Orden de Isabel La Católica

Instituida por Orden de SM el Rey D. Fernando VII, el día 24 de marzo de 1815.

La invasión napoleónica en España, no solo supuso un revulsivo interno en la política del Reino de España, sino que llevo las ganas de independencia de los criollos de las tierras de ultramar. Ellos, que eran los descendientes de los españoles que fueron descubriendo y civilizando aquellas tierras, dándoles su cultura y tradiciones, sintieron la falta de atención de la Península en los asuntos americanos, aunque si bien es cierto en modo, tampoco faltaban las ganas de aglutinar el poder ellos solos, dejando de lado a la metrópoli de la que venían todas sus heredades.

El desgobierno que había en España derivado de la Guerra de la independencia, fue utilizado por los separatistas, que se infiltraron en las Juntas autónomas creadas en las provincias españoles de ultramar. Con ello, se inicia una lucha por la independencia, que se alargará hasta finales del siglo XIX.

Al llegar al trono de Fernando VII, hubo que enfrentar a los separatistas. Puso todos los medios para conseguir la permanencia de las provincias bajo soberanía española, y con el ánimo de premiar a los españoles leales a su patria y al Rey, la «acrisolada lealtad, el celo y patriotismo, desprendimiento, valor y otras virtudes que tanto los individuos de la milicia como de todas las clases y jerarquías del Estado han mostrado y mostraren en adelante en favor de la defensa y conservación de aquellos remotos países» Fernando VII crea la REAL ORDEN AMERICANA DE ISABEL LA CATOLICA.

El nombre elegido fue el de su augusta Antepasada, a cuya iniciativa e impronta, se debió el descubrimiento de América. Con el fin de premiar la lealtad de tantos españoles que se mantenían fieles a sus raíces y su patria, y el mérito contratado en favor de la defensa y la conservación de aquellos dominios, crea la Orden, de carácter inicialmente militar, siguiendo la tradición española, bajo la protección de un Santo Patrono, en este caso a Santa Isabel, Reina de Portugal.

En sus primeros Estatutos se establecían tres categorías; Gran cruz, Caballeros de primera y de segunda clase; a todos ellos se les reconocía la nobleza personal.

Fernando VII dio los primeros pasos de la Orden nombrando 15 grandes cruces, 14 caballeros de primera clase y 3 de segunda. Nombró el Capítulo Supremo, presidido por el Duque de San Carlos. En aquella primera reunión, se propuso al Rey el cambio de clases, que quedaría de la siguiente manera: Gran Cruz, Comendador y Caballero. Para los indigenas americanos se estableció la medalla especial.

El Papa Pío VII expedía la bula Víros magnos ín regno, el 26 de mayo de 1816, aprobando y confirmando la nueva Orden Americana, y extendiendo a sus caballeros y ministros las mismas indulgencias y gracias espirituales que a los de la Orden de Carlos III. El 20 de enero de 1816 se escogió para sede de la Orden la iglesia de Santa María la Real de la Almudena.

La orden perdió su sentido inicial desde la perdida de las provincias americanas. Sin fondos y sin sentido, fue cayendo en el ostracismo.

En 1847, se acometió una importante reforma de las Órdenes Reales españolas. Los capítulos solemnes continuaron celebrándose en el reinado de Isabel II. La Real Orden de Isabel la Católica, dejó de denominarse Americana en virtud del Real Decreto de 15 de abril de 1889, y fue considerada la condecoración general y propia del mérito civil, entregándose desde ese momento, a los españoles que se distinguían por sus méritos al servicio de España.

La Real Orden de Isabel la Católica fue la única que no suprimió en 1931. Durante la guerra civil ambos bandos en lucha estuvieron entregando las condecoraciones.

Actualmente, la Orden se rige por el Real Decreto 2395/1998, de 6 de noviembre, mediante el cual han sido derogadas todas las normas anteriores, salvo los estatutos fundacionales. Según su artículo primero, la Real Orden de Isabel la Católica tiene por objeto premiar aquellos comportamientos extraordinarios de carácter civil, realizados por personas españolas y extranjeras, que redunden en beneficio de la Nación, o que contribuyan, de modo relevante, a favorecer las relaciones de amistad y cooperación de la Nación española con el resto de la comunidad internacional.

