The Order of the Garter & Golden Fleece

In the last blog post we trailed through the history of the Winter King and Queen, Their Rosicrucian Marriage and the fountain of mystery that these two royals left upon a deep trail to follow into an esoteric history… In this blog post we will explore the chivalric orders of the Garter and of the Golden Fleece, that is shrouded in a mystery of the past. Through the depths of Arthurian legends, to the wars of the roses, to the knights of the order of the garter… and the Golden Fleece. We explore a moment in time that shifted the course of Europe, full of magic, secrets, a hidden grail, rivals and war.

The Order of the Garter

I briefly touched on how the order of the garter and the Golden Fleece were both prominent during the Elizabethan tradition, following up to King James I and his daughter’s marriage to Frederick V of Palatine. Frederick being knighted into the Order of the Garter and thus their marriage playing out elaborate festives in the honor of these chivalric orders. The most startling of them all, however, was discovering the writings of the first 16th century rosicrucian manifestos- specifically ‘the chymical wedding’ was undoubtedly alluding to the order of the Golden Fleece all along. Which I also briefly discuss in the last blog post.

Queen Elizabeth I

Through her commitment to the Order of the Garter, Queen Elizabeth I helped to reinforce its place as one of the most prestigious honors in the British nobility. She recognized the symbolic importance of the Garter and used it as a means of solidifying her power and showcasing her magnificence.

King James I

Wearing the Garter robes and insignia of the Order of the Garter.

Frederick V of Palatine

Wearing garter robes & the insignia of the order of the garter.

Elias Ashmole 1617-1692

Another key important character later on was Elias Ashmole. Whom wrote extensively on this order and published a book called ‘The Institution, Laws, and Ceremonies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter’ in 1672. Ashmole, being the first recorded English freemason and member of the royal society, became immersed in the history of the Order of the Garter due to his association with the Royalist party during the English Civil War. The Order of the Garter was closely associated with the monarchy, and many members of the Royalist party were also members of the order. Ashmole has heavily impacted the rosicrucian movement as a whole-and thus it is important to note this association. There was also a meeting that happened between Elias Ashmole and Young Prince Charles, Elector Palatine, the grandson of Frederick V. In which Ashmole presented his book to the young prince and in return was gifted with his father’s garter medal.

Rudolph II

Another was Rudolph II of Prague, whom we can see is wearing the insignia of the Golden Fleece. Rudolph as mentioned in the last blog post, shaped and paved the way for Prague to be the Mecca of all learning occult arts and sciences in the 15th century, where cabalists, alchemists, and hermetic thinkers flourished due to his own interest in the arts. And his great-great-great-grandfather was Maximillian I, who significantly played a large role in the beginnings of the order.

Seen in this image is the emblem of the Golden Fleece; around Rudolph II’s neck.

Rudolph II, was the Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria. He was a member of the House of Habsburg.

King Charles II

Charles II was made a Knight of the Garter in 1653 by his father, King Charles I, and he was deeply committed to the traditions and ceremonies associated with the order. The Order of the Garter was closely associated with the monarchy during Charles II's reign, and he played a key role in promoting and expanding the order. King Charles ii also gave the royal charter to the founding of the Royal Society; our forefathers of modern science.

---

The History of the Order of the Garter.

So now let us begin by examining this order’s history even further back in time. The Order of the Garter is a renowned chivalric order that traces its origins back to 14th century England. Founded by King Edward III in 1348, the order is considered to be the oldest and most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system. It is dedicated to the patron saint of England, St. George, and is known for its association with the highest levels of English nobility and still exists today as the order remains an important institution in British society.

{Queen Elizabeth II had appointed a number of notable individuals to the Order of the Garter during her reign, including former British Prime Minister Sir John Major and former US President George H.W. Bush. The order's membership also includes other members of the royal family, such as Prince William and Prince Charles.}

For most Englishmen and many Europeans, then and now, chivalry has been synonymous with grail legends. The holy grail and the knights of the round table being a primary symbol for these chivalric orders of religious knighthood and honor. We can see this going all the way back to the crusader knights, namely, the Knights Templars which we will discuss further in a moment.

