knighthood, orders of

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Fraternity carrying with it the rank of knight, admission to which is granted as a mark of royal favour or as a reward for public services. During the Middle Ages in Europe such fraternities fell into two classes: religious and secular. The first class, including the Templars and the Knights of St John, consisted of knights who had taken religious vows and devoted themselves to military service against the Saracens (Arabs) or other non-Christians. The secular orders probably arose from bands of knights engaged in the service of a prince or great noble.

The wingless dragon holds jewels in its claws to represent prosperity. Saffron yellow symbolizes the power of the monarchy. Orange-red stands for Buddhism. Effective date: c. 1971. >>