ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD

When orders ceased to be fraternities and became more and more marks of

favour and a means of recognizing meritorious services to the Crown and

country, the term "orders" became loosely applied to the insignia and

decorations themselves. Thus "orders," irrespective of the title or

other specific designation they confer, fall in Great Britain generally

into three main categories, according as the recipients are made

"knights grand cross," "knights commander," or "companions." In some

orders the classes are more numerous, as in the Royal Victorian, for

instance, which has five, numerous foreign orders a like number, some

six, while the Chinese "Dragon" boasts no less than eleven degrees.

Generally speaking, the insignia of the "knights grand cross" consist of

a star worn on the left breast and a badge, usually some form either of

the cross _patée_ or of the Maltese cross, worn suspended from a ribbon

over the shoulder or, in certain cases, on days of high ceremonial from

a collar. The "commanders" wear the badge from a ribbon round the neck,

and the star on the breast; the "companions" have no star and wear the

badge from a narrow ribbon at the button-hole.

Orders may, again, be grouped according as they are (1) PRIME ORDERS OF

CHRISTENDOM, conferred upon an exclusive class only. Here belong, _inter

alia_, the well-known orders of the _Garter_ (England), _Golden Fleece_

(Austria and Spain), _Annunziata_ (Italy), _Black Eagle_ (Prussia), _St

Andrew_ (Russia), _Elephant_ (Denmark) and _Seraphim_ (Sweden). Of these

the first three only, which are usually held to rank _inter se_ in the

order given, are historically identified with chivalry. (2) FAMILY

ORDERS, bestowed upon members of the royal or princely class, or upon

humbler individuals according to classes, in respect of "personal"

services rendered to the family. To this category belong such orders as

the Royal Victorian and the Hohenzollern (Prussia). (3) ORDERS OF MERIT,

whether military, civil or joint orders. Such have, as a rule, at least

three, oftener five classes, and here belong such as the _Order of the

Bath_ (British), _Red Eagle_ (Prussia), _Legion of Honour_ (France).

There are also certain orders, such as the recently instituted _Order of

Merit_ (British), and the _Pour le Mérite_ (Prussia), which have but one

class, all members being on an equality of rank within the order.

Of the three great military and religious orders, branches survive of

two, the Teutonic Order (_Der hohe deutsche Ritter Orden_ or _Marianen

Orden_) and the Knights of St John of Jerusalem (_Johanniter Orden_,

_Malteser Orden_), for the history of which and the present state see

TEUTONIC ORDER and ST JOHN OF JERUSALEM, KNIGHTS OF THE ORDER OF.

_Great Britain._--The history and constitution of the "most noble"

_Order of the Garter_ has been treated above. The officers of the order

are five--the prelate, chancellor, registrar, king of arms and

usher--the first, third and fifth having been attached to it from the

commencement, while the fourth was added by Henry V. and the second by

Edward IV. The prelate has always been the bishop of Winchester; the

chancellor was formerly the bishop of Salisbury, but is now the bishop

of Oxford; the registrarship and the deanery of Windsor have been united

since the reign of Charles I.; the king of arms, whose duties were in

the beginning discharged by Windsor herald, is Garter Principal King of

Arms; and the usher is the gentleman usher of the Black Rod. The chapel

of the order is St George's Chapel, Windsor. The insignia of the order

are illustrated on Plate I.

The "most ancient" _Order of the Thistle_, was founded by James II. in

1687, and dedicated to St Andrew. It consisted of the sovereign and

eight knights companions, and fell into abeyance at the Revolution of

1688. In 1703 it was revived by Queen Anne, when it was ordained to

consist of the sovereign and 12 knights companions, the number being

increased to 16 by statute in 1827. The officers of the order are the

dean, the secretary, Lyon King of Arms and the gentleman usher of the

Green Rod. The chapel, in St Giles's, Edinburgh, was begun in 1909. The

star, badge and ribbon of the order are illustrated on Plate II., figs.

5 and 6. The collar is formed of thistles, alternating with sprigs of

rue, and the motto is _Nemo me impune lacessit_.

[Illustration: PLATE II.

THE BATH. (i) STAR; (ii.) GRAND CROSS (Mil.); (iii) STAR; (iv.) GRAND

CROSS (Civ.); THE THISTLE. (v.) STAR; (vi.) BADGE. THE ST. PATRICK.

(vii.) BADGE; (viii.) STAR. THE ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE. (ix.) STAR;

(x.) GRAND CROSS.

_Drawn by William Gibb._

_Niagara Litho. Co., Buffalo, N. Y._]

The "most illustrious" _Order of St Patrick_ was instituted by George

III. in 1788, to consist of the sovereign, the lord lieutenant of

Ireland as grand master and 15 knights companions, enlarged to 22 in

1833. The chancellor of the order is the chief secretary to the lord

lieutenant of Ireland, and the king of arms is Ulster King of Arms;

Black Rod is the usher. The chapel is in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

The star, badge and ribbon are illustrated on Plate II., figs. 7 and 8.

The collar is formed of alternate roses with red and white leaves, and

gold harps linked by gold knots; the badge is suspended from a harp

surmounted by an imperial jewelled crown. The motto is _Quis separabit_?

