Warhammer Wiki
Advertisement
Warhammer Wiki

"The so-called ‘knights’ of your Empire are barely worthy of the name. It takes more than a lance and steed to make a knight – do we call the pig-riders of the greenskins knights when they ride to battle? No. Knighthood is more than the art of fighting from horseback. It is a way of life, a code of behaviour, and a daily quest for virtue… It is chivalry, something I fear the cavalrymen of the Empire will never understand."

—Sir Guy du Bastonne, Knight of Bretonnia.[2a]

"I am eager to discuss knightly virtue further with Sir Guy or any other Bretonnian who cares to call mine into question. My lance and I will shortly put the matter to rest."

—Sir Theodoric von Ritterstein, Knight Panther.[2a]
Empire Knights

A host of Imperial Knights charging into the fray.

The Knightly Orders of the Empire are noble heroic brotherhoods of armoured warriors who ride into battle atop mighty barded warhorses and sometimes other, more exotic creatures such as the Demigryphs.

Role[]

The noble-born warriors of the Empire do not form part of any state's standing army, for to do so would mean to rub shoulders with the common soldiery. Knights are magnificent figures, clad in gleaming suits of heavy Plate Armour and armed with weaponry of the finest quality. Every Empire knight bears heraldic devices emblazoned upon his shield representing his rank, his Order, and other icons of importance and symbolic meaning. The sight of a regiment of knights charging full tilt at the enemy is a terrifying prospect for the Empire's foes to face. As the knights thunder onwards, they are likened to an avalanche of steel and muscle, and those enemies not spitted on the end of sharpened lances are crushed beneath the trampling of iron-shod hooves.[1a]

To become a member of one of the Empire's select brotherhoods of Knightly Orders, a noble must forsake his feudal responsibilities and rights of inheritance and then pass a rigorous rite of initiation. There are many of these brotherhoods throughout the Empire. Some are small in size and their members are recruited from the local aristocracy, such as the Knights Griffon and the Order of the Broken Sword. Other orders restrict their membership to devout worshipers of a particular god. These are often referred to as knights templar, and they include such orders as the Black Guard of Morr and the zealous Knights of Sigmar's Blood. Whilst every Knightly Order will have a primary temple in one city-state or province, most will also maintain subsidiary temples across the length and breadth of the Empire. The most famous Orders in the Empire have histories stretching back centuries and their chapter houses are hung with ancient banners and battle throphies. The largest and most influential Orders are the Reiksguard Knights, Knights of the White Wolf, Knights Panther and Knights of the Blazing Sun.[1a]

The Knightly Orders of the Empire are organised along strict lines of hierarchy, with every novice trained in martial virtues and the chivalric code until he is ready to take up the mantle of a fully-fledged knight. As the warrior attains honour on the battlefield and proves his worth, he will ascend through the ranks of his Order and forge himself a warrior's name. The Order's veteran knights form its inner circle. These heroic warriors epitomise the warrior virtues of the Knightly Orders and they have accomplished mighty feats of arms, slaying their foes on countless battlefields. The Knights of the Inner Circle are the elite of the elite, amongst the best fighting men of the entire Empire.[1a]

Major Knightly Orders[]

Grand Order of the Reiksguard[]

Reikguard Knight Banner

Banner of the Reiksguard.

Founded during the reign of Wilhelm III, the first Emperor in the line of the Princes of Altdorf, the Reiksguard is recruited from the oldest sons of the Empire's nobility. Unlike other Knightly Orders, the Reiksguard is divided into warriors who fight on foot as heavy infantry and on horseback as traditional heavy cavalry. Regardless of how they fight, the Knights' weapons are of the highest quality, and their full plate armour is polished to a mirror-like finish and topped with crests that carry the colours of the reigning Emperor, Karl Franz. The Reiksguard Knights are the Emperor's best troops and, as such, form the core of his household guard. In this way, many masters of the Order have served as Imperial bodyguards, both on the field of battle as well as at other, more stately functions. It is traditional also for the Grand Master of the Reiksguard to serve as the Reiksmarshal - second only in authority to the Emperor himself in matters of war. In battle, the Reiksguard favour fighting in large regiments to better cow the enemy with the full splendour of their mirrored armour and crimson plumes. Imperial history is full of references to great battles won by a decisive charge by the Reiksguard Knights or a stalwart defence by the Reiksguard foot. Despite the potential power and influence that such a reputation offers, the Reiksguard has always stayed apolitical and loyal first, last, and always to the reigning Emperor, regardless of his dynastic or geographical origin- a stance that has in the past set them at odds with other, more transient or self-interested Knightly Orders.

