An order is a visible honour awarded by a sovereign state , monarch , dynastic house or organisation to a person, typically in recognition of individual merit , that often comes with distinctive insignia such as collars , medals , badges , and sashes worn by recipients.
55-396: Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders , and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Grand Collar . In rare cases, the insignia itself is referred to as the "grand cross". In international relations, many times the class of Grand Cross
110-577: A badge worn with or without a ribbon on the chest. An example of a communist order of merit was the one-class Order of Lenin of the Soviet Union (1930). Unlike Western orders, however, communist orders could be awarded more than once to an individual. After the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in the 1990s, most Eastern European countries reverted to the Western-style orders originally established before
165-771: A Grand Cross after World War I . From 1870 to 1918, the German Empire also set the Grand Cross as the highest rank of the Order of the Iron Cross, followed by the first and second classes. The orders in which the highest rank (or second after "Collar") is named "Grand Cordons" include the following orders: Illustration of typical insignia, as in the case of the Legion of Honour of France . Order (distinction) Modern honour systems of state orders and dynastic orders emerged from
220-429: A more courtly nature. Some were merely honorary and gradually the badges of these orders (i.e. the association) began to be known informally as orders . As a result, the modern distinction between orders and decorations or insignia has become somewhat blurred. While some orders today retain the original notion of being an association or society of individuals, others make no distinction, and an "order" may even be
275-496: A particular country, regardless of status, sex, race or creed; there may be a minimum age for eligibility. Nominations are made either by private citizens or by government officials, depending on the country. An order may be revoked if the holder is convicted of a crime or renounces citizenship . Some people nominated for an award refuse it. Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of
330-679: A princely order based on the ideals of Christian chivalry. Aid to the Byzantine Empire or the pushing back of the Ottomans was repeatedly promoted by the Burgundian dukes in connection with their order. The Burgundian fleet actually crossed Rhodes and the Black Sea, but all of the ideas came from an extended planning phase that was not yet complete. After the death of Charles the Bold in an attempt to conquer
385-524: A result, the order itself remains the owner of the treasure and the archive. The historically and artistically extremely valuable treasure from the early days of the order includes the oath cross from 1401/02, the golden collar of office for the herald (1517), collars of the order (approx. 1560), vestments and historical relics. Sovereignty of the Austrian branch remains with the head of the House of Habsburg , which
440-571: Is initially conferred, as in other countries, at the lower rank of the order, typically " Knight Commander ". In Bavaria, the royal military order established by Maximilian Joseph consisted of three classes with the Grand Crosses ranking above the Commanders and Knights. The Grand Cross title has also been used to confer military merit. For instance, the Grand Duchy of Baden awarded Prince Rupprecht
495-570: Is the property of the Habsburg branch. Upon the collapse of the Austrian monarchy after the First World War , King Albert I of Belgium requested that the sovereignty and treasure of the order be transferred to him as the ruler of the former Habsburg lands of Burgundy. This claim was seriously considered by the victorious Allies at Versailles but was eventually rejected due to the intervention of King Alfonso XIII of Spain , who took possession of
550-492: Is typically reserved for royalty , heads of state and equivalent. Sometimes a holder of the highest class or grade are referred to as " Commander Grand Cross", " Knight Grand Cross", or just "Grand Cross". In the United Kingdom, the rank of "Knight Grand Cross" or "Dame Grand Cross" allows the recipient to continue to use the honorific " Sir " (male) or " Dame " (female) as a style before his or her name. The knighthood
605-479: The Congressional Gold Medal to civilians. The Legion of Merit is the only United States decoration which may be issued in award degrees (much like an order of chivalry or certain orders of merit), but award degrees are only made to foreign nationals, typically senior military officers or government officials. Switzerland does not award any orders. Article 12 of the 1848 Swiss Constitution prohibited
