Ordre du Croissant

For the Ottoman Order of the Crescent, see Order of the Crescent.

The Ordre du Croissant (Order of the Crescent; Italian - Ordine della Luna Crescente) was a chivalric order founded by Charles I of Naples and Sicily in 1268. It was revived in 1448 or 1464 by René I, king of Jerusalem, Sicily and Aragon (including parts of Provence), to provide him with a rival to the English Order of the Garter. René was one of the champions of the medieval system of chivalry and knighthood, and this new order was (like its English rival) neo-Arthurian in character. Its insignia consisted of a golden crescent moon engraved in grey with the word LOZ, with a chain of 3 gold loops above the crescent. On René's death, the Order lapsed.

In later culture

• René and his Order of the Crescent were adopted as "historical founders" by the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity in 1912, as exemplars of chivalry and Christian charity. Ceremonies of the Order of the Crescent were referenced in formulating ceremonies for the fraternity.
• The Order was neo-Arthurian in character, and so has been used to link René with the Holy Grail and the fictitious Priory of Sion.[1]

External links

• Coat of arms (V&A)