Knights of the White Wolf[]

White Wolf Banners

Banner of the White Wolf.

The Ulricans are renowned for their steadfastness and reliability. Slow to forgive and vengeful when crossed, yet warm and open to allies and quick to offer friends the benefit of the doubt. Their ways are short and to the point, their strictures simple and their sermons without the pretentiousness common to other cults. This combination of strength of character, practicality and simple honesty makes the Cult of Ulric quite popular with the common man. The Ulricans themselves are their god in microcosm: brash, boisterous warriors with a lust for battle and unmatched skill at war. Even the priesthood of Ulric is comprised solely of highly accomplished warriors, and in some cases the cult will only initiate those with an acceptable military record or those who are otherwise proven in battle. Fierce and contentious by nature, when two officers of the cult come into conflict, a duel between them usually erupts to decide dominance, with the loser ultimately acquiescing to the wishes of the winner. Thus, might, for the Ulricans, makes right.

Knights Panther[]

Knights Panters

Banner of the Knights Panther.

The Knights Panther were established after the wars against Araby when returning crusaders brought back magnificent leopards, tigers, and panthers, as well as furs that adorned their clothing. The Knights Panther still trim their clothes and crests with whatever exotic, spotted or striped fur they can obtain. Their shields carry the emblem of their Order, the fabled spotted panther of Araby. Though the Crusades against Araby have long been over, the Knights Panther still carry their lances against the despotic lords of the South. Such fanaticism is not unusual in Knightly Orders, though most choose to battle a foe somewhat closer to home. In the past century, two separate Imperial Decrees commanding the Knights Panther to desist have been issued, but both times, these commands were rescinded. The Imperial Court preferred to offend a distant foreign nation rather than a powerful martial force. Unlike many Knightly Orders, the Knights Panther owe their first loyalty to the Empire itself and are sworn to the protection of its people and lands. The Knights Panther are based predominantly in the cities of Middenheim and Talabheim. These cities are traditionally major centres of Ulric worship, and as a result, the Knights Panther have a fierce rivalry with the Knights of the White Wolf, each Order trying to outdo the other in battle.

Order of the Blazing Sun[]

Blazing Sunz

Banner of the Blazing Sun.

A relatively small order, the Knights of the Blazing Sun are templars of Myrmidia because of their devotion to the Classical warrior deity, Myrmidia. Less worshiped of Sigmar in the lands of the Empire, it was only through the strangest of chances that the Order's worship of that martial-minded goddess began at all. During the Crusades against Araby, threescore Knights from the Empire lent their aid toward the recapturing of the Temple of Myrmidia in Magritta, the southern seaport of Estalia. During the fierce fighting around the temple, a violent earth tremor shook the building and dislodged the vast bronze statue of Myrmidia that was fixed on its topmost steeple. The statue fell to the ground, smashed into a thousand fragments, and flattened Emir Wazir the Cruel and his Black Scimitar Guard. With their leader slain, the Arabyan hordes abandoned the temple and left it in the hands of the Knights.[13a]

Knights of the Inner Circle, however, are taught that the Order has an older heritage. Forebears of the Knights fought as a bodyguard to Ottokar, a ruler in antiquity forgotten by all but classics scholars and playwrights interested by the legend about the Reman Empire. He boasted he had met the goddess Myrmidia and she had fallen in love with him. The stories have it that there was no earthquake during the battle, but that one of the knightly captains had thrown off his helmet in a moment of desperation and kissed the foot of the goddess. He beseeched her for aid, and she promptly toppled over and crushed his enemies.[13a]

