Order of St. Maurice

By Crusader1307

The Order of St. Maurice was founded around 1090 in Jerusalem by Amadeus VIII, The Duke of Saxony. The Order wore a Red mantle apron with the White Cross. They fought in many engagements in and around Jerusalem. After their retreat from The Holy Land, The Order withdrew to Naples, Italy. The Order ran many Hospitals for leprosy in The Middle East and earned a reputation as caring warrior knights. The Order was also instrumental for bringing medical care to the wounded of The Barbary Wars. The Order was also known for operating their own Naval force (which also attacked Pirates vessels preying on ships in The Indian Ocean). After Italian Unification in the mid 19th Century, The Order became a strictly non-military Order. The Order still exists today as a religious philanthropic organization.