial occasions. King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter around the time of his claim to the French throne . The traditional year of foundation is usually given as 1348 (when it was formally proclaimed). However, The Complete Peerage , under "The Founders of the Order of the Garter", states the order was first instituted on 23 April 1344, listing each founding member as knighted in 1344. The list includes Sir Sanchet D'Abrichecourt , of whom
11760-465: The origin of the Order. The most popular involves the "Countess of Salisbury", whose garter is said to have slipped from her leg while she was dancing at a court ball at Calais . When the surrounding courtiers snickered, the King picked it up and returned it to her, exclaiming, " Honi soit qui mal y pense! " ('Shame on him who thinks ill of it!'), which phrase has become the Order's motto . However,
11880-463: The other great European power, Germany. Though in his letters home to Beatrice and Neville, he showed an obvious preference for France and the lifestyle he had left behind there, Chamberlain undertook to learn German and learn from his experience in the capital of the German Empire . Among others, Austen met and dined with the "Iron Chancellor", Otto von Bismarck , an experience that was to hold
12000-633: The other insignia to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood , save the riband, mantle and hat. For ceremonial occasions of the Order, the officers wear the following garments and accessories: The chancellor carries a purse, which is embroidered with the royal arms impaled by the Cross of St George. The purse contains the seal of the Order. Garter Principal King of Arms carries his baton of office . The usher carries their staff of office,
12120-440: The post-nominal letters. Knights and Ladies Companion use the post-nominal letters "KG" and "LG" respectively. When an individual is entitled to use multiple post-nominal letters, those of the Order of the Garter appear before all others, except "Bt" or "Bart" ( Baronet ), "VC" ( Victoria Cross ) and "GC" ( George Cross ). In their heraldic achievements , members of the Order of the Garter may encircle their escutcheon with
12240-490: The premiership, did a great deal to maintain unity within the Conservative and Liberal Unionist parties at a time of great uncertainty and strain. In the last years before the outbreak of World War I , Chamberlain was concerned with one issue above all others: Home Rule for Ireland. The issue that had prompted his father to leave the Liberal Party in the 1880s now threatened to spill over into outright civil war, with
12360-484: The proposal was often associated with segments of the British Conservative Party , it was also popular among Liberal Imperialists (proponents of New Imperialism ) such as William Edward Forster . Several members of the Imperial Federation League were motivated by ethnonationalism , drawing inspiration from the writing of theorists such as Sir Charles Dilke and John Robert Seeley to call for
12480-439: The reduction of the status of the country to a second-class nation with little to no power projection. In response to claims that geography was against federation on such a large scale, it was said that scientific advancements would solve the difficulty. Edward Ellis Morris reminded listeners to his lecture in 1885 that it was now as easy to reach London from Melbourne or Singapore as it had been to reach London from Orkney at
12600-429: The roll of the order, their appointments being annulled in 1915. The banner of King Victor Emmanuel III was removed from the chapel after Italy entered World War II against the United Kingdom and its allies in 1940. The banner of Emperor Hirohito was removed from St George's Chapel when Japan entered World War II in 1941, but that banner and his knighthood were restored by Elizabeth II in 1971, when Hirohito made
12720-422: The sovereign acting alone, with no prior nominations. The statutes prescribing the former procedure were not amended, however, until 1953. From the 18th century, the sovereign made their choices on the advice of the government . In 1946, with the agreement of Prime Minister Clement Attlee and Opposition Leader Winston Churchill , membership of Great Britain's highest ranking orders of chivalry (the Order of
12840-497: The sovereign filled vacancies upon the nomination of the members. Each member would nominate nine candidates, of whom three had to have the rank of earl or higher, three the rank of baron or higher, and three the rank of knight or higher. The sovereign would choose as many nominees as were necessary to fill any vacancies in the order. They were not obliged to choose those who received the most nominations. Candidates were last nominated in 1860, and appointments have since been made by
12960-543: The system of Colonial or Imperial Conferences and with growing sentiments by various dominion governments for greater independence resulting in the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and the Statute of Westminster 1931 . It was last discussed seriously at the governmental level at the 1937 Imperial Conference where it was dismissed. The idea of Imperial unity was carried on after World War I by Lionel Curtis and
