Need help with a history gimmic concerning France and medieval military orders...

[Argeus the Paladin]

From my question in another site:

New question:

I am creating a fictional Military Order of France called the Paladins of Bordeaux, aka. the Fellow Knight-Brothers of St <insert name here> and Aquitaine. If anyone could supply me with the following I'd be very grateful:

- The order's Patron saint, i.e. the <insert name here> part. I have narrowed down to several, but am not sure which one would be the most appropriate: St. Denis (Martyr, beheaded by pagan authority in Paris in the 200s), St. Martin (patron saint of Malta - that's the same place where the Knight Hospitallers came to be - and cavalry) and St. Joseph. I am leaning towards St. Martin, but am not sure if it would be totally appropriate.

- If it would have been possible for a royalist military order to be levied into war against the will of the church by the crown in the medieval era. Since my intention is to have this order slaughtered in its entirety in the battle of Agincourt by the famous English longbow.

- Whether, in an anachronistic formation involving Hellenic phalanges and late English longbow, they would serve well as the hammer part of the "anvil and hammer" formation.

Of course, knowing myself and what I write, this order is going to be thrown into a plot involving joshi kousei and Japanese vampires. And Twilight bashing, if I ever get along to that.

Anyone here willing to help?

[hellheaven1987]

Just, what do you need us to help??

[Argeus the Paladin]

Just, what do you need us to help??

And I requote

I am creating a fictional Military Order of France called the Paladins of Bordeaux, aka. the Fellow Knight-Brothers of St <insert name here> and Aquitaine. If anyone could supply me with the following I'd be very grateful:

- The order's Patron saint, i.e. the <insert name here> part. I have narrowed down to several, but am not sure which one would be the most appropriate: St. Denis (Martyr, beheaded by pagan authority in Paris in the 200s), St. Martin (patron saint of Malta - that's the same place where the Knight Hospitallers came to be - and cavalry) and St. Joseph. I am leaning towards St. Martin, but am not sure if it would be totally appropriate.

- If it would have been possible for a royalist military order to be levied into war against the will of the church by the crown in the medieval era. Since my intention is to have this order slaughtered in its entirety in the battle of Agincourt by the famous English longbow.

- Whether, in an anachronistic formation involving Hellenic phalanges and late English longbow, they would serve well as the hammer part of the "anvil and hammer" formation.

[hellheaven1987]

1. St Martin

2. Possible, since military orders were famous getting involved with royal family.

3. Possible, you may even use Flemish pikemen as background.

[Junius]

St. Martin was the original patron saint of France, but was largely replaced by Denis when the Capetians took the throne. St. Andrew's is the cathedral in Bordeaux, so that might also be an option.

I am not too sure about religious military orders, but both the kings of France and England used the resources of the church to aid them in their wars. Boniface VIII had to concede the right of the kings to draw on the tithes which the population would owe the church to pay for the wages of their armies during the Hundred Years War. If your order is just a chivalric order, and not a religious military one, like the Templars or Hospitallers, then they would of course been drafted in to fight for the French crown.

[Argeus the Paladin]

Thanks for that, everyone.

And hellheaven, you don't know how much possibilities that last line of yours just gave me.

Makedon/Epirote Agema + Spartan Hoplite + French Knights + English longbow + Swiss Pikemen = we have the full set.

[hellheaven1987]

Just remember that, religious orders are the vanguard of Papacy and only act on Pope's will, hence they would fight only for Rome and their order, and most time willing to risk confiscation of properties indeed fighting for royal house if Rome did not permit that.