Order of knights of the ears of corn

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The order of knights of the ears of corn (including corn ears Order or has ears Order , fr. Ordre de l'Épi ) was a secular order of knights , which in 1450 by the Duke of Brittany , I. Franz was donated.

The order was intended to honor virtuous people. The reason was probably the Transubstantiation sacrament. The duke promoted the cultivation of grain, which his vassals had to realize. Among other things, the bread to be sanctified was prepared from the grain.

The Order had only a religious class that the knight. The sign of the order was a gold chain with ears of corn plaited crosswise as a "love knot". They formed a wreath of ears and on this hung a badge, on which a white ermine standing on a green lawn and the motto of the order "A ma vie" was depicted. Legend has it that the ermine is so fond of cleanliness that if it finds its pit tainted with mud, it would rather be caught by the hunters than dirty its white winter fur in the mud. The ermine symbolized the will that one would rather let oneself be killed than that one would do evil. The symbolism can also be found in the Hermelin Order .

The order's robe was made of red-lined white damask. A golden cross formed by four ears of corn pointing outwards.

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