ORDER OF THE RED EAGLE

[Order of the Red Eagle 44]

 

 

 

The Order of the Red Eagle acts as the main Knightly Order to the Kingdom of Oren and the Crownlands. Consisting of every Knight sanctioned by the King, the Order of the Red Eagle seeks to uphold the etiquette and prestige of the Knights within the realm as it honors tradition and strength above all else.

 

 

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It is required, by decree of his Royal Majesty, that all Knights seeking recognition within Orenia are to enlist within the Order of the Red Eagle. Despite mandatory service, however, the Order does not act as a levy force where other traditional knightly orders would. Rather, the Order serves as an overarching organization to produce accurate and updated Knightly census as well as to provide martial assistance to the fiefdoms and vassals of the Kingdom on a much more personally tailored level. As such, it has no uniform and enables Knights within the organization to enlist within other Knightly Circles or take up political positions within Royal territory. It is important to note that enlistment with other Knightly Circles is not mandatory, but is oftentimes discouraged should the Knight wish to rise above the degree of Knight Errant. 

 

 

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As previously mentioned The Order has no required uniform, however Knights may wear a standardized set of platemail and the tabard of the order as provided by the Orders quartermaster. It is commonplace that knights wear their own personal suit of armor and tabard when engaging in knightly duties, and not wear the uniforms of any other garrison or organization. Squires are expected to wear whatever clothing is requested of them by the knight they serve, typically simple tunics staying in line with the color scheme of the knight's house. 

 

The Order does not forbid military service, so long as it is within the Kingdom of Oren. In fact, members of the Order, squires of age included, are encouraged to join the Petran Legion as at least a reservist. 

 

 

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"I swear to be true to the King and the realm, stalwart and outspoken against any evils that threaten harm. I swear to work tirelessly to the betterment of the Kingdom and the Orenian people that comprise it. I swear also not to associate with traitors nor enemies of the state, and to always defend the honor of those I serve. This I swear upon my life by the Holy Scrolls. Ave Orenia."

 

Knightly honors are not just rewards for great deeds but are also a titular recognition of one's outstanding discipline and character. All Knights are expected to adhere to the Code of Chivalry at all costs in every facet of their lives, both on and off the battlefield.

 

   

Above all else a Knight must always remain loyal to those they serve and to the institution and camaraderie of the Order. To set aside personal desires of compelling obligations for that to which an Oath is pledged.

 

A Knight must possess the aptitude for dignity in the face of adversity, to present oneself and by extension represent those they serve as well as the Order in the proper form.

 

A Knight must strive to always do the right thing, to hold oneself accountable and to always act in good faith even when none are around to witness it. They must also abstain from dishonesty to the best of their ability.

 

A Knight must be willing to extend goodwill and mercy to all, even an enemy. To never compromise the tenets of the Order nor one's principles. To accept any and all challenges or duels leveled against them by worthy foes.

 

A Knight must always act courageously and seek to redirect harm away from the innocent. To overcome obstacles of fear, pain, or even death in the completion of their quest or lawful order.

 

A Knight must always remain humble, to offer aid to those in need, and to seek to undo the suffering of others. They must also maintain an open mind and a free ear to challenging ideas.

 

 

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The tradition of errantry as a way of proving one’s abilities as a Knight is an aspect of chivalry that has been lost to history in many ways. Though informally conducted by various knights out of passion for the denizens of the Kingdom, the art of chivalric questing has gone neglected for many years. With the reintroduction of the Order of the Red Eagle it has been deemed necessary for knights to embark upon a period of errantry where the Knight Errant shall take upon quests in the service of the Kingdom in order to earn one’s Knightly epithet and place in the Order besides the King as a Knight Royal. A Knight Errant, in general, should not refuse any quest given to them during this time.

 

It is customary for Knights to be awarded a Knightly Epithet based on what trait, value, or virtue they most exemplify by their time as a Knight Errant. These epithets are determined in conjunction with the completion of the Knightly Quest that they have taken on. Epithets are given to the Knight for life and no other living Knight may possess the same Epithet as another. An epithet may only be changed if the King deems a new characteristic worthy of the Knight that  outshines the original epithet. A Knight stripped of their Knighthood immediately relinquishes their epithet to be bestowed upon someone actually worthy of the title.

 

Once a Knight is recognized for their distinction and leal service to the Crown they may be given a serjeanty to govern over alongside their Spurs of Knighthood. The king alone decides whether a Knight is worthy of being given a Serjeanty. A serjeanty will often consist of a small estate with some farmland. Should the Knight be assigned to assist a lord, their serjeanty will be within or just outside of that lord's lands. Should the Knight be assigned duties within the Kings Court the serjeanty will be immediately outside of the city of Vienne. A knight must carry out the functions of their duty in order to maintain their serjeanty, otherwise they shall be honorably stripped of the privilege. The Knight Paramount alone  shall be issued the honor of holding the Grand Serjeanty of Erneburgh in the Order’s name.  A serjeanty is exempt from taxation by the crown, however a Knight is not exempt from taxes being levied on any other properties they may own nor is the serjeanty hereditary.

 

Knights of the Order of the Red Eagle are expected to act respectfully and within the guidelines of the Order. However, from time to time, some Knights will choose to ignore such regulations put in place to keep them in the grace of GOD and his Kingdom. Misconduct is a bad omen to one’s peers and becomes a disastrous precedent when left unchecked. Hence, the implementation of Blackmarking.

