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Order of St. Patrick

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Military History and War

   The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is an order of chivalry
   associated with Ireland. The Order was created in 1783 by George III.
   The regular creation of knights of Saint Patrick lasted until 1922,
   when most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State. While
   the Order technically still exists, no knight of St Patrick has been
   created since 1934, and the last surviving knight, Prince Henry, Duke
   of Gloucester, died in 1974. The Queen however remains the Sovereign of
   the Order, and one officer, the Ulster King of Arms (now combined with
   Norroy), also survives. St Patrick is patron of the order; its motto is
   Quis separabit?, or Latin for "Who will separate us?": an allusion to
   the Vulgate translation of Romans 8:35, "Who shall separate us from the
   love of Christ?"
   The insignia of the order.
   Enlarge
   The insignia of the order.

   Most British orders of chivalry cover the entire kingdom, but the three
   most exalted ones each pertain to one constituent nation only. The
   Order of St Patrick, which pertains to Ireland, is the third-most
   senior in precedence and age. Its equivalent in England, The Most Noble
   Order of the Garter, is the oldest documented order of chivalry in the
   United Kingdom, dating to the middle fourteenth century. The Scottish
   equivalent is The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle,
   dating in its modern form to 1687.

   The Order of St Patrick earned international coverage when, in 1907,
   its insignia, known generally as the Irish Crown Jewels, were stolen
   from Dublin Castle shortly before a visit by the Order's Sovereign,
   King Edward VII. Their whereabouts remain a mystery.

Foundation

   The Order was founded in 1783 in order to honour senior Irish peers,
   after the grant of substantial autonomy to Ireland the year before. The
   Flag of St. Patrick may have been created specifically for the order.
   After the Irish Free State came into being in 1922, the Executive
   Council decided not to continue admitting knights to the Order. During
   the 1940s, Arthur Forbes, 9th Earl of Granard, a Knight of St Patrick
   and a member of the Council of State, which advises the President of
   Ireland, campaigned for the revival of the Order. Taoiseach Sean Lemass
   considered reviving the Order during the 1960s, but did not take a
   decision.

   It is possible, but highly unlikely, for the British monarch to revive
   the Order unilaterally. It is also possible that the British monarch
   and the Irish government could re-establish the Order as a part of a
   joint Anglo-Irish honours system. The Irish Sunday Independent
   newspaper published an article as recently as June 2004 urging the
   resurrection of the Order and the conferring of membership of the order
   jointly by the President of Ireland and the British monarch to
   individuals who had distinguished themselves in the field of
   Anglo-Irish relations. Other publications also made similar
   suggestions.

   The Constitution of Ireland provides, "Titles of nobility shall not be
   conferred by the State" and "No title of nobility or of honour may be
   accepted by any citizen except with the prior approval of the
   Government." Legal experts are divided on whether this clause prohibits
   the awarding of membership of the Order of St Patrick to Irish
   citizens, but some suggest that the phrase "titles of nobility" implies
   hereditary peerages and other noble titles, not lifetime honours such
   as knighthoods.

Composition

   The British monarch is Sovereign of the Order of St Patrick and
   appoints the other members. The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the
   monarch's representative in Ireland, served as the Grand Master. The
   office of Lord Lieutenant was abolished in 1922; the last Lord
   Lieutenant and Grand Master was Edmund Fitzalan-Howard, 1st Viscount
   Fitzalan of Derwent.

   The Order also originally consisted of fifteen knights. In 1821,
   however, George IV appointed six additional knights; he did not issue a
   Royal Warrant authorising the change until 1829. William IV formally
   changed the statutes in 1833, increasing the limit to twenty-two
   knights. After most of Ireland separated from the United Kingdom, only
   two Knights of St Patrick were created: for Edward, Prince of Wales (in
   1927) and Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (in 1934); on the initiative
   of their father, George V, with the approval of the Irish Governments
   of W.T. Cosgrave and Eamon de Valera respectively. They were also the
   last surviving members of the order, dying in 1972 and 1974,
   respectively. Unlike the Orders of the Garter and the Thistle, the
   Order of St Patrick was limited to princes and peers. Women were never
   admitted to the Order of St Patrick; they were not eligible to the
   other two orders until 1987.

