from RoyalHouseOfStewart Website

Contents

• Introduction

• The Hungarian Court

• The Constitution

• Religion

• The Order Today

• The York Ceremony

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INTRODUCTION

The Hungarian Order of the Dragon is currently registered at the High Court of Budapest as The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order - Ordo Draconis, Sárkány Rend, 1408.

• The Grand Chancellor is Chev. Dr. Gyorgy von varhegyi Lehr, Count of Oberberg, with Inner Court members including:

  • HRH Prince Michael of Albany, Head of the Royal House of Stewart and Fons Honorum of the Order,

  • Grand Duke Peter Galicin of Carpathia and

  • Baron Wodiank Zoltan Nemessary.

  • Bishop Bela Csernak is the Grand Prior in Transylvania and Chev.

• Baron Andreas G. von Lehr the Grand Prior in Germany.

Other notable members are

• Count Monsignor Laszlo Esterházy

• Chev. Count Dr Janos szeki Teleki

• Chev. Monsignor Laszlo von galantal Esterházy, Papal Chaplain, Provost Parochus of the Mariaremete Cathedral in Budapest

In the English speaking world the Order resides within the Protectorate of the Royal House of Stewart, with the Grand Prior in Britain being:

• Chev. Dr. Andrew von Zsigmond, Baron de Lemhény, Honorary Consul of Hungary in Liverpool

• Viscount Richard Wright Hogeland being the Grand Prior for all other English speaking countries

Insignia of The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order
 

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THE HUNGARIAN COURT AND ORDER

Long afterwards, on 13 December 1408 (when England was in her Plantagenet era and the Stewarts were the rulers of Scotland), the fraternal aspect of the Dragon Court was formally reconstituted by King Szigmond von Luxembourg of Hungary at a time of wars and general political turmoil. Having inherited the ancient legacy in 1397, he drew up a pact with twenty-three royals and nobles who swore to observe 'true and pure fraternity' within the 'Societas Draconis' (Society of the Dragon) - a style which later became "Ordo Draconis" (Hungarian: Sárkány Rend - Order of the Dragon), although the Court was by no means a conventional Order in the recognized chivalric sense.

Along with Szigmond (Sigismund), other officers of the Court were his second wife Barbara Cilli (daughter of Duke Hermann II of Styria) and their daughter Elizabeth, thereby achieving an traditional overall standard of twenty-six members. Others prominent in the Societas Draconis were:

• King Vladislav Jagello of Poland

• King Alfonse V of Aragon

• Grand Prince Vitovd of Lithuania

• Duke Ernst of Austria

• Christopher III, Duke of Bavaria and King of Denmark, Sweden and Norway

Later, in 1439, Thomas de Mowbray, England's Duke of Norfolk, was admitted to the Order.

Seal of Emperor Zsigmond

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CONSTITUTION

The founding document of 'Szigmondus dei rex Hungaraie' confirmed that members of the Court might wear the insignia of a dragon incurved into a circle, with a red cross - based upon the original emblem of the 'Rosi-crucis' (the Cup of the waters) which, in its various forms, had identified the Holy Grail from the 4^th millennium BC. This original Insignia is still in use, along with a black mantle bearing a red cross design on centre back and front, while a customary gold dragon brooch is worn upon braid on left shoulder.

Shortly after this foundation, Szigmond was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1411 and, although the Court's ancient origins were steeped in pre-Christian lore, Pope Gregory XII was obliged to approve his Emperor's establishment, for the nature of the Dragon is such that its princely tradition surmounts the mundane constraints of denominational dispute.

Court of Equity

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RELIGION

In those days, the main concern of the Order was to help protect regional Europe against the invading sultans of the expanding Ottoman Empire. Modern historical writers are often inclined to perceive these Turkish invasions as being a matter of Muslims against Christians, but that was not the crux of the matter. The reality was that the Turks, like others before and after them, were building an 'empire' and their greatest obstacle was the long-existing Byzantine Empire established by Rome, to which much of the Balkan region had been in some way affiliated. In practice, the religious differences were of secondary consequence and, in any event, Christianity was by no means supreme in countries like Hungary and Romania, which supported a strong pagan contingent.

It is in this tradition of weighing governmental and religious balances that The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and

Order persists today. It provides a fraternal rallying standard for those of all creeds and cultures who are dedicated to preserving the rights and values of others.

In pre-Christian era, dragons were revered the world over as the symbol of good and wisdom. In China, for example, the dragon has a long history as a potent symbol of auspicious power, both in folklore and art. It represents the embodiment of the concept of the yang and is associated with the weather and water as the bringer of rain. In the old days of Imperial China, it also denoted monarchism and the Dragon Throne. China has nine classical types of dragons.

They are known as:

• Celestial

• Spiritual

• of Hidden Treasures

• Underground

• Winged

• Horned

• Coiling

• yellow dragons

...each with their particular definition in ancient Chinese belief.

In Japan, the dragons are the protectors of the Japanese zodiac and they rule under water. However, Japanese folklore states that they can also fly, that they rule both clouds and storms and that the breath of a dragon causes lightning and rain. Japan has nine classical types of dragons.

They are known as the dragons,

• Benten

• Blue

• Kiyo

• O Goncho

• Ryo-Wo

• Toyo-Wo

• Toyo-tama

• Uwibami

• Yamata-no-orochi

• Yofune-Nuschi

Feudal Court of Seigneury
 

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THE DRAGON ORDER TODAY

It is recognized that an increasing number of people are searching for the original, uncluttered roots of their faith and for their purpose in society. They are seeking more effective forms of administration to combat the all too apparent slide into social and moral decline. They are, in fact, questing for the Holy Grail. This quest for new enlightenment is considerably heightened by the new millennium and there is a widespread feeling that this should also present a new Renaissance - an era of rebirth wherein the precepts of the Grail Code are acknowledged and practiced - the precepts of liberty, fraternity and equality.

It is in these respects that the re-constituted Order of the Dragon 1408 is most active - supporting at all times the sovereignty of the individual and the responsibilities to protect life and liberty which are inherent within that sovereignty, while pursuing avenues of hitherto suppressed knowledge for the benefit of all. The primary aspects of the Order's constitution are:

• Nobility

• Equity

• Justice

Crown of a Lord of the Dragon Court

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CEREMONY AT YORK

Ceremony of Investiture held at the Mansion House, York, in the company of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress representing the host City, and the Sheriff of York representing Her Majesty the Queen .
 

Dragon Court officers at the Mansion House, York, in the company of the
Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress representing the City, and the Sheriff of York

The Rt. Hon. Peter Vaughan and Mrs June Vaughan, Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of York,
with Mr. Harry Briggs, Sheriff of York

At this ceremonial function, both Chev. Dr. Gyorgy von varhegyi Lehr, Count of Oberberg, Chancellor of The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order, and Chev. Baron Andreas G. von Lehr, Grand Prior in Germany, were invested with the Household Order of the Royal House of Stewart as Knights of The Noble Order of the Guard of Saint Germain by HRH Prince Michael of Albany, Grand Protector of the Order of the Dragon for Great Britain and the English speaking world, Grand Master of the Order of Knights Templars of Saint Anthony and President of the European Council of Princes.

Chev. Dr. Gyorgy von varhegyi Lehr, Count of Oberberg, Hungarian Grand Chancellor of the Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order, bestowed with The Noble Order of the Guard of Saint Germain by HRH Prince Michael of Albany, Fons Honorum and Grand Protector of The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order in Britain and the English speaking world.

Insignia of The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order

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