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#1732837613845660-505: The House of Habsburg-Lorraine , respectively. The Grand Chaplain of the Austrian branch is Cardinal Christoph Schönborn , Archbishop of Vienna . The separation of the two existing branches took place as a result of the War of the Spanish Succession of 1701–1714. The grand master of the order, Charles II of Spain (a Habsburg ), had died childless in 1700, and so the right to succeed to
715-767: The Order of Australia , and New Zealand awards the Order of New Zealand and the New Zealand Order of Merit . The Order of Mapungubwe is the highest honour in South Africa , while the Orders of Luthuli , and the Baobab exist alongside other decorations. The United States awards the Medal of Honor to members of its military for acts of valour, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom and
770-515: The Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary (1764) still required that one had to have at least four generations of noble ancestors. Still today, many dynastic orders are granted by royal families to worthy individuals for service and achievements. In 1802 Napoleon created the Legion of Honour ( Légion d'honneur ), which could be awarded to any person, regardless of status, for bravery in combat or for 20 years of distinguished service. While still retaining many trappings of an order of chivalry, it
825-614: The War of the Spanish Succession , and also resulted in the division of the order into Spanish and Austrian branches. In either case the sovereign, as Duke of Burgundy , writes the letter of appointment in French. The controversial conferral of the Fleece on Napoleon and his brother Joseph , while Spain was occupied by French troops, angered the exiled king of France , Louis XVIII , and caused him to return his collar in protest. These, and other awards by Joseph, were revoked by King Ferdinand on
880-478: The 18th century, these ideas gradually changed and the orders developed from "honourable societies" to visible honours. An example of this gradual development can be seen in two orders founded by Maria Theresa of Austria . While the Military Order of Maria Theresa (1757) was open to any deserving military officer regardless of social origin, and would grant titles of nobility to those who did not already have them,
935-659: The Burgundian Succession were expelled from the order by Maximilian. The memory of the dead was erased and their coats of arms were broken. From Emperor Charles V or King Philip II of Spain , the sovereign was on the one hand the head of the Spanish line of the Habsburgs and on the other hand also king of Spain. Charles V was appointed head of the order at the age of 9 and identified himself strongly with this community throughout his life. The ideal of chivalrous and brave living
990-552: The Duchy of Lorraine caused the extinction of the House of Burgundy in 1477, the order passed to the House of Habsburg. A few months after his marriage to the heiress Mary of Burgundy , Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg was knighted in Bruges on April 30, 1478, and then appointed sovereign (grand master) of the order. All renegade or disloyal knights of the order in the course of the subsequent War of
1045-490: The Fleece was challenged by Spanish Carlists . Sovereignty remained with the head of the Spanish House of Bourbon during the republican (1931–1939) and Francoist (1939–1975) periods, and is held today by the present king of Spain, Felipe VI . There is confusion towards the conferral of the Fleece on Francisco Franco in 1972. The order was illegally offered by Infante Jaime to him on the occasion of his son's wedding to
1100-710: The Golden Fleece ( Spanish : Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro , German : Orden vom Goldenen Vlies ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Bruges by Philip the Good , Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal . Today, two branches of the order exist, namely the Spanish Fleece and the Austrian Fleece; the current grand masters are King Felipe VI of Spain and Karl von Habsburg , head of
1155-632: The Netherlands, the Burgundian heartland, during the War of the Spanish Succession and thus he could celebrate the order's festival in Vienna in 1713. As with Maximilian I or Charles V, the order was again closely associated with the Holy Roman Empire . Regardless of this, the order was divided into two lines. The Habsburg order owns the archive and the old insignia and adheres more to the original statutes. With
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#17328376138451210-528: The Seychelles do not seem to confer official civil orders of merit. By the time of the Renaissance , most European monarchs had either acquired an existing order of chivalry, or created new ones of their own, to reward loyal civilian and especially military officials. Such orders remained out of reach to the general public, however, as being of noble rank or birth was usually a prerequisite to being admitted. In
