Commandery - Encyclopedia

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

COMMANDERY (through the Fr. commanderie, from med. Lat. commendaria, a trust or charge), a division of the landed property in Europe of the Knights Hospitallers (see ST John of Jerusalem). The property of the order was divided into "priorates," subdivided into "bailiwicks," which in turn were divided into "commanderies"; these were placed in charge of a "commendator" or commander. The word is also applied to the emoluments granted to a commander of a military order of knights.