Military Orders

[cmcgrath22]

I would very much like to know the feelings of others about the former military orders. While groups exist today often sharing the same namesake to the orders none of them to the extent of my research can be considered military orders.

 

[fcbv]

I think that the former military orders were very interesting! Warriors with religious vows… Unhappily, most of the ancient international military orders are now secularized because of the anti-religious laws at the 18th and 19th century Europe, but also because of other reasons who came earlier, like the end of the Crusades and the break of the primitive observance (including the violation of the celibate law by many friars) inside some orders. Here in Portugal, all the ancient military orders are now merely honorific…

 

[HollyDolly]

The Knights of Malta and the Teutonic Knights are still around as religious communities.The Teutonic knights even have sisters.They are mainly found in Europe in Germany and Austria.
There have been various books on the subject I know.Some cousins of my grandmother,The von Lillienschilds were members of a order of knights back in Riga,Latvia,most likely the Livonian Knights of the Sword,who later became absorbed into the Teutonic knights.I never thought to ask my dad if any of his ancestors in bavaria were members of the Teutonic or Templar orders.The Templars if I recall had members in Spain and Portugal,England and other places.

 

[batteddy]

I think the only Order that is still both Chivilric and Religious is the Knights of Malta ((name removed by moderator)).

Others are either only religious with military trappings, or only chivilric, or secular (including secular knighthoods of the papal states) based on old military orders but no longer strictly speaking religious orders.

Even the (name removed by moderator)'s historical connection to the original is tenuous, but it still maintains recognized Knights under religious Vows, so I would say it is a Military Order.