Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was founded in 1608 by Pope Paul V at the request of King Henry IV of France.

According to the official version recorded in the bull of Pope Paul V setting up the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, King Henry IV felt moved to protect, propagate and increase the Catholic religion by applying remedies in France "in order to exalt and increase the Holy Roman Church, extinguish heresies, suppress heretics, and other things".

The new order, composed of French noblemen and freeborn men, would be "under the denomination or title and rule of the most glorious and always Virginal Mother Mary of Mount Carmel, whom the said King Henry always holds and regards with singular devotion as his protectress and advocate".

The bulls gave the French king the authority to nominate the Grand Master of this order subject to papal confirmation.

The senior Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem was allowed to function being authorized in September 1788 by King Louis XVI to purchase the edifice housing the École Militaire.