Order of the Thistle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle |
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Insignia of Knights and Ladies of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle
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| Awarded by the monarch of Scotland (United Kingdom) and successor states | |
| Type | Order of chivalry |
| Established | 1687 |
| Motto | Nemo me impune lacessit |
| Criteria | At the monarch's pleasure |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Founder | James VII |
| Sovereign | Charles III |
| Chancellor | The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry |
| Grades |
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| Statistics | |
| First induction | 29 May 1687 |
| Last induction | 10 March 2024 |
| Total inductees |
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| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of the Garter |
| Next (lower) | Order of St Patrick |
 Ribbon of the Order of the Thistle |
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The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is a special group of knights and ladies connected to Scotland. It's like an exclusive club that honors people for their great achievements. The modern version of this order was started in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland. He said he was bringing back an even older order.
The group includes the King or Queen (called the Sovereign) and sixteen knights and ladies. There are also "extra" knights and ladies, who are usually members of the British royal family or kings and queens from other countries. The King or Queen decides who gets to join the order. They don't need advice from the government, which is different from most other honors.
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The main symbol of the order is the thistle. This is the national flower of Scotland. The order's motto is Nemo me impune lacessit. This is Latin for "No one provokes me with impunity." You can also see this motto on the royal coat of arms used in Scotland. It has also appeared on some pound coins. The special saint of the order is St Andrew.
Most British orders of chivalry cover the whole United Kingdom. However, the three most important ones are each for a specific country. The Order of the Thistle is for Scotland. It is the second most important order in the UK. The most important is the Order of the Garter, which is for England. It started way back in the 1300s. There was also an order for Ireland, called the Order of St Patrick, but it is no longer active.
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History of the Order
Many people believe that King James VII was bringing back an old order. The official papers from 1687 say that the order began in 786. This was after a battle where the cross of St Andrew appeared in the sky. However, historians don't have strong proof for this very old story.
Some other stories say the order started in 809. This was to celebrate a friendship between a Scottish king and Emperor Charlemagne. Another idea is that Robert the Bruce started it after his victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
Most historians think the order might have truly started in the 1400s. This was during the time of King James III. He used the thistle as a royal symbol. He even made coins with thistles on them.
It's possible that a Scottish order of knights existed in the 1500s. It might have been called the Order of St. Andrew. But it seems to have stopped by the end of that century. A picture from around 1503 shows King James IV wearing a collar made of thistles. Also, a painting from 1538 shows King James V wearing a similar gold collar.
In 1687, King James VII officially "revived and restored" the Order of the Thistle. He wanted to reward loyal Scottish Catholics. However, the idea actually came from John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort. Only eight members were chosen at first.
After King James was removed from power in 1688, no new members were added for a while. But Queen Anne started appointing knights again in 1704. Since then, the order has continued to exist. It is now used to honor Scots who have done important public work or helped their country a lot.
Who Can Join the Order?
The Kings and Queens of Scotland, and later of the United Kingdom, have always been the leaders of the Order. When King James VII brought the order back, he said it should have the Sovereign and twelve knights. This was to represent Jesus and his Twelve Apostles. In 1827, King George IV increased the number to sixteen members.
At first, women (unless they were the Queen) could not join the Order. But in 1937, George VI made his wife, Queen Elizabeth, a Lady of the Thistle. Then, in 1987, Elizabeth II allowed women to regularly join both the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Garter.
Sometimes, special members are added to the order. They are called "Extra Knights" or "Extra Ladies." They don't count towards the sixteen-member limit. Members of the British royal family often join this way. The first foreigner to join was King Olav V of Norway in 1962.
The King or Queen has always chosen the members of the order. For a long time, they would get advice from the government. But George VI felt that these orders were being used for political reasons. So, in 1946, he decided that the King or Queen would personally choose members for the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Garter. This was to make sure people were rewarded for their true achievements.
Knights and Ladies of the Thistle can also join the Order of the Garter. In the past, many knights would leave the Order of the Thistle if they joined the Garter. But this doesn't happen anymore.
A Knight or Lady can also lose their membership. Only one person has ever lost their knighthood from this order. This was John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar. He lost it after taking part in a rebellion in 1715.
The order has five main officials: the Chancellor, the Secretary, the Dean, Lyon King of Arms, and the Usher. The Dean is usually a religious leader from the Church of Scotland. The Chancellor looks after the order's official seal. The Usher carries a green rod. The Lord Lyon King of Arms is the head of Scottish heraldry (the study of coats of arms).
The Thistle Symbol
According to a legend, a Viking army was trying to surprise a Scottish army at night. One barefoot Viking stepped on a thistle and cried out in pain. This warned the Scots that invaders were near. Some people say this happened at the 1263 Battle of Largs. This battle marked the beginning of the Vikings leaving Scotland.
