The cross of the Knights of Right was worn by full members of the order. They were supposed to be of the evangelical faith and come from the nobility. To do this, it was necessary to pass a noble sample with 16 ancestors. Before admission, the knight had to be an honorary knight for at least 4 years. This was only possible from the age of 30. The recording with a knightly blow took place respectively on St. John's Day in Sonnenburg. Only after that did the knight acquire the dignity of a knight of law and the introduction to the chapter. Right knights, in addition to the uniform of the order, wore a black, silk knight's coat with a white linen cross on the left side. Later gilt silver or bronze crosses are usually struck in their entirety and are correspondingly heavier. Workmanship is also not so good.
Notable early cross makers were J.Godet & Sohn and S.Friedberg & Söhne.
The Royal Prussian Order of St. John was established by King Frederick William III. Founded in 1812. At the same time, he dissolved the Ballay Brandenburg and confiscated their possessions. The first Grand Master was Prince Ferdinand of Prussia, and Prince Henry of Prussia became his successor. On October 15, 1852, he resumed and restored the "Balley Brandenburg." Since then, the order has been called the knightly order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Initially, the order consisted of 2 classes, grandmasters and knights of the order. With the 1852 renewal, the order consisted of the following classes: Protector's Cross, Master's Cross, Commander's Cross, Cavaliers' Cross of Rights, Cavaliers' Cross of Honor, and Cavaliers' Cross of Honor with Crown for Sovereigns.
Real members of the order, komturas and legal knights, had to pay an annual fee of 12 thalers, as well as pay an entrance fee of 100 thalers. Knights of the Royal Prussian Order of St. John could become real knights of the order without an entrance fee. If they did not use it, they became honorary knights of the order. The king reserves the right to appoint new honorary knights, who had to pay 100 thalers for insignia. Persons who applied for an honorary knight had to pay 200 thalers. In 1853, Prince Karl of Prussia was elected Knight of the Order. Since 1883, after his death, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Albrecht of Prussia accepted this dignity. However, master crosses were about 1/3 larger than those of right-wing knights.
Eight-pointed cross made of gold. On the tops of the upper cruciform shoulder is a golden crown with a star-shaped ear on an imperial apple, through which an elongated double ribbon ring passes. On the lower cruciform shoulder of manufacturers - F - for Friedberg.
Front side:
Downside:
Tape:
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Order of St. John of Jerusalem Cross of the Knights of the Law
Order of St. John of Jerusalem Cross of the Knights of the Law
Awards of World War II