The Order of the Golden Fleece is called the highest order of Christianity. The entire treasure of the order, which also includes the "Ainkhürn sword" of the last duke of Burgundy and the centuries-old oath cross, which contains a cross splinter of the True Cross, is located in the Vienna Treasury and, like the archive and the old insignia, is the property of the Habsburg branch. Having only ever had around 1,300 recipients since its establishment, the Order of the Golden Fleece has been referred to as the most prestigious and exclusive order of chivalry in the world, both historically and contemporaneously.
The difference between the Austrian (Habsburg) and Spanish branches is that the Austrian branch is an order of knights based on the original provisions, while the Spanish branch has developed into an order of merit which admits heretics, infidels, and pagans.
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