Editing Knight (section)

=====Spain=====
[[File:Cantigas battle.jpg|thumb|A battle of the ''[[Reconquista]]'' from the ''[[Cantigas de Santa Maria]]'']]
To honour those women who defended [[Tortosa]] against an attack by the [[Moors]], [[Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona]], created the Order of the Hatchet ("''Orde de la Atxa" in [[Catalan language|catalan]]'') in 1149.<ref name="heraldica1"/>

{{Blockquote|The inhabitants [of Tortosa] being at length reduced to great streights, desired relief of the Earl, but he, being not in a condition to give them any, they entertained some thoughts of making a surrender. Which the Women hearing of, to prevent the disaster threatening their City, themselves, and Children, put on men's Clothes, and by a resolute sally, forced the Moors to raise the Siege. The Earl, finding himself obliged, by the gallentry of the action, thought fit to make his acknowlegements thereof, by granting them several Privileges and Immunities, and to perpetuate the memory of so signal an attempt, instituted an Order, somewhat like a Military Order, into which were admitted only those Brave Women, deriving the honour to their Descendants, and assigned them for a Badge, a thing like a Fryars Capouche, sharp at the top, after the form of a Torch, and of a crimson colour, to be worn upon their Head-clothes. He also ordained, that at all publick meetings, the women should have precedence of the Men. That they should be exempted from all Taxes, and that all the Apparel and Jewels, though of never so great value, left by their dead Husbands, should be their own. These Women having thus acquired this Honour by their personal Valour, carried themselves after the Military Knights of those days.|[[Elias Ashmole]]|The Institution, Laws, and Ceremony of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (1672), Ch. 3, sect. 3}}