KNIGHT OF THE TRIPLE CROSS. This Order was founded in 1080. It is held in a Sovereign Council. The Master is styled Grand Commander; the Wardens Sublime Knights; the Master of Ceremonies Grand Esquire, and the other members Knights. The jewel is three crosses arranged in a square. History—In 1080, Solyman, Prince of the Turks, established the seat of his Empire, or rather of his tyranny, at Nicopolis, in Syria Minor. Among many pilgrims who then resorted to the holy places of Palestine a French man, named Pierre Clement, made the journey to Jerusalem, in 1093, and then, conferring with Simon the patriarch, offered to convey letters from him to the Pope and all the western princes, to arouse them to expel from the Holy Land those barbarians and infidels. The good patriarch accepted his offer, and entrusted to him all the letters for which he asked. Pierre Clement embarked without delay, and repaired to the court of the Pope, where he presented the letters of the patriarch to Urban II., who sent him into all the provinces on either side of the Alps, to negotiate with the princes, and publicly to preach the crusades. All
who were made acquainted with the designs of the Pope exhibited much zeal for so holy an undertaking; but Urban thought it fitting to convoke a council, in which he himself presided. During this council, which was held in 1095, he addressed the members in the great hall of the city, and so excited the council, that all cried out together, as if in concert, "Dieu le Vent!" The Pope willed that a cry, which was so good an omen, should become the device of the whole army, be borne on the flags and standards, and be the war cry of the soldiery, and even of their captains in battle, to animate each other to deeds of daring. And he determined that those who enlisted in this service should wear a red cross upon the right shoulder, to show that they were the soldiers of him who had conquered the cross. Many princes took up the cross, and they were conjointly the chiefs of that holy enterprise, without any one of them claiming to have the right to command the others.