OTHER
SELF-STYLED ORDERS
© Guy Stair Sainty
[With particular thanks to James Algrant for his
advice and assistance]
The Modern Revivals of the (self-styled) "Order of the Temple of Jerusalem"
Sovereign
Constantinian Order of Saint George of the Imperial Princes Amoroso d'Aragona;
headed by "Prince" don Francesco Amoroso Comneno
Angelo Flavio Lascaris Paleologo d'Aragona. The American branch is based in
Rhode Island and seems to be directed by Dominic A. Vavala, a lecturer in
health sciences and nutrition at Johnson and Wales University since 1973 who
lives at Oaklaw Avenue, Cranston, RI. He is also "Magnificent Rector"
of "The Constantinian University" which, he boasted in 1991, then had
only one member but would soon have a second. This "university"
presents an annual award to an outstanding culinary student at Johnson and
Wales University. In 1965 Prince Francesco appointed Vavala "minister
plenipotentiary" in the United states with a diplomatic
"passport".
The
Military Order of the Collar of Saint Agatha of the Paternò. The Order of Saint Agatha of San Marino
is a legitimate and recognized body, awarded by the Republic for meritorious
services. It has nothing to do with the self-styled "Order of Saint Agatha
of the House of Paternò" which has emerged in the post-war era, founded by
don Francesco Maria Paternò Castello, a cadet member of the ancient Sicilian
noble family of Paternò Castello, Dukes of Carcaci. Successive heads of the
Paternò and Paternò Castello family have refused to have anything to do with
this body and the founder's uncle, Frà Ernesto Paternò Castello, Lieutenant of
the Grand Magistery of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in the 1950's,
likewise denounced it.
Nonetheless, like so many
similar organizations it has found a following amid the twilight world of
pseudo-Orders and fantasy titles best exemplified by its Welsh based factotum,
Louis-Paul "de Bourbon-Condé", [5] "Marshal" of the Order. This
gentleman (who died in December 1996) was also "consigliere della Corona
and Minister Plenipotentiary for Foreign Affairs" of the "Real Casa
d'Aragona". In a "statement" dated May 3, 1994, issued from the
Palazzo Brunaccini, Messina, Mr Bourbon-Condé, styling himself "Duke of
Serra Molino", disassociated his group from the "alleged claims to
the Imperial Russian Throne by one Alexis Brimeyer, who falsely styles himself
Prince Alexis d'Anjou Romanov Dolgorouky .......The Royal House of Aragon
....... recognizes .... the Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna .... as de jure
Empress of All the Russias". One may be sure that the Grand Duchess will
be indifferent to the support of these nonentities and that it will not make
one iota of difference to her chances of enjoying her dynastic inheritance! A
series of letters were addressed to various persons in 1994 and 1995 by "Prince
Louis-Paul" from an address in Wales: Hawthorn House, Four Crosses,
Llanymynech, when an unsuccessful attempt was made to hold an investiture of
this Order in the Brompton Oratory, London. In a letter dated January 18, 1994,
"Prince" Louis-Paul, "Il Maresciallo", stated that
"the House of Paternò specifically recognizes only the Sovereign Military
Order of Malta as the continuing Order ...... and will have no relation with
any of the so-called Orders of St John alleging descent from the former Russian
Hereditary (sic) Commanderies. Likewise it will have nothing to do with the
numerous bodies which claim to be orders of chivalry". This statement
seems rather surprising since don Roberto is himself self-styled "Grand
Master" of a notorious so-called "Order of St John" (see 11,
under "self-styled Orders of Saint John above) and "Prince"
Louis-Paul uses an assumed title that belonged to a now extinct branch of the
Royal House of France (Bourbon). In 1970 the Malta Year Book stated that
the "Minister to H.R.H." is the same Mr Vella Haber involved with two
self-styled Orders of Saint John described on this site in Self-Styled
Saint John Orders and the 1992 edition lists Roberto Paternò Castello's
Order of Saint John along with the names of its officers.
The "Order" claims to
have been revived in 1851 but nowhere is there shown to be any prior historical
record of the existence of such an institution. It is also claimed that on
March 30, 1853, King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies recognized this as a Dynastic
Order of Chivalry of the House of Paternò. [6] Unfortunately, the original of this
document has never been produced, but only rather poor photocopies of a printed
text and the whereabouts of any purported original has never been explained. At
best, it seems that this "recognition" was at a local administrative
level and was not made in an act signed by the King. Even if it had been
recognized in 1853, the heir of the then head of the Family was neither the
late don Francesco Maria nor his son don Roberto.