The "most honourable" _Order of the Bath_ was established by George I.

in 1725, to consist of the sovereign, a grand master and 36 knights

companions. This was a pretended revival of an order supposed to have

been created by Henry IV. at his coronation in 1399. But, as has been

shown in the preceding section, no such order existed. Knights of the

Bath, although they were allowed precedence before knights bachelors,

were merely knights bachelors who were knighted with more elaborate

ceremonies than others and on certain great occasions. In 1815 the order

was instituted, in three classes, "to commemorate the auspicious

termination of the long and arduous contest in which the Empire has been

engaged"; and in 1847 the civil knights commanders and companions were

added. Exclusive of the sovereign, royal princes and distinguished

foreigners, the order is limited to 55 military and 27 civil knights

grand cross, 145 military and 108 civil knights commanders, and 705

military and 298 civil companions. The officers of the order are the

dean (the dean of Westminster), Bath King of Arms, the registrar, and

the usher of the Scarlet Rod. The ribbon and badges of the knights grand

cross (civil and military) and the stars are illustrated on Plate II.,

figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The "most distinguished" _Order of St Michael and St George_ was founded

by the prince regent, afterwards George IV., in 1818, in commemoration

of the British protectorate of the Ionian Islands, "for natives of the

Ionian Islands and of the island of Malta and its dependencies, and for

such other subjects of his majesty as may hold high and confidential

situations in the Mediterranean." By statute of 1832 the lord high

commissioner of the Ionian Islands was to be the grand master, and the

order was directed to consist of 15 knights grand crosses, 20 knights

commanders and 25 cavaliers or companions. After the repudiation of the

British protectorate of the Ionian Islands, the order was placed on a

new basis, and by letters patent of 1868 and 1877 it was extended and

provided for such of "the natural born subjects of the Crown of the

United Kingdom as may have held or shall hold high and confidential

offices within her majesty's colonial possessions, and in reward for

services rendered to the crown in relation to the foreign affairs of the

Empire." It is now (by the enlargement of 1902) limited to 100 knights

grand cross, of whom the first or principal is grand master, exclusive

of extra and honorary members, of 300 knights commanders and 600

companions. The officers are the prelate, chancellor, registrar,

secretary and officer of arms. The chapel of the order, in St Paul's

Cathedral, was dedicated in 1906. The badge of the knights grand cross

and the ribbon are illustrated on Plate II., figs. 9 and 10. The star of

the knights grand cross is a seven-rayed star of silver with a small ray

of gold between each, in the centre is a red St George's cross bearing a

medallion of St Michael encountering Satan, surrounded by a blue fillet

with the motto _Auspicium melioris aevi_.

The _Order of St Michael and St George_ ranks between the "most exalted"

_Order of the Star of India_ and the "most eminent" _Order of the Indian

Empire_, of both of which the viceroy of India for the time being is _ex

officio_ grand master. Of these the first was instituted in 1861 and

enlarged in 1876, 1897 and 1903, in three classes, knights grand

commanders, knights commanders and companions, and the second was

established (for "companions" only) in 1878 and enlarged in 1887, 1892,

1897 and 1903, also in the same three classes, in commemoration of

Queen Victoria's assumption of the imperial style and title of the

Empress of India. The badges, stars and ribbons of the knights grand

commanders of the two orders are illustrated on Plate III., figs. 3, 4,

5 and 6. The collar of the _Star of India_ is composed of alternate

links of the lotus flower, red and white roses and palm branches

enamelled on gold, with an imperial crown in the centre; that of the

_Indian Empire_ is composed of elephants, peacocks and Indian roses.

The _Royal Victorian Order_ was instituted by Queen Victoria on the 25th

of April 1896, and conferred for personal services rendered to her

majesty and her successors on the throne. It consists of the sovereign,

chancellor, secretary and five classes--knights grand commanders,

knights commanders, commanders and members of the fourth and fifth

classes, the distinction between these last divisions lying in the badge

and in the precedence enjoyed by the members. The knights of this order

rank in their respective classes immediately after those of the _Indian

Empire_, and its numbers are unlimited. The badge, star and ribbon of

the knights grand cross are illustrated on Plate III., figs. 1 and 2.

To the class of orders without the titular appellation "knight" belongs

the _Order of Merit_, founded by King Edward VII. on the occasion of his

coronation. The order is founded on the lines of the Prussian _Ordre

pour le mérite_ (see below), yet more comprehensive, including those who

have gained distinction in the military and naval services of the

Empire, and such as have made themselves a great name in the fields of

science, art and literature. The number of British members has been

fixed at twenty-four, with the addition of such foreign persons as the

sovereign shall appoint. The names of the first recipients were: Earl

Roberts, Viscount Wolseley, Viscount Kitchener, Sir Henry Keppel, Sir

Edward Seymour, Lord Lister, Lord Rayleigh, Lord Kelvin, John Morley, W.

E. H. Lecky, G. F. Watts and Sir William Huggins. The only foreign

recipients up to 1910 were Field Marshals Yamagata and Oyama and Admiral

Togo. A lady, Miss Florence Nightingale, received the order in 1907. The

badge is a cross of red and blue enamel surmounted by an imperial crown;

the central blue medallion bears the inscription "For Merit" in gold,

and is surrounded by a wreath of laurel. The badge of the military and

naval members bears two crossed swords in the angles of the cross. The

ribbon is garter blue and crimson and is worn round the neck.