1265-550: The Spanish branch, became one of the most prestigious and historic orders of chivalry in the world. De Bourgoing wrote in 1789 that "the number of knights of the Golden Fleece is very limited in Spain, and this is the order, which of all those in Europe, has best preserved its ancient splendour". Each collar is solid gold and is estimated to be worth around €50,000 as of 2018, making it the most expensive chivalrous order. Current knights of
1320-467: The Spanish order include Emperor Akihito of Japan, former Tsar Simeon of Bulgaria , and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands , amongst 13 others. Knights of the Austrian branch include 33 noblemen and princes of small territories in Central Europe , most of them of German or Austrian origin. The Order of the Golden Fleece was established on 10 January 1430, by Philip the Good , Duke of Burgundy (on
1375-576: The absorption of the Burgundian lands into the Spanish Habsburg empire, the sovereignty of the order passed to the Habsburg kings of Spain , where it remained until the death of the last of the Spanish Habsburgs, Charles II , in 1700. He was succeeded as king by Philip V , a Bourbon . The dispute between Philip and the Habsburg pretender to the Spanish throne, the Archduke Charles , led to
1430-708: The acceptance of honors from other sovereigns unless the honorific order comes from a list of countries specified in a regulation. In 1974 the Cabinet of Sweden passed a regulation forbidding the monarch of Sweden from awarding membership in orders to Swedish citizens. The orders themselves were not abolished, but only the Royal Orders of the Seraphim and the Polar Star (both established in 1748) continued to be awarded, and only to foreign citizens and stateless individuals. In 1995
1485-446: The acceptance of honours and titles by Swiss citizens. The current Constitution of 1999 has no specific prohibition, but a federal statute effectively continues the prohibition by barring holders of foreign orders from holding public office. This practice has become common across the globe (albeit other countries usually issue a general prohibition to accept foreign orders, allowing for generous exceptions). Australia, for instance, bans
1540-405: The approval of Pope Pius VII . Wellington therefore became the first Protestant to be honoured with the Golden Fleece. It has subsequently also been conferred upon non-Christians, such as Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand . There was another crisis in 1833 when Isabella II became Queen of Spain in defiance of Salic Law that did not allow women to become heads of state. Her right to confer
1595-613: The conclusion of the war in 1714, the European powers recognized Philip of Bourbon as King of Spain , and the old Burgundian Habsburg territories became part of the Austrian Netherlands (1714–1797). Thus the two dynasties, namely the Bourbons of Spain and the Habsburgs of Austria, have ever since continued heading the separate orders of the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece, particularly
1650-470: The contemporary era, 96% of the world's states – 196 out of a sample of 204 polities, which includes sovereignty-claiming entities like Abkhazia – were found to use Orders to bestow them upon their own citizens and, as a diplomatic tool, upon foreigners. In total, 133 states even regulate the use of Orders in their constitutions. Only Switzerland, Micronesia, Libya, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and
1705-527: The culture of orders of chivalry of the Middle Ages , which in turn emerged from the Catholic religious orders . The word order ( Latin : ordo ), in the case referred to in this article, can be traced back to the chivalric orders , including the military orders , which in turn trace the name of their organisation back to that of the Catholic religious orders . Orders began to be created ad hoc and in
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1760-727: The culture of chivalric orders established in the Middle Ages , originally the military orders of the Middle Ages and the Crusades , who in turn grew out of the original Catholic religious orders. While these chivalric orders were "societies, fellowships and colleges of knights", founded by the Holy See or European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades, granting membership in such societies gradually developed into an honour that could be bestowed in recognition of service or to ensure
1815-440: The dictator's granddaughter, Carmen . Franco kindly refused the order on the basis of legitimacy and primogeniture, stating that the Golden Fleece could only be granted by the reigning king of Spain. Moreover, the right of conferral was in any case a prerogative of Jaime's younger brother, Infante Juan , as designated heir to the throne of Spain by his father Alfonso XIII . Knights of the order are entitled to be addressed with