Neither of the two claimants to
the Headship of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies have recognized this
"Order". Nor has the Republic of Italy given any such recognition to
the "Order of Saint Agatha of the House of Paternò" under the
provisions of Italian law [7] by which the President can authorize Italian citizens to
accept the award of what are defined as "non-national Orders". [8] Nonetheless, in a letter dated April
7th, 1994, "Prince Louis-Paul de Bourbon-Condé" states that the
"Courts of the Italian Republic on more than one occasion have upheld the
dynastic rights of Don Roberto". Under Italian law, only the President of
the Republic can accord any kind of recognition to dynastic Orders and neither
Don Roberto Paternò Castello nor his father received any such recognition.
Since the Constitution of the Italian Republic prohibits the recognition of
titles of nobility, no declaration by an Italian court can have any bearing on
such matters as they are not competent to determine matters of nobiliary
succession.
The "Grand Master",
Don Roberto Paternò Castello dei Duchi di Carcaci, born Feb 16, 1937, is the
only son of Don Francesco Paternò Castello dei Duchi di Carcaci (1913-1968), by
his wife, a Miss Angela Rihouet. Don Francesco was the only son of Don Roberto
Paternò Castello (1876-1956), himself the fifth son of don Francesco, Duke of
Carcaci (1850-1912), by his wife and cousin, D. Eleonora Paternò Castello
Guttadauro. She was descended through the female line from the ancient
Guttadauro family, whose title of Prince of Emmanuel (assumed improperly by don
Roberto) had passed to the Bonaccorsi family. [9] A 1969 publication of this body, in
detailing the marriage of don Roberto (d.1956) to Donna Eleonora, describes her
as Eleonora Guttadauro, omitting her paternal family name of Paternò Castello,
to give the impression she was a direct Guttadauro heiress, whereas she was
actually descended through the female line. This statement also pretends that
the claim to the throne of the Balearic Islands passed from the House of Aragon
to the Ayerbe family, although the latter never claimed it, and from thence to
the Paternò family. It then records that in 1968 "His Royal Highness (sic)
Don Roberto Paternò Castello di Carcaci, Prince of Emmanuel, .... was
proclaimed as Chief of Name and Arms of the Royal House and Grand Master of its
dynastic Orders" ignoring the fact that his grandfather, through whom he
makes these preposterous claims, was the fifth, and not the eldest son of the
head of the Carcaci branch of the family. The Paternò Castello di Carcaci line
is a cadet of the Paternò family, whose head by primogeniture descent is
presently the Duke of Roccaromana, and neither the latter nor any of the heads
of line of the Paternò or Paternò Castello family will have anything to do with
don Roberto's so-called "Order". As a junior member of a junior
branch of the family don Roberto has no right to claim any prerogative
pertaining to its chief, whether or not such prerogative actually exists.
As this body does not claim to
be the successor of a Catholic Order of Knighthood it has not been included in
the list of such bodies condemned by the Vatican.
The
Imperial Supreme Military Orthodox Dynastic Constantinian Order of Saint George: A pseudo version of the genuine Constantinian Order whose
history is given elsewhere. Its head is Mr Henri Vigo Paleologo, otherwise styled
"Prince Henri Vigo Aleramico Lascaris Paleologus" or various
combinations of that name with other defunct Byzantine dynasties. The purported
descent of Mr Vigo is a wonderful invention on which he has worked enormously
hard; unfortunately not only has he been unable to produce the necessary
documents to prove his descent generation by generation from the Emperors of
Byzantium, but even from the alleged great-grandfather who, he claims, was
recognized by the Roman Senate in 1869. Mr Vigo asserts that the genuine
Constantinian Order is a false Order (despite having been awarded by reigning
European Sovereigns from 1699 until 1861 and then by their successors, Princes
of the Royal House of Bourbon), and that his invention is in fact the true successor
of the original Byzantine foundation (whose origins are uncertain anyway).
Individuals recruited into this body are the Metropolitan of the Syrian
Orthodox Church of Antioch in the United States and Canada, Archbishop
Athanasius Y. Samuel, the Rajah of Patelia (who is illustrated in one of Vigo's
publications kneeling to receive "investiture"), and self-styled
"Count" Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki, self-proclaimed President of the
Republic of Poland in exile. A Colorado Priory of this group is headed by James
"Baron" Durward of Brusa (who describes himself as FSA Scott sic),
Doyle "Skip" Stansbury, George Noon, Dennis Gribble, Robert
Tracy, and Rev David R. Clarke.