The _Distinguished Service Order_, an order of military merit, was

founded on the 6th of September 1886 by Queen Victoria, its object

being to recognize the special services of officers in the army and

navy. Its numbers are unlimited, and its designation the letters

D.S.O. It consists of one class only, who take precedence immediately

after the 4th class of the Royal Victorian Order. The badge is a white

and gold cross with a red centre bearing the imperial crown surrounded

by a laurel wreath. The ribbon is red edged with blue. The _Imperial

Service Order_ was likewise instituted on the 26th of June 1902, and

finally revised in 1908, to commemorate King Edward's coronation, and

is specially designed as a recognition of faithful and meritorious

services rendered to the British Crown by the administrative members

of the civil service in various parts of the Empire, and is to consist

of companions only. The numbers are limited to 475, of whom 250 belong

to the home and 225 to the civil services of the colonies and

protectorates (Royal Warrant, June 1909). Women as well as men are

eligible. The members of the order have the distinction of adding the

letters I.S.O. after their names. In precedence the order ranks after

the _Distinguished Service Order_. The badge is a gold medallion

bearing the royal cipher and the words "For Faithful Service" in blue;

for men it rests on a silver star, for women it is surrounded by a

silver wreath. The ribbon is one blue between two crimson stripes.

In addition to the above, there are two British orders confined to

ladies. The _Royal Order of Victoria and Albert_, which was instituted

in 1862, is a purely court distinction. It consists of four classes,

and it has as designation the letters V.A. The _Imperial Order of the

Crown of India_ is conferred for like purposes as the Order of the

Indian Empire. Its primary object is to recognize the services of

ladies connected with the court of India. The letters C.I. are its

designation.

The sovereign's permission by royal warrant is necessary before a

British subject can receive a foreign order of knighthood. For other

decorations, see under MEDALS.

_The Golden Fleece_ (_La Toison d'Or_) ranks historically and in

distinction as one of the great knightly orders of Europe. It is now

divided into two branches, of Austria and Spain. It was founded on the

10th of January, 1429/30 by Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, on the

day of his marriage with Isabella of Portugal at Bruges, in her honour

and dedicated to the Virgin and St Andrew. No certain origin can be

given for the name. It seems to have been in dispute even in the early

history of the order. Four different sources have been suggested; the

classical myth of the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts for the golden

fleece, the scriptural story of Gideon, the staple trade of Flanders in

wool, and the fleece of golden hair of Marie de Rambrugge, the duke's

mistress. Motley (_Rise of Dutch Rep._, i. 48) says: "What could be more

practical and more devout than the conception? Did not the Lamb of God,

suspended at each knight's heart, symbolize at once the woollen fabrics

to which so much of Flemish wealth and Burgundian power was owing, and

the gentle humility of Christ which was ever to characterize the order?"

At its constitution the number of the knights was limited to 24,

exclusive of the grand master, the sovereign. The members were to be

_gentilshommes de nom et d'armes et sans reproche_, not knights of any

other order, and vowed to join their sovereign in the defence of the

Catholic faith, the protection of Holy Church, and the upholding of

virtue and good morals. The sovereign undertook to consult the knights

before embarking on a 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;

to this the sovereign was expressly subject. Thus we find that the

emperor Charles V. accepted humbly the criticism of the knights of the

Fleece on his over-centralization of the government and the wasteful

personal attention to details (E. A. Armstrong, _Charles V._, 1902, ii.

373). 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 _dans l'aimable compagnie du dit ordre_. It

was in defiance of this right that Alva refused the claim of Counts

Egmont and Horn to be tried by the knights of the Fleece in 1568. During

the 16th century the order frequently acted as a consultative body in

the state; thus in 1539 and 1540 Charles summons the knights with the

council of state and the privy council to decide what steps should be

taken in face of the revolt of Ghent (Armstrong, _op. cit._, i. 302), in

1562 Margaret of Parma, the regent, summons them to Brussels to debate

the dangerous condition of the provinces (Motley, i. 48), and they were

present at the abdication of Charles in the great hall at Brussels in

1555. The history of the order and its subsequent division into the two

branches of Austria and Spain may be briefly summarized. By the marriage

of Mary, only daughter of Charles the Bold of Burgundy to Maximilian,

archduke of Austria, 1477, the grand mastership of the order came to the

house of Habsburg and, with the Netherlands provinces, to Spain in 1504

on the accession of Philip, Maximilian's son, to Castile. On the

extinction of the Habsburg dynasty in Spain by the death of Charles II.

in 1700 the grand-mastership, which had been filled by the kings of

Spain after the loss of the Netherlands, was claimed by the emperor

Charles VI., and he instituted the order in Vienna in 1713. Protests

were made at various times by Philip V., but the question has never been

finally decided by treaty, and the Austrian and Spanish branches have

continued as independent orders ever since as the principal order of

knighthood in the respective states. It may be noticed that while the

Austrian branch excludes any other than Roman Catholics from the order,

the Spanish Fleece may be granted to Protestants. The badges of the two

branches vary slightly in detail, more particularly in the attachment of

fire-stones (_fusils_ or _furisons_) and steels by which the fleece is

attached to the ribbon of the collar. The Spanish form is given on Plate

IV., fig. 2. The collar is composed of alternate links of furisons and

double steels interlaced to form the letter B for Burgundy. A

magnificent exhibition of relics, portraits of knights and other

objects connected with the order of the Golden Fleece was held at Bruges

in 1907.

The chief history of the order is Baron de Reiffenberg's _Histoire de

l'Ordre de la Toison d'Or_ (1830); see also an article by Sir J.

Balfour Paul, Lyon King of Arms, in the _Scottish Historical Review_

(July 1908).

