It would be impossible to introduce the Imperial Order of Saint George, without providing a brief history of the Imperial Palaeologi, and their role in its existence, as it is due to their efforts, that the Order has been preserved up to the present time when, under the presiding Grand Master, His Imperial Highness Petros, Prince Palaeologus, the order received a dynamic revision of its modus operandi, in order to effectively pursue its objectives, in our modern society, on an International basis.

Orders of Knighthood, have varied quite considerably in concept, and application, amongst different countries, over the years, but the underlying principle of conferring the honour of Knighthood upon worthy and deserving individuals has remained constant.

Knighthood has been defined as “a distinction of rank amongst freemen, depending not upon birth or property, but simply upon the admission of the person, so distinguished, by the girding of a sword or other solemnity, into an Order of men having by Law or usage certain social, or political privileges”, and also an appropriate title. Knighthood thus implies, the possession by an individual of certain qualifications, and the conferment by a personage endowed with competent power, and authority, which is the policy, and position, existent in the Order of Saint George, under the Imperial House of Palaeologus, where the hereditary head of the House retains “fons honorum”, That is, he preserves the right to be honoured, respected ad protected, according to International Laws, and the right to confer titles of nobility and honours in Chivalrous Orders appertaining to his House.

The Imperial Constantinian Order of Saint George, is an Order of Christian Chivalry, and is the Oldest known Order in the world, Whilst it has been military from it inception, the swords, lances and maces, have long since been put away in favour of more effective weaponry of positive strategy, dedicated servie and objectively directed funds, with which to combat the common adversaries of modern mankind.

THE IMPERIAL PALAEOLOGI AND THEIR ORDO IMPERIALIS CONSTANTINIANUS SANCTI GEORGII

The true value of those Chivalric Orders which put their Christian ideals in to practice, tends to be obscured by interest in their romantic history and Nobility aspects.

This brief outline of the oldest of the Chivalric Orders, con only outline the seventeen centuries of its existence, but it is hoped that it will serve to illustrate the tenacity with which the Palaeologi Grand masters, have maintained their ideal over the last seventeen centuries, and the relevance of their Order to the future.

Information has been drawn from their archives of H.I.H. Petros, Prince Palaeologus, Despot of the Romans, the present Grand Master, The Archives of the Sublime Porte, The Public Records Office, The Department of Byzantine Studies, Birmingham University publications, the conflicting works of Prince Rhodacanakis, Professor Emile Legrand, and those of Professor Talbot Rice, Sepros Vryonis, and J.M. Hussey among others, and use has been made of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Specfic Authorities are, “Versuch einer Genealogis der Palaiologen” by Averkios Th. Papadopulus, “The descendants of the Palaeologi after the fall” by Baron G.E. Typalos Athens, “Those after the fall”, by Prince A Comneno Ypsilanti, which is in the reading room of the British Museum, “Chroniques Greco Romanes” by Hopf “Le Despotat Grec de Moree” by D.A. Zakynthos, and Gibbions “Decline and fall of the Roman Empire”.

The Palaeologi Grand Mastership of this , now Oecumenial Chivalric Order, of the Imperial Constantinian Military Order of Saint George, which was named, The Most Holy, Noble and Most Illustrious Imperial Order, is derived from the first of their Dynasty to ascend the Imperial Roman Byzantine Throne, which they held as the longest reigning Dynasty in the Empires thousand year history, until its overthrow by the Turks. This work outlines the history of the Order, from the events which led to its foundation, by Constantine the Great in the year 312, its continued existence at the Imperial Court, until the flight of the Emperor Thomas, Despot of Morea, in 1460, and subsequently in Italy, Constantinople under the Sultans and then to England, and provides evidence for the unbroken descendent and succession of H.I.H. Prince Palaeologus, Despot of the Romans, as its 30th Hereditary Grand Master.