The
Imperial Institute of Chivalry: While not strictly
claiming to be an Order of Knighthood, this body based in Bermuda, [10] assists would be candidates into
numerous pseudo-Orders. Among these are Saint Lazarus, St Constantine the
Great, the Spanish Imperial Order of Charles V, Patriarchal Order of St Blaise
and St Mary in Palestine, Order of the Commonwealth, Order of St Andrew of
Jerusalem, Order of the Senoria de Torre Molina, Order of the Griffin, Order of
Cordon Bleu du Saint Esprit, Order of St Eugene of Trebizond, Confraternity of
Ricoshombres de Mesnada, and at least one self-styled St John Order.
The
Order of Saint Stanislas. A pseudo
history of this institution, in fact a revival of the originally Polish and
later Russian-Polish Order of that name, can be found on the Internet at http://www.finearts.sfasu.edu/uasal/sts.html. It is given in five classes by
"His Serene Highness Prince" (recently upgraded from self-styled
Count) Julius Nowina-Sokolnicki who claims to have been Grand Master since June
9, 1979. The Order has not been awarded since the end of the Russian Empire
when Poland regained its independence and freedom. The details of Mr
Sokolnicki's claim to the Presidency of Poland are too complex to be given
here; suffice it to say that the present Polish government does not regard him
as one of those in succession to the titular Presidency from 1939 onwards.
[Note:A statement from the State Secretary of the President, Andrzej
Drzycimski, published in Dziennik Polski,,, London 7 September 1994, reads
"Article 11 of Bill of 25 October 1991 ..... recognizes this power as
being bestowed by the Authority of the Polish republic up to 22 December 1990.
The phrase 'the Authority of the Polish Republic' should be understood to mean
the organs of the state institutions aboard based on the Polish Constitution of
23 April 1935. It therefore recognizes as Presidents of the Polish Republic
General Winiawe-Dlugoszowski, W. Raczkiewicz, A. Zaleski, S. Otrowski, E.
Raczynski, K. Sabbat, and R. Kacorowski, as well as the state organs appointed
by them. According to the Constitution of 23 April 1935 and historical fact
they are the successors of President Ignacy Moscicki........ With this in mind,
it should be stated that Mr Julius Nowina Sokolnicki did not possess the
authority of the Polish Republic and therefore his activities purporting to be
actions of the state (as a result of him calling himself President-in-exile of
the Polish Republic) cannot be honored, and according to Article 11 of Bill 1,
the ranks granted by him are not recognized".]
Sokolnicki's "Order"
and its claims have been discussed in a chapter on this so-called "Order"
on "Orders of Chivalry" Web site. They are ready to extract payment
for this dubious honor even from clergyman - one professed Benedictine was
persuaded to part with $1000 to receive Saint Stanislas. Sokolnicki lives
modestly at 9 York Place, Castle Gardens, Colchester, Essex (tel & fax
01206-865591) - on his stationary in addition to describing himself as former
President of the Polish Republic, and Grand Master of Saint Stanislas, he is
also Commander for Poland of the Order of Saint Lazarus (yet another dubious
connection of this "Order"), Grand Cross of the Ordo e Lillio (quite
what this is I have not discovered), and Order of the Palmetto (SC). The
"Grand Commander" is a Lt-Gen George M. Seignious, and Col Michael
Michaelski Costs is "Treasurer of the St Stanislas Foundation and
Archivist of the Order" - he lives at 101 Timbergate Drive, Lexington,
South Carolina 29071-9009. Sokolnicki claims to have given the Grand Collar of
his Order to the Pope - a letter from the retired Bishop of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg
diocese dated April 4, 1995, confirmed that he was given several gifts to pass
on to His Holiness on the occasion of his 1991 Polish visit, including a
"Diploma and Insignia of the Order of St Stanislas". The Bishop
states that he "gave all those gifts to the Vatican delegation ... some
were taken to Rome some were left in Koszalin. Grand collar of the Order was
left in Koszalin and it is in diocesan collection of Holy Father visit
souvenirs". Saint Stanislas also has branches across the world and, for
some reason, appears to be particularly active in new Zealand where a Michael
Subritsky-Kusza plays a prominent role as a "Grand Cross" of this
Order. This group has been sufficiently successful to justify the publication
of a news letter. The 1991 issue includes mention of the conferral on
Sokolnicki of the title of "Prince" by no lesser person than
"H.S.H. Prince August von Hohenstaufen" who may or may not have a
connection with an astonishing group to be found on the Internet!