Whathever was the truth returning to the Empire, the noble veterans of that battle founded the Order of the Blazing Sun and built a shrine to Myrmidia in the heart of the Imperial city of Talabheim. Though many folk mistrust them for courting strange foreign deities, the Knights of the Blazing Sun have unceasingly fought with distinction against the enemies of the Empire and are held as a prized ally by many Elector Counts.[13a]

Lesser Knightly Orders[]

Knights Griffon[]

The Knights Griffon are arguably the most drilled and militaristic Knightly Order in the modern Empire. Their daily rituals mostly consist of strict martial training. A veteran Knight Griffon is the epitome of discipline and soldiery on the field of battle. He is able and willing to hold his ground, attack or retreat in good order (should the situation require it). The Knights Griffon were founded in the year 2305 IC by Emperor Magnus the Pious as part of his rebuilding of the Empire after the Great War Against Chaos. Magnus requested one hundred of the most loyal and devout Knights Panther to join him at his court in the city of Nuln, where he formed an Order of devout Sigmarite Templars directly responsible for the protection of the Temple to Sigmar in the Empire's then-capital. The Knights were deeply honoured by this selection and accepted the offer, and the Order of Knights Griffon was incepted. When the Imperial Crown finally passed to the Princes of Altdorf in 2429 IC, the Knights Griffon moved their Chapterhouse to the Cathedral of Sigmar in Altdorf to maintain their vow to protect the heart of Sigmar's realm. As a result, there is some animosity between the Knights Griffon and the Reiksguard, each of whom views the other as imposing on their traditional role.

Templars of the Everlasting Light[]

Everlasting Knight

Banner of the Everlasting Knight.

The warrior code of this Order is founded squarely on the principles of justice and fairness. Naturally, as nobles, the Templars' opinion of justice contrasts markedly with that of the common folk, but it cannot be argued that the Templars often willingly fight for those who have no others to defend them. The Templars of the Everlasting Light defended the plague-struck village of Hafbad when no other would, and members of their Order gave their lives to defeat the mighty Shaggoth Brakorth in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Despite such deeds, the Order has passed into history for another, less glorious reason: the Templars of the Everlasting Light are cursed. The secret of how they became thus afflicted is locked within the Order's records, but speculation has it that they offended some deity while on Crusade in Araby centuries ago. Whatever the cause, they find themselves thrown from their horses at inopportune moments; swords break as a deathblow is delivered; and seemingly stable earth turns to marsh or quicksand once the hooves of their steeds touch it. Only a member of this Order (Kurt von Tzalza) could be struck in the eye by a ricochet that was fired behind him. Only a Grand Master of the Everlasting Light (Sigismund Drak) could be dumped unceremoniously into a cart-load of manure during a victory parade in Altdorf, the only such cart for many miles around. Only one Chapterhouse, in the entire history of the Empire, has vanished into a yawning chasm as the result of a freak earth tremor. There are many more varied accounts of this ill-fortune in the histories of the Empire. Nevertheless, the Templars of the Everlasting Light never run out of new recruits. To a certain class of nobility, it is better to belong to a famous Order, however unlucky it may be, than to one whose name is unknown beyond the walls of their Chapterhouse.

Knights of Sigmar's Blood[]

The Knights of Sigmar's Blood have a long and proud history. Led by their Grand Master, Hans Leitdorf - brother of the deceased Elector Count of Averland, their ranks are filled with the men of noble houses across the Empire. Their selection process is considered extreme even among the other Orders, as each Knight in training must spend a year in study within the Cult of Sigmar, where he is judged by the priests as to his worthiness.

Their Chapter House, Heldenhame Keep, is the grandest fortress in Talabecland. The castle was founded after the Knights of Sigmar's Blood had returned from Arabyan Crusades.

