Knights of Lazarus

The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem (Ordo Militaris et Hospitalis Sancti Lazari Hierosolymitani), better known as the Knights of Lazarus, is an order of chivalry originally founded at a leper hospital after 1098 by the crusaders of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The order was established to treat leprosy — its knights originally being lepers themselves. It is possible that king Baldwin IV of Jerusalem was a knight of this order or was, at least, assisted by it.

The symbol of the Order is a green eight-pointed Maltese Cross. It is believed to have given rise to the use of the green cross as the universal symbol for retail pharmacies worldwide. The word lazarette, in some languages being synonymous with hospital, is believed to also be derived from the hospitaller Order of St Lazarus.

Decline
After several centuries, the order went into decline and ceased to perform its original function. Starting with Pope Innocent VIII, attempts were made to merge it with the Knights of St. John. Eventually the order in Italy was merged with the Order of St. Maurice and in France with the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Several branches of the revived Order now claim to be the continuation of the old Order, a claim disputed by some experts and supported by others.

Diana's discovery
In A Discovery of Witches, Diana discovers Matthew's involvement in the Order when she is looking in his desk and accidentally finds a hidden drawer filled with seals. Diana does not mention this to Matthew, however, but eventually a conversation arises between the two in Shadow of Night, wherein Matthew reveals that he is the head of the Order since the death of his father, Philippe de Clermont.

Handing over to Marcus
Eventually, Matthew hands over reign of the Knights of Lazarus to Marcus Whitmore as he and Diana prepare to head to the sixteenth century. Matthew tells Marcus that he should only use the Knights when necessary given the fact that they have not been in use in centuries. Tensions arise, however, when Peter Knox makes his way to Sept-Tours and murders Emily Mather in cold blood. Matthew is furious with Marcus and remarks that as the Grand Master of the Order he should not have let Knox get anywhere near Sept-Tours, but Marcus rebukes him citing that he did everything he could.

After tensions with the Congregation come to a head, Marcus suggests forming a scion with the help of the Knights of Lazarus. Matthew is initially reluctant but eventually comes around to the idea and accepts it. After turmoil with Baldwin, the scion is established and as thus, Marcus invites all of their members into the Order — this marks the first moment in years when a new member of the Order has been appointed.

Known Members

 * Philippe de Clermont (deceased)
 * Bertrand (deceased)
 * Walter Raleigh (deceased)
 * Marcus Whitmore (Grand Master)
 * Matthew Clairmont (Grand Master; formerly)
 * Baldwin Montclair
 * Nathaniel Wilson
 * Gallowglass de Clermont
 * Henry Percy
 * Hamish Osborne
 * Fernando Gonçalves
 * Miriam Shepherd
 * Jack Blackfriars
 * Rebecca Bishop-Clairmont
 * Philip Bishop-Clairmont
 * Christopher Roberts
 * Sarah Bishop
 * Diana Bishop