   The Order of St Patrick had seven officers: the Prelate, the
   Chancellor, the Registrar, the King of Arms, the Usher, the Secretary
   and the Genealogist. Many were once held by clergymen of the Church of
   Ireland, then established church. After the disestablishment of the
   Church in 1871, the ecclesiastics were allowed to remain in office
   until their deaths, when the offices were either abolished or
   reassigned to lay officials. All offices except that of Registrar and
   King of Arms are now vacant.

   The office of Prelate was held by the Archbishop of Armagh, the most
   senior clergyman in the Church of Ireland. Since 1885, the office of
   Prelate has remained vacant. The Church of Ireland's second highest
   cleric, the Archbishop of Dublin, originally served as the Chancellor.
   From 1886 onwards, the office was held instead by the Chief Secretary
   for Ireland. Since the abolition of the position of Chief Secretary in
   1922, the office of Chancellor has remained vacant.

   The Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral was originally the Registrar of the
   Order. In 1890, however, the Chief Herald of Ireland, Ireland's highest
   heraldic officer, took the post instead. He also served as the King of
   Arms of the Order. In 1943, this post was in effect divided in two,
   reflecting the partition of Ireland in the Government of Ireland Act,
   1920. The position, insofar as it related to Northern Ireland, was
   combined with that of Norroy King of Arms (the heraldic authority in
   north England). The post of Norroy and Ulster King of Arms still
   exists; it is attached to the Order of St Patrick's positions of
   Registrar and King of Arms. The office of Ulster King of Arms, insofar
   as it related to the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland),
   became the position of Chief Herald of Ireland. Both the Norroy and
   Ulster King of Arms and the Chief Herald of Ireland thus assert that
   they are successors of previous Ulster Kings of Arms; in practice, they
   cooperate.

   The Usher of the Order was the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. The
   Irish Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod was distinct from the British
   officer of the same name; the latter continues to serve as Usher to the
   Order of the Garter and as Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Lords. The
   Irish post has been vacant since 1933.

   The office of Secretary has been vacant since 1926. The position of
   Genealogist was left vacant in 1885, restored in 1889, but left vacant
   again in 1930.

Vestments and accoutrements

   For important occasions, such as coronations and investitures of new
   members of the Order, Knights of St Patrick wore elaborate vestments:
     * The mantle was a celestial blue robe lined with white silk. The
       star of the Order (see below) was depicted on the left of the
       mantle. A blue hood was attached to the mantle.
     * The hat of the Order was made of black velvet. It was plumed with
       three feathers, one red, one white and one blue.
     * The collar was made of gold, consisting of roses and harps attached
       with knots. The central harp was surmounted by a crown. The collar
       was worn around the neck.

   Aside from these special occasions, however, much simpler accoutrements
   were used:
     * The star of the Order was an eight-pointed figure, with the four
       cardinal points longer than the intermediate points. Each point was
       shown as a cluster of rays. In the centre was the same motto, year
       and design that appeared on the badge. The star was worn pinned to
       the left breast.

   The Irish Crown Jewels included the Grand Master's star and badge.
   Enlarge
   The Irish Crown Jewels included the Grand Master's star and badge.
     * The broad riband was a celestial blue sash worn across the body,
       from the left shoulder to the right hip.
     * The badge was pinned to the riband at the right hip (or, when
       collars are worn, suspended from the collar). Made of gold, it
       depicted a shamrock bearing three crowns, on top of a cross of St
       Patrick and surrounded by a blue circle bearing the motto in
       majusclues, as well as the date of the Order's foundation in Roman
       numerals ("MDCCLXXXIII").

