Sigmuntine Order

The Order of Knights of Saint Sigmund (: Ordo Fratrum Sancti Sigismundus), commonly known as the Sigmuntine Order, is a Sigmuntine Protestant, traditionally containing both scholarly and military wings.

History
The Sigmuntine Order was founded by Saint Sigmund in 1213 as a within the, dedicated to the study of Christian theology, particularly its ascetic and liturgical aspects. Originally based in Tross, the Order soon caught the attention of crusaders who passed through the city on their way to fight the Madrakhai Sultanate in the south, and a military wing was established not long after its founding. Crusaders under the banner of the Sigmuntine Order captured the island of Altuya in 1344, and the Order was subsequently granted the island by Damsmarian crown. The Order controls the island to this day as the Lands of the Order of Saint Sigmund.

In the Protestant Reformation, the Sigmuntine Order broke with the Catholic Church in support of Sigmuntine Protestantism. It has since been aligned with churches connected to the Sigmuntine Communion, such as the Church of Tross.

Organisation
The Sigmuntine Order boasts a membership of roughly 11,000 worldwide. The membership is divided into numerous ranks, grouped into three classes. First Class members must prove noble ancestry and must profess the of chastity, poverty and obedience. Second Class members must also profess the vows, but do not need to prove noble ancestry. Third Class members do not need to profess the religious vows. Additionally, members are grouped into six geographical chapters. Membership can only be acquired through invitation, and can be removed upon bad behaviour, including breaking one's vows. The Order can also bestow honorary membership of foreign dignitaries, which does not require the profession of the religious vows regardless of the class.

The Sigmuntine Order is headed by a Grand Master and the Sovereign Council, consisting of himself and four other members responsible for the day-to-day governance of the Order. The other members of the Sovereign Council are:
 * The Grand Lieutenant, responsible for scholarly and theological activities
 * The Grand Chancellor, responsible for foreign relations
 * The Grand Treasurer, responsible for finances
 * The Grand Hospitaller, responsible for humanitarian activities

The Grand Master is elected for life by the Council of Electors. The Council consists of the members of the Sovereign Council, supplemented by one representative of each of the Order's six chapters, and four ex-officio members. These ex-officio members are the Lord Provost of Tross, the Archbishop of Tross, the Speaker of the Chamber of Comuna of Altuya and the Bishop of Puerto Tuya.