CRUSADES (Medieval) Question: Symbols of military orders?

[Maksim-Smelchak]

CRUSADES (Medieval) Question: Symbols of military orders?

Hi Everyone,

I've assembled and painted up about a GAJILLION Saracens so far this year and am starting to get my Crusaders ready.

While I know the modern history of the Middle East very well, I'm very much of a neophyte when it comes to the Crusades.

As far as I can tell, there were three big Christian military orders:

1. Teutonic Knights (Only active in the first Crusade or so and didn't make it past Southern Turkey, which was Antioch and Edessa back then)
2. Hospitallers.
3. Templars.

And I'm trying to figure out what symbols and colors they wore. Paintings and period writings are often mixed up about their heraldry. And popular culture is hopelessly mixed up.

As far as I can tell, they wore the following:

1. Teutonic Knights:
Surcoat: White
Cross: Black

2. Hospitallers:
Surcoat: Black or Red
Cross: White

3. Templars:
Surcoat: White for knights and black or brown for sergeants.
Cross: Red

Please correct me or educate me further on the topic!

Thanks ahead of time!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.
http://6mm-minis.blogspot.com/

P.S.
I've cross-posted my question trying to get more responses.

[argsilverson]

A good source is the Osprey book.
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/Knights-of-Christ_9780850456042

It has also information on the lesser orders.

[Mad Doc Morris]

I second argsilverson's hint. Osprey is a good starting point.
Anyway, some short answers beforehand:

You're right, there were three dominating knightly orders in the Near/Middle East by early 13th century.
The Teutonic Order was the last one, created by the time of the Third Crusade (about 1190). But shortly after their interests shifted to Eastern Europe and they built their own state in the Baltic. So this Order doesn't really matter for Palestine purposes.

The 'uniforms' of the different orders' are a bit tricky. Styles changed in the course of time and there were even different colours distinguishing ranks within each order itself. To complicate things the design of the crosses worn on the surcoat also changed - as a rule: in early times (up to 13th century) crosses were quite simple and small, becoming more and more elaborate.

The Templars are relatively easy: As you said, they had a white surcoat with red cross for the knightly members; sergeants and the like wore grey surcoats.

Hospitallers didn't start as a military order, so there was no real uniform at first. Knights wore a black cape with a white cross on the left shoulder - this is a Hospitaller's only uniform until modern times. Some knights even wore heavy black frocks, but that changed in the 13th century to a red surcoat with a white cross. Non-knightly members had a grey or brown cape but no particular surcoat.

Teutonic knights wore white surcoats, which were grey/black with white crosses for sergeants.

Hope that helps a bit.

[FierceKitty]

I have read that the Hospitallers were less successful in preventing the use of personal heraldry here and there. Pity, really, since the stark uniform looks so much smarter.