Chevalier De Fer
...little is known of this society. Such as where does its money come from, as its petty crimes would nowhere near cover its "expenses". The society's history is murky at best and I am certain that some of it is deliberate disinformation they put around themselves mixed with the smallest nuggets of actual fact. However, after much research I have managed to piece together the following, it is just a fragment and I am certain that I haven't even scratched the surface. The evidence suggests that the group formed in 1621 or thereabouts in the south of France under the control of a Monsieur Moulin. Of this man very little remains save rumours and hearsay but it seems that he established himself a quaint but respectable empire in the alleys of Marseille before mysteriously dying at a party hosted by the then mayor of the city, the identity of which seems to have been scrubbed from every official document I could find but that some on the street simply call Le Docteur. After this event a man named Vassily Mitkov becomes more prominent in the history of the group as it moved from mainly preying on lone travellers and the occasional greedy merchant to funding quite wealthy nobles debts. It was around 1634 that the group began to rise in power to establish itself as a major player in Paris politics, no mean feat, given the other criminal elements in the city. The group consistently work away from the public eye to influence politics though to what end I have not been able to tell. After the attack on the King in 1636, the group faded from view, to this day it is still unclear if the attack was authorised by the senior leadership or if Vassily was working alone. Although some of its prominent members are in custody such as Duque Vidal Ernesto Montoya de Astorga and Madam Marie d'Orlean. Though the Musketeers who had interactions with the Chevalier did tell me a most interesting technique for finding members of the group that is that Members wear a White rose, normally as a lapel but sometimes elsewhere on the body while officers and high ranking officials wear a purple one. It is most fascinating and, I think offers the briefest glimpse into the possible symbolism that this society believes in. They call themselves the Knights of Iron, yet they hold a rose in such high esteem. Does it suggest a certain chivalry on their part dating back to the romances of Chretien or does it have some other meaning buried deep in the psyche that binds them together. The study of Secret societies in France during the first half of the 17th century is frustrating and some may say entirely fruitless, but I believe it is important to bring these conspiracies to light and without the quick actions of the Musketeers during the Insurrection of the Rose I think the Chevalier would have won and I don't think we would have like the consequences.
Founding Date
1421
Type
Illicit, Gang
Alternative Names
The Knights of Iron
Leader
Related Plots
Comments