最古老与最高贵的蓟花勋章(英语:The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle)是授予苏格兰骑士的一种勋章,它现在的版本是英国国王詹姆斯二世在1687年时所制定的。蓟花勋章的配戴者极为稀少,在一般情况下,除英国君主以外,在世的受勋者只有16人。但英国君主有权再额外授予其他人蓟花勋章,如英国王室成员与外国君主等。与其它勋章不同的是,只有英国君主才有资格授予蓟花勋章,而毋需经过英国首相的建议或提名。
Quick Facts 最古老与最高贵的蓟花勋章 The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, 由英国君主授予 ...
最古老与最高贵的蓟花勋章 The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle
蓟花勋章由詹姆斯二世在1687年设立,他宣称这是古代就已有的勋章,但他的说法并没有可靠的证据支持,因为他的说辞是根据传言而来。传说,苏格兰国王阿查斯(英语:Achaius, King of Scots)与盎格鲁-撒克逊国王艾塞斯坦开战时不幸处于下风,此时他看见圣安德烈十字在天空出现,因而相信是圣安德烈显灵[2]:4。这使苏格兰军士气大盛,并因此扭转情势获得胜利。阿查斯为此制作蓟花勋章以奉献给圣安德烈[3]。然而这个传说最大的破绽在于阿查斯根本没和艾塞斯坦发生战争,他们甚至不在同一个时代[2]:4。而另一个传说则表示阿查斯在809年设立蓟花勋章以纪念苏格兰和查理曼帝国的同盟。其它版本还有苏格兰国王罗伯特·布鲁斯在班诺克本之战设立或恢复了蓟花勋章等[4]:890。
蓟花勋章的所有受勋者会共组成一个骑士团,这个骑士团有五位军官:主教长、监督、领行官、首席纹章官与秘书长。主教长通常由苏格兰教会的神职人员担任。这个位置在1763年成为王室礼拜堂(英语:Dean of the Chapel Royal)院长的职务之一,但在1969年时两者被分别任命[19]。而监督一职则依据1687年的法令负责保管印玺,但直到1913年以前都没有人出任此一职务[20],在1913年以后监督一职都固定由团里的骑士担任。领行官属于绿杖领行官之一,但和嘉德勋章的黑杖领行官不同的是,蓟花勋章的领行官并毋需在英国上议院任职[21]。首席纹章官由纹章院的院长担任[22],同时也常兼任秘书官一职。
每年6至7月,英国君主会居住在圣十字宫长达一周的时间,并在那里举行授予蓟花勋章的仪式[5]。每个蓟花勋章受勋者在教堂都有一个专属坐席,位置上饰有受勋者的盾徽,并放有他们的头盔、缀以顶饰与披风。如果受勋者有贵族爵位,在头盔下还会放有表示其身份的冠冕[33]:32-33。然而根据法律,女性(除了女王以外)一般不会被授予头盔与顶饰,因此会以小冠冕来代替(如果她有贵族身份的话)[34]。唯一的例外是马里昂·费雪夫人(Lady Marion Fraser),她的位置上饰有与男性受勋者相同的头盔与顶饰[32]:208。和其它英国勋章不同的是,受勋者的蓟花勋章不会放在这个位置上,而是放在毗邻的圣吉尔斯大教堂里[35]:42。圣吉尔斯大教堂里每个受勋者的位置上都有一块记录历任受勋者的瓷牌,除了姓名以外,还标明他们的盾徽与受勋日期等[32]:7-8、54。
This version of the foundation, although without the date, is given in the warrant 'reviving' the Order in 1687. (1687 warrant, quoted in Statutes, 1978, p1)
Members of the Order had to be Knights Bachelor before appointment (1703 Statutes, article 14, quoted in Statutes (1978), p17); only men could be created as such.
Additional statute 17 January 1842, quoted in Statutes (1978), p33. The first Royal Knight (other than a monarch) was a younger son of George III, HRH The Prince William Henry (later William IV), however he was admitted as one of the twelve ordinary knights (Nicolas, p51).
1703 Statutes, article 13, quoted in Statutes (1978), p17, refer to the office only as the Usher, and does not specify the colour of his baton of office, however by the time of a statute of 17 July 1717 he is referred to as Green Rod.
1703 Statutes, article 3, quoted in Statutes (1978), p15. In the 1687 statutes the riband was purple-blue; the colour was changed by Queen Anne when she refounded the Order.
Burnett, C.J.; Hodgson, L. Stall Plates of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle in the Chapel of the Order within St Giles' Cathedral, The High Kirk of Edinburgh. 爱丁堡: Heraldry Society of Scotland. 2001. ISBN 0-952525-83-6(英语). 引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
Paul, J.B. The knights of the Order of the Thistle: a historical sketch by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, and a descriptive sketch of their chapel by J. Warrack. 爱丁堡. 1911 (英语).
Innes of Learney, T. Scots heraldry; a practical handbook on the historical principles and modern application of the art and science 2nd. 爱丁堡: Oliver and Boyd. 1956 (英语).
Order of the Thistle. Statutes of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle: revived by His Majesty King James II of England and VII of Scotland and again revived by Her Majesty Queen Anne. 爱丁堡. 1978 (英语).