_Page_ Part I Historical Background 1 Development of the Orders of Knighthood 7 Part II The Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem 14 The Order of the Teutonic Knights 23 Part III The Iberian Military Orders 28 The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem 33 Part IV Pontifical Orders of Knighthood 41 The Supreme Order of Christ 42 Order of the Golden Spur 47 The Order of Pius 49 Order of St. Gregory the Great 50 The Order of Saint Sylvester, Pope 51 The Papal Decorations 52 Illustrations 55 THE ECCLESIASTICAL ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD Part I HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The term ecclesiastical orders of knighthood embraces those knightly orders which, in one way or another, are connected with the Catholic Church. At the present time they are in two different groups: the pontifical orders of knighthood in the strict sense and a group of chivalric orders which derive from medieval military orders and continue to come under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The Pontifical or Papal Orders of Knighthood are conferred directly by His Holiness the Pope (_Ordini Equestri Pontifici, conferiti direttamente dal Sommo Pontefice con lettere apostoliche_). They include: the Supreme Order of Christ, the Order of the Golden Spur, the Order of Pius, the Order of Saint Gregory the Great, and the Order of Saint Sylvester, Pope.[1] The remaining group identified with ecclesiastical orders of knighthood is that of religious military orders. Originally they were religious orders of lay brothers and as such came under the jurisdiction of the Holy See. They enjoyed the approbation and protection of the Holy Father, and it is in that sense they partake of the name, pontifical. Yet they always had a certain autonomy, in that they had their own government, with a grand master at the head, whose office was similar to that of a Superior General of a religious order. Most of these ancient military orders are now extinct or have become purely secular orders of knighthood. A few have retained some features of their ecclesiastical character. They are the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, known also as the Order of Malta, the Teutonic Order, and the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, as well as the extant Spanish Military Orders.