Chivalric orders played a multi-faceted role in history.

Primarily, they served four interconnected functions: political, social, military, and spiritual.

During the early times of chivalry, during the era of the crusades, we see the idea of chivalry as a means of protecting and upholding christian values, defending the faith and the protecting the weak. Then we see a new dimension take hold; and this was the splendid era of courtly love. This is where all the romances and arthurian literatures took their birth in the late Middle Ages.

Emblem of St. George Slaying the Dragon

The Knights of the Round Table

Before we go further into the establishing of the order of the garter, it’s important to understand the background lore of The Knights of the Round Table. These knights are said to have been led by King Arthur in the late 5th and early 6th centuries in the search for the mysterious Holy Grail. Many have purported the legends of these grail knights to be a symbolic representation of Christ’s return and the apocalypse. Manly P Hall explains in his ‘Masonic, Hermetic, Qabalistic and Rosicrucian Philosophy’ that there are ‘24 knights’ of the round table, which have its correspondence to the ‘24 elders’ before the throne in revelations. In the center of the round table lies the symbolic rose; the symbol of resurrection in that he rose again.

So, now let us explore the realms of King Edward III, and the lore of the round table knights. Shrouded in mystery, historians have debated for a long time the figure of King Arthur and whether or not he and his knights ever existed, but the legend persists. Edward III’s grandfather, Edward I, and his queen Eleanor, supposedly presided over what was claimed to be the bones of King Arthur and Guinevere. The bones were reinterred with great ceremony in a black marble tomb before the high altar. This ceremony was intended to lend credence to the claim that the Abbey was indeed now the resting place of the legendary King Arthur and his queen. Arthur has long been associated with Glastonbury Abbey for over 800 years but today there remains no physical tomb, only a reconstruction of what it did look like.

The Founder of the Order of the Garter: King Edward III.

And now we arrive at Edward III establishing the order of the garter in 1378. On January 22nd 1344, Edward swore an oath to ‘restore the order of the round table’ and announced his plans to establish 300 knights, in imitation of King Arthur's court. This was to be housed in a new building at Windsor Castle, and the order would meet annually on Arthurian feast days. This is where the order of the garter took rise. As his order was originally supposed to be named ‘Order of the Round Table’. The order instead however became named ‘Order of the Garter’.

King Edward III

The Holy Grail and the Knights Templars

Now it is time to discuss the connection that has to be made. The Knights Templars. The templars have long been associated with being ‘keepers of the grail’. The Knights Templars have an immense depth of history from several angles; and even have its respective claims as a forerunner of freemasonry (with it’s York Rite degree, “Order of Knights Templar”) The christian military order was founded in the 12th century, they were renowned for their relentless fight during the Crusades and became one of the most powerful and wealthy organizations in Europe. One of the earliest literary works to connect the Knights Templars with the Holy Grail was Wolfram von Eschenbach's medieval epic poem “Parzival," which was written in the early 13th century. In this work, the Knights Templar are described as guardians of the ‘Lapis Exillis’

“They are continually riding out on stories in quest for adventure. Whether the same templars reap trouble or renown they bear it for their sins. I will tell you how they are nourished. They live from a stone whose essence is most pure. If you have never heard of it I shall name it for you here. It is called ‘lapsit exillis’. By virtue of the stone the Phoenix is burned to ashes, in which he is reborn.”

The ‘hidden stone’ and the ‘Phoenix’ are referring to a high arcanum of esoteric language. The hidden stone that gives nourishment very much is a language of ancient alchemy. The language and symbols used throughout these themes of real historic events, and their legends, cannot be overlooked. It is absolutely crucial to understanding esoteric history as a whole. And thus, lets enter another esoteric piece of history.

