Emperor Christian Victor I

Emperor Christian Victor I

Thursday 28 March 2013

Fascinating Friday (Orders of Knighthood Part 3)

We continue our Fascinating Friday series with Part 3 of the different Orders of Knighthood. If you have always wondered why Royalty often appear at very formal functions wearing coloured sashes you will now find out. We have discussed the origin and rank of the title, Knight, in a former Fascinating Friday post. There are currently six active Orders of Knighthood and two Family Orders of Honour. They all rank in an order of precedence which ranks one above the other in prestige. Normally the date of the specific Order's founding gives it precedence over younger ones but also its exclusivity gives it higher prestige Last week we dealt with the Kingdom of Normandia's Order of the Lake.

Today we will discuss the third lowest ranking Order of Knighthood from the Kingdom of Syldavia as we work our way up towards the highest.

Syldavia's history has seen the creation and disbandment of several Orders of Knighthood. In 2010 the then pretender to the throne as first in line to the Headship of the Royal Order of the Syldav Cross, decided to re-institute it at his own expense, which was his right. Of all the historic and at that stage totally disbanded orders of Knighthood, the Syldav Cross was seen as the least tarnished by war and controversy and the most indigenous to the culture of Syldavia. The original order was established in 1667 as an honourary knighthood for anybody who excelled in the arts, science or within the field of socio-economic development of the country. Nikolas Von Bismarck discovered that he was the claimant to the defunct throne of Syldavia at a young age and decided to take full responsibility of his status in preparation for a possible restoration. As such he revived the Order in his personal capacity. It is intended to serve in that same vein today, being awarded to citizens and foreigners both Royal and common. When King Nikolas III was placed on the restored throne in 2012, the Order of the Syldav Cross passed seamlessly into Syldavia's official honours system.

A dark green sash hung over the left shoulder and pinned with an ornate eights sided cross badge set with a green stone is the insignia of The Order of the Syldav Cross.

Current members of the Order of the Syldav Cross include the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Serbieski, The Grand Duke of Reichenthal and the Princess of Wallachia and several other Royals. 

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