Order of the Black Bear[]

Easily the most boisterous of all the Knightly Orders within the Empire, the Knights of the Black Bear maintain a fortress on the borders of Averland, as well as a Chapterhouse in Averheim itself. Close as they are to the haunted land of Sylvania and the Orc-infested Worlds Edge Mountains, the Bears of Averland do not lack for opportunities to prove their martial valour. Even so, the Knights have often found themselves without a foe and have thus fashioned a series of martial tournaments to provide an outlet for their energies (they had previously engaged in the practice of Halfling coursing - an activity that was outlawed in 2402 IC). These tourneys test all facets of what the Black Bear perceive to be knightly skills and include such feats as swordplay, horsemanship and, of course, quaffing great quantities of alcoholic beverages - at least, for a Man. Where the name of the Order originates is a source of much debate. The official story, as put forward by the Black Bears themselves, speaks of a noble- yet impoverished -knight having to wrestle a great bear to save a lady of noble birth who had become lost in the Imperial wilderness. Recognising the nobility of his deed and being possessed of great wealth, she presented her saviour with a small portion of her wealth, which he used to found a Knightly Order house in Averheim. It is in this memory that each of the Order's tournaments is opened by the Order's Grand Master wrestling a bear- a practice that can lead to a great many Grand Masters coming and going in the space of a year, particularly when the mead flows! Other violently suppressed rumours indicate that there was no such incident and that the Order takes its name from a very prosaic tavern of the same name in Averheim.

Hunters of Sigmar[]

Warhammer-Template-Spoilers
Attention, Empire Citizens!
This article or this section of the article contains information regarding the Storm of Chaos campaign and its aftermath, which is now considered a non-canon, alternate timeline.

A relatively new Order recently established in 2521 IC, the Hunters of Sigmar have dedicated themselves to hunting down and destroying pockets of Chaotic resistance in the Drakwald forest region. The Order was formed by Jerik Wildorn in the aftermath of the Storm of Chaos, mainly in response to the increased presence of Beastmen and other dark and dangerous things lurking in the deep forests of the Empire's northern reaches. Jerik is an expert woodsman and tracker, and these skills are emulated, honed and perfected by the Order's Knights each and every day. They frequently provide escort services to coaches and merchant caravans travelling through the region. In addition to such duties, the Hunters of Sigmar go out of their way to track and eradicate evil where it lives within the woods. Their strategy revolves around the idea of striking at Chaos before its forces have time to gather and form a raiding army. By striking in a preemptive manner, lives are saved and small settlements spared the ravages of Chaos. The average Hunter of Sigmar often spends long periods of time living outdoors. As such, they have to provide their own sustenance and have little time to repair their equipment. They carry everything they might need into the field- you just never know how difficult a trail will be. Mud-spattered and odorous, Hunters are certainly not regarded as the most glamorous Knightly Order. In fact, when they gather together to form a skirmish group, they are often mistaken for a ragtag group of Freelance Knights, unaffiliated with any Order. However, their relentless struggle against the Forces of Chaos is more than welcome in these dark times. It is not uncommon for local people to offer shelter and food to these brave warriors of the Empire in a gesture of appreciation for all their efforts.

Order of the Broken Sword[]

The Order of the Broken Sword, formed after a band of local freelance knights led by Dott Barthos, gathered together to go after a marauding band of Chaos Beastmen. In recent months, these Beastmen had terrorised and pillaged several local farms. Their last raid left three entire families slaughtered, a missing farmer's daughter and three mutilated cows. Something had to be done. The knights tracked the Beastmen through the twisted forest to their camp and then readied themselves for battle. During the attack, Dott Barthos squared off against the leader of the foul beasts- Sizlak Grimhoof. In the ensuing battle with the vile Beastman, Dott Barthos was grievously wounded. With the last of his remaining strength, Barthos launched a ferocious attack. His sword swung in a wide arc, smashing against the head of Sizlak Grimhoof. The blow sheared the Beastman's skull clean in half, though breaking Barthos' sword in the process. With the Grimhoof defeated, Dott Barthos was filled with righteous fury. Pressing the advantage, Dott and his men pursued the fleeing Beastmen through the woods, eventually dispatched them all. In the aftermath of the skirmish, with his broken sword clutched to his chest, Dott Barthos finally succumbed to his terrible wounds. On that day, the surviving knights formed the Order of the Broken Sword, dedicated to stamping out evil and protecting the subjects of the Empire. Dott Barthos's Broken Sword and Grimhoof's cloven skull remain in the main hall of their Chapterhouse to this very day.

