Misplaced Pages

#404595

93-645: The rite is explicitly Christian, requiring candidates to profess faith in Jesus Christ. It incorporates influences and symbolism from branches of esoteric Christianity as well as Masonic Templar movements. The central teachings of the Rectified Scottish Rite focus on the loss and restoration of mankind's original innocence, integrating elements of Martinez de Pasqually 's occult Coën theology and Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin 's mystical Christianity. The Rectified Scottish Rite has its origins in

186-500: A coat of arms ), and indeed they played an essential role in the development of heraldry . As heavier armour, including enlarged shields and enclosed helmets, developed in the Middle Ages, the need for marks of identification arose, and with coloured shields and surcoats , coat armoury was born. Armorial rolls were created to record the knights of various regions or those who participated in various tournaments . Knights used

279-503: A Fall that resulted in the loss of his likeness to the divine image. Fallen man suffers under the shackles of intellectual and spiritual "death." He is severed from God, exiled from the East where the Light shines. The rite teaches that man may regain his former perfected status through initiation, inner work, and ultimately, divine grace . The Masonic quest is framed as seeking to "rediscover

372-498: A blend of religious duties, love and military service. Ramon Llull 's Book of the Order of Chivalry (1275) demonstrates that by the end of the 13th century, chivalry entailed a litany of very specific duties, including riding warhorses, jousting , attending tournaments , holding Round Tables and hunting, as well as aspiring to the more æthereal virtues of "faith, hope, charity, justice, strength, moderation and loyalty." Knights of

465-499: A knight or a group of knights would claim a bridge, lane or city gate, and challenge other passing knights to fight or be disgraced. If a lady passed unescorted, she would leave behind a glove or scarf, to be rescued and returned to her by a future knight who passed that way. One of the greatest distinguishing marks of the knightly class was the flying of coloured banners, to display power and to distinguish knights in battle and in tournaments. Knights are generally armigerous (bearing

558-547: A knight". An Equestrian ( Latin , from eques "horseman", from equus " horse ") was a member of the second highest social class in the Roman Republic and early Roman Empire . This class is often translated as "knight"; the medieval knight, however, was called miles in Latin (which in classical Latin meant "soldier", normally infantry). In the later Roman Empire, the classical Latin word for horse, equus ,

651-506: A major spectator sport but also played as a real combat simulation. It usually ended with many knights either injured or even killed. One contest was a free-for-all battle called a melee , where large groups of knights numbering hundreds assembled and fought one another, and the last knight standing was the winner. The most popular and romanticized contest for knights was the joust . In this competition, two knights charge each other with blunt wooden lances in an effort to break their lance on

744-904: A man-at-arms, not all men-at-arms were knights. The first military orders of knighthood were the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and the Knights Hospitaller , both founded shortly after the First Crusade of 1099, followed by the Order of Saint Lazarus (1100), Knights Templars (1118), the Order of Montesa (1128), the Order of Santiago (1170) and the Teutonic Knights (1190). At the time of their foundation, these were intended as monastic orders , whose members would act as simple soldiers protecting pilgrims. It

837-660: A more extensive ritual than that of the Strict Observance, incorporating elements such as purification by the elements and ideas from the Elus-Cohen System of Martinez de Pasqually . The 4th degree of the RER was constructed based on the green Scottish ritual of the Strict Observance, modified by Willermoz and the Brothers from Strasbourg . This ritual, expanded over time, eventually incorporated elements from

930-474: A more realistic approach to warfare than the honor-bound code of chivalry. Soon, the remaining knights were absorbed into professional armies. Although they had a higher rank than most soldiers because of their valuable lineage, they lost their distinctive identity that previously set them apart from common soldiers. Some knightly orders survived into modern times. They adopted newer technology while still retaining their age-old chivalric traditions. Examples include

1023-656: A note in a fourth-degree ritual, written in pencil by Amez-Droz, states, "The Supper rightfully belongs to the Fourth Degree." The Supper in the fourth degree is simple and beautiful. It precedes the Mystical Supper currently employed in the 6th degree. René Désaguliers also mentioned having in his possession the General Ritual of the Lodge of Master Masons of Saint Andrew, revised on November 29, 1899, by

SECTION 10

#1732772390405

1116-576: A parallel in the furusiyya in the Islamic world . The Crusades brought various military orders of knights to the forefront of defending Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land . In the Late Middle Ages, new methods of warfare – such as the introduction of the culverin as an anti-personnel, gunpowder-fired weapon – began to render classical knights in armour obsolete, but

