Which order was called the Knights of the Tau?            
            
            
                                            
                                                    
                    Order of St. Thomas of Akka
                    
                    
                 
                
                    Order of Saint James of Altopascio
                    
                    
                 
                
                    Order of St. George of Alpha
                    
                    
                 
                
                    Order of St James of the Sword
                    
                    
                                             
               
                                                                                   
            The Order of Saint James of Altopascio also called the Knights of the Tau was a military order, perhaps the earliest Christian institution to combine the protection and assistance of pilgrims, the staffing of hospitals, and a military wing. According to American historian Ephraim Emerton, who produced the first systematic study of the Order, "the fame of the house drew visitors, both well and sick, including women in childbirth and infants" from around Italy.