1870-461: The fleece of Colchis, was willing to commit perjury." The bishop of Châlons, chancellor of the order, identified it instead with the fleece of Gideon that received the dew of Heaven ( Judges 6:37 ). The badge of the order, in the form of a sheepskin, was suspended from a jewelled collar of firesteels in the shape of the letter B, for Burgundy, linked by flints; with the motto Pretium Laborum Non Vile ('No Mean Reward for Labours') engraved on
1925-404: The front of the central link, and Philip's motto Non Aliud ('I will have no other') on the back (non-royal knights of the Golden Fleece were forbidden to belong to any other order of knighthood). During this time, the Burgundian court was culturally leading in Europe and so the new order, with its festivals, ceremonies, rituals and constitution, was seen by many as a role model in the sense of
1980-511: The knights could claim as of right to be tried by their fellows on charges of rebellion, heresy and treason, and Charles V conferred on the order exclusive jurisdiction over all crimes committed by the knights; the arrest of the offender had to be by warrant signed by at least six knights, and during the process of charge and trial he remained not in prison but in the gentle custody of his fellow knights. The order, conceived in an ecclesiastical spirit in which mass and obsequies were prominent and
2035-512: The knights were seated in choirstalls like canons , was explicitly denied to heretics , and so became an exclusively Catholic honour during the Reformation . The officers of the order were the chancellor, the treasurer, the registrar, and the king of arms (herald, toison d'or ). The Duke's stated reason for founding this institution had been given in a proclamation issued following his marriage, in which he wrote that he had done so "for
2090-555: The loyalty of a certain clientele . Some of modern Europe's highest honours, such as the Order of the Golden Fleece , England 's Order of the Garter , Denmark 's Order of the Elephant and Scotland 's Order of the Thistle , were created during that era. They were essentially courtly in nature, characterised by close personal relations between the orders' members and the orders' sovereign. In
2145-436: The name of a decoration. Most historic chivalric orders imply a membership in a group, typically a confraternity . In a few exclusive European orders, membership is or was also limited in number. Decorations seldom have such limitations. Orders often come in multiple classes, including knights and dames in imitation of the original chivalric orders. Modern national orders, orders of merit , and decorations, emerged from
2200-444: The occasion of his wedding to Isabella of Portugal ), in celebration of the prosperous and wealthy domains united in his person that ran from Flanders to Switzerland . The jester and dwarf Madame d'Or performed at the creation of the order of the Golden Fleece in Bruges. It is restricted to a limited number of knights , initially 24 but increased to 30 in 1433, and 50 in 1516, plus the sovereign. The order's first king of arms
2255-532: The order ... should honor those who wear it, and be encouraged to employ themselves in noble deeds ...". The Order of the Golden Fleece was defended from possible accusations of prideful pomp by the Burgundian court poet Michault Taillevent, who asserted that it was instituted: Non point pour jeu ne pour esbatement, Mais à la fin que soit attribuée Loenge à Dieu trestout premièrement Et aux bons gloire et haulte renommée. Translated into English : Not for amusement nor for recreation, But for
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2310-508: The property of the order on behalf of the dethroned emperor, Charles I of Austria . Nazi Germany classified the order as hostile to the state and tried to confiscate the entire treasure of the order including the archive. Hitler categorically rejected the centuries-old Habsburg principles of "live and let live" in relation to ethnic groups, peoples, minorities, religions, cultures and languages, and also wanted to seize significant works of art that are unique worldwide. Hitler intended to decide on
2365-717: The purpose that praise shall be given To God, in the very first place, And to the good, glory and high renown. The choice of the Golden Fleece of Colchis as the symbol of a Christian order caused some controversy, not so much because of its pagan context, which could be incorporated in chivalric ideals, as in the Nine Worthies , but because the feats of Jason , familiar to all, were not without causes of reproach, expressed in anti-Burgundian terms by Alain Chartier in his Ballade de Fougères referring to Jason as "Who, to carry off
2420-513: The regulation was altered, allowing the monarch to bestow the two remaining active orders to members of the Swedish royal family . Finally, in 2022, the 48-year-old regulation was repealed by the Swedish Government, the orders were re-opened to Swedish citizens, and the two dormant orders ( Sword and Vasa ) were revived, with effect from 2023. Modern orders are usually open to all citizens of