1209-818: A result of intervisitation agreements between the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR) in Helvetia and the Grand Priory of Helvetia. This ritual was designed for the Lodges of Perfect Masters of Saint Andrew, similar to the one used in the 18th degree of the Rose-Croix in the AASR. Notably, this ritual is not found in any of the manuscripts owned by Jean-Baptiste Willermoz. However,

1302-509: A reward for extraordinary military service. Children of the nobility were cared for by noble foster-mothers in castles until they reached the age of seven. These seven-year-old boys were given the title of page and turned over to the care of the castle's lords. They were placed on an early training regime of hunting with huntsmen and falconers , and academic studies with priests or chaplains. Pages then become assistants to older knights in battle, carrying and cleaning armour, taking care of

1395-479: A variety of weapons, including maces , axes and swords . Elements of the knightly armour included helmet , cuirass , gauntlet and shield . The sword was a weapon designed to be used solely in combat; it was useless in hunting and impractical as a tool . Thus, the sword was a status symbol among the knightly class. Swords were effective against lightly armoured enemies, while maces and warhammers were more effective against heavily armoured ones. One of

1488-492: A young man with weapons influenced the emergence of knighthood ceremonies, in which a noble would be ritually given weapons and declared to be a knight, usually amid some festivities. These mobile mounted warriors made Charlemagne's far-flung conquests possible, and to secure their service he rewarded them with grants of land called benefices . These were given to the captains directly by the Emperor to reward their efforts in

1581-457: Is a cognate of the German word Knecht ("servant, bondsman, vassal"). This meaning, of unknown origin, is common among West Germanic languages (cf Old Frisian kniucht , Dutch knecht , Danish knægt , Swedish knekt , Norwegian knekt , Middle High German kneht , all meaning "boy, youth, lad"). Middle High German had the phrase guoter kneht , which also meant knight; but this meaning

1674-580: Is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of knighthood may have been inspired by the ancient Greek hippeis (ἱππεῖς) and Roman equites . In the Early Middle Ages in Western Christian Europe, knighthood was conferred upon mounted warriors. During

1767-618: Is generally granted by a head of state, monarch, or prelate to selected persons to recognise some meritorious achievement, as in the British honours system , often for service to the Church or country. The modern female equivalent in the English language is Dame . Knighthoods and damehoods are traditionally regarded as being one of the most prestigious awards people can obtain. The word knight , from Old English cniht ("boy" or "servant"),

1860-758: Is practiced in modern times in Helvetia, specifically in the Prefectures of Zurich and Neuchâtel. However, it is not practiced in the Prefecture of Geneva, possibly due to the desire of the Knights, who are members of the Congregation of Pastors of Geneva, to reserve the practice of the Supper for the Reformed Church. The rituals and mythology of the Rectified Scottish Rite revolve around rebuilding

1953-415: Is to enter into relations with angelic entities that appear in the operations as passes . These are to appear mostly in the form of characters or hieroglyphs of spirits invoked by the operator, as proofs that he is on the proper way of Reintegration. [REDACTED] Media related to Martinès de Pasqually at Wikimedia Commons Knighthood This is an accepted version of this page A knight

SECTION 20

#1732772390405

2046-529: Is unknown. A number of authors proposed that he was a Spanish Jew. Certain similarities between Pasqually's theurgy and Portuguese hermetic thought led philosopher Sampaio Bruno (1857-1915) to argue that he was probably of Portuguese origin. In 1772 Pasqually went to collect an inheritance in the island of Hispaniola . Grainville, one of his fervent disciples, came from the Caribbean . He died within two years and appears to have influenced early mystic groups in

2139-403: The 18th century . The Rectified Scottish Rite attracted many influential members who shaped its philosophy and rituals: In England and Wales, the Rectified Scottish Rite is administered from Mark Masons' Hall, London . Martinez de Pasqually Jacques de Livron Joachim de la Tour de la Casa Martinez de Pasqually (1727?–1774) was a theurgist and theosopher of uncertain origin. He

2232-517: The Battle of Nancy , when Charles the Bold and his armoured cavalry were decimated by Swiss pikemen. As the feudal system came to an end, lords saw no further use of knights. Many landowners found the duties of knighthood too expensive and so contented themselves with the use of squires. Mercenaries also became an economic alternative to knights when conflicts arose. Armies of the time started adopting

