Orange Order
The
Loyal Orange Institution, more commonly known as the
Orange Order, is a Protestant fraternal organisation based in Northern Ireland. It was founded in County Armagh in 1795 – during a period of Protestant-Catholic sectarian conflict – as a Masonic-style brotherhood sworn to defend Protestant supremacy. Its name is a tribute to the Dutch-born Protestant king William of Orange, who defeated the army of the Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne. Its members wear Orange sashes and are referred to as
Orangemen. The Order is best known for its yearly marches, the biggest of which are held on 12 July. Although based in Northern Ireland, the Order also has a significant presence in the Scottish Lowlands and lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. Politically, the Orange Order is strongly linked to Ulster unionism and loyalism. The Order sees itself as defending Protestant civil and religious liberties, whilst critics have accused the Order of being sectarian, triumphalist and supremacist. As a Protestant society, non-Protestants cannot become members unless they agree to adhere to the principles of Orangeism and convert.