Order of the Garter
Originally it was intended to have 300 members,
but when it was founded in 1344 by King Edward III, it only had 26 members.
This number was the maximum size of the Order, new members only being elected
upon the death of an exsisting member.
The intention of the symbolism of the Garter, was a circlet to bind the knight companion mutually,
and all of them jointly to the King as head of the order.
The Order had offical
robes of blue and gold. The wearing of the garter at the knee was further
intended as a "Caveat and Exhortation that the knights should not
pusillanimously (by running away from battle)
betray the valour and renown which is ingrafted in
Constancy and Magnanimity".
The Statues provided that no member was to
leave the Kings Domain without his express authority.
The Order later had a Ladies chapter. Roi Jean II of
The founding members in 1344 were
:-
Edward III (47), King of
England as the head of the Order.
Edward (38), Prince of Wales
Henry (93), Earl of
Thomas Beauchamp (256), Earl of
Jean de Grailly
(126), Captal de Buch
Ralph Stafford (211) - later the Earl of
Stafford
William Montagu (292), Earl of
Bartholomew Burghersh
(20)
Thomas Holland (262) - later the Earl of Kent
Sir John Chandos
(244)
Other founders included Roger Mortimer (later
the earl of March), Sir John Lisle, Lord John Beauchamp (of Warwick), Lord John
Mohun (of Dunster), Sir
Hugh Courtenay, Lord John Grey (of Rotherfield), Sir
Richard Fitz-Simon, Sir Miles Stapleton, Sir Thomas
Wale, Sir Hugh Wrottesley, Sir Nele
Lorying, Sir James Audley (a relative of the 111
family), Sir Otes Holand,
Sir Henry d'Enne, Sir Sanchet
d'Abrichecourt, and Sir Walter Paveley.
During the reign of Edward III as vacancies
became available, the following were also elected to the Garter
:-
Note
that only PCs are shown.
in 1349 Robert Ufford (237), Earl of
in 1353 Reynold Cobham (219)
in 1360 Sir Walter de Mauny (620)
in 1361 Lionel of Anterp (44), (2nd
son of the King) Earl of Ulster and later Duke of Clarence
in 1361 John of Gaunt (93), (3rd son of the King) married the
Earl of Lancaster heiress
in 1361 Edmund of Langley (281), (4th son of the King) Earl of
Cambridge and later made Duke of York
in 1362 William Latimer (284)
in 1365 Humphrey Bohun (101), Earl of
in 1366 Enguerrand de Coucy
(49), (son-in-law of the King) Sire de Coucy and
later Earl of Bedford
he resigned all his English lands and titles in 1377
in 1366 Henry Percy (92), later the Earl of Northumberland
in 1368 Ralph Basset (208)
in 1369 John Neville (213)
in 1370 John Hastings (158), Earl of Pembroke
in 1373 Thomas Beauchamp (256), Earl of
in 1375 John de Montfort (198), Duke of Brittany
and Earl of Richmond
in 1375 William Ufford (237), Earl of
in 1375 Hugh
in 1375 Thomas
in 1377 Richard II (38), Prince of
in 1377 Henry of Bolingbroke (93), Duke of