Order of the Sacred Scythe[]

The Order of the Sacred Scythe have made it their duty to patrol the shadowy roads and paths of eastern Stirland near the border with Sylvania. Long and mysterious is their history, with most of the Chapterhouse records kept under lock and key. Rumours abound that the Order has tainted bloodlines of ill repute- but no one knows for sure. What is known about the Scythes is that they are well-versed hunters of the Vampire. They tirelessly root out possible Vampiric threats, cults, and any who would serve such a dark master. As the Scythes deal mainly with creatures of the night and dark, necromantic magic, their methods are widely considered unorthodox and often downright improper. Most of the neighbouring provinces openly despise the Sacred Scythes and do not welcome them in their taverns or towns. This distrust is not entirely unfounded. Such is their fervour to destroy the Undead, that more than one town has been left burnt to the ground and smouldering in the wake of a Sacred Scythe "Tribunal." Encased in pitch-black plate armour and armed with a gleaming scythe, the Sacred Scythes are frightening to encounter on a lonely road after dusk. However, unbeknownst to the common people of the land, the Scythes perform a very real and useful service to the Empire. Their secret doings help keep Stirland from toppling into a land of blight and terror at the hands of the Vampire Counts of Sylvania.

Knights of Morr[]

Encased within black full plate armour and deathly silent when on the battlefield, the Knights of Morr are the dark guardians of the Empire. When parents wish to get their children to sleep at night, they tell them that the Knights of Morr will come for them unless they rest. The Knights of Morr are widely feared for their devotion to the God of the Dead, and dark tales abound regarding their initiation rites. Even so, their martial prowess is more than welcome to those they fight alongside, for their silent efficiency is among the best in the Empire. They are sometimes referred to as the Black Guard or Black Knights. They have their chapterhouse in the distant land of Tilea in the city of Luccini.

Order of the Gold Lion[]

A secular Order that does not directly serve the ecclesiastical cult of any god, the Knights of the Gold Lion are unusual in that they were founded in Araby during the Crusades. A group of disenchanted knights had fled to a backwater Arabyan village after their army had suffered a crushing defeat. There, these knights began to despair of ever returning home. One knight, Erich von Strommer, took it upon himself to restore their resolve. To prove the truth of their cause, he set out into the savanna to take the head of a man-eating lion. He claimed that should he succeed in this impossible task, it would be a sure sign of Sigmar's favour. Days passed, but return he did, near delirious, bearing the head of a massive lion. The knights were filled with courage, renamed themselves in honour of the feat, forged out into the desert and eventually met up with allies. Since then, the Order of the Gold Lion has served the Empire as one of its most loyal Knightly Orders.

Knights Encarmine[]

Founded by the rich dilettante Frederici Tolscano in 2310 IC, the Knights Encarmine are a flamboyant, foppish band of warriors. This may have something to do with the fact that the Secular Order is comprised entirely of the rich and privileged. Still, wealth alone is not a guarantee of entry, as there are very strict and rigid guidelines concerning who may actually join the Knightly Order. Being a collection of rich and generally powerful individuals, the Knights Encarmine hold much political clout in the Empire. As such, they have the option to choose which campaigns they will take part in- often the ones which require little actual dirty work to attain the most glory. Each member of the order maintains a brilliant suit of red plate armour topped by a tricolour plumage of green, white and red. As the paint coating the armour chips away easily, the suit must be constantly repainted after each action in order to maintain appearances. Members of the Knights Encarmine eschew the "lowly" shield, as it is a "commoner's defence" to hide behind a metallic barrier in battle. Instead, the Knights Encarmine practice a secretive two sword combat technique pioneered in Tilea. One sword acts as a deflection tool, while the other strikes the deathblow. Despite their often intolerable nature, the Knights Encarmine are very welcome when battle is finally joined. As the members of the Order incessantly hone their two-sword technique, they are masters of the blade. Foes fall in droves as the red-armoured Knights plow through ranks of enemy foot troops and mounted warriors alike. As long as an Imperial general can stomach the tales of highly exaggerated bravery afterwards, the Knights Encarmine are a valuable asset to any army of the Empire.[10a]

