Knights of the Golden Eagle

Knights of the Golden Eagle
Emblem pin design featuring KGE symbols
Motto	Fidelity, Valor, and Honor
Formation	1872
Purpose/focus	Mutual benefit society

The Knights of the Golden Eagle (KGE) is an American fraternal society, founded by John E. Burbage at Baltimore, Maryland in 1872, with rituals based on legends of the Crusades and "the struggles of the Christian warrior after 'the immortal crown.'"

Structure

Castles

The Knights were organised into local Castles, where members were initiated into the three degrees — Pilgrims, Knights, and Crusaders. Above these bodies were Grand Castles, presiding over all Castles in a given region, which were in turn under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Castle.

Commanderies

In addition to the primary three degrees, a militia-style adjunct, styled Commanderies, was also open to Sir Knights in good standing with their Castle, where a further degree of Chivalry could be had, anointing initiates as Grand Chevaliers. In regions with fewer than five Commanderies, they were governed by Lieutenant-Generals directly appointed by the Supreme Castle, while those with more could form a Grand Commandery, under a Grand Commander, Grand Vice-Commander, Grand Marshal, Grand Herald, Grand Preceptor, Grand Historian, Grand Almoner, Grand Inner Guard, Grand Outer Guard.

Resources

• Rituals of the Knights of the Golden Eagle, stichtingargus.nl/vrijmetselarij, http://www.stichtingargus.nl/vrijmetselarij/kge_en.html  — includes the work for Pilgrim, Knight, and Crusader degrees.
• Wood, C.B. (1907), Odes and Marches of the Knights of the Golden Eagle, Pennsylvania: The Supreme Castle, https://archive.org/details/odesmarchesofkni00wood  — sheet music for Golden Eagle initiations and events