 

Knights of the Order of the Red Eagle who have been blackmarked have been found committing a grievance beyond repair in the eyes of the King and Knight Paramount, the latter of whom suggests the punishment. Blackmarked Knights are stripped of their regalia and forced to undertake a Quest of Restitution in the grace of the Kingdom. Such actions may only be undertaken ONCE in a lifetime, and the quest itself is decided upon by the King himself.

 

Knights of the Order of the Red Eagle who have been blackmarked and completed their quest of restitution, only to be blackmarked once more, are to be forever  stripped of their Knighthood, condemned, and banished from Royal service. Their name will be made public, and his presence in vassal states, while a stain on their good reputation, is only barely tolerable. If said grievances are terrible enough, the former Knight may be banished from the Kingdom entirely, or even executed at the King's discretion.

 

 

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☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege to don the title of Sir.

☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege to display one’s own sigil.

☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege to be armed amongst the King’s Court.

☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege to govern lands in the name of the King.

 

☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege to levy taxes upon their fiefdom.

☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege of providing counsel to the the King.

☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege of the right to trial by combat.

☩ A Knight of the Kingdom shall receive the privilege of being buried within the Arend Crypts.

 

 

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Often children of gentry and nobility, the squire ( or page if under the age of 14) serves as the right-hand of a Knight in order to learn the Knightly ways, typically  starting their journey at the age of 14. Following their service as a Squire, which conclude after a minimum of 7 years and not before the age of 21, they will assume the rank of Knight Errant. Their time will primarily be spent learning about history, literature and the Code of Chivalry, but they will also learn the fundamentals of armed and unarmed combat. Older squires may even be given important tasks, typically of a scholarly nature,  on behalf of their local liege or Knight Royal, ranging from delivering messages  to keeping accurate documents or minutes of an important meeting. 

 

Should one not hail from noble lineage the acquisition of Knighthood remains plausible. It is the will of his Royal Majesty that the finest of Humanity are to be Knighted and serve the Kingdom, for oftentimes men of low birth showcase more prowess and devotion to mankind than that of gentry or lords. As such, should one be found worthy of Errantry, his Royal Majesty shall issue an Royal Writ, officiating the knighthood of a lowborn individual. While this Royal Writ does not automatically qualify an individual for peerage such as a Viscount or Duke, it does mean that any offspring of the Knight are of worthy blood and do not need to seek out such a writ should they follow in the footsteps of their forefathers. 

 

 

 

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Knights Errant are those who have just gained the rank of Knight, tasked with having to prove themselves honorable in Quests or Battle as a means to earn the coveted Spurs of Knighthood, which would promote them to the Second Degree of Knighthood. Knights Errant are oftentimes inexperienced in combat, and thus their primary focus is to gain experience through action rather than study as a Squire would. Additionally, Knights Errant do not actively serve a lord, even when directly related, as they are preoccupied with achieving personal glory rather than hereditary tasks. Knights Errant are not only allowed, but are expected, to take on Squires that they themselves find, or are given to them by a higher ranking Knight.

 

Knights Royal are those who have proven their chivalrous nature beyond a reasonable doubt, ready to serve the Kingdom in a more direct manner. Beyond their own Serjeanty, Knights Royal are often assigned to a swathe of land within the Kingdom, tasked with protecting it alongside the occupying Lord. This may take the form of leading the Lords levy, enforcing laws and punishing those who break them, and even slaying monsters and beasts that roam the land. Knights Royal are also expected to act as guards within the Royal Court, ensuring no harm comes to any in attendance, though most importantly the King. Finally, Knights Royal may be tasked to any navigational duty, such as Quartermaster, that the Knight Paramount sees fit.

 

The Knights Commander are the upper echelon of all knights of the order. Hand picked by the Knight Paramount, or even the King, for showing extreme bravery, competence and devotion to the protection of the kingdom. They are in charge of anything and everything, their word being final within the order except when held up to that of the Knight Paramount or the King himself. 

 

The Knight Paramount is the head of the Order of the Red Eagle. They are tasked with ensuring all Knights under them are operating in a manner becoming of the order and the King. They assign Knights Royal to their cuties, ensure that Squires are receiving adequate training, and are the sole decision as to who is set to become a Knight Royal. 

 

 

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Knight Paramount

•Sir Aleksander Basrid

 

Knights Commander

•N/A

 

Knights Royal

•Sir Gustaf de Vilain 

•Sir Lucien Ashford de Savoie 

•Sir Edmond de Rouen 

•Sir Ezekiel Moores

•Sir Louis Staunton 

•Dame Primrose Gendik 

 

Knights Errant

•N/A

 

Squires

•Kendrick Nightingale

•Otto von Manstein

•George Obedia

•Wolfgang de Vilain Kevin Iomharach

    GOD WITH US,

    HIS ROYAL MAJESTY, Frederick I, King of Oren, forever August, King of Renatus, Curon, Kaedrin, Salvus, and Seventis, Grand Duke of Ves, Duke of Helena, Novellen, Sunholdt, Furnestock, Petra, Oltremont, South Arentania, and Lorraine, Count of Mardon, Baron of Renzfeld, Protector of the Heartlanders and Farfolk, etcetera

 

 

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