Order of the Hammer of Sigmar[]

The Order of the Hammer of Sigmar was founded in Altdorf shortly after the news of the destruction of the city of Mordheim reached the city in 1999 IC. Zealous Lectors of Sigmar encouraged the devout sons of local nobles to join the fledgeling Order. Once assembled, the Lectors sent the Order into the ruins of Mordheim to restore order and keep the faith (and the faithful) alive throughout the turmoil. The Templars of this Order can often be found bringing faith to the wavering masses and crushing the skulls of vile heretics. They ride into battle wielding great warhammers of all description, another sign of their devotion to Sigmar.

Order of the Fiery Heart[]

The Knights of the Fiery Heart are a Templar order which forms a fanatical military wing of the Cult of Sigmar. As a military-religious order of Sigmar, the "Hammer of the Goblins", they are dedicated to the destruction of all Goblinoids. In times of war they also fight alongside Imperial armies. The order has a long and glorious history dating from the Age of Three Emperors, when the Cult of Sigmar was outlawed in Talabecland.

Order of the Black Rose[]

The Knights of the Black Rose are a Knightly Order in the Empire with links to Morr. The Order's motto is Fear Not Death. The order recruits only from local nobility and its numbers have waned in recent years. The Knights of the Black Rose were founded sometime during the Black Plague by the Elector Count of Stirland to serve as his personal bodyguard however their allegiance has changed multiple times over the centuries. The order commonly uses motifs associated with death and the god of death Morr.

Knights of the Bull[]

The Knights of the Bull, also called the Stubborn Bulls are a knightly order from Ostland whose grandmaster, Leopold von Raukov, is a cousin of the Elector Count. They fight with two-handed greatswords are are known for a fighting formation called the "Bull Charge."

Knights of the Silver Mountain[]

The Knights of the Silver Mountain are an knightly Order located in Hochland, with strong ties to the Ludenhof family.[5a]

Knights of Shining Sword[]

Secular Order founded by an outcast knight who recovered the Solland Runefang after it was lost for centuries, members claim to be descendants of the fallen Order of the Southern Sword, champions of Solland since the time of Sigmar.[10a]

Knights of the Southern Sword[]

The fallen Order of the Southern Sword were champions of Solland since the time of Sigmar.[10a][11a][11b]

At the time the attempt to break the undead legion’s siege of Neuwald had proven disastrous, those who fell to Zahaak’s horde including the once proud knights of the order were brought into abominable service as Knights of Nagash, their corpses infused with the unholy semblance of life. After the battle the Knights of the Southern Sword had been scoured from the land, driven into the dust that had claimed Solland. Marshal Eugen Grosschopphe was the last survivor and the glory of the order faded with him.[10a][11a][11b]

Dismantled Knightly Orders[]

Kaiserknecht[]

The personal guard to Emperor Boris I Hohenbach. These soldiers were mostly drawn from sellswords from Bretonnia and beyond.[12a]

Sources[]

  • 1: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
    • 1a: pg. 42
  • 2: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 3rd Edition -- Omens of War
    • 2a: pg. 26
  • 3: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 4th Edition -- Core Rulebook
    • 3a: pg. 111
  • 4: Warhammer Armies: Empire (7th Edition) -- p. 40 - 42
  • 5: Warhammer Armies: Empire (6th Edition) -- p. 12
  • 6: Warhammer Armies: Empire (5th Edition) -- p. 52
  • 7: Knight of the Blazing Sun (Novels) by Josh Reynolds
  • 8: Reiksguard (Novel) by Richard Williams
  • 9: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Shades of Empire
    • 9a: pg. 89
  • 10: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Up in Arms
  • 11: Runefang (Novel) by C.L. Werner
  • 12: Dead Winter (Novel) by C.L. Werner
  • 13: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Career Compendium (RPG)
    • 13a: pp. 124-125
Advertisement