(Inset) Picture of the City of Acre   >>>>

The Knights of the Teutonic Order are directly descended from  Charlemagne, 1742-1814 and many Historians believe he was the greatest King and Military genius of all time.

Charlemagne was the Father of Modern Europe controlling then, what today would encompass most of the European Union and his proud tradition is carried on through the Principality of Lichtenberg, the present Head of State of whom is the direct descendant of King Charlemagne. The Baroness and Honourary Grand Princess of Lichtenberg Maya de Haynau supports our Teutonic Knights through  Lichtenberg Foundation.

Inspired by the early crusades Teutonic Knights first formed in the 11th century and from 1189, Hanseatic Knights from the Konigsberg and Marienberg region of what would later became Prussia, followed traditions set by Knights Templar and St John Hospitallers and marched to the Holy Lands (3^rd crusade), in defence of their faith and hospital care of wounded brother knights. Led by the legendary King Richard the 1^st of England, ‘Coeur de Lion’ (The Lion Heart), following Emperor Frederick Barbarossa's death by drowning, Teutonic Knights fought along side British Knights, supported by King Phillip 2^nd Augustus of France and other Knights from Great European Noble Families, finally emerging triumphant in the 3rd crusade over the ‘Mighty Saladin’, at the siege of Acre in 1191.

Although clouded by religious ethos, the crusades produced much good, the Order of St John would build the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem, Teutonic Knights the Hospitale Sancte Marie Theutonicorum Jerosolimitanum Hospital of St Mary of the Germans of Jerusalem and/or der Orden des Düschen huses - the Order of the German Houses. Pope Innocent 3 recognised the German Hospital by Papal Bull in 1191, and these hospitals still carry on charitable work today, the oldest of their kind in the world approaching 900 years. By 1198 the order would firmly establish itself as a Monastic Order, receiving official church sanction to carry the black cross on their white mantles, when Pope Innocent the 3rd issued another Papal Bull in 1199. Nearly 700 years later during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), British Knights who managed to escape Napoleon's 1798 persecution and slaughter in Valletta, would establish under Her as Protector the St John Ambulance Service, and Victoria's son the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII would become it's Grand Master. 

From the very beginning, the Teutonic Order adopted a pro-active military stance and enabled by their military might, built up huge geographical possessions throughout the Holy Lands, followed by possessions later in Hungary, Prussia, Austria, etc, and in fact, it was in Prussia where they fought one of their bloodiest recorded battles, against the so-called Pagan Prussians. It was long known, that ‘One (1) good Knight on horseback was worth 20 foot soldiers’, and in time these Monastic Military Order’s became so strong, because of their ability to recruit the very best Knights in the land, drawn by their chivalric history and cause, that eventually the Order came to be perceived by ruling Monarchs and Duchy’s of Kingdoms, as a threat to the stability of their realms. So it followed, that as democratic government became a stronger feature throughout Europe, and the absolute Power of Monarchies waned, pre-cursors to the later constitutional monarchies, the period of the early 1500's through early 1600's, presented total political and monarchial upheaval for the Teutonic Order. This resulted in the loss of vast tracts of land, with many estates divided up between Sweden, Poland, Prussia, Livonia, and so forth.

The Order survived in Germany, where it adapted to local politics, and fell under the protection of the Habsburg Empire, who reformed it in 1606, and who would later use the Teutonic military superiority, in their war against the Turks. With the treaty of Westphalia in 1648, Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist Knights received equal rights within the Order, which has been headed by a Habsburg Grand Master since the late Sixteenth (16^th) century. In 1809 the order was expelled from most of Germany, surviving only in Austria, seat of the Habsburg’s, and in 1839, was re-organised by the then Austrian Emperor as a Catholic Charitable Institution, and Nuns, who had existed in the original medieval Order, were re-introduced. Except for the period under King Richard, Knights of the Teutonic Order, were mostly Austrian Nobles, however to raise money for military exploits, they like other European Monarchs, created Knights of Honour and also Order’s of Chivalry to attract financial benefactors, people who might support their ideals, for the high honour of being made an honorary Teutonic Knight in return.

With World War 1 and the end of the Habsburg Empire, Archduke Eugen was forced to resign as Grand Master, and the Pope re-organised the Order as a religious order of Priests. The Order suffered again during World War 2 when it was abolished by the Nazis in Austria and Czechoslovakia, but it survived in Italy and started again in Austria in 1945, where it now vests with a handful of Monks. The stripping of these Orders by both the Pope and the Nazis, ( although still standing today ) was in Law nonetheless illegal both under their own constitutions and their creation under God and could easily be challenged. However as they all restarted (reconstituted in Law) in various areas around the globe and manage to achive their humanitarian and charitable aims without challenge from Governments, (who would not dare to challenge given the good they do), we and others just do not bother as we are recognised sufficiently by those that matter.  

When Malta was ravaged by Napoleon in 1798, Knights of Malta fled to the four corners of the world and when Rome elected not to grant them legitimacy, they formed new orders under these old knights and hence today you have the English Order of St John which gave birth to the St John Ambulance Service. In like manner, family descendants of former Teutonic Knights and others, did not want to see this once glorious hospital order become insignificant in its contribution to humanity and philanthropic endeavour. Today as a result, we have many legitimate offshoots and priories worldwide, to carry on our wonderful traditions.