The history of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George is intertwined with the history of southern Italy and Sicily. During the Middle Ages, the region was a crossroads of cultures: Latin Catholic, Byzantine Greek, Lombard, Muslim, and Jewish. Norman forces gradually conquered the territories of southern Italy and Sicily and, in 1130, Roger II, a Norman, united these lands to establish the Kingdom of Sicily, creating one of the most remarkable and culturally diverse Christian kingdoms of medieval Europe.

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The kingdom later passed through several dynasties that successively controlled southern Italy and Sicily during the Middle Ages. They included the Hohenstaufen, a powerful German imperial dynasty most famously represented in southern Italy by Emperor Frederick II (1194–1250); the Angevins, a French royal dynasty, descended from the House of Anjou and led by Charles I of Anjou, who conquered the Kingdom of Sicily in 1266; and the Aragonese, rulers of the Crown of Aragon.

The political division that followed the War of the Sicilian Vespers in 1282 reshaped the history of southern Italy. The conflict began when Sicilians rebelled against Angevin rule and sought to end French control of the island. The Angevins retained the mainland kingdom, centered on Naples, while the Aragonese established control over Sicily. This division endured for centuries, and in 1816 the Bourbon monarchy formally united the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

 

In the eighteenth century, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George entered a significant new chapter through its relationship with the House of Bourbon, one of Europe’s great royal dynasties, which originated in France.

 

In 1734, Charles of Bourbons established Bourbon rule over the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, and the Order subsequently became an important part of the dynastic heritage and traditions of the Royal House.

 

The Order developed as a Catholic chivalric institution dedicated to the defense and glorification of the Cross, service to the Church, and works of charity. Its Constantinian character draws upon the Christian legacy associated with Emperor Constantine the Great, while its chivalric tradition embodies the ideals of faith, loyalty, courage, honor, and service. Under the Bourbon sovereigns of the Two Sicilies, these traditions were preserved and carried forward as part of the enduring heritage of the Royal House.

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THE AMERICAN DELEGATION

 

The American Association of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George was formally organized in 1979. In 1989 it was reorganized and incorporated as the American Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George (Naples-Two Sicilies), Inc.

 

Knights and Dames are located throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico and participate in charitable, spiritual, cultural, educational, and social activities. The Delegation's traditions also recognize the long history of women and chivalry in Southern Italy and throughout Europe. Today, both Knights and Dames participate in the life and charitable mission of the Orders.

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Throughout the year, the Delegation participates in and sponsors a range of spiritual, cultural, educational, and social activities, including:

 

• Feast-day Masses

• Religious and spiritual gatherings

• Investiture ceremonies

• Cultural programs

• Curated voyages to Italy

• Educational initiatives

• Social events

• Charitable projects and fundraising activities

The Delegation supports the international efforts of the Royal House and its Orders, as well as initiatives promoted by the Constantinian Charity Onlus.

 

The Delegation's work reflects the conviction that the traditions of chivalry are not merely historical honors but represent a continuing call to faith, responsibility, charity, and service.

 

Today, the Delegation brings together Knights and Dames from a broad spectrum of professional and civic life.