2325-592: The Early Medieval period, any well-equipped horseman could be described as a knight, or miles in Latin. The first knights appeared during the reign of Charlemagne in the 8th century. As the Carolingian Age progressed, the Franks were generally on the attack, and larger numbers of warriors took to their horses to ride with the Emperor in his wide-ranging campaigns of conquest. At about this time

2418-583: The High Middle Ages , knighthood was considered a class of petty nobility . By the Late Middle Ages , the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry , a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior. Often, a knight was a vassal who served as an elite fighter or a bodyguard for a lord, with payment in the form of land holdings. The lords trusted the knights, who were skilled in battle on horseback . Knighthood in

2511-580: The Matter of France , relating to the legendary companions of Charlemagne and his men-at-arms , the paladins , and the Matter of Britain , relating to the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table . Today, a number of orders of knighthood continue to exist in Christian Churches, as well as in several historically Christian countries and their former territories, such as

2604-662: The Ostrogoths , were mainly cavalry. However, it was the Franks who generally fielded armies composed of large masses of infantry , with an infantry elite, the comitatus , which often rode to battle on horseback rather than marching on foot. When the armies of the Frankish ruler Charles Martel defeated the Umayyad Arab invasion at the Battle of Tours in 732, the Frankish forces were still largely infantry armies, with elites riding to battle but dismounting to fight. In

2697-570: The Reign of Terror of 1793–94. While some Rectified lodges survived, the rite declined sharply and failed to recover its former strength. Willermoz unsuccessfully tried reviving the order in the early 1800s before his death in 1824. The Rite was preserved in the Independent Grand Priory of Helvetia (Switzerland). In 1910, the Lodge le Centre des Amis was re-opened and subsequently other Great Priories were established including

2790-592: The Swedish Rite and certain high degree systems. It helped set a precedent for incorporating complex Christian mysticism and esotericism within Masonic initiation. The Rectified Scottish Rite's lasting impact has been to provide an example of how Masonic ritual can be used to achieve spiritual enlightenment based on a mystical understanding of Christianity. Its immutable rituals and teachings have preserved an esoteric Christian dimension of Freemasonry dating back to

2883-414: The lance . Padded undergarment known as aketon was worn to absorb shock damage and prevent chafing caused by mail. In hotter climates metal rings became too hot, so sleeveless surcoats were worn as a protection against the sun, and also to show their heraldic arms . This sort of coat also evolved to be tabards , waffenrocks and other garments with the arms of the wearer sewn into it. Helmets of

Rectified Scottish Rite - Misplaced Pages Continue

2976-472: The 10th century. While the knight was essentially a title denoting a military office, the term could also be used for positions of higher nobility such as landholders. The higher nobles grant the vassals their portions of land ( fiefs ) in return for their loyalty, protection, and service. The nobles also provided their knights with necessities, such as lodging, food, armour, weapons, horses, and money. The knight generally held his lands by military tenure which

3069-412: The 13th and the first half of the 14th century. Around 1350, square shields called bouched shields appeared, which had a notch in which to place the couched lance . Until the mid-14th century, knights wore mail armour as their main form of defence. Mail was extremely flexible and provided good protection against sword cuts, but weak against blunt weapons such as the mace and piercing weapons such as

3162-637: The Caribbean. The doctrine of Martinez is described as a key to any eschatological cosmology. God, the primordial Unity, had a desire to emanate beings from his own nature, but Lucifer, who wanted to exercise his own creative power, fell victim to his own faults. In his fall, which included his followers, he found himself trapped within an area designated by God to serve as their prison. God sent man, in an androgynous body and endowed with glorious powers, to keep Lucifer's rebels at bay and work towards their reconciliation. Adam prevaricated himself and fell into

3255-650: The Courtier , and Miguel de Cervantes ' Don Quixote , as well as Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur and other Arthurian tales ( Geoffrey of Monmouth 's Historia Regum Britanniae , the Pearl Poet 's Sir Gawain and the Green Knight , etc.). Geoffrey of Monmouth 's Historia Regum Britanniae ( History of the Kings of Britain ), written in the 1130s, introduced the legend of King Arthur , which

3348-460: The Elus-Cohen system. The 1809 version of the ritual was influenced by Baron Tschoudy, introducing the character of Saint Andrew . This evolution marked a significant departure from the early versions, demonstrating the author's creativity and religious faith . The Ritual of the Mystical Supper is a profoundly moving and spiritually rich ceremony. It was introduced in the early 20th century as