Special Clothes and Symbols
For important events, like the yearly service or a coronation, the Knights and Ladies wear special, fancy clothes:
- The mantle is a long green robe. It is worn over their suits or military uniforms. It has a white lining and green and gold tassels. The star of the order is on the left shoulder.
- The hat is made of black velvet. It has white feathers and a black egret's or heron's plume in the middle.
- The collar is made of gold. It shows thistles and sprigs of rue (a plant). It is worn over the mantle.
- The St Andrew (also called the badge-appendant) hangs from the collar. It is a gold picture of St Andrew. He wears a green gown and purple coat and holds a white saltire (X-shaped cross).
For less formal events, members wear simpler symbols:
- The star of the order is a silver St Andrew's saltire. It has rays between its arms. In the middle is a green circle with the order's motto in gold letters. Inside the circle, there is a thistle on a gold background. It is pinned to the left side of the chest.
- The broad riband is a dark green sash. It is worn across the body, from the left shoulder to the right hip.
- The badge of the order is attached to the right hip of the riband. It shows St Andrew, just like the badge-appendant, surrounded by the order's motto.
When a Knight or Lady passes away, their symbols must be returned. The badge and star are given back to the King or Queen by the closest family member.
The officers of the order also wear green robes. The Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod carries a green rod.
The Thistle Chapel
When King James VII created the modern order in 1687, he wanted the Abbey Church at Holyrood Palace to be the Chapel for the Order of the Thistle. However, King James was removed from power soon after. The Chapel was destroyed during riots. The order did not have a special Chapel until 1911. Then, one was added to St Giles High Kirk in Edinburgh.
Every year, the King or Queen stays at Holyrood Palace for a week in June or July. During this visit, a service for the order is held. Any new knights or ladies are officially welcomed into the order at these yearly services.
Each member of the order, including the King or Queen, has a special seat in the chapel. Above their seat, their heraldic symbols are displayed. A knight's helmet, decorated with his crest, sits above his seat. If he is a peer (a noble), his special crown is placed below the helmet. For women, a crown is used if she is a noble or princess.
Unlike other British orders, the coats of arms of Knights and Ladies of the Thistle are not hung in the chapel itself. Instead, they are in a nearby part of St Giles High Kirk. The Thistle Chapel does have special plates on the back of each seat. These plates show the member's name, coat of arms, and the date they joined the order.
When a Knight passes away, their helmet, crest, and sword are taken down. But the special plates stay on the seats forever. This creates a colorful record of all the knights and ladies since 1911. The entrance area outside the chapel has the names of members from before 1911 written on the walls. This gives a complete list of everyone who has been part of the order.
Importance and Privileges
Knights and Ladies of the Thistle have a high rank in Scotland. They rank above almost all other knights, except those from the Order of the Garter. They also rank above baronets. The wives, sons, and daughters of Knights of the Thistle also get a special rank. However, the relatives of Ladies of the Thistle do not get any special rank.
Knights of the Thistle use "Sir" before their first name. Ladies use "Lady" before their first name. For example, Sir Ian Wood or Lady Elish Angiolini.
Knights and Ladies also use special letters after their names: "KT" for Knights and "LT" for Ladies. These letters are placed before most other honors.
Members can also show their membership on their coat of arms. They can draw a green circle with the order's motto around their arms. The badge of the order hangs from this circle. In Scotland, the Royal Arms show the symbols of the Order of the Thistle.
Knights and Ladies can also have special supporters (figures holding up their shield) on their coat of arms. This is a very high honor. Only members of the Royal Family, nobles, and members of the Order of the Garter usually have this privilege.
Current Members and Officers
- Sovereign: The King (since 2022; he was a member since 1977 as The Duke of Rothesay)
- Extra Knights and Ladies:
- The Princess Royal (joined in 2000)
- The Duke of Rothesay (joined in 2012)
- The Queen (joined in 2023)
- The Duke of Edinburgh (joined in 2024)
- Knights and Ladies:
- The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine (1981)
- The Lord Mackay of Clashfern (1997)
- The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn (2000)
- The Lord Steel of Aikwood (2004)
- The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen (2004)
- The Lord Cullen of Whitekirk (2007)
- The Lord Hope of Craighead (2009)
- The Lord Patel (2009)
- The Lord Smith of Kelvin (2014)
- The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry (2017)
- Sir Ian Wood (2018)
- Lady Elish Angiolini (2022)
- Sir George Reid (2022)
- The Baroness Black of Strome (2024)
- The Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (2024)
- Sir Geoff Palmer (2024)
- Officers:
- Dean: David Fergusson (since 2019)
- Chancellor: The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry (since 2024)
- King of Arms: Canon Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms (since 2014)
- Secretary: Elizabeth Roads (since 2014)
- Usher: Rear Admiral Christopher Layman, Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod (since 1997)
See also
In Spanish: Orden del Cardo para niños
- List of knights and ladies of the Thistle (1687–present)
- Thistle Chapel
