The History
Nine centuries of service, struggle and story — from medieval knighthood to the unfinished story of the Royal Oak.
01Chapter 01
Faith, warfare and the emergence of the medieval knight
Beginning at the end of the eleventh century, successive Crusades brought together warfare, pilgrimage, religion, allegiance and ideas of Christian duty.
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02Chapter 02
Warrior monks and one of history's most enduring symbols of knighthood
The Knights Templar emerged in the early twelfth century in the aftermath of the First Crusade.
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03Chapter 03
Knighthood becomes an enduring institution
Founded by Edward III in 1348, the Order of the Garter became the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain.
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04Chapter 04
Crown, Parliament, loyalty and a kingdom divided
During the seventeenth century, disputes concerning monarchy, Parliament, religion and political authority developed into the English Civil Wars.
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05Chapter 05
Defeat, escape and the beginning of the Royal Oak story
On 3 September 1651, the Royalist army of Charles II was defeated by Parliamentarian forces at the Battle of Worcester.
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06Chapter 06
The tree that sheltered a king
At Boscobel House in Shropshire, Charles II and Major William Careless climbed into a heavily branched oak while Parliamentarian soldiers searched the surrounding woodland.
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07Chapter 07
The Crown returns
Following the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, the political settlement of the Commonwealth became increasingly unstable.
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08Chapter 08
The knights who were proposed — but never created
In the aftermath of the Restoration, plans were considered for an Order of the Royal Oak.
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09Chapter 09
The story begins again — differently
More than three and a half centuries after the proposed Order of the Royal Oak, KRO687 takes inspiration from the unfinished story.
Read this chapter›The Journey Continues
What happens next will be determined by the people whose names are added to the modern Roll.