Order of the Holy Lance
| Order of the Holy Lance Blessed Guardians of the Spear of Destiny Benedictus custos lanceae Sortis Beato aldeztaile patua lantza | |
|---|---|
| <imgur w=200>lR8dDiR.png</imgur> Badge of the Order of the Lance | |
| Active | c. 1275–present |
| Allegiance |
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| Type | Catholic military order |
| Role | Charity Protection of Christian Pilgrims Governance of Petra |
| Size |
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| Headquarters | Ajklabejta, Petra, Sydalon Basilica of St. Belandra Across the Bay, Petra |
| Nickname(s) | Belandra's Knights Knights of the Lance |
| Patron | Saint Belandra |
| Motto(s) | Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (English: For the glory of God) |
| Colors | |
| Engagements | Second Crusade, including:
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| Commanders | |
| Grand Master | Queen Melisende III |
| Catapan | Eradi Kanmi |
- This page is about the military order. For the dynastic order, see Order of the Holy Lance (dynastic order).
The Blessed Guardians of the Spear of Destiny (Latin: Benedictus custos lanceae Sortis; Ghantish: Beato aldeztaile patua lantza), also known as the Belandra's Knights, the Knights of the Lance, or more commonly as the Order of the Holy Lance, is a Catholic military order first established as an expeditionary force led by Belandra of Ghant to participate in the Second Crusade. The Order was formally recognized by Papal charter following the conquest of Petra and the establishment of the Principality of Petra. The Order's name derives from claims that the original crusaders discovered the Holy Lance during the battle of Petra.
The Order has been closely tied to the Crusader state of Sydalon since the marriage of Belandra of Ghant, Princess of Petra to King Hugh I of Sydalon. Belandra of Ghant served as the first Grand Master of the Order, as have all monarchs of Sydalon since, due to their role as heirs of Belandra. Aside from providing military support, the Order also provided charitable support for the citizenry though since the late 19th century has often been accused of harsh treatment of non-catholic natives.
Today the order has over 16,000 members, of which roughly 7,000 are knights or active service military members, and remains active primarily in Sydalon as an unofficial branch of the armed forces. The Order's headquarters is Ajklabejta in the city of Petra, though has offices throughout Sydalon and the Christian world. The Order accepts membership from all Catholics, though primarily draws from Sydalene and nearby Belisarian countries. Members of the order are required to take oaths of obedience, piety, poverty, and often times celibacy. A portion of the Order's membership is non-military and forms the local government of Petra and maintains other business operations throughout the Catholic world.
History
In 1275, Belandra of Ghant departed for northern Scipia with a force of 2000 Ghantish knights to participate in the Second Crusade and the defense of the newly established Crusader kingdom of Sydalon and Ascalzar. The force led by Belandra made an immediate impact on the Crusaders' fortunes in the Holy Land, pushing back a Behdinist attack against the outlying cities near Sydalon. The force grew from the initial 2000, picking up knights from scattered crusader armies, and even new converts due to Belandra's leadership and ability as a field commander.
The force earned notoriety as the crusaders pushed further east into Behdinist territory. The most well known battle took place at Petra, where crusaders expelled Behdinist forces in a crushing victory. In the midst of battle, crusaders claimed to discover the Holy Lance. After the crusade ended, Belandra took possession of Petra and named herself "Princess of Petra", where she ruled until her death in 1316. Her knights were later conferred papal recognition as a holy order by papal charter in 1284, with Belandra's status as Grand Master made official.