_Austria-Hungary._--The following are the principal orders other than

that of the Golden Fleece (_supra_). _The Order of St Stephen of

Hungary_, the royal Hungarian order, founded in 1764 by the empress

Maria Theresa, consists of the grand master (the sovereign), 20

knights grand cross, 30 knights commanders and 50 knights. The badge

is a green enamelled cross with gold borders, suspended from the

Hungarian crown; the red enamelled medallion in the centre of the

cross bears a white patriarchal cross issuing from a coroneted green

mound; on either side of the cross are the letters M.T. in gold, and

the whole is surrounded by a white fillet with the legend _Publicum

Meritorum Praemium_. The ribbon is green with a crimson central

stripe. The collar, only worn by the knights grand cross, is of gold,

and consists of Hungarian crowns linked together alternately by the

monograms of St Stephen, S.S., and the foundress, M.T.; the centre of

the collar is formed by a flying lark encircled by the motto _Stringit

amore_. An illustration of the star of the grand cross is given on

Plate V. fig. 4. _The Order of Leopold_, for civil and military

service, was founded in 1808 by the emperor Francis I. in memory of

his father Leopold II. The three classes take precedence next after

the corresponding classes of the order of St Stephen. The badge is a

red enamelled cross bordered with white and gold and surmounted by the

imperial crown; the red medallion in the centre bears the letters

F.I.A., and on the encircling white fillet is the inscription

_Integritati et Merito_. When conferred for service in war the cross

rests on a green laurel wreath. The ribbon is scarlet with two white

stripes. The collar consists of imperial crowns, the initials F. and

L. and oak wreaths. _The Order of the Iron Crown_, i.e. of Lombardy,

was founded by Napoleon as king of Italy in 1809, and refounded as an

Austrian order of civil and military merit in 1816 by the emperor

Francis I.; the number of knights is limited to 100--20 grand cross,

30 commanders, 50 knights. The badge consists of the double-headed

imperial eagle with sword and orb; below it is the jewelled iron crown

of Lombardy, and above the imperial crown; on the breast of the eagle

is a gold-bordered blue shield with the letter F. in gold. The

military decoration for war service also bears two green laurel

branches. The ribbon is yellow edged with narrow blue stripes. The

collar is formed of Lombard crowns, oak wreaths and the monogram F. P.

(_Franciscus Primus_). _The Order of Francis Joseph_, for personal

merit of every kind, was founded in 1849 by the emperor Francis Joseph

I. It is of the three usual classes and is unlimited in numbers. The

badge is a black and gold imperial eagle surmounted by the imperial

crown. The eagle bears a red cross with a white medallion, containing

the letters F. J., and to the beaks of the two heads of the eagle is

attached a chain on which is the legend _Viribus Unitis_. The ribbon

is deep red. The _Order of Maria Theresa_ was founded by the empress

Maria Theresa in 1757. It is a purely military order and is given to

officers for personal distinguished conduct in the field. There are

three classes. There were originally only two, grand cross and

knights. The emperor Joseph II. added a commanders' class in 1765. The

badge is a white cross with gold edge, in the centre a red medallion

with a white gold-edged _fesse_, surrounded by a fillet with the

inscription _Fortitudini_. The ribbon is red with a white central

stripe. The _Order of Elizabeth Theresa_, also a military order for

officers, was founded in 1750 by the will of Elizabeth Christina,

widow of the emperor Charles VI. It was renovated in 1771 by her

daughter, the empress Maria Theresa. The order is limited to 21

knights in three divisions. The badge is an oval star with eight

points, enamelled half red and white, dependent from a gold imperial

crown. The central medallion bears the initials of the founders, with

the encircling inscription _M. Theresa parentis gratiam perennem

voluit_. The ribbon is black. The _Order of the Starry Cross_, for

high-born ladies of the Roman Catholic faith who devote themselves to

good works, spiritual and temporal, was founded in 1668 by the empress

Eleanor, widow of the emperor Ferdinand III. and mother of Leopold I.,

to commemorate the recovery of a relic of the true cross from a

dangerous fire in the imperial palace at Vienna. The relic was

supposed to have been peculiarly treasured by the emperor Maximilian

I. and the emperor Frederick III. The patroness of the order must be a

princess of the imperial Austrian house. The badge is the black

double-headed eagle surrounded by a blue-enamelled ornamented border,

with the inscription _Salus et Gloria_ on a white fillet; the eagle

bears a red Greek cross with gold and blue borders. The _Order of

Elizabeth_, also for ladies, was founded in 1898.

[Illustration: PLATE III.

ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER. (i.) GRAND CROSS; (ii.) STAR. ORDER OF THE

INDIAN EMPIRE. (iii.) BADGE OF KNIGHT GRAND COMMANDER; (iv.) STAR. THE

STAR OF INDIA. (v.) STAR; (vi.) BADGE OF KNIGHT GRAND COMMANDER.

_Drawn by William Gibb._

_Niagara Litho. Co., Buffalo, N. Y._]

_Belgium._--The _Order of Leopold_, for civil and military merit, was

founded in 1832 by Leopold I., with four classes, a fifth being added

in 1838. The badge is a white enamelled cross, with gold borders and

balls, suspended from a royal crown and resting on a green laurel and

oak wreath. In the centre a medallion, surrounded by a red fillet with

the motto of the order, _L'union fait la force_, bears a golden

Belgian lion on a black field. The ribbon is watered red. The _Order

of the Iron Cross_, the badge of which is a black cross with gold

borders, with a gold centre bearing a lion, was instituted by Leopold

II. in 1867 as an order of civil merit. The military cross was

instituted in 1885. There are also the following orders instituted by

Leopold II. for service in the Congo State: the _Order of the African

Star_ (1888), the _Royal Order of the Lion_ (1891) and the _Congo

Star_ (1889).

