Order of Saint Michael of the Wing

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This article is about the Portuguese order of knighthood. For the article about the French order of knighthood, see Order of Saint Michael.

The Royal Order of Saint Michael of the Wing (Portuguese: Real Ordem de São Miguel da Ala) is the oldest Portuguese order of knighthood. Unlike many other Portuguese orders, it has not been nationalized as a decoration of the state by the post-1910 Portuguese Republic, and as a result the Duke of Braganza remains the Grand Master of the order and sole judge of who is admitted to it.

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[edit] Founding

The order was founded in 1171 by king Afonso I of Portugal to honor a group of knights of the Order of Saint James from the Kingdom of León who assisted him in retaking Santarém from the Moors on 1147-05-08. Originally, the order was formally called the Military Wing of Saint Michael of the Order of Saint James.

[edit] Modern revival

The order fell into disuse after 1733 and it was not included among the royal orders that were nationalized by the Portuguese Republic after the Revolution of 1910. In 1986, however, Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza and pretender to the Portuguese throne, informed the Holy See and the Portuguese Republic that he still considered himself to be the Grand Master of the order. In 2001, the duke promulgated statutes to govern the order, and since that time, the order has been conferred on individuals chosen exclusively by the House of Braganza, with no input from the Portuguese government.

[edit] Membership

Membership in the order may be bestowed upon individuals of any citizenship, religion, or sex for works that benefit Portuguese society or Portuguese people around the world.[1] Members of the order who are Roman Catholics and Portuguese citizens are called "Professed Brothers" of the order, while members of the order who are either non-Catholic or non-Portuguese (or both) are called "Honorary Brothers".[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Statutes of the Royal Brotherhood of Saint Michael of the Wing.

[edit] References

  • Carlos Evaristo (2002). The Royal Brotherhood of Saint Michael of the Wing: History and Statutes: A Portuguese Devotion to Saint Michael, Angel of Portugal and of Peace. (Fátima, Portugal: Oureana Historic and Cultural Foundation)

[edit] External links