Three Ancient Orders Working Together
Over 900 Years of Inspiration

Three Knightly Orders Inspired by Prince Alfred von Habsburg-Hohenberg, Hereditary Grand Prior

Professional and business men and women helping preserve the environment and uplifting the poor.

One of our Order’s greatest concerns is to help the underprivileged and to preserve the environment.

Therefore the priors, Sir Joe Cox, Sir Davis Roher, Sir Gary Scott, the Ladies and Knights of these orders feel honored to carry on the work started by Prince Alfred von Habsburg-Hohenberg through three knightly orders.

A Brief History of Pauperum Commilitonum Christi
(Knights Templar-Defenders of Knowledge)

Prior Sir Gary Scott



Lady Merri and Prior Sir Gary Scott with Prince Alfred at a knighting ceremony

In 1119 Hugh de Payens, together with eight other knights established the Ordo Pauperum Commilitonum Christ (The Poor Knight of Christ). The Temple of Solomon was assigned to them for their headquarters. They were called the Knights Templar.

In 1307 King Philip le Bel of France and Pope Clement V, envious of the Templars' wealth, ordered the arrest of all the Templars. However, Portugal and Scotland did not agree with the order of the French King, and the Pope and did not follow their edict.

In 1314 Jacques de Molay, the Grandmaster of the Order, was burned at the stake. Some of the Knights Templars, who escaped, formed the Order of the Knights of Christ in Portugal.

Grandmaster Foulques de Villaret of the Knights Hospitaller offered protection and refuge to the escaping Knights Templars as did numerous monasteries in Austria and Germany.

The Knights Templar survived in various other Orders after the 14th century. In 1469 Emperor Friedrich III of Habsburg established the Ordo Sancti Georgii. The Emperor's wife, Eleanor of Portugal, invited some of the descendants of the Knights Templars to join the Order of St. George, which was fashioned after the by-laws of the Knights Templar including the white robe with the eight-pointed red cross--the original Templar cross.

In 1959 Felix Count von Luckner was elected the Grandmaster of the Ordo Sancti Georgii and also of the Ordo Militiae Christi Templi. The Knights Templar exist today under the protection of the Ordo Sancti Joannis Hospitalis Hierosolimitani (Knights Hospitaller).



Learn about one of the healing programs offered at El Meson de las Flores