13080-530: The threat of an internal party split, Balfour eventually took the Unionists into opposition in December 1905, and in the ensuing rout in the election of 1906 , Austen found himself one of the few surviving Liberal Unionists in the House of Commons . After his father's stroke and enforced retirement from active politics a few months later, Austen became the effective leader of the tariff reform campaign within
13200-577: The time of the Acts of Union 1707 , or to reach Washington, D.C. from San Francisco before 1869. Albert Venn Dicey in 1897 proposed an Anglo-Saxon "intercitizenship" during an address to the Fellows of All Souls at Oxford . The Imperial Federation League was founded in London in 1884 and subsequent branches were established in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Barbados , and British Guiana . While
13320-600: Was born in Birmingham , the second child and eldest son of Joseph Chamberlain , then a rising industrialist and political radical , later Mayor of Birmingham and a dominant figure in Liberal and Unionist politics at the end of the 19th century. His father and mother, the former Harriet Kenrick had a baby daughter Beatrice Chamberlain who would become an educationalist. Harriet died giving birth to Austen, leaving his father so shaken that for almost 25 years he maintained
13440-509: Was championed by Unionists such as Joseph Chamberlain as an alternative to William Gladstone 's proposals for home rule in Ireland . Many proposals were put forward, but none commanded majority support. The Imperial Federation League , the main advocacy group, split into two factions in 1893, with one group promoting imperial defence and the other encouraging imperial trade. Various proposals were put forward, with most of them calling for
13560-559: Was elected to Parliament as a Liberal Unionist at a by-election in 1892. He held office in the Unionist coalition governments of 1895–1905, remaining in the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Exchequer (1903–05) after his father resigned in 1903 to campaign for Tariff Reform . After his father's disabling stroke in 1906, Austen became the leading tariff reformer in the House of Commons. Late in 1911 he and Walter Long were due to compete for
13680-601: Was ill at the time of the incident and Chamberlain had proceeded without receiving the advice of the First Sea Lord. Over the next six years as a senior backbencher, he gave strong support to the National Government on domestic issues but was critical on its foreign policy. In 1935, the government faced a parliamentary rebellion over the Hoare-Laval Pact ; his opposition to the vote of censure
13800-604: Was inspired in the 12th century by St George the Martyr while fighting in the Crusades to tie garters around the legs of his knights, who subsequently won the battle. King Edward supposedly recalled the event in the 14th century when he founded the Order. This story is recounted in a letter to the Annual Register in 1774: In Rastel's Chronicle, I. vi. under the life of Edward III is the following curious passage: "About
13920-516: Was no unity, no common policies, no agreed central direction, no "permanent binding force" said Alfred Milner . Associations were formed and discussions were held to come up with a solution. The British Empire consisted of many colonies, several of which were largely self-governing dominions (Canada, Newfoundland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Straits Settlements). Most were ruled by colonial officials including India,
14040-457: Was passed over again for the leadership of the party in favour of Stanley Baldwin . Baldwin offered Chamberlain the post of Lord Privy Seal, but Chamberlain insisted other former ministers from the Coalition to be included as well; Baldwin refused. However, Chamberlain returned to government when Baldwin formed his second ministry following success in the election of October 1924 , serving in
14160-426: Was returned unopposed on 30 March, and at the first sitting of the new session, he walked up the floor of the house flanked by his father and his uncle, Richard . Owing to the dissolution of parliament and the 1892 general election that August, Chamberlain was unable to make his maiden speech until April 1893, but, when delivered, it was acclaimed by the four-time prime minister William Ewart Gladstone as "one of
14280-548: Was sent first to France, where he studied at the Paris Institute of Political Studies and developed a lasting admiration for the French people and culture. For nine months, he was shown the brilliance of Paris under the Third Republic , and he met and dined with the likes of Georges Clemenceau and Alexandre Ribot . From Paris, Austen was sent to Berlin for twelve months, to imbibe the political culture of
14400-641: Was sympathetic to the idea, his proposals for a permanent Imperial Council or Council of the Empire which would be a kind of Imperial Parliament passing policies that would bind colonial governments, was rejected at the 1897 Colonial Conference and 1902 Colonial Conferences due to fears that such a scheme would undermine the autonomy of colonies. Similarly, proposals for centralising the Empire's armed forces were also rejected as were his proposals for an Empire customs union . At subsequent Imperial Conferences , proposals for Imperial preferential trade were rejected by
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