Teutonic Cross

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The cross of the Teutonic Order or Knights of the Holy Cross. This was a Prussian Order founded in the Holy Land in 1191 where they erected a hospital in Acre. The knights wore a white mantel and had for their badge a Cross Potent sa charge with another double Cross Potent or and surcharged with an inescutcheon of the Empire, the principal cross surmounted by a chief az semé of France¹. The Cross Potent was assigned by the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VI, to which John, King of Jerusalem added the double Cross Potent.  The Emperor Frederick gave them the double headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire and King St Louis IX granted them the chief az semé of fleur-de-lis.

After the Reformation, the Order split in two. The Roman Catholic branch assumed a Cross Patonce sa surmounted of a Cross Fleury or, overall an inescutcheon or charged with the imperial eagle². The Protestant branch had a Cross Paté arg surmounted of another sa; above the cross was a ball twisted black and white³.