Knights of the Crusade

"We are the vanguards of the Covenant's destruction. We are the antithesis of the Arbiters. We are the Knights."

- Shipmaster Alos 'Rufam

The Knights of the Crusade were a large conglomeration of Sangheili, Mgalekgolo, and other species dedicated to fighting remnants of the defunct Covenant Empire during the Postwar Crusades. It began as a small band of Sangheili warriors bent on destroying their former masters, but eventually expanded to include multiple races. They were best known for their fighting tactics and swift efficiency on the battlefield.

Foundation
The Knights of the Crusade find their beginnings in the political aftermath of the Human-Covenant War. Due to the Covenant's strict caste system and utilizing certain species for specific tasks, many of the former Empire's races were left in crisis. The Sangheili were especially affected, as their culture had revolved solely around war for centuries.

On April 30th, 2555, a group of high-ranking Sangheili generals and shipmasters met to discuss this problem aboard the Assault Carrier Defiant Martyr. During the meeting, they decided that it would be better to direct their men at what was left of the former Covenant Empire than risk dissolving into multiple warring classes.

Over the next several months, the group began gathering military assets and formed the Fleet of the Righteous Crusade. They also began scouting out a large Covenant Remnant holding territory on the Lekgolo homeworld of Te. On July 2nd of 2555, the Crusaders decided that they would attack the remnants on Te to announce their campaign to eradicate whatever was left of the Covenant Empire.

Hierarchy
While the Knights of the Crusade abhorred the Covenant, they adopted most of it's military class and rank structure. Unggoy still served as the primary footsoldiers, with Sangheili and Mgalekgolo acting as commanders on the battlefield.

The group was lead by a group known as the Knights of the Table, a small group of nine Crusaders that commanded the rest of the organization. This group included:
 * Shipmaster Alos 'Rufam, one of the group's leading founders and tacticians.
 * General Xiphos 'Kakolo, a ground specialist best known for fighting in the Battle of Installation 00.
 * Shipmaster Seesa 'Vadam, a shipmaster who dedicated his ship and crew to the Crusader's cause.
 * Argato Janus Faxon, a Mgalekgolo commander who brought many of its followers into the Knights.
 * Hurano Janus Undal, the bond-mate of Argato and Mgalekgolo commander.
 * Shipmistress Erin Vail, a human sympathizer who gained prestige in the Knights' military.
 * Commander Tycho Anderson, another human who defected from the UNSC, bringing a ship and many assets.
 * Kadap, a former Unggoy Deacon who brought many of his brothers to fight for the Knights.
 * Shipmaster Ral, a Kig-Yar shipmaster who brought his ship and Kig-Yar lances into the Knights.