Zovko: Viteštvo danas, Naklada Sv. Antuna, Zagreb, 2016.
A new book by Swedish and Croaian heraldist Davor Zovko, issued by the St. Anthony Publishing House Zagreb, presents phaleristic and history of knightly orders, two disciplines close to both heraldry and vexillology, and includes several chapters directly on heraldry (e.g. describing knightly insignia in coats of arms). Besides one may find coats of arms and flags on most of the book illustrations.
From the contents:
-Knighthood is among the most important institutions in the history of human society, appearing already in the Middle Age and existing still today.
– The knightly orders and knightly titles today are state institutions used by sovereign states, governments and rulers to award their and foreign meritorious citizens.
– The appearance of knighthood, development during and afte rthe Middle Age, knighthood and nobility, knighthood and knoghtly titles today.
– Why are the kightly titles today more important, desirable and necessary then ever? Titles have two important functions in the modern society: to confirm to meritorious persons that their work indeed forwarded the human society, and to signalize top the public that the society still values and awards love, selflessness and diligent work.
– Spiritual military orders today are extended hand of the social work of the Church.
– What is the difference between the real knightly orders, that sovereign, recognized states grant to meritorious citizends and various self-proclaimed civic associations calling themselves “knightly orders”?
– Selfproclaimed private knightly civic associations are certainly not bad or negative, but the “titles” that they use and bestow are not the same as the real titles.
– The real knightly orders are state institutions regulated in the domain of public law, while all the private knightly associations arr regulated in the domain of private law, in the same way as, for example, music aficionado societies and similar.
– Numerous countries forbid by the law public use of “orders” and “titles” that were not granted by the state itself or by some foreign sovereign state.
– The Holy See proclaimed on multiple occasions in its official gazettes and explained that not one of numerous privately self-proclaimed knightly order associations are recognized.
– The Holy See considers inappropriate that churches and chapels are used for so-called “investiture ceremonies” organized by private knightly associations, that are not recognized by the Holy See.
– The book describes also some of the most well-known private knightly orders in existance today.
– The book is equipped with footnotes, and indices of names, orders and terms.
– Foreword by Mons. Stjepan Biletić, knight commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and the Master of Ceremonies of the Swedish Lieutenancy of the Order.
Hard cover, 21 cm, 232 pages, numerous colour illustrations. The book may be obrtained in the publisher’s book store in Zagreb. Price 145 HRK.
CIGH