The Wars of the ‘Roses’

The eldest son of Edward iii, Edward Woodstock Prince of Wales, was one of the most renowned military leaders of the Hundred Years' War. He was born in 1330 and died in 1376, before his father's death and the start of the Wars of the Roses. This left one heir after the death of Edward and his father- Edward’s son Richard ii (a circumstance that brought about the wars of the roses). Interestingly enough, those who know, this war was the product of two rival houses; York and Lancaster. Represented by a red and white rose. The white rose (York) and red rose (Lancaster). Both houses were descendants of Edward iii, whom founded the Order of the Garter, and this caused both houses to fight for the English throne. So now we see it goes back to Edward iii- and the order of the garter…

What united these houses and ended the Wars of the Roses was the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. The wars ended with the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, where Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, defeated King Richard III of the House of York. Which gave rise the the Tudor Dynasty and formed what is known as ‘The Tudor Rose’ or ‘Union Rose’.

Wars of the Roses (1455–1487)

Framed print after 1908 painting by Henry Payne of a scene from Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 1, where supporters of the rival factions pick either red or white roses

Phillip the Good

The Order of the Golden Fleece 1430

Now we arrive at the order of the Golden Fleece. Phillip the Good founded the order in 1430, on January 10 to commemorate his marriage to Isabel of Portugal- This order was fashioned after the Order of the Garter and played the utmost crucial role in promoting the prestige influence of the Burgundian court. This order, like the garter, was a catholic chivalric order. The symbol of the Golden Fleece can be found through its traces back to the ancient Greek legend of Jason and the argonauts on the quest for the Golden Fleece. Where as, some claim the symbol of the fleece is a reference to its connections in the book of Judges in the Bible where a fleece is described, however this fleece is not described as ‘golden’ like the Jason myth.

The house of burgundy was immense in power and wealth and reached its peak of power and influence under Philip’s grandfather, Philip the Bold. Philip acquired the County of Flanders through marriage and expanded the Burgundian territories through a series of political and military maneuvers. Philip the Bold's court became a center of art, culture, and patronage. He married Margaret III of Flanders whom was the granddaughter of Edward III (thus stating its connection to the garter). Phillip the Bold established a precursor order, called ‘The Order of the Golden Tree’. This order was similar in nature to his grandson’s order (The Golden Fleece), but short lived. It was given to 60 men on January 1, 1403 as a sign of unity and allegiance. Any further information on this order is little known; as I have only found one source for this supposed order.

Phillip the Bold (1342-1404)

‘The Golden Tree’ 1893-1902

The painting depicts the legendary Sir Galahad receiving the Holy Grail and ascending to heaven with it after building a golden tree. It is part of the Part of the "Abbey Room Murals: The Quest and Achievement of the Holy Grail" by by Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911 CE).

The Grail Map of Van Eyck.

Here is where things take a strange turn… strange in like a Dan Brown Da Vinci Code kind of strange. Meet Van Eyck- Phillip the Good’s personal painter in the Burgundian court. As the Burgundian court was giving birth to an exquisite rise of the arts; one of the most prominent artists was Van Eyck. Many of Van Eyck’s paintings cannot go unnoticed with the symbolism; especially his infamous ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ - which some have claimed is ‘The Map of the Holy Grail’. At first, it sounds silly. But I couldn’t help but get excited when I read that indeed, upon this painting contain several different knights, one of these being the knights of the Golden Fleece. However, it is only reasonable Eyck would include these knights as he was propagating Phillip the Good’s order and his court.

Jan Van Eyck 1390-1441

‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ also known as the ‘Ghent Altarpiece’

Now this is a whirlwind of history. This masterpiece, to say the least, is arguably one of the most stolen art pieces of history, surviving through its numerous thefts, fires, and wars- and now remains today in a 35 million dollar bulletproof display in St. Bavo’s Cathedral.

“Napoleon robbed it, Calvinists nearly burned it, the Nazis were desperate to own it, and part of it has been missing for 80 years.”

