HONOURS AND DECORATIONS
Of course, medals are a more recent way of indicating someone's military (or civil) contributions. During the Middle Ages, the equivalent of medals were elements granted by the King that were added to the knight's coat of arms. Therefore, honours became part of heraldry.
Although Knights of the Order may add the medal itself to their coat of arms as a bezant, this is not recommended, out of fairness for those who choose not to.
The Medal of the Grand Order
The highest medal a Knight can obtain, this is granted to all Grand Knights of the Order. The gold and copper on the medal indicate prestige, but the rest of the medal's design praises humility. The green Round Table, at the centre of the medal, points back to the Arthurian legends. This particular motif is taken from a fifteenth-century replica commissioned by Henry VII, still on display at Winchester.
The Medal of the Order
Based on the same design as above, this medal is granted to all Knights of the Order. Instead of gold and copper, this medal features silver and steel, to symbolize that the strength of the Order is based on the Knights who belong to it. The same Round Table is featured in the middle of the medal.