_Bulgaria._--The _Order of SS Cyril and Methodius_ was instituted in

1909 by King Ferdinand to commemorate the elevation of the

principality to the position of an independent kingdom. It now takes

precedence of the _Order of St Alexander_, which was founded by Prince

Alexander in 1881, and reconstituted by Prince Ferdinand in 1888.

There are six classes. The plain white cross, suspended from the

Bulgarian crown, bears the name of the patron saint in old Cyrillic

letters in the centre.

_Denmark._--The _Order of the Elephant_, one of the chief European

orders of knighthood, was, it is said, founded by Christian I. in

1462; a still earlier origin has been assigned to it, but its regular

institution was that of Christian V. in 1693. The order, exclusive of

the sovereign and his sons, is limited to 30 knights, who must be of

the Protestant religion. The badge of the order is illustrated on

Plate IV. fig. 5. The ribbon is light watered blue, the collar of

alternate gold elephants with blue housings and towers, the star of

silver with a purple medallion bearing a silver or brilliant cross

surrounded by a silver laurel wreath. The motto is _Magnanime

pretium_. The _Order of the Dannebrog_ is, according to Danish

tradition, of miraculous origin, and was founded by Valdemar II. in

1219 as a memorial of a victory over the Esthonians, won by the

appearance in the sky of a red banner bearing a white cross.

Historically the order dates from the foundation in 1671 by Christian

V. at the birth of his son Frederick, the statutes being published in

1693. Originally restricted to 50 knights and granted as a family or

court decoration, it was reconstituted as an unlimited order of merit

in 1808 by Frederick VI.; alterations have been made in 1811 and 1864.

It now consists of three classes--grand cross, commander (two grades),

knight, and of one rank of ordinary members (_Dannebrogs maender_).

The badge of the order is, with variations for the different classes,

a white enamelled Danish cross with red and gold borders, bearing in

the centre the letter W (V) and on the four arms the inscription _Gud

og Kongen_ (For God and King). The ribbon is white with red edging.

_France._--_The Legion of Honour_, the only order of France, and one

which in its higher grades ranks in estimation with the highest European

orders, was instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte on the 19th of May 1802 (29

Floreal of the year X.) as a general military and civil order of merit.

All soldiers on whom "swords of honour" had been already conferred were

declared _legionaries ipso facto_, and all citizens after 25 years'

service were declared eligible, whatever their birth, rank or religion.

On admission all were to swear to co-operate so far as in them lay for

the assertion of the principles of liberty and equality. The

organization as laid down by Napoleon in 1804 was as follows: Napoleon

was grand master; a grand council of 7 grand officers administered the

order; the order was divided into 15 "cohorts" of 7 grand officers, 20

commanders, 30 officers and 350 legionaries, and at the headquarters of

the cohorts, for which the territory of France was separated into 15

divisions, were maintained hospitals for the support of the sick and

infirm legionaries. Salaries (_traitements_) varying in each rank were

attached to the order. In 1805 the rank of "Grand Eagle" (now Grand

Cross, or _Grand Cordon_) was instituted, taking precedence of the grand

officers. At the Restoration many changes were made, the old military

and religious orders were restored, and the _Legion of Honour_, now

_Ordre Royale de la Légion d'Honneur_, took the lowest rank. The

revolution of July 1830 restored the order to its unique place. The

constitution of the order now rests on the decrees of the 16th of March

and 24th of November 1852, the law of the 25th of July 1873, the decree

of the 29th of December 1892, and the laws of the 16th of April 1895 and

the 28th of January 1897, and a decree of the 26th of June 1900. The

president of the republic is the grand master of the order; the

administration is in the hands of a grand chancellor, who has a council

of the order nominated by the grand master. The chancellery is housed in

the _Palais de la Légion de l'Honneur_, which, burnt during the Commune,

was rebuilt in 1878. The order consists of the five classes of grand

cross (limited to 80), grand officer (200), commander (1000), officers

(4000), and chevalier or knight, in which the number is unlimited. These

limitations in number do not affect the foreign recipients of the order.

Salaries (_traitements_) are attached to the military and naval

recipients of the order when on the active list, viz. 3000 francs for

grand cross, 2000 francs for grand officers, 1000 francs for commanders,

250 francs for chevaliers. The numbers of the recipients of the order

_sans traitement_ are limited through all classes. In ordinary

circumstances twenty years of military, naval or civil service must have

been performed before a candidate can be eligible for the rank of

chevalier, and promotions can only be made after definite service in the

lower rank. Extraordinary service in time of war and extraordinary

services in civil life admit to any rank. Women have been decorated,

notably Rosa Bonheur, Madame Curie and Madame Bartet. The Napoleonic

form of the grand cross and ribbon is illustrated on Plate IV, fig. 6;

the cross from which the drawing was made was given to King Edward VII.

when prince of Wales in 1863. In the present order of the French

Republic the symbolical head of the Republic appears in the centre, and

a laurel wreath replaces the imperial crown; the inscription round the

medallion is _République française_. Since 1805 there has existed an

institution, _Maison d'éducation de la Legion d'Honneur_, for the

education of the daughters, granddaughters, sisters and nieces of

members of the Legion of Honour. There are three houses, at Saint Denis,

at Écouen and Les Loges (see _Dictionnaire de l'administration

française_, by M. Block and E. Magnéro, 1905, _s.v._ "Decorations").

