Order of the Golden Fleece

The Order of the Golden Fleece (Orden del Toisón de Oro in Spanish) is an order of chivalry founded in 1430 by Duke Philip III of Burgundy to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Isabelle of Aviz.

Related Topics:
Spanish - Chivalry - 1430 - Philip III - Burgundy - Portuguese - Isabelle of Aviz

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It was modelled on the English Order of the Garter (Philip had been elected to membership of the Garter in 1422, but had declined to avoid offending the king of France), but dedicated to Saint Andrew. Like the Garter it was restricted to a limited number of knights, initially 24 but increased to 30 in 1433 and 51 in 1516. The order was explicitly denied to "heretics", and so became an exclusively Catholic award during the Reformation, though the choice of the pagan Golden Fleece of Colchis as the symbol of a Christian order caused some controversy.

Related Topics:
English - Order of the Garter - 1422 - King of France - Saint Andrew - Knights - 1433 - 1516 - Catholic - Reformation - Golden Fleece - Colchis

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The badge of the Order was suspended from a jewelled collar with the motto "Pretium Laborum Non Vile" ("Not a bad reward for labor") engraved on the front of the central link, with Philip's motto "Non Aliud" ("I will have no other") on the back.

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With the absorption of the Burgundian lands into the Habsburg empire, the sovereignty of the Order passed to the Habsburg kings of Spain, where it remained until the death of the last of the Spanish Habsburgs, Charles II, in 1700. He was succeeded by Philip of Anjou, a Bourbon.

Related Topics:
Habsburg - Spain - Charles II - 1700 - Philip of Anjou - Bourbon

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There followed a dispute between the Houses of Habsburg and Bourbon over sovereignty, which was resolved by the division of the Order into Spanish and Austrian branches.

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