Order of the Garter

The Order of the Garter, also called the Knights of the Blue Garter in the account, is presented through its annual feast at Windsor, where Queen Philippa and three hundred noblewomen attended a celebration honoring the order and its brotherhood. The passage establishes its ceremonial presence at court, but supplies no fuller account of its origins, statutes, or membership.

The Windsor Feast

The queen appeared at the yearly feast accompanied by three hundred ladies and damsels of noble lineage, appropriately dressed for the occasion. Their presence made the celebration a conspicuous court gathering as well as an observance in honor of the order. The account does not specify whether the women belonged to the brotherhood or describe the ceremony beyond identifying its purpose and setting.

Place in the Account

The feast is one of the occasions through which the narrative shows Philippa participating in English court life. The order is identified by its association with Windsor and by its annual celebration on St. George’s Day. No further claims about its organization or practices are established in the cited passage.