Among the orders swept away at the French Revolution, restored in part

at the Restoration, and finally abolished at the revolution of July

1830 were the following: The _Order of St Michael_ was founded by

Louis XI. in 1469 for a limited number of knights of noble birth.

Later the numbers were so much increased under Charles IX. that it

became known as _Le Collier à toutes bêtes_. In 1816 the order was

granted for services in art and science. In view of the low esteem

into which the _Order of St Michael_ had fallen, Henry III. founded in

1578 the _Order of the Holy Ghost_ (_St Esprit_). The badge of the

order was a white Maltese cross decorated in gold, with the gold

lilies of France at the angles, in the centre a white dove with wings

outstretched, the ribbon was sky blue (_cordon bleu_). The motto of

the order was _Duce et auspice_. The _Order of St Louis_ was founded

by Louis XIV. in 1693 for military merit, and the _Order of Military

Merit_ by Louis XV. in 1759, originally for Protestant officers.

_Germany._--i. _Anhalt._ The _Order of Albert the Bear_, a family

order or _Hausorden_, was founded in 1836 by the dukes Henry of

Anhalt-Köthen, Leopold Frederick of Anhalt-Dessau and Alexander

Charles of Anhalt-Bernburg. Changes in the constitution have been made

at various dates. It now consists of five classes, grand cross,

commander (2 classes) and knights (2 classes). The badge is a gold

oval bearing in gold a crowned and collared bear on a crenellated

wall; below the ring by which the badge is attached to the ribbon is a

shield with the arms of the house of Anhalt, on the reverse those of

the house of Ascania. Round the oval is the motto _Fürchte Gott und

folge seine Befehle_. The ribbon is green with two red stripes. The

grand master alone wears a collar.

ii. _Baden._ The _Order of Fidelity or Loyalty_ (_Hausorden der

Treue_) was instituted by William, margrave of Baden-Durlach in 1715,

and reconstituted in 1803 by the elector Charles Frederick. There is

now only one class, for princes of the reigning house, foreign

sovereigns and eminent men of the state. The badge is a red enamelled

cross with gold borders and double C's interlaced in the angles; in

the centre a white medallion with red monogram over a green mound

surmounted by the word _Fidelitas_ in black; the cross is suspended

from a ducal crown. The ribbon is orange with silver edging. The

military _Order of Charles Frederick_ was founded in 1807. There are

three classes. The badge is a white cross resting on a green laurel

wreath, the ribbon is red with a yellow stripe bordered with white.

The order is conferred for long and meritorious military service. The

_Order of the Zähringen Lion_ was founded in 1812 in commemoration of

the descent of the reigning house of Baden from the dukes of

Zähringen. It has been reconstituted in 1840 and 1877. It now consists

of five classes. The badge is a green enamel cross with gold clasps in

the angles; in the central medallion an enamelled representation of

the ruined castle of Zähringen. The ribbon is green with two orange

stripes. Since 1896 the _Order of Berthold I._ has been a distinct

order; it was founded in 1877 as a higher class of the _Zähringen

Lion_.

iii. _Bavaria._ The _Order of St Hubert_, one of the oldest and most

distinguished knightly orders, was founded in 1444 by duke Gerhard V.

of Jülich-Berg in honour of a victory over Count Arnold of Egmont at

Ravensberg on the 3rd of November, St Hubert's day. The knights wore a

collar of golden hunting horns, whence the order was also known as the

_Order of the Horn_. Statutes were granted in 1476, but the order fell

into abeyance at the extinction of the dynasty in 1609. It was revived

in 1708 by the elector palatine, John William of Neuberg, and its

constitution was altered at various times, its final form being given

by the elector Maximilian Joseph, first king of Bavaria, in 1808.

Exclusive of the sovereign and princes of the blood, and foreign

sovereigns and princes, it consists of twelve capitular knights of the

rank of count or _Freiherr_. The badge of the order and the ribbon are

illustrated in Plate V. fig. 3. The central medallion represents the

conversion of St Hubert. The collar is composed of gold and blue

enamel figures of the conversion linked by the Gothic monogram I.T.V.,

_In Trau Vast_, the motto of the order, alternately red and green. The

_Order of St George_, said to have been founded in the 12th century as

a crusading order and revived by the emperor Maximilian I. in 1494,

dates historically from its institution in 1729 by the elector Charles

Albert, afterwards the emperor Charles VII. It was confirmed by the

elector Charles Theodore in 1778 and by the elector Maximilian Joseph

IV. as the second Bavarian order. Various new statutes have been

granted from 1827 to 1875. The order is divided into two branches, "of

German and foreign languages," and it also has a "spiritual class."

The members of the order must be Roman Catholics. The badge is a blue

enamelled cross with white and gold edging suspended from the mouth of

a gold lion's head; in the angles of the cross are blue lozenges

containing the letters V.I.B.I., _Virgini Immaculatae Bavaria

Immaculata_. The central medallion contains a figure of the Immaculate

Conception. The medallion on the reverse contains a figure of St

George and the Dragon and the corresponding initials J.U.P.F., _Justus

ut Palma Florebit_, the motto of the order. Besides the above Bavaria

possesses the _Military Order of Maximilian Joseph_, 1806, and the

_Civil Orders of Merit of St Michael_, 1693, and of the _Bavarian

Crown_, 1808, and other minor orders and decorations, civil and

military. There are also the two illustrious orders for ladies, the

_Order of Elizabeth_, founded in 1766, and the _Order of Theresa_, in

1827. The foundations of _St Anne of Munich_ and of _St Anne of

Würzburg_ for ladies are not properly orders.

iv. _Brunswick._ The _Order of Henry the Lion_, for military and civil

merit, was founded by Duke William in 1834. There are five classes,

and a cross of merit of two classes. The badge is a blue enamelled

cross dependent from a lion surmounted by the ducal crown; the angles

of the cross are filled by crowned W's and the centre bears the arms

of Brunswick, a crowned pillar and a white horse, between two sickles.