3441-513: The English rider : German Ritter , and Dutch and Scandinavian ridder . These words are derived from Germanic rīdan , "to ride", in turn derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *reidh- . In ancient Rome , there was a knightly class Ordo Equestris (order of mounted nobles). Some portions of the armies of Germanic peoples who occupied Europe from the 3rd century AD onward had been mounted, and some armies, such as those of

3534-443: The Franks increasingly remained on horseback to fight on the battlefield as true cavalry rather than mounted infantry, with the discovery of the stirrup , and would continue to do so for centuries afterwards. Although in some nations the knight returned to foot combat in the 14th century, the association of the knight with mounted combat with a spear, and later a lance, remained a strong one. The older Carolingian ceremony of presenting

3627-714: The Great Priory of the United States on August 27, 1936, and the Great Priory of England on the 2nd April 1937. It has now expanded to twelve countries. In the 1910s, there was a renewed interested in resurrecting the Rectified Rite among some French Masons seeking an alternative to the secularism of the Grand Orient de France . Led by Dr. Camille Savoire, in 1913 the Rectified lodge Le Centre des Amis

3720-668: The Masonic landscape of 18th century France . Jean-Baptiste Willermoz was a prosperous silk merchant in Lyon who joined the Masonic Order in 1750 at the age of 20. He quickly rose to prominence and by 1763 was the Secretary Keeper of Seals and Archives of the Grand Lodge of Lyon . In 1767, Willermoz met the mysterious occultist Martinez de Pasqually , who initiated him into his Order of Knight Mason Elect Priests of

3813-607: The Middle Ages was closely linked with horsemanship (and especially the joust ) from its origins in the 12th century until its final flowering as a fashion among the high nobility in the Duchy of Burgundy in the 15th century. This linkage is reflected in the etymology of chivalry , cavalier and related terms such as the French title chevalier . In that sense, the special prestige accorded to mounted warriors in Christendom finds

Rectified Scottish Rite - Misplaced Pages Continue

3906-551: The Novice Knight and Chevalier Bienfaisant de la Cité Sainte (C.B.C.S) degrees, which relate to joining a metaphorical knighthood in service of spiritual enlightenment. These knighthood degrees introduce the Rectified Scottish Rite's mystical Christian cosmology . The secret classes of Professed and Grand Professed represent the highest echelons of the rite, providing further elaboration of its mystical teachings. The Rectified Scottish Rite (RER), has its historical roots in

3999-458: The Rectified Scottish Rite is as follows: The first three blue lodge degrees of Entered Apprentice, Companion/Fellow Craft, and Master Mason are focused on traditional Masonic morality, fraternity, and the construction of Solomon's Temple . The fourth degree of Scottish Master provides a transition into the more mystical teachings of the Inner or Interior Order. The Interior Order comprises

4092-1384: The Roman Catholic Sovereign Military Order of Malta , the Protestant Order of Saint John , as well as the English Order of the Garter , the Swedish Royal Order of the Seraphim , the Spanish Order of Santiago , and the Norwegian Order of St. Olav . There are also dynastic orders like the Order of the Golden Fleece , the Imperial Order of the Rose , the Order of the British Empire and the Order of St. George . In modern times these are orders centered around charity and civic service, and are no longer military orders. Each of these orders has its own criteria for eligibility, but knighthood

4185-551: The Scottish Directorate of Helvetia. This ritual includes a reference to the Rectified Supper, with a note from Charles Montchal dated March 11, 1924, suggesting that the narrative of the Mystical Supper is not found in the rituals from 1782, and it might have been optional, to be placed, if used, before the closure of the Lodge of Perfect Masters of Saint Andrew. It's worth noting that the Mystical Supper

4278-563: The Strict Templar Observance of Germany . Even though the rite underwent modifications, it remains deeply connected to this traditional source. Jean-Baptiste Willermoz , in collaboration with the Brothers from Strasbourg , adapted the rituals of the Strict Observance, eliminating the notion of a temporal Templar power and establishing continuity between Masonry and the Order of the Temple . This transformation gave rise to

4371-439: The Temple of Solomon as an allegory for restoring mankind's original perfection. It incorporates extensive Solomonic symbolism and requires professing Christian faith . Degrees trace an initiate's metaphorical journey from darkness into light. The symbolic lodge rooms are structured as a representation of King Solomon's Temple. Prayers appeal to Jesus Christ and the " Grand Architect of the Universe ." The central myth involves

