The Most Holy and Sacred Military and Monastic Orders of the Christendom

Crusade, Glory, Contemplation and Redemption.

Since the creation of the Crusader Kingdoms during the First Crusade it has become clear that the requirements upon that state are vastly different to any that has existed before, and that the protection of the holy sites, of pilgrims and of the interests of Christendom stand above petty nation based squabbles; that there is a higher calling for many and, whether through arm or through prayer, that calling is to serve the Lord.

Both the military and monastic orders fufill these roles for all of Europe. They are established at local regional levels and feed into the organisation as a whole allowing a greater reach than almost any institution has had before this time, even Holy Mother Church has never had the temporal power, in political, military or financial matters, previously. But each of these Orders stands distinct from the others and each fucntions under a seperate Papal Order which formerly recognises the rules of the specific order in question. This Order and rule means that they stand both entwined with and yet significantly independent of the Church.

So the themes for this group are threefold; the battle for the holy land (Crusade), the battle for peace (Contemplation) and the battle for souls (Redemption).

Some example character concepts.

• A Military Knight, the ultimate warrior, “Soldier Exemplar”.
• A hospitaller Knight, grown cynical with the wars and seeking a permenant peace.
• A Benedictine Abbot fiercely defending his Monastry.
• A medicant monk searching for God's truth.
• A Leper Knight of St Lazarus, seeking salvation.

• Members of the Military and Monastic Orders are followers of Roman Catholic Christianity, and members of the Latin States faction.
• Order characters start with a +1 bonus to either their Research or Fighting skill. This means that the first rank of the chosen skill comes free - if you wish to have the skill at a higher rank, it simply costs one point cheaper.
• Order characters have access to any level 1, level 2 or level 3 magic. However the availability of this knowledge comes at a cost. Each level 1, 2 or 3 ability is available at 50% extra cost. Clearly the Order's do not like their members to use magic, but when they consider it necessary they do have the resources and contacts to access any of the forms of magic.

We serve God in the only way we know how. We are a constant and vigilant army, created for the defence of the Holy Land, to watch out the most sacred of sites and keep the infidels and heretics from possessing that which they have no right to. We are the soldiers of God. we have right on our side. We will destroy all that stand against us!

Roland of Montferrat.

The monastic timetable (Horarium) would begin at midnight with the Office of Matins, followed by the morning office of Lauds at 3am. These services could be very long, sometimes lasting till dawn, but usually consisted of a chant, three antiphons, three psalms, and three lessons, along with celebrations of any local saints' days. Afterwards the monks would retire for a few hours of sleep and then rise at 6am to wash and attend the office of Prime. They then gathered in Chapter to receive instructions for the day and to attend to any judicial business. Then came private Mass or spiritual reading or work until 9am when the office of Terce was said, and then High Mass. At noon came the office of Sext and the midday meal. After a brief period of communal recreation, the monk could retire to rest until the office of None at 3pm. This was followed by farming and housekeeping work until after twilight, the evening prayer of Vespers at 6pm, then the night prayer of Compline at 9pm, and off to blessed bed before beginning the cycle again. It was not an easy life.

Anonymous monk

Following the first Crusade the place of both monastic and the military orders became vital to the survival of the Crusader Kingdoms. Out of the Monsastic Orders, which has existed for 600 years or more, and out of the zeal of those knights who had served in the Crusade grew a very unusual form of Order. First the Hospitallers and then the Knights Templar were created as orders and then recieved papal sanction, under a set of “Rule” distinct from either the more traditional monastic orders or the main body of ther Roman Catholic Church.

The Monastic orders continued to deal with prayer, contemplation and holy observance while these new more militant Orders were required to serve as security for Christendom's pilgrims and holy palces. Both considered hospitals and alms as essential parts of their duties. And both grew in power, side by side. Now, in 1185, even the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire grant special priviledges and Charters to some Orders while they continue to defend to souls and bodies of Christians against both the Devil and against the Infidel.

For more detail see The Hospitallers
Founded c.1070. Papal Order 1113
The Hospitallars grew immediately out of the shadow of the First Crusade with the establishment of the Order by the Blessed Gerard and recognised formally as an Order by Papal bull of Pope Paschal II in 1113. It was Gerard's Succesor who created the infirmary near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and started to look afetr Pilgrims while they were within the city though these duties quickly spread to guarding them while they travelled and so to the militarization of the Order. The Hospitallers still take both of these duties very seriously but have gained a reputation as a calm and largely peaceful order, only acting when it is required for defence of those for whom they care.

For more detail see The Knights Templar Founded c.1118. Papal Order 1128 - the first purely military order.
Created as a monastic order for the protection of pilgrims alone the Knights Teamplar soon gained favour with The Kings of Jerusalem and gained a headquarters on Temple Mount, hence leading to their name. The Order was only made up of nine knights and had to rely on donations to survive and started out very aware of its own poverty. However this status did not last for long as the Order was endorsed by the church in 1129 and became a favoured charity of many of christendom, recieving land money, businesses and memebers form noble families across the continent. The Order grew at an astounding pace and have became a key part of the Crusader Kingdoms. It should be underestimated though the consideration that the templars put towards their non-military functions - there is much administration required for a business empire that spans Europe and Asia now.

The Knight Templar “is truly a fearless knight, and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armor of faith, just as his body is protected by the armor of steel. He is thus doubly-armed, and need fear neither demons nor men.” Bernard de Clairvaux, c. 1135, De Laude Novae Militae—In Praise of the New Knighthood

For more detail see Lazarines Founded early 1103. Militarised c.1123.
Originally meant as a place for those who suffered from the dreaded Leprosy, gradually this hospitallar order became more and more militant. By 1123 it was recognised as a military order. Its ranks still include a high concentration of Knights who suffer from the disease and also form other maladies, though their resignation to impending death and lack of pain makes them formidable foes on the field of battle.

For more detail see Mountjoy Founded c.1180.

Only recently founded by Count Rodrigo, a member of the Iberian based Order of Santiago, the Order of Montjoie had been established in Castile and Aragon before it founded its new chapter house in the Tower of Ascalon in Jerusalem. The headquarters of the order is situated on Montjoie, the hill where the original crusaders had first seen Jerusalem, hence its name. The rule of the order is an of adaptation of the Cistercian rule and it only accepts knights within its ranks of Spniash origin. The emblem of the order is a red and white cross.

All of the monastic Orders are strongly represented in the holy land and form a substantial power block in and off themselves. Where as their more militant brothers deal with the physical it should be noted that the more traditional monastic orders are more spiritually based. They are however significant political and financial institutions and should never be underestimated. Benedictines and Cistericians are especially strongly represented .

Fierce defenders of the Roman Catholic faith the Orders are bound by Papal authority to the Holy Mother Church herself. There is some question as to whether some of the practices or rules by which they live are entirely appropriate but any such commentary is quickly dealt with.

“Death to the Infidels!”
“Kill the Heretics!”
“The only good knight is one of ours! Butcher the lot of them!”

The Holy Land is central to the belief and practice of all of the Orders. The efforts of the First Crusade and the fortification of the kingdoms that have followed has been a great body of investment by the Orders. They live and breath the maintenance of the Holy land against the Infidel.