The ribbon is deep red bordered with yellow.

v. _Hanover._ The _Order of St George_ (one class only) was instituted

by King Ernest Augustus I. in 1839 as the family order of the house of

Hanover; the _Royal Guelphic Order_ (three classes) by George, prince

regent, afterwards George IV. of Great Britain, in 1815; and the

_Order of Ernest Augustus_ by George V. of Hanover in 1865. These

orders have not been conferred since 1866, when Hanover ceased to be a

kingdom, and the _Royal Guelphic Order_, which from its institution

was more British than Hanoverian, not since the death of William IV.

in 1837. The last British grand cross was the late duke of Cambridge.

vi. _Hesse._ Of the various orders founded by the houses of

Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Darmstadt the following are still bestowed in

the grand duchy of Hesse. The _Order of Louis_, founded by the grand

duke Louis I. of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1807; there are five classes; the

black, red and gold bordered cross bears the initial L. in the centre,

the ribbon is black with red borders; the _Order of Philip the

Magnanimous_, founded by the grand duke Louis II. in 1840 has five

classes; the white cross of the badge bears the effigy of Philip

surrounded by the motto _Si Deus vobiscum quis contra nos_. The _Order

of the Golden Lion_ was founded in 1770 by the landgrave Frederick II.

of Hesse-Cassel, the knights are 41 in number and take precedence of

the members of the two former orders. The badge is an open oval of

gold with the Hessian lion in the centre. The ribbon is crimson.

vii. _Mecklenburg._ The grand duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and

Mecklenburg-Strelitz possess jointly the _Order of the Wendish Crown_,

founded in 1864 by the grand dukes Frederick Francis II. of Schwerin

and Frederick William of Strelitz; there are four classes, with two

divisions of the grand cross, and also an affiliated cross of merit;

the grand cross can be granted to ladies. The badge is a white cross

bearing on a blue centre the Wendish crown, surrounded by the motto,

for the Schwerin knights, _Per aspera ad astra_, for the Strelitz

knights, _Avito viret honore_. The _Order of the Griffin_, founded in

1884 by Frederick Francis III. of Schwerin, was made common to the

duchies in 1904.

viii. _Oldenberg._ The _Order of Duke Peter Frederick Louis_, a family

order and order of merit, was founded by the grand duke Paul Frederick

Augustus in memory of his father in 1838. It has two divisions, each

of five classes, of capitular knights and honorary members. The badge

is a white gold bordered cross suspended from a crown, in the centre

the crowned monogram P.F.L. surrounded by the motto _Ein Gott, Ein

Recht, Eine Wahrheit_; the ribbon is dark blue bordered with red.

ix. _Prussia._ The _Order of the Black Eagle_, one of the most

distinguished of European orders, was founded in 1701 by the elector

of Brandenburg, Frederick I., in memory of his coronation as king of

Prussia. The order consists of one class only and the original

statutes limited the number, exclusive of the princes of the royal

house and foreign members, to 30. But the number has been exceeded. It

is only conferred on those of royal lineage and upon high officers of

state. It confers the nobiliary particle _von_. Only those who have

received the _Order of the Red Eagle_ are eligible. An illustration of

the badge of the order with ribbon is given on Plate IV. fig. 3. The

star of silver bears the black eagle on an orange ground surrounded by

a silver fillet on which is the motto of the order _Suum Cuique_. The

collar is formed of alternate black eagles and a circular medallion

with the motto on a white centre surrounded by the initials F.R.

repeated in green, the whole in a circle of blue with four gold crowns

on the exterior rim. The _Order of the Red Eagle_, the second of the

Prussian orders, was founded originally as the _Order of Sincerity_

(_L'Ordre de la Sincerité_) in 1705 by George William, hereditary

prince of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. The original constitution and insignia

are now entirely changed, with the exception of the red eagle which

formed the centre of the cross of the badge. The order had almost

fallen into oblivion when it was revived in 1734 by the margrave

George Frederick Charles as the _Order of the Brandenburg Red Eagle_.

It consisted of 30 nobly born knights. The numbers were increased and

a grand cross class added in 1759. On the cession of the principality

to Prussia in 1791 the order was transferred and King Frederick

William raised it to that place in Prussian orders which it has since

maintained. The order was divided into four classes in 1810 and there

are now five classes with numerous subdivisions. It is an order of

civil and military merit. The grand cross resembles the badge of the

Black Eagle, but is white and the eagles in the corners red, the

central medallion bearing the initials W.R. (those of William I.)

surrounded by a blue fillet with the motto _Sincere et Constanter_.

The numerous classes and subdivisions have exceedingly complicated

distinguishing marks, some bearing crossed swords, a crown, or an

oak-leaf surmounting the cross. The ribbon is white with two orange

stripes.