4464-475: The Universe. Willermoz became devoted to Pasqually's teachings and Cohen ritual magic system, which sought to achieve communication with angels and restore man's lost divine status. For the next several years, Willermoz operated Rosicrucian study groups and Masonic bodies in Lyon that incorporated Pasqually's rites. In the early 1770s, Willermoz helped introduce the German Rite of Strict Observance system of Masonic Templarism to France, as part of efforts to revive

4557-405: The blue and green rituals of the RER. Willermoz composed several versions of the blue ritual over a decade, using different sources at his disposal. Three significant steps in the development of these rituals are noteworthy: Willermoz designed several successive versions of the blue ritual between 1778 and 1785, with the final version still practiced in Helvetia and France. This development led to

4650-611: The code of chivalry as unrealistic idealism. The rise of Christian humanism in Renaissance literature demonstrated a marked departure from the chivalric romance of late medieval literature, and the chivalric ideal ceased to influence literature over successive centuries until it saw some pockets of revival in post-Victorian literature. By the mid to late 16th century, knights were quickly becoming obsolete as countries started creating their own standing armies that were faster to train, cheaper to equip, and easier to mobilize. The advancement of high-powered firearms contributed greatly to

4743-501: The conquests, and they in turn were to grant benefices to their warrior contingents, who were a mix of free and unfree men. In the century or so following Charlemagne's death, his newly empowered warrior class grew stronger still, and Charles the Bald declared their fiefs to be hereditary, and also issued the Edict of Pîtres in 864, largely moving away from the infantry-based traditional armies and calling upon all men who could afford it to answer calls to arms on horseback to quickly repel

SECTION 50

#1732772390405

4836-468: The constant and wide-ranging Viking attacks, which is considered the beginnings of the period of knights that were to become so famous and spread throughout Europe in the following centuries. The period of chaos in the 9th and 10th centuries, between the fall of the Carolingian central authority and the rise of separate Western and Eastern Frankish kingdoms (later to become France and Germany respectively) only entrenched this newly landed warrior class. This

4929-407: The decline in use of plate armour, as the time it took to train soldiers with guns was much less compared to that of the knight. The cost of equipment was also significantly lower, and guns had a reasonable chance to easily penetrate a knight's armour. In the 14th century the use of infantrymen armed with pikes and fighting in close formation also proved effective against heavy cavalry, such as during

5022-470: The devil and not God, and needed reforming. In the course of the 12th century, knighthood became a social rank with a distinction being made between milites gregarii (non-noble cavalrymen) and milites nobiles (true knights). As the term "knight" became increasingly confined to denoting a social rank, the military role of fully armoured cavalryman gained a separate term, " man-at-arms ". Although any medieval knight going to war would automatically serve as

5115-427: The elbows and shoulders were covered with circular pieces of metal, commonly referred to as rondels , eventually evolving into the plate arm harness consisting of the rerebrace , vambrace , and spaulder or pauldron . The legs too were covered in plates, mainly on the shin, called schynbalds which later evolved to fully enclose the leg in the form of enclosed greaves . As for the upper legs, cuisses came about in

5208-568: The first form of medieval horse coverage and was used much like the surcoat. Other armours , such as the facial armouring chanfron, were made for horses. Knights and the ideals of knighthood featured largely in medieval and Renaissance literature , and have secured a permanent place in literary romance . While chivalric romances abound, particularly notable literary portrayals of knighthood include The Song of Roland , Cantar de Mio Cid , The Twelve of England , Geoffrey Chaucer 's The Knight's Tale , Baldassare Castiglione 's The Book of

5301-472: The horses, and packing the baggage. They would accompany the knights on expeditions, even into foreign lands. Older pages were instructed by knights in swordsmanship , equestrianism , chivalry, warfare, and combat (using wooden swords and spears). When the boy turned 14, he became a squire . In a religious ceremony, the new squire swore on a sword consecrated by a bishop or priest , and attended to assigned duties in his lord's household. During this time,

5394-417: The importance of Christian faith in every area of a knight's life, though still laying stress on the primarily military focus of knighthood. In the early Renaissance greater emphasis was laid upon courtliness. The ideal courtier—the chivalrous knight—of Baldassarre Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier became a model of the ideal virtues of nobility. Castiglione's tale took the form of a discussion among

