History of the Order of the
Red Cross of Constantine

                                                           Constantine                             The Vision of Constantine

313 A.D.   Foundation of the Order of Constantine the Great after the battle of Saxa  Rubra, October 28, 312, near Rome, and his vision of the Cross before the battle, as related in tradition.

 1099 Revival of the Order of the Red Cross and Knights of the Holy Sepulchre amongst  the Crusaders.

1750 The Order of the Red Cross, alluded to in connection with Freemasonry by the  Baron  Hunde in this  Templar System of "Strict Observance."

                                      Order of the Red Cross                     Order of the Holy                          Order of St. John

                                            of Constantine                                 Sepulchre                                     the Evangelist

 1788 The Order of the Red Cross, Holy Sepulchre and St. John introduced into England.

 1796 The Right Honorable Lord Radcliffe elected Grand Master.

 1808 Order of the Red Cross of Constantine recognized in London, May 4, with  new Constitution and under the name  "Illustrious Order  of the Red Cross," and the Chapter General made the governing  body  of the Order which could confer the Grand Cross.

Judge Walter Rodwell Wright elected the Grand Master.

                                                                               HRH Augustus Frederick,

 Duke of Sussex

 1813 His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex installed Grand Master.

 1825 Robert Carlile publishes an ‘Exposure’ in England that contained a Degree  called the “Order of

  the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine,” which  appeared to be a shortened and modified version of

  the Order, and was being worked at that time in Scotland and Ireland.

 1865 Order revived, after fifty years of lethargy, and the Grand Imperial  of Council of England

 established under a new Constitution which abolished  the titles Chapter General and Grand Master.

 William Henry White elected Grand Sovereign.

 1866 Lord Kenlis (Earle of Bective) installed Grand Sovereign of the Grand Imperial Council of England.

 1870 The Orders introduced into the United States, May 19.

 1871 English branch of the Order changes its title from “Imperial Ecclesiastical and Order of the Red

 Cross of Constantine” to the “Military and Masonic Order of the Red Military  Cross of Constantine.” 

 The American branch retains and continues to use the former title.

 1872 Grand Imperial Council of the State of Illinois organized at Chicago, August 30, by five Conclaves

 chartered by the Grand Council of England.

 1899 Grand Imperial Council of the Western Masonic Jurisdiction of the United  States, organized at

 Jacksonville, IL, October 13,  by all of the Conclaves in the obedience of the Grand Council of Illinois.

 1907 Grand Imperial Council for the United States of America, organized at Duluth, MN, August 14 by all

 the Conclaves in the obedience of the Grand Council.

  1946 Due to the independence of the Phillipines and the existence of Conclaves  Mexico, the name

  "The Grand Imperial Council of the Imperial,  Ecclesiastical and in  Military Order of the Red Cross of

 Constantine and Appendant Orders, for the United States of America, Mexico, and the Phillipines" was

 adopted.

Seal of the United Grand

Imperial Council

  1958 Grand Imperial Council of the Imperial, Ecclesiastical and Military Order of Knights of the Red

  Cross of Constantine for the U.S.A., Empire of the East and the Grand Imperial Council of the Red

  Cross of Constantine and Appendant Orders for the U.S.A., Mexico, and the Phillipines united in

  Washington, DC, February 18, forming the United Grand Imperial Council of Knights of the Red Cross

  of Constantine and Appendant  Orders of America, Mexico, and the Phillipines.

  1958 As a result of the merger of the Grand Imperial Councils, the use of numbers to identify individual

  Councils is discontinued.