Sokolnicki also used to award
the great Polish Order of Polonia Restituta, again without legitimate
authority.
The
Order of Saint Joachim,
is a modern "revival" of an Order whose legitimacy was in question
from its foundation. Promoted by a British writer on Orders (1802), who claimed
that Admiral Lord Nelson had accepted the "Grand Magistery" - the
Admiral being Britain's greatest hero at the time - but there is no historical
evidence that Lord Nelson ever took up these duties. The Order ceased to
function early in the 19th century. The present "Order" has been revived under the "Grand
Magistery" of a certain Helmut von Braundle-Falkensee (this family is not included in the
Genealogische Handbuch der Adeligen Häuser, the principal reference source on
German noble houses).[11] It is run, however, by a certain L. H.
. Rosan "Lord of
Haverhill," (who has acquired by purchase the Lordship of the Manor of
that name), "GCJ", MCBA. MNAVA. FIPLA. FIPCS, self-styled "Grand
Chancellor" who has established the Order's headquarters at "ST.
JOACHIM HOUSE," 144-150 LONDON ROAD, CROYDON, SURREY, ENGLAND, CR0 2TD, a
business district in South London. This appears to be a body genuinely
dedicated to charitable works, and the small sum required for membership (£15
sterling) is so modest that no-one could be fooled into believing this was any
more than a charitable association which has assumed the guise of an order,
rather than a body which seriously pretends to be an Order of Knighthood in
order to defraud.
The
Sovereign Order of the Knights of Saint Dennis of Zante: Originally founded by the notorious
"Count" Pericles Voultsos, this is now apparently run by "H.S.H.
Count Thomas JohnTaglianetti". This Order claims among its members former
President George Bush, yet another example of how these groups send their award
to a prominent individual and then claim him for a member. It is closely
associated with a Mr Lowell Barker, who calls himself Bishop Mikhail of the
Ukranian Orthodox Church.
The
Military Order of Saint Bridget of Sweden. This flourished in the 1960's through 1980s but has not been
much heard of recently. Its factotum and "grand master" was a certain
Count Abbate di Castello Orleans who seems to have disappeared from sight.
The
Imperial Order of Saint Eugene of Trebizond: The North American Exarchate of this extravagantly named
organization is headed by a Mr Russell R. Fritz. [12]
Byzantine
Order of the Holy Sepulcher: This
self-styled Order of the Holy Sepulcher which has nothing to do with the
genuine Catholic Order of that name, is headed by a pseudo "Grand Duke
Dimitrij X. Dimitrievic of Russia, head of the Rurik Dynasty", as
"Hereditary Prince High Patron", and a "Prince" (etc)
Alfred Josef Baldacchino Dimitrevic of Gagry as "Hereditary Prince Grand
Master". A completely invented history of a supposed involvement by
knights of the Holy Sepulcher with Russia, and the "absorption of many
noble Houses and Chivalric Orders founded during the Byzantine Empire".
According to a history published in The Malta Year Book 1992 (whose
editors presumably take no responsibility for the entries submitted by bodies
like this), the high patron on December 5th, 1986 "broke with tradition in
the absence of direct heirs and nominated the Lieutenant Grand Master Alfred
Joseph Baldacchino as "Prince Grand Master". On October 12th, 1989,
the patron apparently adopted Mr Baldacchino "thus ensuring the dynastic
succession of the Order". The year book lists twenty individuals, some
with self-assumed titles, as holders of various "Supreme" or
"Grand" officers.
Sovereign
Military Hospitaller Order of Saint George of Carinthia. A 1950's revival of an ancient chivalric Order long extinct,
this found a willing head in the person of the Archduke Franz Josef of
Austria-Tuscany, sometime "Carlist" claimant to the Spanish throne
who for a while distributed his own "Order of the Golden Fleece".
Along with an Italian Marquess, this body was directed by a former officer in
Mussolini's elite "black brigade", but after numerous court actions
it seems to have become dormant.