2475-544: The restoration of Bourbon rule in 1813. Napoleon created by Order of 15 August 1809 the Order of the Three Golden Fleeces, in view of his sovereignty over Austria, Spain and Burgundy. This was opposed by Joseph I of Spain and appointments to the new order were never made. In 1812, the acting government of Spain conferred the Fleece upon the Duke of Wellington , an act confirmed by Ferdinand on his resumption of power, with
2530-406: The reverence of God and the maintenance of our Christian Faith, and to honor and exalt the noble order of knighthood, and also ... to do honor to old knights; ... so that those who are at present still capable and strong of body and do each day the deeds pertaining to chivalry shall have cause to continue from good to better; and ... so that those knights and gentlemen who shall see worn
2585-529: The rise of communism. Today, many countries have some form of order of merit or national decorations. Both Thailand 's Order of the White Elephant and Japan 's Order of the Rising Sun are over 100 years old. In Canada and some Commonwealth Realms, the Order of Merit is the highest civilian honour. Canada has the Order of Canada and provincial orders such as the Order of Nova Scotia . Australia has
2640-514: The style His/Her Excellency in front of their name. Below a list of the names of the living knights and ladies, in chronologic order and, within parentheses, the year when they were inducted into the order: The Austrian order did not suffer from the political difficulties of the Spanish, remaining (with the exception of the British prince regent, later George IV) an honour solely for Catholic royalty and nobility. The problem of female inheritance
2695-665: The throne of Spain (and thus to become the Sovereign of the Order of the Golden Fleece) initiated a global conflict. On one hand, Charles , brother of the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I , claimed the Spanish crown as an agnatic member of the House of Habsburg , which had inherited the Burgundian titles and had held the Spanish throne for almost two centuries. However, the late king of Spain had named Philip of Bourbon , his sister's grandchild, as his successor in his will. After
2750-543: The use of the assets after they had been confiscated. After the annexation of Austria in 1938, Max von Hohenberg , Habsburg representative in the affairs of the order, was immediately sent to a concentration camp. After the Second World War in 1953, the Republic of Austria continued to confirm to the House of Habsburg the right to the Order on its territory, in particular that the Order has its own legal personality. As
2805-408: Was Jean Le Fèvre de Saint-Remy . It received further privileges unusual to any order of knighthood: the sovereign undertook to consult the order before going to war; all disputes between the knights were to be settled by the order; at each chapter the deeds of each knight were held in review, and punishments and admonitions were dealt out to offenders, and to this the sovereign was expressly subject;
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#17328376138452860-519: Was avoided on the accession of Maria Theresa in 1740, as sovereignty of the order passed not to herself but to her husband, Francis . The entire treasure of the order, which also includes the "Ainkhürn sword" of the last duke of Burgundy and the centuries-old oath cross, which contains a cross splinter of the True Cross , is located in the Vienna Treasury and, like the archive and the old insignia,
2915-526: Was brought to him by William de Croÿ . When in 1700 Charles II of Spain died childless, both the Habsburgs from the Habsburg lands and the Bourbons, as the new kings of Spain, claimed sovereignty of the order. Both noble houses basically invoked their claims regarding the Spanish crown. The House of Habsburg's claim relied on Article 65 of the Statutes. Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI was able to claim sovereignty of
2970-583: Was handed over on 20 November 2000 by Otto von Habsburg to his elder son, Karl von Habsburg . November 30 (feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle , patron saint of Burgundy) is the day of the order, when new members are accepted into the order. The extremely valuable treasures are in the Vienna Treasury and in the Austrian State Archives. To date, the new knights and officers take the oath in front of
3025-539: Was the first modern national order of merit and is still France 's highest award today. The French Legion of Honour served as the model for numerous modern orders of merit in the Western world , such as the Order of Leopold in Belgium (1832) and the Order of the British Empire in the United Kingdom (1917). Orders of merit based on the French Legion of Honour typically retain five classes in accordance with habits of chivalric orders. In communist countries , orders of merit usually come in one to three grades, with only
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