This infamous beauty of a painting by Van Eyck was one of the world’s first ever oil paintings, and evidently depicts a map of catholic mysticism, the Order of the Golden Fleece, and the lamb of christ, bleeding into the grail. This has made it a target of desire, especially to Napoleon Bonaparte and Hitler.

The first theft occurred during the iconoclastic wave of the Protestant Reformation, in the 16th century. The Ghent Altarpiece survived the fires of St. Bavo’s cathedral set by the calvinists. Moving on to the Napoleonic era in the early 19th century, The Ghent Altarpiece was among the artworks confiscated by Napoleon and taken to France. It was returned to Ghent after Napoleon's defeat in 1815. During World War I, the Ghent Altarpiece was in danger once again. Concerned about its safety, the Belgian authorities decided to hide the altarpiece in a mine in the Belgian countryside. In 1934, a former cleric named Arsène Goedertier stole the entire Ghent Altarpiece. After Goedertier's death, a clue he had left behind in the form of a cryptic letter was discovered. The clue ultimately led to the recovery of some of the stolen panels. Despite the recovery of some of these panels, “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" remained missing. In 1945, after the end of World War II, “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" was finally discovered in the Altaussee salt mine in Austria, where it had been hidden by the Nazis. The panel was returned to Belgium and reunited with the other recovered panels.

So as we can see, this altarpiece has a major significance and rich history. The bottom line is, could a holy grail really have anything to do with these events? It could be a major stretch. However, without getting too conspiracy theorist, my remaining interest in the esoteric side of history is my main focal point. So I will leave you with this.

Alchemy, Van Eyck, and the Jason Myth.

The last thing needed to mention, there is a keen esoteric element in the artworks, the chivalric symbology, and the wars of the roses. Down to the Jason myth, the alchemical dragon being slayed by St. George, the Red and White roses, etc. Both spiritual, historical and political elements all are equally full of inspiring intrigue. We also have a fairly strong esoteric historical standpoint; alchemy was so prominent during these time periods. It was at such a high point, many Renaissance art historians have in fact claimed Phillip the Good and his artist Van Eyck were using ancient alchemy for the infamous art pieces. Which would be plausible considering Phillip named his order after a Jason myth. The Jason myth has been included in some of the most renowned alchemical texts of our history down to “The Chrysopoeia of Cleopatra", “Theatrum Chemicum", “Atalanta Fugiens”, “De Alchemia" by Ramon Llull, and so on.

“Artists in 15th-century Italy, where the renaissance began, were obsessed with creating a deceptive image of the world through single-point perspective – and yet they still used egg tempera paints with their hard, opaque blocks of colour. That was why Van Eyck’s art looked so magical to them. That was why, it was said, a young adventurer from Sicily travelled north to sit at the alchemist’s knee and learn his secret. The story is told by all the early historians of European art: by Giorgio Vasari in his 16th-century ‘Lives of the Painters’, and by Dutch art historian Carel van Mander in his 17th-century compendium of the lives of northern artists, ‘The Painter’s Treatise’.

It’s the origin myth of oil painting: Van Eyck discovering the secret in his alchemist’s laboratory before it is gradually carried across Europe, from north to south, until, by the beginning of the 16th century, oil painting is no longer a secret.”

We also know that Ramon Lull (The 12th century cabalist) even influenced the minds of men like Richard iii, on chivalry. His little known work, “Libre dels ordes de cavalleria" or “Book of the Order of Chivalry" was read fervently by Richard III. To think such an important Cabalistic figure like Lull was influencing the minds of men like Richard iii does leave room to think maybe his cabala influenced these men as well. Or perhaps his alchemical work, ‘De Alchemia’ fell into the hands of Phillip the Good and further influenced the Jason Myth and the alchemy involved. All I will say is, whew! This is a long blog post. And there is so much more to be said. But I promise you one thing, there will be much more by me written on this topic. Thank you to those who have read until the end of this.

May the rose bloom upon your cross, dear seekers.