Austrian Order of the Golden Fleece Austrian Medal Type 2

Austrian Order of the Golden Fleece Austrian Medal Type 2REPRODUCTIONThe Order of the Golden Fleece, order of knighthood founded in Burgundy in 1430 and associated later especially with Habsburg Austria and with Spain.The order was founded by Philip III the Good, duke of Burgundy, at Bruges in Flanders in 1430, to commemorate his wedding there to Isabella of Portugal. Its first chapter was held at Lille in 1431, and in 1432 its seat was fixed at Dijon, capital of the duchy of Burgundy. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and to St. Andrew, it was first constituted to have a grand master (the sovereign duke) and 23 knights, but membership was subsequently increased to 31 and eventually to 51. The order—founded to defend the Roman Catholic religion, to uphold the usages of chivalry, and to increase the prestige of the dukes of Burgundy—was ideally supposed to settle all disputes between its knights, whose actions were to be appraised, commended, or censured at its chapters; the knights had the right to trial by their fellows on charges of rebellion, treason, or heresy.