The Order of the Paladin is a special service award for Knights of Men of Iron.
This special honor pays homage to the historical 12 Paladin Knights of the Court of Charlemagne. These knights were the greatest warriors in the kingdom and the most loyal to the king. All knights that would come after them would be measured by their legacy. The name paladin is derived from the Latin word “palatine” that translates to mean one who is in a place of honor or honored by royal courts.
In ancient history, paladins were renowned not just as elite warriors but as champions of the weak and vulnerable, epitomizing all that was good. They were devoted to kindness. But beyond measure they were devoted in their effectiveness at the combatting of evil and fighting for the nature of good, justice and order.
All the while they lived their strict code of honor. It was said that in combat, a paladin with a cause was almost impossible to defeat. Such was their fearsome reputation that it was said they had divine powers.
The greatest of these 12 paladins from ancient times was a knight known as Roland. Rumored to be the nephew of Charlemagne, he was a valiant warrior and devoted servant of the king. By the time of the high middle ages, Roland was made a popular and iconic figure amongst the minstrels of Europe. These minstrels told and sang of Roland turning his life into an epic tale of noble Christian character.
The dangle on collar of the Order of the Paladin reflects this history and the bravery of this knight. The mounted knight dangle on the collar represents the greatest of the 12 Paladins of legend, Roland.
Recommending a Knight for Membership
There is no hard fast criteria that has been set for earning this honor. This is for exceptional service to Men of Iron and to the body of Christ.
To qualify to receive this honor, the following must be completed:
- The recommendation to the order must be from a Knight
- The person being recommended must be an active member of Men of Iron
- The person being recommended must have reached the level of Knighthood
Once these pre-qualifications have been met and verified, then the knight that is making the recommendation should fill out the Order of the Paladin recommendation form and send it to the Herald of the Realm. The knight being recommended should not know that he has been recommended so as to not build up any expectation prior to the decision of the Royal Council.
The recommendation will be reviewed by the Royal Council to verify that the recommendation fits the level required of one who is worthy of the order. If the Royal Council finds that the recommendation does not meet the heights of the order, the knight who made the recommendation will be notified and the associated fees returned.
If the request is approved, an appropriate time for the presentation of the award will be scheduled. The knight who is added to the order will be awarded the golden collar of the order, the black cloak of the order bearing the Paladin crest, and a royal decree of his entrance to the order. He will also be issued a new grant of arms bearing the order collar. After his presentation, the order collar will be added the new members personal arms in the official Men of Iron Roll of Arms to indicate his membership in the order.
The presentation will be made by the Crown Prince of the Realm or a member of the Royal Council. If none of these are available in a reasonable time, another member of the order may make the presentation in a public ceremony.
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