5487-497: The knight of the early periods usually were more open helms such as the nasal helmet , and later forms of the spangenhelm . The lack of more facial protection lead to the evolution of more enclosing helmets to be made in the late 12th to early 13th centuries, this eventually would evolve to make the great helm . Later forms of the bascinet , which was originally a small helm worn under the larger great helm, evolved to be worn solely, and would eventually have pivoted or hinged visors,

5580-449: The late medieval era were expected by society to maintain all these skills and many more, as outlined in Baldassare Castiglione 's The Book of the Courtier , though the book's protagonist, Count Ludovico, states the "first and true profession" of the ideal courtier "must be that of arms." Chivalry , derived from the French word chevalier ('cavalier'), simultaneously denoted skilled horsemanship and military service, and these remained

5673-417: The legacy of the medieval Knights Templar . He quickly came to believe theStrict Observance degree structure needed reforming and simplification. At a Masonic convention in 1778, he put forth his "Réforme de Lyon" plan to reshape the system into the Rectified Scottish Rite. The early Rectified Scottish Rite consisted of 4 symbolic lodge degrees, 2 orders of knightly nobility, and a secret "Profession" class at

SECTION 60

#1732772390405

5766-424: The loss of man's original state of divine grace and unity with God. Through initiation, the Mason seeks to restore his former innocent condition and come closer to reintegration with the divine. This mythology and symbolism integrates influences from Judeo-Christian esotericism , occultism , and mystical Christianity . The Rectified Scottish Rite's philosophy focuses on man's fall from an original exalted state and

5859-1133: The master of the ceremony would dub the new knight on the shoulders with a sword. Squires, and even soldiers , could also be conferred direct knighthood early if they showed valor and efficiency for their service; such acts may include deploying for an important quest or mission, or protecting a high diplomat or a royal relative in battle. Knights were expected, above all, to fight bravely and to display military professionalism and courtesy. When knights were taken as prisoners of war, they were customarily held for ransom in somewhat comfortable surroundings. This same standard of conduct did not apply to non-knights ( archers , peasants , foot-soldiers , etc.) who were often slaughtered after capture, and who were viewed during battle as mere impediments to knights' getting to other knights to fight them. Chivalry developed as an early standard of professional ethics for knights, who were relatively affluent horse owners and were expected to provide military services in exchange for landed property . Early notions of chivalry entailed loyalty to one's liege lord and bravery in battle, similar to

5952-403: The mid 14th century. Overall, plate armour offered better protection against piercing weapons such as arrows and especially bolts than mail armour did. Plate armor reached his peak in the 15th and 16th centuries, but was still used at the beginning of the 17th century by the first Cuirassiers like the London lobsters . Knights' horses were also armoured in later periods; caparisons were

6045-454: The most popular was the hounskull , also known as the "pig-face visor". Plate armour first appeared in the 13th century, when plates were added onto the torso and mounted to a base of leather. This form of armour is known as a coat of plates , and was initially used over chain mail in the 13th and 14th centuries, at the time of Transitional armour . The torso was not the only part of the knight to receive this plate protection evolution, as

6138-418: The nobility of the court of the Duke of Urbino, in which the characters determine that the ideal knight should be renowned not only for his bravery and prowess in battle, but also as a skilled dancer, athlete, singer and orator, and he should also be well-read in the humanities and classical Greek and Latin literature. Later Renaissance literature, such as Miguel de Cervantes 's Don Quixote , rejected

6231-435: The opponent's head or body or unhorse them completely. The loser in these tournaments had to turn his armour and horse over to the victor. The last day was filled with feasting, dancing and minstrel singing. Besides formal tournaments, there were also unformalized judicial duels done by knights and squires to end various disputes. Countries like Germany , Britain and Ireland practiced this tradition. Judicial combat

6324-403: The potential for restoration. Its teachings are rooted in Christian concepts and theology aimed at bringing man back into harmony with God. According to the rite's doctrine, the human race originally existed in a "Primitive State of Glory" of complete innocence, immortal and blessed. Man lived in direct unity and communication with God, made in the divine image. But man turned away from God, causing

6417-403: The primary elements of a knight's armour was the shield , which could be used to block strikes and projectiles. Oval shields were used during the Dark Ages and were made of wooden boards that were roughly half an inch thick. Towards the end of the 10th century, oval shields were lengthened to cover the left knee of the mounted warrior, called the kite shield . The heater shield was used during

