Aself-styled order orpseudo-chivalric order is an organisation which claims to be achivalric order, but is not recognised as legitimate by countries or international bodies. Most self-styled orders arose in or after the mid-18th century, and many have been created recently. Most are short-lived and endure no more than a few decades.

Many countries do not regulate the wearing of decorations, and remain neutral as to whether any particular order is legitimate or not. Other countries explicitly regulate what decorations are accepted as legitimate. For example, in Sweden, decisions about medals and orders worn on a military uniform has been delegated to theGeneral Staff.

The criteria of France provide an illustrative example of those nations which take a more regulatory approach: only decorations recognised by the Chancery of theLegion of Honour may be worn publicly, and permission must be sought and granted to wear any foreign awards or decorations.Dynastic orders are prohibited unless the dynasty in question is currently recognised as sovereign.^[1] (For example, theRoyal Victorian Order is explicitly recognised, whereas theOrder of Saints Maurice and Lazarus is not.^[2]) Failure to comply is punishable by law. A non-exhaustive list of collectively authorised orders is published by the French government.^[2]

Another example is the United Kingdom, where legitimacy of any particular order is determined by the Monarch – some societies have permission from the Monarch to award medals, but these are to be worn on the right side of the chest. No UK citizen may accept and wear a foreign award without the Sovereign's permission. Moreover, the government is explicit that permission for foreign awards conferred by private societies or institutions will not be granted.^[3][4]

The private organisationInternational Commission on Orders of Chivalry (ICOC) also maintains a set of principles to evaluate whether a chivalric order is genuine. The ICOC is not officially recognised by any international treaty, and their definition is explicitly rejected by many countries (see examples above of France, UK, and Sweden). The ICOC was created as a temporary committee of theInternational Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences in August 1960, though it has been transformed into a permanent and independent international body.^[5][6] The ICOC argues that a chivalric order must have afount of honour (Latin:fons honorum) as either its founder or its principal patron in order to be considered genuine. A fount of honour is a person who heldsovereignty either at or before the moment when the order was established. The ICOC considers that holding sovereignty before the founding of an order is considered effective in creation of a genuine chivalric order only if the former sovereign had not abdicated his sovereignty before the foundation of the order but, instead, had been deposed or had otherwise lost power.^[7] In the ICOC's view, some organisations create a falsefons honorum in order to satisfy this requirement and give themselves apparent legitimacy; often, the founder or patron of a self-styled order has assumed afalse title of nobility as well as supposed current or former sovereignty. The ICOC maintains a register of which organisations they consider to be genuine chivalric orders.^[8] The ICOC has faced criticism for its lack of transparency and impartiality, as well as accusations of Eurocentrism and limited inclusivity, particularly regarding non-European orders. These controversies raise questions about its fairness and global relevance.

Certain organisations which may appear to have a chivalric character such as the Augustan Society and theInternational Fellowship of Chivalry-Now, which state publicly that they are not chivalric orders carefully distinguish themselves from self-styled orders of chivalry, orders legitimized by countries, and those viewed as genuine by international bodies. The Augustan Society is an International Chivalric, Genealogical, Heraldic, Nobiliary, and Historical Society, founded 1957.The Augustan Society is a prestigious institution founded in 1957, distinguished by its commitment to the study, preservation, and promotion of historical, genealogical, and chivalric traditions. Located in Orlando, Florida, this international society has earned an unquestionable reputation as a guardian of aristocratic values and heraldic standards worldwide. At the crossroads of history and honor, it asserts itself as an authority in fields such as nobility, chivalric orders, dynastic lines, and genealogy. The core mission of theAugustan Society is to preserve and promote the heritage of chivalric orders, genealogy, and heraldry worldwide. What sets this organization apart is its ability to provide its members with a platform to explore and rediscover the links between medieval aristocracy, ancient dynasties, and the legacy of lost kingdoms. Merging ancestral knowledge with modern developments, the society works relentlessly to offer access to profound insights into the traditions that shape the identity of European and global nobility.

