Grand Master (Order)

A grand master is the head of a particular order.

Grand Master of Knightly Orders

Main article: Grand Master (order of knights)

Some religious as well as secular orders of knights are or were led by grand masters.

Ceremonial coat of the Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Fleece , Vienna Treasury

Grand Master of Orders of Merit

As Merit is called ecclesiastical or secular decorations that as award for special merits understood inclusion in a (often only in theory or symbolically existing) orden similar , hierarchically include structured community.

Former orders of knights named as orders of knights or continued as orders of merit often have a grand master as head. This is usually the head of the forgiving house or a family member.

Freemasons and Rosicrucians

Chairman of Grand Lodge of Freemasons and Rosicrucians are also referred to as Grand Master. In German-speaking countries today, only religious or esoterically oriented grand lodges of the Freemasons refer to themselves as Masonic orders .