The Order of the Dragon

The Order of the Dragon (Ordo Draconis) is a chivalric crusading order dedicated to the defense of Christianity, charity, and the protection of Mankind from the forces of evil. I say "is" because it still exists (in my fictional universe). Sir Differel Van Helsing serves as Grand Master.

The Order is based on a previous secret society of 13 knights dedicated to the assassination of the Ottoman Sultan, Murad I; it was called the Sacred Order of the Dragon of Saint George. Though they succeeded in their aim at the battle of Kosovo Polje on June 15th, 1389, only one of the knights survived. He became the military tutor of the Serbian Prince, Stefan Lazarevic, who became a knight and vassal to the Kingdom of Hungary. He told the king, Sigismund von Luxembourg, about the Sacred Order, and he in turn resolved to revive the society as a force against the Ottoman Empire. He announced the charter for the Order of the Dragon on December 13, 1408, and inducted 24 kings, nobles, and knights in the rank of Knight of the Dragon, with himself as Grand Master. Among them was Vlad II, Voivode of Wallachia, who would later induct his son, Vlad III, who would later become known as Vlad Tepes Drakulya. The Order was sanctioned by the Pope in 1411 and soon expanded among the knights and nobility throughout Central and Eastern Europe.

In 1431, Sigismund decided to expand the Order by creating multiple ranks. Also, the Order chose to divorce itself from a traditional, dynastic Order of Chivalry associated with a royal house and instead became a true crusading brotherhood. To that end, they decided that when Sigismund died, the position of Grand Master would not go to his descendents, but rather to a worthy member of the Order, popularly elected by the rest. The third Grand Master, Janos Hunyadi, shunned the public nature of the original Order and instead preferred to operate more clandestinely. As a result, the Order disappeared from history's list of noble chivalric orders, even as it continued its mission of protecting the Church, fighting the Ottoman Turks, and helping the poor and sick.

The Order continued its mission well into the sixteenth century, eventually coming under the patronage of the Transylvanian princes. In 1580 they revised the Order into an ecumenical fraternity that could rally people of various creeds, cultures, and faiths to a common standard. Though the Order retained its Catholic trappings and insignia, it now had members who were Orthodox, Protestants, and Jews. However, as first Transylvania and then Hungary fell to the Ottomans, the orientation of the membership drifted first north into Poland and then east into Russia. As well, the membership dwindled, as they fell in battle or died off. The penultimate Grand Master was Prince Dmitri Cantemir, the Despot of Moldavia, who was besieged by the Turks. Though he rallied what was left of the Order, he was defeated and driven out of his principality to eventually die in exile. On his death, the position of Grand Master passed to his suzerain, Peter the Great of Russia, but he decided there were too few knights in the Order to justify its continued existence and he placed it in abeyance. The Russian Crown retains the right to reconstitute the Order at a future date, but since the Crown itself is in abeyance, it becomes increasingly unlikely that will ever happen. That's the official history.

When Vlad Drakulya "died" in 1476 and rose as a Vampire, he didn't renounce his allegiance to the Order. In fact, he continued to follow its mandate by making war on the Ottoman Empire. When Peter the Great placed the Order in abeyance, however, he chose to ignore that and declared himself Grand Master. Over time he would induct promising people in the Order, but few and far between. Eventually he let it slip into abeyance as he turned more to being a monster.

When he was defeated by Abraham Van Helsing, he finally found a man worthy enough to be in the Order. He also inducted his son George, but because of his contempt for the grandson Miles he decided not to do so with him. After Differel released him, he inducted her into the Order, but by the time she had taken over as Director of the Caerleon Order he came to believe she was a worthy successor to become Grand Master, and he made her so. Since then she has continued to expand the Order, inducting the Queen, the Princes Philip, Charles, and Andrew, the Princesses Margaret and Anne, and William and Harry after they were born, as well as Aelfraed, Mr. Holt, Lady Margaret Chesham, and Maggie King. She inducted Team Girl after they saved her in the Dreamlands. But she continues to keep the Order clandestine.

She has set the following goals for the Order:

1. Defense of the Christian faith
2. Protection of Mankind against Evil
3. Propagation of the principles of universal brotherhood, friendship and amity between men of all races, faiths and nationalities
4. Defense and maintenance of the chivalrous ideals of Justice, Honor, Care of the Sick, and Protection of the weak and infirm
5. Furtherance of philanthropic and benevolent virtues and aims

The motto of the Order is O Quam Misericors est Deus, "How Merciful is the Lord".

The protector of the Order is St. George, and its feast day is April 30.


The symbol of the Order is a dragon with its tail looped around its neck and the cross of St. George emblazoned on its back.

The mantle (cloak) is cowled and obsidian with a red lining. It is worn on the feast day and during induction ceremonies.


A special collar is also worn around the neck with the mantle.

There are classes of ranks (from highest to lowest):

Knight Grand Cross with Swords (KGSOD) --- individuals who have shown the highest devotion to the principles of the Order: to faith, justice, humanitarianism, charity, chivalry and nobility; may be called "Excellency" and include the insignia in their coats of arms

Knight Grand Cross (KGCOD) --- individuals who have shown an outstanding level of devotion to the principles of the Order

Grand Official (KOOD)

Commander (KCOD)

Knight (KOD)

The decorations for each level begin with the dragon insignia against a crusader's cross hung from a red and black ribbon worn on the chest for Knights.

Commanders wear the dragon and cross around the neck with a red and black collar.

Officials wear the dragon and cross surrounded by the motto in the center of a badge with eight points; four Byzantine eagles accent the points of the cross; the badge is worn on the chest.

Grand Cross knights wear the Officials chest badge and a black crusader's cross accented with Byzantium eagles around the neck with a red and black ribbon.

Grand Cross with Swords knights wear the same decorations as the Grand Cross knights, but with crossed swords behind the neck cross and the chest badge.

These decorations are worn with the mantle and collar, or on special occasions along with other decorations as part of a dress uniform or formal dinner jacket or gown.


A pin that can be worn as everyday jewelery is standard for all members of any rank.