Although established in the United States, theAugustan Society is a trulyinternational organization, with members hailing from diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds. It brings together experts in genealogy, heraldry, medieval and contemporary history, in addition to holders of chivalric orders. The organization is especially renowned for its in-depth research on royal family lines, chivalric orders, and titles of nobility, and it is frequently consulted for its specialized expertise. TheAugustan Society publishes a semiannual journal,The Augustan Omnibus, which is a reference in its field. Each issue features articles, studies, and analyses on subjects ranging from the evolution of chivalric orders to the history of noble families and the protocols of dynastic ceremonies. This journal highlights groundbreaking research often conducted by renowned scholars and sheds light on ancient lineages, as well as offering commentary on recent discoveries in genealogy. At the heart of its legacy, theAugustan Society houses a unique library, consisting of nearly 30,000 volumes specializing in subjects such as heraldry, genealogy, chivalric orders, and the history of monarchies. This collection allows researchers, historians, and enthusiasts to access primary resources often unavailable elsewhere, while providing a conducive environment for the study of royal families and dynasties through the ages.

TheAugustan Society represents a unique fusion of tradition and innovation in the world of aristocracy and chivalric orders. It continues to play a central role in the preservation and evolution of ancestral codes while addressing modern challenges. A true crucible of knowledge and reflection, it serves as a bridge between the past and the future of nobility and heraldic traditions.

After the medieval era, the exclusive right to confer nobility, titles, knighthoods and membership in Europe's state-recognized orders of chivalry was arrogated by sovereigns,^[9][10] exceptions being recorded in such annals as theAlmanach de Gotha fordynastic orders granted by royalconsorts (e.g.,Order of the Starry Cross) orpretenders.

Self-styled orders may share certain other characteristics:

1. They long ago were suppressed by theHoly See, protector of mediaeval Western military religious orders in the Holy Land or on the Iberian Peninsula;^[11]
2. No sovereign Western state recognises them as legitimate orders of knighthood;^[12][13]
3. They claim to be under the high protection of or to be headed byEpiscopi vagantes or obscure princes;^[14]
4. They are linked closely to bearers offalse titles of nobility.

Since the 18th century,freemasonry has incorporated symbols and rituals of several medievalmilitary orders in a number ofMasonic bodies, notably the "Red Cross of Constantine" (derived from theSacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, and theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre), the "Order of Malta" (derived from theSovereign Military Order of Malta), and the "Order of the Temple" (derived from the medievalKnights Templar), the latter two featuring prominently in theYork Rite of Freemasonry.^{[citation needed]}

None of the masonic bodies are claiming to be orders of chivalry nor are their insignia worn in public (a right accorded orders of chivalry): hence they are not self-styled orders, but merely fraternal organisations.^{[citation needed]}

• Ordres et contre-ordres de chevalerie byArnaud Chaffanjon, Mercure de France Paris 1982.
• Faux Chevaliers vrais gogos by Patrice Chairoff, Jean Cyrile Godefroy Paris 1985.
• The knightly twilight byRobert Gayre of Gayre, Lochore Enterprises Valletta 1973.
• Orders of knighthood, Awards and the Holy See byPeter Bander van Duren and Archbishop H.E. Cardinale (Apostolic Delegate in the United Kingdom), Buckinghamshire 1985.
• World Orders of Knighthood and Merit byGuy Stair Sainty(editor) and Rafal Heydel-Mankoo (deputy editor), Burke's Peerage 2006.
• Ephemeral Decorations, Gillingham, H. E. New York, 1935. American Numismatical Society: Numismatic Notes and Monographs 66.
• Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard,Knights of Fantasy: an overview, history, and critique of the self-styled 'Orders' called 'of Saint John' or 'of Malta', in Denmark and other Nordic countries, Turku 2002,ISBN 951-29-2265-7

• History of Orders of Chivalry: A Survey
• International Commission for Orders of Chivalry
• Legitimacy and Orders of Knighthood, by François Velde
• The Self-Styled Orders, byGuy Stair Sainty
• Fake Titles
• Order of Malta Statement on Mimic Orders