The Royal Portuguese Orders: With the exception of the Royal Orders of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa and the Order of Santa Isabel (for ladies) all the Portuguese Orders were taken over by the Republic. The heir to the Crown of Portugal is HRH Dom Duarte de Bragança, Duke of Bragança. A completely invented claim by a purported secret descendent of one of the last Portuguese Kings also awarded these Orders. An announcement in the London Times read as follows: "...death on 29 December 1996 of the 44 year old 'D. Antonio João da Costa Amado Noivo, Marquess of Santo Amado d'Aire, Duke of Saxe-Coburgo-Bragança, and of Guimaraes, formerly Grand Master of the Royal Order of D. Carlos Primeiro, formerly Vice-Grand Master of the Royal Portuguese Orders.' A Requiem Mass is to be held at St Etheldreda's, Ely Place, on 28 January 1997." This claim was entirely spurious. [My thanks to Patrick Cracroft-Brennan for this information]. The deceased was the homosexual husband of the late Dona Maria de Saxe-Coburgo-Braganca, who claimed to be the daughter of the (childless) last reigning King, and who earned a living out of the sale of worthless honors and titles. This pretension has now been assumed by an Italian, who has been even more energetic than his predecessor.
Royal
Order of Saint Bartholomew:
Under investigation.
Military
and Hospitaller Order of St Thomas Acon: Modern
revival of long extinct Crusader Order, headed by Captain, The
"Baron" Victor J. Macdonald-Evans, "23rd Laird of
Denovan" and "Grand Master of the Order." This gentleman, runs
his affairs from a modest address in Scotland, 28 North Bridge House, Edinburgh
EH1 1QG. He is also self-styled Chief of Clan Iain Mhoir, and has been exposed
in the British tabloid newspaper The News of the World,
June 22, 1997 for selling extinct "titles" under the business name
"Escutcheon". The genuine Order of this name was merged with The
Order of Our Lady of Bethlehem, and the latter incorporated subsequently into
the Order of Saint John (information supplied by a correspondent).
The
Order of Saint Catherine of Sinai:
one of the Lowell Barker stable of Orders with an American Priory and many
members from the Military.
The
Knightly Association of Saint George the Martyr: another Lowell Barker group established
in November 1980 as an "association of persons who have received the honor
and dignity of knighthood". It is difficult to imagine why someone who has
received a genuine Order would want to be connected in any way with such a
group. -
The
Ancient and Honorable Sovereign and Independent Order of Richard Lionheart of
Jerusalem: headed by a "H.S.H. Count Frederick
St Pierre, Prince Grand Master". This has advertised for members in
various magazines, offering the rank of knight, etc.
Sovereign Order of the Oak: Typical of the many fantasy Orders is this self-styled Order whose history (and some amusing photographs of the nonentities who run it) is given on the internet at: http:// www.eee.org/bobfaw/web/oak. This "history" omits the inconvenient fact that the Order of the Oak (never Sovereign - indeed no Order other than the Sovereign Military Order of Malta has ever been Sovereign) was one of many such short-lived organizations which disappeared soon after its foundation. The document cited which purports to justify its claim to "sovereignty" of course says nothing of the sort. The idiotic claim that the Order was founded in the eighth century apparently relies on a seventeenth century source (some nine hundred years later) and there is neither documentary or archeological evidence of any kind to support his assertion. Even more comical is the supposed succession of Grand Masters. Apparently, after somehow passing through the Paternò family - although there is no documentary or historical evidence of any kind to support this (or any other of the other assertions made on behalf of this wholly invented claim) - the governance of this "Order" ended up, after a hiatus of several hundred years from 1397-1981, in the person of a Mr Agazzi and from whom to someone who describes himself under the entertaining alias of "H.S.H. George I, Prince Montis Regalis".
Knights of Africa Sovereign
Order: A ridiculous hoax invented by a certain "His Serene Highness,
Prof. Sir Vincent Abukuse Mbirika" who calls himself "Sovereign
Grandmaster". This "Order" is a prime example of the stupidity of
psuedo-Afr-centrist ideas, where Beethoven is claimed as an "African"
on the basis that his broad nose is evidence of negroid ancestry (such
considerations were used by the Nazis to identify those supposedly of Jewish
descent). According to the author of this site, presumably the self-styled Grand
master of the Order, other famous Africans mis-identified included Emperor Pedro
I of Brazil (a Braganza), the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. The text of this
ramble later states: "In chivalry, Africans taught everyone else what it
was all about. Even as late as 1040 A.D, before the advent of Christian
chivalry, it was an African Caliph of Egypt, North Africa, named Abu Tamin, who
gave permission to the merchants of Amalfi, Southern Italy, to build an inn and
a hospital for the travel-weary pilgrims and the sick and wounded, a stone's
throw from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. That movement grew up to what became
The Sovereign Order of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly
known as "Knights of Malta". It then became clear, Knights of Africa
will be fulfilling those ceremonial responsibilities and charitable activities
once performed by the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem. Hence, it was
necessary to reform and incorporate the remaining positive activities of Knights
of Malta into Knights of Africa under the Grandmastership of His Serene
Highness, Prince Abukuse Vincent Mbirika. The Grandmaster was elevated to the
rank of Duke of Africa earlier in 1993, before being appointed by Knights of
Malta Grand Priors meeting in Florence in 1994, to take over and lead them as
Grandmaster." No more needs to be said but for more entertainment, visit: http://hometown.aol.com/ambirika/myhomepage/index.html
*************************
Global
Money Consultants, who also maintain an
Internet site,
promise to deliver memberships in a pseudo Saint John Order which they claim is
part of the "Ecclesiastical Government of the Holy Episcopal
Ecclesiarchate" and which offers the title of "Knight" or
"Dame" to those foolish enough to subscribe. They also promise Noble
titles, academic degrees, diplomatic appointments, "camouflage"
passports, drivers licenses and I.D.'s, press I.D.. cards, off-shore banking,
etc. Indeed, they seem to specialize in serving the needs of those who would
prefer to be outside official scrutiny - for reasons one can only imagine.