6510-427: The primary occupations of knighthood throughout the Middle Ages. Chivalry and religion were mutually influenced during the period of the Crusades . The early Crusades helped to clarify the moral code of chivalry as it related to religion. As a result, Christian armies began to devote their efforts to sacred purposes. As time passed, clergy instituted religious vows which required knights to use their weapons chiefly for

6603-412: The protection of the weak and defenseless, especially women and orphans, and of churches. In peacetime, knights often demonstrated their martial skills in tournaments, which usually took place on the grounds of a castle. Knights could parade their armour and banner to the whole court as the tournament commenced. Medieval tournaments were made up of martial sports called hastiludes , and were not only

6696-530: The rite's constitutions, regulations, and ritual texts. He gradually crafted the rite's mythology and symbolism to place less emphasis on historical Templar succession and more focus on symbolic Temple rebuilding and restoration of man's original innocence. Christian concepts and theology were made increasingly central. The Rectified Scottish Rite flourished until the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. Most Masonic lodges were shut down during

6789-562: The rite's explicitly Christian focus increased. Although relatively small in terms of membership, the Rectified Scottish Rite has exerted influence within Freemasonry beyond its numbers. Several of its early leaders, including Willermoz and Joseph de Maistre, were prominent Masonic thinkers whose writings shaped esoteric and Christian interpretations of Freemasonry. The rite's intricate rituals and unique mystical philosophy also inspired esoteric Masonic rites that emerged later, such as

6882-488: The route which can bring man back to his Primitive State and reestablish him in the rights he lost." But man cannot achieve this restoration on his own. He requires mediation from the "divine Redeemer" who can reconcile humanity with God. These essential teachings were heavily influenced by Martinès de Pasqually's occult theurgic theology, Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin's mystical Christianity, and Jean-Baptiste Willermoz 's synthesis tying them to Solomonic mythology. Over time,

6975-407: The squire was eligible to be knighted. The accolade or knighting ceremony was usually held during one of the great feasts or holidays, like Christmas or Easter , and sometimes at the wedding of a noble or royal. The knighting ceremony usually involved a ritual bath on the eve of the ceremony and a prayer vigil during the night. On the day of the ceremony, the would-be knight would swear an oath and

7068-457: The squires continued training in combat and were allowed to own armour (rather than borrowing it). Squires were required to master the seven points of agilities – riding, swimming and diving, shooting different types of weapons, climbing, participation in tournaments, wrestling , fencing , long jumping , and dancing – the prerequisite skills for knighthood. All of these were even performed while wearing armour. Upon turning 21,

7161-522: The titles remained in many countries. Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I (1459–1519) is often referred to as the "last knight" in this regard; however, some of the most iconic battles of the Knights Hospitaller , such as the Siege of Rhodes and the Great Siege of Malta , took place after his rule. The ideals of chivalry were popularized in medieval literature , particularly the literary cycles known as

7254-415: The top incorporating Willermoz's Cohen magical rites and Pasqually's teachings. It also adopted the Strict Observance's system of Masonic provinces to govern the order. The new rite was approved at a national convention in Lyon in 1778 and formally established at the international Convent of Wilhelmsbad in 1782 under Willermoz's leadership. Over the following decades, Willermoz served as the primary author of

7347-480: The transmutation of the term "knight" from the meaning "servant, soldier", and of chevalier "mounted soldier", to refer to a member of this ideal class, is significantly influenced by the Crusades , on one hand inspired by the military orders of monastic warriors, and on the other hand also cross-influenced by Islamic ( Saracen ) ideals of furusiyya . The institution of knights was already well-established by

7440-484: The values of the Heroic Age . During the Middle Ages, this grew from simple military professionalism into a social code including the values of gentility, nobility and treating others reasonably. In The Song of Roland (c. 1100), Roland is portrayed as the ideal knight, demonstrating unwavering loyalty, military prowess and social fellowship. In Wolfram von Eschenbach 's Parzival (c. 1205), chivalry had become

7533-403: The very prison he was to contain, becoming a physical and mortal being, and was so thus forced to try to save both himself and the original creation. It can be done via inner perfection with the help of Christ, but also by the theurgic operations that Martinez taught to the men of desire he found worthy of receiving his initiation. This is obtained by practicing certain rites, where the disciple