SM el Rey es el Gran Maestre de la Real Orden, y puede ostentar diariamente las insignias. Su sede y oficinas se encuentran en el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, ya que su Gran Canciller es el Ministro de Asuntos Exteriores, y la Canónica sigue estando en la Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Almudena.

Las categorías de la Real Orden de Isabel la Católica consta de las siguientes categorías comunes para ambos sexos:

Collar

Placa del Collar

Encomienda (lazo de dama opcional)

Encomienda

Placa de encomienda

Cruz (lazo de dama opcional)

Cruz

Placa de la Cruz

Oficial (lazo de dama opcional)

Oficial

Cruz de plata (lazo de dama opcional)

Cruz de Plata

Medalla de plata (lazo de dama opcional)

Medalla de plata

Medalla de bronce (lazo de dama opcional)

Medalla de bronce

El emblema de la Orden es una cruz de oro coronada con una corona olímpica o de cogollos de olivo, formada de cuatro brazos iguales, esmaltada de color rojo, conforme al pabellón español, e interpoladas con los brazos unas ráfagas de oro; En su centro habrá sobrepuesto un escudo circular en que se verán los esmaltes de las dos columnas y dos globos o mundos, que representarán las Indias, enlazados con una cinta, y cubiertos ambos con una corona imperial, llenando el campo del escudo los rayos de luz, que partiendo de los mismos globos se extienden en todos los sentidos. En su anverso, y sobre campo blanco, se leerá de letra de oro la siguiente leyenda: «A LA LEALTAD ACRISOLADA».

La cruz será la mismo pero en el anverso, con la diferencia de que en él habrá de leerse: «POR ISABEL LA CATÓLICA, FERNANDO VII».

Los collares, son propiedad de la Orden y deben ser devueltos tras el fallecimiento del titular de la mismas.

Backstory — The Holy Grail:-

The Holy Grail Story is told in ancient legends such as King Arthur and the Round Table. Meanwhile, Hollywood blockbuster movies like “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and (Dan Brown’s) “The Da Vinci Code” are today’s topics to discuss. These stories are defined in different aspects. They believe in a relic with supernatural powers that dates back to Christ. Furthermore, others believe the Grail is a miraculous “stone” or the sacred bloodline that carries Jesus’ blood.

But how many realities and secrets are hidden in these myths? We combine history and folk tales with science to investigate places and some of the literature. We also justify forgotten information to highlight this fantastic subject. Now it’s time to explore lost books and define major and incredible connections in our content.

Here is a small reference to the previous article:-

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The Chalice Grail, the Church, and the Legend of Merlin and King Arthur:-

In infamous texts and journals, the Holy Grail is seen as a powerful item capable of granting unchanging life. These journals also describe abundance, healing, desires, and unlimited youth to its bearer.

According to traditional Christian belief, the chalice was held during the Last Supper as Jesus Christ used it as the holy Grail. Later, his blood was collected on the same chalice during his crucifixion. Some churches worldwide still claim to be the piece’s guardians and this chain of events gave the item its supernatural “powers.”

Centuries later, Robert de Boron and Parsifal by Chretien de Troyes and Wolfram von Eschenbach revived the Holy Grail tale in works like Merlin. These people identified themselves as poets and minstrels. But they were told the holy grail story that continues today and the story is full of difficulties and secrets. Their exceptional works slowly uncover these special tales brick by brick.

These poets described famous mythological Knight Templars such as King Arthur and his Round Table allies. A beginning and a spiritual trip continually described The Holy Grail hunt, the same as defined in legends. According to these legendary tales, the Knights Templars must show their purity of heart, and worth to face many trials and difficulties on their path.

The Living Grail, or Christ’s Bloodline:-

History explains that the sacred bloodline of “Jesus Christ” has been a controversial theory. However, it has recently achieved across-the-board attention because of Dan Brown’s writings. For centuries several authors have researched connecting this myth to find possible evidence. They searched for the secrets of the holy grail in monasteries, and libraries, and wrote chronicles for proof.

Also read this story on vocal media: the holy grail story & fall of knights Templar

Some authors and academics believe in this theory. After settling in Europe, José de Arimathea established a hidden bloodline “The Protectors of the Sangreal”. The family through this bloodline is considered a direct descendant of holy Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. According to this theory, the power and monarchy of Christ’s blood are also assumed as The Living Grail or its carrier.

