Some Orders obsess about recognition or legitimacy, which is an emotional and politically charged area. In truth, in March 1813 Britain passed an Act of Parliament so that foreign knighthoods granted to subjects would no longer be recognized in the Empire. Those who had already received a foreign knighthood before that date could keep them along with the honourific Sir or Dame. The English recognition of The Order of Saint Joachim continued until the death of the last pre-1813 English Knight, likely Brigadier General Sir Charles Imhoff, in 1853. The Order of Saint Joachim continued to appear after that date in foreign references not covered by the British rules. The change in 1813 automatically wiped out the recognition of all new knighthoods except for those granted by the British Crown. In the modern world that recognition is similarly limited to knighthoods granted by countries with existing constitutional monarchies, making them essentially state awards. Papal knighthoods and the Order of Malta are a special case as they are granted state status as an international courtesy. All others find themselves in legal limbo, although they try to legitimize themselves with patrons and fanciful attempts to trace their roots to crusading orders. Never having been a crusading order, and being unique in having been originally established without a fons honorum, The Order of Saint Joachim sidestepped some of these issues while facing criticism in some quarters because of them. As the 260th anniversary of our founding approaches, we remain comfortable with who we are, our history and our work. stjoachimorder.org/chivalry.htm
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 21:45:09 +0000
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