   The Grand Master's insignia were of the same form and design as those
   of the Knights. In 1831, however, William IV presented the Grand Master
   with a star and badge, each composed of rubies, emeralds and Brazilian
   diamonds. These two insignia became known as the Irish Crown Jewels.
   They, along with five collars belonging to Knights, were famously
   stolen in 1907; they have not since been recovered.

   The robes of one former Knight of St Patrick are now on display in the
   Heraldic Museum in Dublin in Dublin Castle, as well as at the Tower of
   London. The Irish Guards take their capstar and motto from the Order.

Chapel and Chancery

   St Patrick's Cathedral was the Chapel of the Order.
   Enlarge
   St Patrick's Cathedral was the Chapel of the Order.

   The Chapel of the Order was originally in St Patrick's Cathedral,
   Dublin. Each member of the Order, including the Sovereign, was allotted
   a stall in the choir of the Chapel, above which his or her heraldic
   devices were displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall was
   his helm, decorated with a mantling and topped by his crest. Above the
   crest or coronet, the knight's or lady's heraldic banner was hung,
   emblazoned with his or her coat of arms. At a considerably smaller
   scale, to the back of the stall was affixed a piece of brass (a "stall
   plate") displaying its occupant's name, arms and date of admission into
   the Order. Upon the death of a Knight, the banner, helm, mantling,
   crest (or coronet or crown) and sword are taken down. The stall plates,
   however, were not removed; rather, they remained permanently affixed
   somewhere about the stall, so that the stalls of the chapel were
   festooned with a colourful record of the Order's Knights. After the
   disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1871, the Chapel ceased to
   be used; the heraldic devices of the knights at the time, however,
   remain.
   A panel recording some members of the Order of St Patrick in St
   Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
   Enlarge
   A panel recording some members of the Order of St Patrick in St
   Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

   The Chancery of the Order was the Great Hall (now St Patrick's Hall) in
   Dublin Castle. Each St Patrick's Day, a banquet was held in the Hall,
   and any new knights installed. St Patrick's Hall now serves as the
   location for the inauguration of the President of Ireland.

Precedence and privileges

   Knights of St Patrick could prefix "Sir" to their forenames, but the
   form was never used in speech, as they were all peers and therefore
   referred to by their peerage dignities. They were assigned positions in
   the order of precedence, but had higher positions by virtue of their
   peerage dignities.

   Knights used the post-nominal letters "KP". When an individual was
   entitled to use multiple post-nominal letters, KP appeared before all
   others, except "Bt" ( Baronet), "VC" (Victoria Cross), "GC" ( George
   Cross), "KG" ( Knight of the Garter) and "KT" ( Knight of the Thistle).

   Knights could encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a
   blue circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown
   either outside or on top of the latter. The badge is depicted suspended
   from the collar.

   Knights were also entitled to receive heraldic supporters. This high
   privilege was, and is, only shared by members of the Royal Family,
   peers, Knights and Ladies of the Garter, Knights and Ladies of the
   Thistle, and Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights Grand Commanders
   of the junior orders. (Of course, Knights of St Patrick, all being
   members of the Royal Family or peers, were entitled to supporters in
   any event.)

   Although associated with the established Church of Ireland, several
   Catholics were appointed to the order throughout its history.

Current members and officers

     * Sovereign: Elizabeth II
     * Registrar and King of Arms: Thomas Woodcock Esq. LVO ( Norroy and
       Ulster King of Arms)

   The Irish Executive Council under W.T. Cosgrave chose not to keep
   appointing people to the Order when the Irish Free State left the
   United Kingdom in 1922. Since then, only two people have been appointed
   to the Order. Both were members of the British Royal Family. The then
   Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VIII and later Duke of Windsor)
   was appointed with the agreement of W.T. Cosgrave in 1928 while his
   younger brother, Henry, Duke of Gloucester was appointed with Eamon de
   Valera's agreement in 1934. The Duke of Gloucester at his death in 1974
   was the last surviving member of the Order. It has however never
   actually been abolished and its resurrection has been discussed in
   Irish government circles on a number of occasions.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_St._Patrick"
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