commandery

[ kuh-man-duh-ree, -mahn- ]

/ kəˈmæn də ri, -ˈmɑn- /

the office or rank of a commander.

the district of a commander.

a district controlled by a commander of certain medieval orders of knights.

a local branch or lodge of certain secret or fraternal orders.

Origin of commandery

1400–50; late Middle English. See commander, -y³

These four commanderies were outlying portions of Bern, and were entirely under the rule of its Council.

A History of the Reformation (Vol. 2 of 2) |Thomas M. Lindsay
Also a volume of fifteenth century, containing the accounts of the commanderies.

Notes and Queries, Number 71, March 8, 1851 |Various
Nothing now remains of the extensive possessions of the Templars, or the Knights of Malta, who both had commanderies here.

Barn and the Pyrenees |Louisa Stuart Costello
The commanderies of chivalry, two hundred at least in number, were likewise enormously profitable.

History of the United Netherlands, 1600-09, Vol. IV. Complete |John Lothrop Motley

The lands of these ballivi conventuali of languages were divided into three classes, priories, balliages, and commanderies.

Mysticism and its Results |John Delafield