By Col. John Festraets. Artist reconstruction of´John Balliol II, King of Scotland and the ruins of the Barnard Castle. First stone set in anno 1095. Sold by King Edouard I Balliol, in 1356, to Edward III of England. 

The General Convent (Conventus Generalis) via the Magisterial Council (Magisterium or Consilium Supremum), directs the Order. The General Convent (who assembles yearly) is accessible to any active Member of the Order. Each active Member has the right to vote on Order matters.

The Magisterial Council is composed of Knights Counsellors (min 3 and max 12) who accepted their functions willingly after having satisfied to the requisite conditions.  According to the Rules of the Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (Chapt V. Art 1 and 2), the Grand Master and four Knights Counsellors are called Princes of the Order or "Supremus Vicarii Magistri". The Magisterial Convent is in charge of the current affairs and practical actions of the Order. Its decisions are always endorsed ... or not, by the yearly General Convent.

The General Convent and the Magisterial Convent function on a Codex, Organisational Directives and Laws Texts, all written by Fra. Robert Adelsohn BELS, as soon as 1987. When subsequent amendments and readjustments became necessary (before 1998), they were done Fra. Robert with the help of the Fra. Jean-Marc BELLE. Since 1998 up till today, all amendments were done and still are, by Fra. Robert Adelsohn BELS.

The Convents and Councils are, by tradition, headed by the Grand Master.

The Orders of the Grand Master are expressed in his

ORDONNANCE MAGISTRALE (OM).

The Directives and Communications of the Grand Master are expressed in his COMMUNICATION MAGISTRALE (CM).

As of the 28th December 2022, Magistropolis emitted no less than 967 CM and 55 OM ! 

The Ambassador emits his MISSIVE DIPLOMATIQUE (MD) and sometimes also an ORDONNANCE DIPLOMATIQUE (OM). As of today 56 MD !

The Magisterial Treasurer emits a COMMUNICATION DE TRESORERIE (CT).  As of today 43 MT !

Note: All official Documents (OM-CM-MD and MT) are registered in our Dynastic Archives, kept for generations to come, by our Magisterial Treasurer. Other documents are kept by our Magister Supremus at Magistropolis.

The mandate of the Counsellors (renewable or not) is for three years. Here are their titles, charges and functions. They are the Princes of the Order.

-  Grand Master.                            (Magister Supremus)                         

-  Ambassador.                              (Legatus Magistralis)                         

-  Master of Ceremonies.             (Solemnium Rituum Magister) 

-  Magisterial Treasurer.              (Magnus Thesaurarius)        

-  Grand Chancellor,                     (Magnus Cancellarius)               

-  Grand Seneschal.                      (Magnus Senescallus)                

-  Magisterial Secretary.               (Secretarius Magistralis) 

Der Generalkonvent (Conventus Generalis) über den Ordensrat (Magisterium oder Consilium Supremum), leitet den Orden. Der Generalkonvent (der sich jährlich versammelt) ist jedem aktiven Mitglied des Ordens zugänglich. Jedes aktive Mitglied hat das Recht, in Ordensangelegenheiten abzustimmen.

Der Ordensrat ist aus Ritterberatern zusammengesetzt (Minimum 3 und Maximum 12), die ihre Funktionen bereitwillig akzeptierten, nachdem sie die erforderlichen Bedingungen erfüllt hatten. Entsprechend den Ordensregeln des Tempels von Jerusalem (Kapitel V, Artikel 1 und 2) werden der Großmeister und die vier Ritterberater Prinzen des Ordens oder "Supremus Vicarii Magistri" genannt.

The Magisterial Convent is in charge of the current affairs and practical actions of the Order. Its decisions are always endorsed ... or not, by the yearly General Convent.

The General Convent and the Magisterial Convent function on a Codex, Organisational Directives and Laws Texts, all written by Fra. Robert Adelsohn BELS, as soon as 1987. When subsequent amendments and readjustments became necessary (before 1998), they were done by Fra. Robert with the help of the Fra. Jean-Marc BELLE. Since 1998 up till today, all amendments were done and still are, by Fra. Robert Adelsohn BELS.

Der Konvent und der Rat werden per Tradition vom Großmeister geleitet.

Das Mandat der Berater (erneuerbar oder nicht) gilt für drei Jahre. Hier sind ihre Titel, Verantwortungen und Funktionen. Sie sind die Prinzen des Ordens.



-  Grand Master.                         (Magister Supremus)                           

-  Ambassador.                           (Legatus Magistralis)                             

-  Master of Ceremonies.           (Solemnium Rituum Magister)  

-  Magisterial Treasurer.            (Magnus Thesaurarius)              

-  Grand Chancellor.                  (Magnus Cancellarius)                     

-  Grand Seneschal.                   (Magnus Senescallus)                     

-  Magisterial Secretary.             (Secretarius Magistralis)         

Die Befehle des Gross Meisters sind in seine ORDONNANCE MAGISTRALE (OM) ausgedrukt.

Die Anleitungen und Communicationen des Gross Meisters sind in seine

COMMUNICATION MAGISTRALE (CM) ausgedrukt.

Bis heute den 28ste Dezember 2022, hat Magistropolis nicht weniger als 967 CM und 55 OM geschrieben ! 

Der Botschafter schreibt seine MISSIVE DIPLOMATIQUE (MD) und manchmal auch eine ORDONNANCE DIPLOMATIQUE (OM). Heute 56 MD !

Der Magisteriale Schatzmeister schreibt eine COMMUNICATION DE TRESORERIE  (CT). Heute 43 MT !

Anmerkung: Alle offiziellen Dokumente (OM-CM-MD und MT) werden in unserem dynastischen Archiv registriert, das von unserem Magisterschatzmeister für kommende Generationen aufbewahrt wird. Andere Dokumente werden von unserem Magister Supremus in Magistropolis aufbewahrt.