The Order of the Old Nobility, also called Order of the Four Emperors (German: Ritterorden vom Alten Adel oder der vier roemischen Kaiser), is an old family order of knighthood, established on 6 December 1768, of the Counts of Limburg Stirum, sovereign rulers of the counties of the same name in Westfalia

Westfalia

Westfalia is the designation of various specially converted Volkswagen camper vans. It is named after Westfalia-Werke, the contractor that built the vans, which is headquartered in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück located in the Westphalia region of Germany....

.

With this Order were honoured the four Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire

Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...

, namely Henry VII

Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor

Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...

, Wenceslas

Wenceslaus, King of the Romans

Wenceslaus ) was, by election, German King from 1376 and, by inheritance, King of Bohemia from 1378. He was the third Bohemian and second German monarch of the Luxembourg dynasty...

, Sigismund of Luxemburg and Charles IV

Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor

Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....

. Twelve commanderies with incomes of 500 gulden were attached to the Order. Knights and Commanders gave at their nomination, a substantial amount of money or a territory as commandery to the Order. They could still enjoy the revenues of such territories, but left it to the Order afterwards.

The Order has three grades:

• Grand Cross
• Commander
• Knight (picture)

The eight-pointed cross is covered with white enamel and in the light blue medallion is a gold representation of St George on his horse, fighting a golden dragon. On the arms are written the letters “H-S-W-C” in gold, in honour of the four Emperors. The ribbbon is grey-blue with yellow borders.

In Jörg Nimmerguts catalogue another model of Knight cross can be found with flames on the arms of the cross, a crown and the letters "P-P-D-E". In the medallion is an angel with a child in the hand.

In 1806 the Counts of Limburg Stirum were mediatized and they lost their rule over their counties. Ackermann in his book, published in 1855, listed this Order as extinct. Similary, Archbishop H.E. Cardinale, wrote, that the Order ceased to exist. An examination of the Dutch High Council of Nobility (Hoge Raad van Adel) in 1886 gave the result that Order is extinct.
See also:

• Order of St Philip of the Lion of Limburg
  Order of St Philip of the Lion of Limburg
  The Order of St Philip of the Lion of Limburg , is an old order of knighthood established in 1700 by the Counts of Limburg Stirum, sovereign rulers of the counties of the same name in Westfalia...
  
  

Literature

• Jörg Nimmergut, Deutschland-Katalog 2001 Orden und Ehrenzeichen, Nummers 1088 e.v.
• Gustav Adolph Ackermann, "Ordenbuch" Annaberg 1855
• Orders of knighthood, Awards and the Holy See by Peter Bander van Duren
  Peter Bander van Duren
  Peter Bander van Duren was a British expert on heraldry and orders of knighthood.Dr. Peter Bander became a British citizen in 1962 and changed his name in 1976 by deed poll to Peter Bander van Duren adding the name of his mother in an altered form to his father's name.Dr...
  
  and Archbishop H.E. Cardinale (Apostolic Delegate in the United Kingdom), Buckinghamshire 1985.