7626-500: Was a servant on horseback. A narrowing of the generic meaning "servant" to "military follower of a king or other superior" is visible by 1100. The specific military sense of a knight as a mounted warrior in the heavy cavalry emerges only in the Hundred Years' War . The verb "to knight" (to make someone a knight) appears around 1300; and, from the same time, the word "knighthood" shifted from "adolescence" to "rank or dignity of

7719-404: Was because governing power and defense against Viking , Magyar and Saracen attack became an essentially local affair which revolved around these new hereditary local lords and their demesnes . Clerics and the Church often opposed the practices of the Knights because of their abuses against women and civilians, and many such as St. Bernard de Clairvaux were convinced that Knights served

7812-591: Was called a knight bachelor while a knight fighting under his own banner was a knight banneret . Some knights were familiar with city culture or familiarized with it during training. These knights, among others, were called in to end large insurgencies and other large uprisings that involved urban areas such as the Peasants' Revolt of England and the 1323–1328 Flemish revolt . A knight had to be born of nobility – typically sons of knights or lords. In some cases, commoners could also be knighted as

7905-601: Was in decline by about 1200. The meaning of cniht changed over time from its original meaning of "boy" to "household retainer ". Ælfric 's homily of St. Swithun describes a mounted retainer as a cniht . While cnihtas might have fought alongside their lords, their role as household servants features more prominently in the Anglo-Saxon texts. In several Anglo-Saxon wills cnihtas are left either money or lands. In his will, King Æthelstan leaves his cniht, Aelfmar, eight hides of land. A rādcniht , "riding-servant",

7998-433: Was measured through military service that usually lasted 40 days a year. The military service was the quid pro quo for each knight's fief . Vassals and lords could maintain any number of knights, although knights with more military experience were those most sought after. Thus, all petty nobles intending to become prosperous knights needed a great deal of military experience. A knight fighting under another's banner

8091-413: Was of two forms in medieval society, the feat of arms and chivalric combat. The feat of arms were done to settle hostilities between two large parties and supervised by a judge. The chivalric combat was fought when one party's honor was disrespected or challenged and the conflict could not be resolved in court. Weapons were standardized and must be of the same caliber. The duel lasted until the other party

8184-531: Was only over the following century, with the successful conquest of the Holy Land and the rise of the crusader states , that these orders became powerful and prestigious. The great European legends of warriors such as the paladins , the Matter of France and the Matter of Britain popularized the notion of chivalry among the warrior class. The ideal of chivalry as the ethos of the Christian warrior, and

8277-753: Was reestablished under authorization from Swiss Rectified Masons. This revival led to the creation of several new Masonic obediences practicing the Rectified Rite: the Grande Loge Nationale Indépendante et Régulière pour la France et les Colonies Françaises (GLNR, later GLNF ) in 1913, the Grande Loge Nationale Française Opéra in 1958, and the Grande Loge Traditionnelle et Symbolique in the 1960s. The structure of

8370-413: Was replaced in common parlance by the vulgar Latin caballus , sometimes thought to derive from Gaulish caballos . From caballus arose terms in the various Romance languages cognate with the (French-derived) English cavalier : Italian cavaliere , Spanish caballero , French chevalier (whence chivalry ), Portuguese cavaleiro , and Romanian cavaler . The Germanic languages have terms cognate with

8463-465: Was the founder of the l'Ordre de Chevaliers Maçons Élus Coëns de l'Univers – commonly referred to as the 'Elus Cohens' in 1761. He was the tutor, initiator and friend of Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin and Jean-Baptiste Willermoz . Martinez de Pasqually, whose biography is continually being researched, due to the lack of documentation, appears in the history of French freemasonry in 1754. His exact date and place of birth, as well as his true nationality

8556-465: Was to be important to the development of chivalric ideals in literature. Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur ( The Death of Arthur ), written in 1469, was important in defining the ideal of chivalry, which is essential to the modern concept of the knight, as an elite warrior sworn to uphold the values of faith , loyalty , courage , and honour . Instructional literature was also created. Geoffroi de Charny 's " Book of Chivalry " expounded upon

8649-507: Was too weak to fight back and in early cases, the defeated party were then subsequently executed. Examples of these brutal duels were the judicial combat known as the Combat of the Thirty in 1351, and the trial by combat fought by Jean de Carrouges in 1386. A far more chivalric duel which became popular in the Late Middle Ages was the pas d'armes or "passage of arms". In this hastilude ,

#404595