FONS HONORUM

LINEAGE OF THE ORDER

The term fons honorum, Latin for "fount of honor," denotes a source of authority responsible for granting honors, titles, and memberships within military and chivalric orders. Historically, this authority was vested in titled entities — typically monarchs or heads of state — who possessed the inherent right to create orders, confer knighthoods, and establish their governing statutes. Rooted in the feudal systems of medieval Europe, the fons honorum reflects a hierarchical structure wherein the ruler, as the apex of power, dispensed privileges and distinctions to vassals and subjects.

In a contemporary evolution of this tradition, the Ancient Order of the Amathole Mist has been re-founded by Bevan Robert Jones, Hlafweard of Hogsback. Jones claims direct descent from several interesting and eccentric characters, such as John "the Alchemist," Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (1406–1464), a dedicated member of the Order of the Dragon. Other ancestors were instrumental in the founding of speculative Freemasonry in Scotland, whilst yet others held the Philosopher's Stone. However, unlike chivalric orders, our re-founded Order is a secular organization with a mission centered on peace, harmony, and insights into the hidden mysteries of science and Nature, offered through the Degrees of the Mist. Crucially, our Order does not desire or seek recognition from any royal authority or government, and most especially not the ruling house of Windsor in England. In this we seek to honour our Scottish ancestor’s intentions:

As long as a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be subjected to the lordship of the English. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.
- The Declaration of Arbroath, 6 April 1320

Instead, our Order seeks to inculcate sovereignty among our members, empowering with personal and collective autonomy, free from external political or royal oversight. In this context, sovereignty is not some territorial dominion, but rather the ability of individuals and the Order as a whole to govern themselves, make decisions, and pursue their goals without subservience to some higher authority. This is a deliberate departure from the historical norm. For those to whom a fons honorum and lineage is important, we present Jones’ historical ancestry below.

  • Order of the Dragon: Direct descent from John "the Alchemist", connecting directly to Sigismund’s original order.
  • Knights Templar: Familial links to the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, and 21st Grand Masters, as well as direct descent from Robert de Sablé (11th Grand Master) and Thomas Gibson of Rosslyn (Templar Gold-Keeper).
  • Welsh Dragon: Rooted in the legendary "Y Ddraig Goch", with direct descent from the original King Arth-ur of Rhos (Owain Danwyn, King of Rhos) and Llewellyn “the Great”, a prominent Welsh ruler.
  • Royal Scottish: Spanning from David "the Saint" to James V, the last Scottish king before the Union of the Crowns.
  • Black Knights: The inheritors of the Templar tradition through the Black Knight of Lorn, later associated with the Witches of Atholl and the Graham witches, as well as John Boswell, 3rd of Auchinleck, the earliest authentic record of a speculative Freemason attending lodge.
  • St. Clair Legacy: Descended from William St. Clair, builder of Rosslyn Chapel, through three of his most important lines.
  • Last Templar: Familial ties to David Seton of Parbroath, the "Last Templar," after James Sandilands, Lord Torpichen (another familial tie), purchased Templar / Hospitaller lands from Mary, Queen of Scots, for the Protestant factions.
  • Ruthven Family and the Philosopher’s Stone: Direct descent from William Ruthven, 1st Earl Gowrie, who inherited the “second sight” of a mason, his family possessing the Philosopher’s Stone of alchemical tradition.

This convergence of lineages — spanning chivalric, royal, and mystical histories — positions our Order as a synthesis of diverse ancestral heritages, reinforcing its historical depth and cultural significance. The events surrounding some of these seminal characters are explained in The Arcanon. In the lineage below, Andew Gibson-Carmichael is Jones’ 3rd great-grandfather. Click on the diagram to expand.