The Catholic Church regards Christ’s ancestry as a hidden secret. They attempted to hide the reality that Jesus Christ had a wife, “Mary Magdalene” and their child still exists today. Perhaps, a group of people who had saved the family from potential harm and assassination. Because it was necessary to protect the holy family. On the other side of the story, the Church was also required to retain power through the Roman Empire.

Mythology mentions that the Merovingian dynasty was another element. So, they controlled France from the fifth to the eighth centuries. Historians assumed that the Merovingians were descended from Jesus Christ and his wife Mary Magdalene. This secret bloodline is known as “Sangreal”. The history mentioned Merovingian kings as “The Holy Kings”. Perhaps they were gifted with heavenly authority because they proudly carried Jesus Christ’s holy blood in their veins.

The “STONE” or Alchemical Grail (Philosopher’s Stone):-

One of our research’s most fascinating authors Wolfram von Eschenbach provided fresh proof of the Grail Legend. This proof defined “the Grail as a stone”, “not a chalice” or “a bloodline”.

Wolfram von Eschenbach’s mythology explains a historical belief. This mythology proves that the Grail Stone was made of a substance known as “Lapis exilis” or “Exile Stone.” It presumably fell from the sky in the form of a meteor. According to this German composer, this stone was the Grail’s source of power and vitality. Only the holy people with a pure heart and noble intentions may approach it and use its abilities.

The legend of the Chintamani Stone of Asia is shockingly similar to this narrative. The legend of the Emerald of Lucifer is also comparable to the previous theory which we will explore in future articles. It is said that The Stone had therapeutic abilities like other stories. The holy stone had to cure wounds and diseases, grant desires, and deliver visions for spiritual acknowledgements.

The Establishment and Early History of the Knights Templar:-

The Knights Templar were formed about 1119 and received papal approval in 1129. It was a Catholic military order in which participants combined martial prowess with a monastic lifestyle to protect Christian sacred sites and pilgrims in the Middle East and beyond. The Templars, headquartered in Jerusalem and later Acre, were a significant and elite component of Crusader armies.

The Knights Templar eventually grew to be a powerful organization, controlling castles and territory throughout the Levant and Europe. Accused of heresy, corruption, and forbidden acts, the order was assailed by French king Philip IV (r. 1285–1314) on Friday, October 13, 1307, and officially dissolved by Pope Clement V (r. 1305–1314) in 1312.

Foundation and Early History:-

The order was founded around 1119 when seven knights, led by Hugh of Payns, a French knight and nobleman from Champagne, vowed to protect Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, forming a brotherhood that took monastic vows, including vows of poverty and lived in an enclosed community with a set of rules of conduct.

In 1120, Baldwin II, the ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (r. 1118–1131), offered the knights his palace, the old Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, to serve as headquarters. Because the structure was generally referred to as ‘The Temple of Solomon’, the brotherhood swiftly became known as ‘the Order of the Knights of the Temple of Solomon’ or simply the ‘Knights Templar’.

The Templars were formerly considered a branch of the Cistercians until Pope Honorius II (r. 1124–1130) officially recognized them as an order at the Council of Troyes in January 1129 (the first such military organization to be established). In 1145, knights of the order received authorization to wear the white hooded mantle that Cistercian monks had created.

The knights quickly adopted their unique white cloak and began to utilize the symbol of a red cross on a white background. Fighting was not prohibited by Catholic dogma as long as the purpose was just — the Wars of the Crusades and defense of the Holy Land being prime examples — and hence the organization got official Church endorsement. Templar knights fought their first significant combat against Muslims in 1147, during the Second Crusade (1147–1149).

Since the mid-12th era, the Templars have expanded their power by fighting in crusade battles in Iberia (the ‘Retake’) for different rulers in Spain and Portugal. By the 13th century, the Knights Templar held lands from England to Bohemia and had evolved into a truly multinational military organization with enormous resources (personnel, weaponry, equipment, and a sizable maritime fleet).

The Templars had devised a paradigm that would be followed by other military organizations such as the Teutonic Knights and Knights Hospitaller. However, there was one area where the Templars excelled: banking.

Uniform and Rules of the Knights Templar:-

Knights swore vows upon entering the order, similar to those taken in monasteries, but less rigorous and without the requirement to always remain in their communal quarters. The most essential commitment was obedience to the Grand Master; attendance at church services was required, as was celibacy, and community meals were provided (which occasionally included meat).

