King Edward the 3rd, of England, introduced the ‘Order of the Garter’ in 1348 with his famous son the Black Prince and thus began the British Honours system. However Charlemagne, 742-814, the Father of Modern Europe and European Chivalry and Knighthood, had begun conferring Honours from around 780 and some three hundred years later circa 1100, the Venerable Order of St John and other Knightly Order’s, had also bagun the practice of bestowing honours on great warriors for conspicuous acts of bravery and achievement in battle. Charlemagnes orders of chivalry, predated British honours by 600 years.
Crusade Order’s such as ‘The Knights of the Teutonic Order’, Order of St John, Knights of Malta et al, are the oldest surviving Order’s of Chivalry in the World. King Richard 1st the Lionheart, or in French Coeur de Lion, was inspired by Arthurian Legend and tales of chivalry of early crusaders and even named his sword Excalibur. By tradition there cannot be more than 24 knights of the Garter, however the first investiture saw the elevation of England’s first 26 Knights of the Garter, the additional two (2) being Edward and his son.
Chivalry in time, came to be associated with such chivalric attributes as Courtesy, Loyalty, The Protection of Women, Honour, Valour and Bravery, and people like King Richard the 1st of England 'Coeur de Lion' the Lion Heart, seemed to embody all these virtues, even when one looks beyond the legend and examines the reality of the human condition.
As an example of this, history records that not only was he a Supreme Strategist and indomitable General, but he was also Kind, Compassionate, and totally Chivalric, (for example) even as he lay dying from the bow of a sniper, he pardoned the archer who fired the fatal arrow.
 As time passed, honours were traditionally bestowed upon people by a ruling Monarch for valuable service to the Crown. For example, in times of conflict a loyal courtier might provide at their expense, a small army to help the Monarch defend the realm, and in return receive for their loyalty, The Title of Baron.
In 1387 Richard the 2nd of England, used this concept to fund his Irish campaigns, rewarding loyalty with the title of Baron. The title of Baronet, ranking between Knight and Baron, was introduced by the Son of Mary Queen of Scots, (inset) King James 1st >>>
King James united the kingdoms and in 1611, produced the King James version of the Holy Bible. To gain this title, a subject paid the King a sum equal to three (3) years pay for thirty (30) soldiers.
Today, Government’s still recommend to a Monarch that a person be titled, however it is more normal as recognition for lifetime services to a field, or as a quid pro quo for a retiring politician, or for major financial benefactors, to the Arts, Medicine, Science, Philanthropy, Humanities and so forth, and in this manner so do orders of chivalry recognise their many benefactors who through their generous financial donations and gifts, help to fund their many works.
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