Royal Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a superb Knight's Badge with crown, 44 x 26mm., gold and enamel, obverse: Jerusalem Cross in red enamel; reverse: Christ arising from the Sepulchre in proper colours, unmarked, some damage to reverse enamel, very fine, rosette on riband

Details

Royal Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a superb Knight's Badge with crown, 44 x 26mm., gold and enamel, obverse: Jerusalem Cross in red enamel; reverse: Christ arising from the Sepulchre in proper colours, unmarked, some damage to reverse enamel, very fine, rosette on riband

Lot Essay

When in 1489 Pope Innocent VIII amalgamated The Order of the Holy Sepulchre to The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the French branch of the Order maintained its independence under the protection of French Kings. As with all Royalist Orders it was proscribed during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods, but in 1814 when royal protection was re-established, the Order consisted of some 450 members.