Foundation of the Orange Order

Historical Overview

Following the Battle of the Diamond in County Armagh, Protestant gentry and farmers established the Orange Order. The primary strategic and political objective of this secret society was to defend and maintain the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland against the rising tide of Catholic emancipation and militant agrarian movements. Named in honor of King William III of Orange, the institution evolved into a core pillar of Irish and later Northern Irish unionism, with its annual commemorative marches continuing to spark and catalyze significant sectarian and political tensions well into the modern era.