Knight, Order of the Garter

King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter around the time of his claim to the French throne (1348). The earliest written mention of the Order is found in Tirant lo Blanch, a chivalric romance written in Catalan mainly by Valencian Joanot Martorell. It was first published in 1490. This book devotes a chapter to the description of the origin of the Order of the Garter. Various legends account for the origin of the Order. The most popular legend involves the Countess of Salisbury, whose garter is said to have slipped from her leg while she was dancing at a court ball at Calais. When the surrounding courtiers sniggered, the king picked it up and returned it to her, exclaiming, Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shame on him who thinks evil of it.), the phrase that has become the motto of the Order. Engraving appeared in Dresses and Decorations of the Middle Ages by Henry Shaw, 1843

Picture No

12698332

Media ID

48540210

Size

2890px x 4800px (3.2MB)

Credit

Science Source/Mary Evans