Ancient Order of Freesmiths

Last updated

The Ancient Order of Freesmiths, or Alte Orden der Freischmiede is a secret society originating in Europe during the Middle Ages. Since around 1864 the order has established an international membership but it does not publicly disclose the number of current members. The order is against publicity and refuses media interviews.

Contents

History

The order traces its origins to Christian bladesmiths in the Later Roman Empire. They formed a union, the "Freesmiths" to protect their trade from the influence of guilds, whom they viewed as pagan. [1] During the reign of Charlemagne, the order was given a capitulary to serve as lay judges in Francia. [2] After Charlemagne's death, the Vehmic courts forced the order underground and it established a secret society which has operated continuously. [3] [4]

Membership

The order cites its aims as "elevating the mind to achieve its maximum potential" and its motto is "truth, fidelity, and secrecy". Membership is open to men and women who graduate from a self-study apprenticeship course, although details about how to apply are scanty. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knight</span> Honorary title awarded for service to a church or state

A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the ancient Greek hippeis (ἱππεῖς) and Roman equites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shriners</span> Masonic organization

Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic society established in 1870 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franz Joseph I of Austria</span> Habsburg Emperor from 1848 to 1916

Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his death in 1916. In the early part of his reign, his realms and territories were referred to as the Austrian Empire, but were reconstituted as the dual monarchy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. From 1 May 1850 to 24 August 1866, he was also president of the German Confederation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thule Society</span> German nationalist and occultist movement (1918-25)

The Thule Society, originally the Studiengruppe für germanisches Altertum, was a German occultist and Völkisch group founded in Munich shortly after World War I, named after a mythical northern country in Greek legend. The society is notable chiefly as the organization that sponsored the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, which was later reorganized by Adolf Hitler into the National Socialist German Workers' Party. According to Hitler biographer Ian Kershaw, the organization's "membership list ... reads like a Who's Who of early Nazi sympathizers and leading figures in Munich", including Rudolf Hess, Alfred Rosenberg, Hans Frank, Julius Lehmann, Gottfried Feder, Dietrich Eckart, and Karl Harrer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secret society</span> Organization hiding details from non-members

A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla warfare insurgencies, that hide their activities and memberships but maintain a public presence.

<i>Pour le Mérite</i> Kingdom of Prussias highest order of merit

The Pour le Mérite, also informally known as the "Blue Max", is an order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The Pour le Mérite was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eagle and the House Order of Hohenzollern, among the highest orders of merit in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order of merit was the highest royal Prussian order of bravery for officers of all ranks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Order of Odd Fellows</span> American fraternal organization

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 18th century, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with the English Order. The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity, referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Iron Crown (Kingdom of Italy)</span> Order of merit in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy

The Order of the Iron Crown was an order of merit that was established on 5 June 1805 in the Kingdom of Italy by Napoleon Bonaparte under his title of Napoleon I, King of Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odd Fellows</span> Fraternal service movement

Odd Fellows is an international fraternity consisting of lodges first documented in 1730 in London. The first known lodge was called Loyal Aristarcus Lodge No. 9, suggesting there were earlier ones in the 18th century. Notwithstanding, convivial meetings were held "in much revelry and, often as not, the calling of the Watch to restore order." Names of several British pubs today suggest past Odd Fellows affiliations. In the mid-18th century, following the Jacobite risings, the fraternity split into the rivaling Order of Patriotic Oddfellows in southern England, favouring William III of England, and the Ancient Order of Oddfellows in northern England and Scotland, favouring the House of Stuart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariosophy</span> Ideological systems of an esoteric nature, pioneered by Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels

Armanism and Ariosophy are esoteric ideological systems that were largely developed by Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels, respectively, in Austria between 1890 and 1930. The term 'Ariosophy', which translates to wisdom of the Aryans, was invented by Lanz von Liebenfels in 1915, and during the 1920s, it became the name of his doctrine. For research on the topic, such as Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke's book The Occult Roots of Nazism, the term 'Ariosophy' is generically used to describe the Aryan/esoteric theories which constituted a subset of the 'Völkische Bewegung'. This broader use of the word is retrospective and it was not generally current among the esotericists themselves. List actually called his doctrine 'Armanism', while Lanz used the terms 'Theozoology' and 'Ario-Christianity' before the First World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of Vasa</span> Swedish order of chivalry

The Royal Order of Vasa is a Swedish order of chivalry founded on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III. It is awarded to Swedish citizens for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It is the most junior Swedish honour.

Freemasonry in Sweden was introduced by the Swedish Order of Freemasons, founded in 1735 as the oldest still active Swedish fraternal order, working the Swedish Rite of Freemasonry. It is under royal patronage of the King of Sweden and closely associated with the Lutheran Church of Sweden. It is a jurisdiction that admits Christian men only, and is recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England as a Regular Masonic jurisdiction, being the only Regular Grand Lodge that admits a 34th informal Masonic Degree. Its total membership is about 16,500.

The Order of Heptasophs was a fraternal organization established in New Orleans, Louisiana in April 1852. The name is derived from Greek roots meaning seven and wise and means the seven wise men. The Order was founded at New Orleans, April 6, 1852, by Alexander Leonard Saunders, and early members included ex-governors, ex-mayors, etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Four Emperors</span> Historic chivalric order

The Order of the Ancient Nobility, also called Order of the Four Roman Emperors or Ancient Order of Saint George, is a historic chivalric order, first established in 1308. It was re-founded as a secular community on 6 December 1768 by Count Philipp Ferdinand of Limburg-Stirum.

Portugal has a system of orders, decorations, and medals as a means of honouring individuals for personal bravery, achievement, or service to Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancient Order of United Workmen</span> Fraternal organization

The Ancient Order of United Workmen (AOUW) was a fraternal organization in the United States and Canada, providing mutual social and financial support after the American Civil War. It was the first of the "fraternal benefit societies", organizations that would offer insurance as well as sickness, accident, death and burial policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sons of Hermann</span> German-American mutual aid society

The Order of the Sons of Hermann (German: Der Orden der Hermanns-Soehne, also known as Hermann Sons, is a mutual aid society for German immigrants that was formed in New York, New York, on July 20, 1840, and remains active in the states of California, Ohio, and Texas today. Open to members of any heritage today, the order provides low-cost insurance and mutual aid and has historically promoted the preservation of the German language and traditions.

The German Order of Harugari, sometimes called the Ancient Order of Harugari or by its German name, Der Deutsche Orden der Harugari, is a mutual benefit and cultural association of German Americans founded in New York City in 1847 that was at one time the largest German secret society in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Order of Freemasons</span> Swedish fraternal order of freemasonry

The Swedish Order of Freemasons is a Swedish fraternal order of freemasonry, founded in 1735 as the oldest still active Swedish fraternal order. It is the native Swedish manifestation of Swedish Rite Freemasonry, recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England as a Regular Masonic jurisdictions. The total membership is 16,500.

References

  1. A History of Freesmiths. pp. 5–6. ISBN   9781778035708.
  2. "Alte Orden der Freischmiede in Most Flourishing Condition, founded to crush outlawry". The New York Times . June 2, 1895. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  3. Stevens, Albert C. (1899). Cyclopaedia of Fraternities. pp. 6–8.
  4. "Die Femlinde, Loge Zur alten Linde Dortmund" (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  5. "How does someone become a Freesmith?". Ancient Order of Freesmiths.