Worldly pleasures were not permitted, including such classically knightly pursuits as hunting and hawking, as well as not wearing the showy apparel and armaments that conventional knights were known for. Belts, for example, were frequently used as a means of ornamentation, but the Templars wore a simple wool cord belt to represent virginity.

Knights Templar wore a white coat and cloak over their armor, as previously stated, and a crimson cross on their left breast. The red cross appears in the horse livery and the order’s banner. This set them apart from the Knights Hospitaller (who wore a white cross on a black backdrop) and the Teutonic Knights (who wore a black cross on a white background).

Templar protection, in contrast, was often white with a broad black horizontal line over the top. Sergeants donned a brown or black cape or cloak. Another distinguishing aspect of the Templars was that they uniformly grew beards and had short hair.

Criticism, Trial, and Abolition:-

Western monarchs became leery of military instructions as they began to collect a vast network of holdings and cash reserves. The Templars, like other military orders, had long been accused of misusing their privileges and exploiting their financial affairs to maximize profit. They were charged with corruption, as well as excessive pride and greed. Critics claimed they led a leisurely life and wasted money that could have been spent preparing troops for the Holy War.

They were accused of squandering resources to compete with competing orders, particularly the Hospitallers. There was also the ancient belief that monks and warriors were an incompatible mix. Some even lambasted the directive for focusing solely on removing Muslims rather than converting them. The majority of these critiques were based on a lack of knowledge about the order’s operations, a distortion of their true wealth, and a general sense of jealousy and suspicion.

By the end of the 13th century, many people believed that the military orders were too independent for everyone’s benefit and that combining them into a single body would be the best way to make them more responsive to the Church and individual state rulers.

Then, beginning around 1307, much more serious accusations were leveled against the Templars. They were accused of denying Christ’s divinity, as well as the crucifixion and cross. There were rumors that initiation into the brotherhood entailed trampling, spitting, and peeing on a crucifix. These charges were made public, especially by the French government.

Ordinary clergy were also jealous of the order’s rights, such as burial, which might be a valuable sideline for any local church. The governmental and religious establishments.

What does the Knights Templar have to do with it…?

During the 12th century the Crusades era this order had been created. An armed and religious order of the Knights Templars officially came into existence. They defended the Christian people who came to Jerusalem. One of the most powerful and prominent Middle Ages orders had settled by this time. So, they accumulated money and property throughout Europe.

The Grail stories mentioned above (von Eschenbach, de Boron, and de Troyes) originated in the same period. Fresh evidence mentioned in studies is gaining attention. So, the association of the Templars with the Holy Grail is a repeating topic in several stories. In this scenario, everyone agreed with the story almost unanimously that the Templars were the guardians of the Grail (artefact or bloodline).

The Knights Templars came extinct in 1307, according to official history. There was a horrible time for the Templars. When French King Philip IV launched a campaign to eradicate them and seize their extensive treasures. The King accused the order of sinful behaviours like demon worship and heresy against the Catholic Church. They were also suspected of holding secret ceremonies involving the “Grail”.

The charges were based mainly on under-tortured statements. Philip IV also assembled a council to judge the Templars under his power from Pope Clement V. Most of the members of this order were captured, tortured, and executed. Unfortunately in 1314, Jacques de Molay the founder of the Knights Templars was burned alive at the stake.

A famous chronicle tells us. Before “Master of the Templers” de Molay’s death, he warned his accusers, including King Philip IV and Pope Clement V. He foretold them, they would perish before the year’s end. And true to his words, it happened.

Final Thoughts:-

We witnessed several theories concerning the Holy Grail but some of the stories were quite surprising like the Knights Templars story. We don’t want to convince a new one that one version is superior to the other, or even that it exists. It is up to each individual to consider the values of the information and use their conclusions.

We find the encouragement of legend and oral tradition with questions that matter more: What was the real purpose of the Knights Templar?

• Could a mysterious organization have instructed The Knights Templers?
• Why did they live only atop the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and fortify themselves there for years before being destroyed?
• Was the Holy Grail frankly an object? Why do different religions and beliefs hold similar stories about this artefact?
• Would the Knights Templar be extinct, or do they still exist today with the same mission and symbolism in various camouflages?
• Soon, we shall be going on a journey that will bring us direct contact with these stories. The truth is out there!