When Alexander, the Macedonian conqueror, made his famous expedition against Cyrus, he besieged Gaza, which was in his route. It made an obstinate resistance of five months; but it was at last taken by storm, its brave defenders were slaughtered at their posts; their wives and children were sold as slaves; and the city was repeopled with inhabitants, drawn from the surrounding country.
The crusaders found it in ruins, but they erected a castle here, and entrusted it to the Knights Templars. From that time, it began to revive: it soon passed into the hands of the Saracens, and then to the Turks, who still hold it. Dr. Robinson, a very learned American minister, has lately visited the place. He says there are now fifteen or sixteen thousand people there, which makes it a larger city than Jerusalem. He says the city is built upon a small hill, and bears few marks of its former greatness. Its walls have entirely disappeared, and most of the houses are miserable mud huts.
Knights Templars, and other Orders of Knighthood.
In a former number of the Museum ([p. 145]) we have given an account of the order of Knights Templars, with an engraving representing their appearance. In this number we give another picture, delineating more accurately their dress and armor.
We have stated that the order of Knights Templars originated about the period of the crusaders: but other orders of knights existed long before. So early as the year 506, history tells us that knights were made in England, with great ceremony. A stage was erected in some cathedral, or spacious place near it, to which the gentleman was conducted to receive the honor of knighthood. Being seated on a chair decorated with green silk, it was demanded of him, if he were of good constitution, and able to undergo the fatigue required of a soldier; also, whether he was a man of good morals, and what credible witnesses he could produce to affirm the same.
Then the bishop, or chief prelate of the church, administered the following oath: “Sir, you that desire to receive the honor of knighthood, swear, before God and this holy book, that you will not fight against his majesty, that now bestoweth the honor of knighthood upon you; you shall also swear to maintain and defend all ladies, gentlemen, widows, and orphans; and you shall shun no adventure of your person in any way where you shall happen to be.”
The oath being taken, two lords led him to the king, who drew his sword, and laid it upon his head, saying, “God and Saint George (or whatever other saint the king pleased to name) make thee a good knight.” After this, seven ladies, dressed in white, came and girt a sword to his side, and four knights put on his spurs. These ceremonies being over, the queen took him by the right hand, and a duchess by the left, and led him to a rich seat, placed on an ascent, where they seated him, the king sitting on his right hand, and the queen on his left. Then the lords and ladies sat down upon other seats, three descents under the king; and, being all thus seated, were entertained with a delicate collation; and so the ceremony ended.
The famous order of the Garter, which is still conferred as a badge of honor, by the kings of England, upon such as they desire to favor, was instituted in 1344. The Knights of the Bath, another famous order, also still continues: this originated in France, and took its name from the ceremony of bathing, which was practised by the knights previous to their inauguration.
The Knights of the Thistle is a Scottish order; that of the Knights of St. Patrick was instituted by George III., in 1783. There are a great multitude of other orders, and among these, that of the Bear, the Elephant, and the Death’s Head. In former times, as I have told you, knights went about in quest of adventures, or they were devoted to warlike enterprises. But in modern times, being a knight is nothing more than to have a sash, or ribbon, or star, with a few diamonds or precious stones attached to it, conferred by a king or queen, with some ceremonies of no great meaning.