Warhammer Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Warhammer Wiki

Not to be confused with the Knights of the Rose.

"I felt the ground quake and our pikes clattered together as the vibrations got stronger. From over the brow of the hill came the Order of the Black Rose, heading straight for our pike wall. We couldn't believe it! Cavalry charging pikes from the front was suicide, but there they were at full tilt, with lances lowered. I have never been so afraid. It was like facing metal-clad gods, not an inch of flesh was visible. Well, we dropped our pikes and scattered. Who wouldn't?"

—Anonymous pikeman.[2a]


Shrouded in mystery, the Order of the Black Rose was founded during the dark days of the Black Plague, but has waxed and waned in size over the many years.[1a] Currently, it is a relatively small order that only recruits from local nobility.[3a] The Knights of the Black Rose frequently use symbols associated with Morr, the god of death.[1a][2a]

Overview[]

Originally founded during the time of the Three Emperors as the bodyguard of the would-be Emperor, the Elector Count of Stirland, the Order of the Black Rose have a long and chequered history, famously changing allegiance no less than three times in the fragmented wars in which they were founded. Though they still carry the emblem of their progenitor, their loyalties are as shifting as the sand, for their Grand Masters have ever sought to cultivate political power from the military might at their command.

At the Battle of the Talabec, they served as the heavy cavalry bodyguard of Ottilia of Talabecland and were justly famed throughout the land. Recruited from the best warriors of the Talabecland, they were paid and equipped at the state's expense. At that time, the order only numbered one hundred, and thus it was a great honour to be chosen. Every knight brought his own fighting expertise and knowledge with him to teach his compatriots. In this way, the fighting prowess of the men was well rounded and unique. It was the knight's sworn duty to stay with the Countess and protect her from harm.[2a]

Equipment[]

The armour of the Order of the Black Rose is stained black in a reference to their name, except their gauntlets which are red, signifying the spilt blood of their enemies. They carry heavy lances, maces, swords and kite-shaped shields emblazoned with a rose and thorns entwined around a bleeding heart. What makes the knights unique is their horses' armour. The barding of the knights' steeds suggests the affiliation of the order with the god Morr: skulls, dreaded Morr himself and other motifs are all prevalent. Such a reminder of a man's mortality coupled with the dread nature of the imagery upon the barding is a terrifying sight for any enemy.[2a]

Sources[]

  • 1: Warhammer -- Uniforms and Heraldry of the Empire
    • 1a: pg. 63
  • 2: The Empire at War
    • 2a: pg. 14
  • 3: Warhammer Armies: Empire (6th Edition)
Advertisement