Patriarchate
of Antioch: (London branch!), "the Lord
Alexander II, Patriarch of Antioch, the Great City of God, Of Syria and The
Lebanon, of Silesia, the Hellenes, Anatolia, Illyria and of all the Country
Evangelized by St Paul and St Mark, and of All the East, Pastor of
Pastors". Aided by "Antonio, Duke of Campobello and Gibrassaro",
who is apparently based at Queensgate Associates Ltd, National House, Isle of
Man [13], this Patriarch created the titles of
"Prince of Andravida" and "Count of Sergiana" as a
"rehabilitation" by letters patent written in English dated March
31st, 1992, for a Mr Erik James Meldal-Johnsen. [14]It is not know what consideration was
given for this dubious honor.
RETURN TO SELF STYLED ORDERS OF CHIVALRY INTRODUCTION
_¶___________________________
Footnotes
[1] In Pope Clement V's own words to the
Church Council in Vienne (Dauphiné).
[2] The New Knighthood: A History of the
Order of the Temple, Cambridge University Press 1994, pp. 317-318.
[3] Barber, Op. cit. supra 1994, p..
330.
[4] Barber, Op. cit. supra 1994, p.
334.
[5] It is not known whether he is related to
Bruce Chalmers, the self-styled "Prince" who changed his name to
Bourbon-Condé (see earlier under 8C, the Brimeyer Order of Saint John, note
..., for this gentleman's history).
[6] Bourbon-Condé wrote on April 7th, 1994,
that "successive Kings of the Two Sicilies" have given "repeated
recognition of the dynastic rights of the House of Paternò". The
supporters of don Roberto, however, have only been able to produce one document
purporting to recognize this Order and no act signed by any King of the Two
Sicilies. Ferdinand II had only one successor, Francis II, who certainly never
recognized the Order; neither did his successors as Heads of the Royal House of
the Two Sicilies.
[7] Law of March 3, 1951, articles 7,8 &
9, by which the President of the Republic, on the advice of the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, may issues decrees authorizing the use of the decorations of
non-national Orders (i.e. Orders not awarded by the Government of Italy, nor by
a foreign Head of State).
[8] Members of the Two Sicilies
Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Tuscan Order of Saint Stephen have
been authorized by the President of the Republic to accept and wear the
decorations of these Orders under the provisions of this law.
[9] This family obtained permission to
convert to the title of Prince of Reburdone and still hold it today.
[10] PO Box HM1721, Bermudan Road, Hamilton, Bermuda HMGX.
[11]
Mr von Braundle-Falkensee was described as
"Count" in a communication to this writer from a member of the Order,
however the author has since received a letter (dated 26 Sep 1999) from the
Order's "Grand Capitular", a "Chev" Norman Kerr (of 144=150
London road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 2TD, Tel: 0181-688-1123/4; fax: 0181-681-3284)
stating that "at no time has our Grand Master ever called himself a Count and
the Grand Master has many honours and decorations and does not need for any
dubious titles, i.e. Count. We would also state that not only do we claim to
have members across the glove, we do have members throughout the world,
including Canada, America, Japan, Bahrein, Norway, Sweden, Germany and England.
[12] PO Box 151282, Los Angeles, CA
90015-1282.
[13]
Tel: 44-0624-824555; fax 823949.
[14] Resident at 8 Welwitschia Avenue, Glen
Anil 4051, Republic of South Africa.