The _Order for Merit_ (_Ordre pour le Mérite_), one of the most highly

prized of European orders of merit, has now two divisions, military

and for science and art. It was originally founded by the electoral

prince Frederick, afterwards Frederick I. of Prussia, in 1667 as the

_Order of Generosity_; it was given its present name and granted for

civil and military distinction by Frederick the Great, 1740. In 1810

the order was made one for military merit against the enemy in the

field exclusively. In 1840 the class for distinction for science and

art, or peace class (_Friedensklasse_) was founded by Frederick

William IV., for those "who have gained an illustrious name by wide

recognition in the spheres of science and art." The number is limited

to 30 German and 30 foreign members. The _Academy of Sciences and

Arts_ on a vacancy nominates three candidates, from which one is

selected by the king. It is interesting to note that this was the only

distinction which Thomas Carlyle would accept. The badge of the

military order is a blue cross with gold uncrowned eagles in the

angles; on the topmost arm is the initial F., with a crown; on the

other arms the inscription _Pour le Mérite_. The ribbon is black with

a silver stripe at the edges. In 1866 a special grand cross was

instituted for the crown prince (afterwards Frederick III.) and Prince

Frederick Charles. It was in 1879 granted to Count von Moltke as a

special distinction. The badge of the class for science or art is a

circular medallion of white, with a gold eagle in the centre

surrounded by a blue border with the inscription _Pour le Mérite_; on

the white field the letters [reverse F]F. II. four times repeated, and

four crowns in gold projecting from the rim. The ribbon is the same as

for the military class. The _Order of the Crown_, founded by William

I. in 1861, ranks with the Red Eagle. There are four classes, with

many subdivisions. Other Prussian orders are the _Order of William_,

instituted by William II. in 1896; a Prussian branch of the knights of

St John of Jerusalem, _Johanniter Orden_, in its present form dating

from 1893; and the family _Order of the House of Hohenzollern_,

founded in 1851 by Frederick William IV. There are two divisions,

military and civil, divided into four classes. The military badge is a

white cross with black and gold edging, resting on a green oak and

laurel wreath; the central medallion bears the Prussian Eagle with the

arms of Hohenzollern, and is surrounded by a blue fillet with the

motto _Vom Fels zum Meer_; the civil badge is a black eagle, with the

head encircled with a blue fillet with the motto. There are also for

ladies the _Order of Service_, founded in 1814 by Frederick William

III., in one class, but enlarged in 1850 and in 1865. The decoration

of merit for ladies (_Verdienst-kreuz_), founded in 1870, was raised

to an order in 1907. For the famous military decoration, the _Iron

Cross_, see MEDALS.

x. _Saxony._--The _Order of the Crown of Rue_ (_Rauten Krone_) was

founded as a family order by Frederick Augustus I. in 1807. It is of

one class only, and the sons and nephews of the sovereign are born

knights of the order. It is granted to foreign ruling princes and

subjects of high rank. The badge is a pale green enamelled cross

resting on a gold crown with eight rue leaves, the centre is white

with the crowned monogram of the founder surrounded by a green circlet

of rue; the star bears in its centre the motto _Providentiae Memor_.

The ribbon is green. Other Saxon orders are the military _Order of St

Henry_, for distinguished service in the field, founded in 1736 in one

class; since 1829 it has had four classes; the ribbon is sky blue with

two yellow stripes, the gold cross bears in the centre the effigy of

the emperor Henry II.; the _Order of Albert_, for civil and military

merit, founded in 1850 by Frederick Augustus II. in memory of Duke

Albert the Bold, the founder of the Albertine line of Saxony, has six

classes; the _Order of Civil Merit_, was founded in 1815. For ladies

there are the _Order of Sidonia_, 1870, in memory of the wife of

Albert the Bold, the mother (_Stamm-Mutter_) of the Albertine line;

and the _Maria Anna Order_, 1906.

[Illustration: PLATE IV.

(i.) THE ST. ANDREW (Russia). (ii.) THE GOLDEN FLEECE (Spain). (iii.)

THE BLACK EAGLE (Prussia). (iv.) THE TOWER AND SWORD (Portugal). (v.)

THE ELEPHANT (Denmark). (vi.) THE LEGION OF HONOUR

(France-Napoleonic). (vii.) THE ANNUNZIATA (Italy).

_Drawn by William Gibb._

_Niagara Litho. Co., Buffalo, N. Y._]

xi. The duchies of _Saxe Altenburg_, _Saxe Coburg Gotha_ and _Saxe

Meiningen_ have in common the family _Order of Ernest_, founded in

1833 in memory of Duke Ernest the Pious of Saxe Gotha and as a revival

of the _Order of German Integrity_ (_Orden der deutschen Redlichkeit_)

founded in 1690. Saxe Coburg Gotha and Saxe Meiningen have also

separate crosses of merit in science and art.

xii. _Saxe Weimar._--The _Order of the White Falcon_ or _of Vigilance_

was founded in 1732 and renewed in 1815.

xiii. _Württemberg._--The _Order of the Crown of Württemberg_ was

founded in 1818, uniting the former _Order of the Golden Eagle_ and an

order of civil merit. It has five classes. The badge is a white cross

surmounted by the royal crown, in the centre the initial F surrounded

by a crimson fillet on which is the motto _Furchtlos und Treu_; in the

angles of the cross are four golden leopards; the ribbon is crimson

with two black stripes. Besides the military _Order of Merit_ founded

in 1759, and the silver cross of merit, 1900, Württemberg has also the

_Order of Frederick_, 1830, and the _Order of Olga_, 1871, which is

granted to ladies as well as men.

_Greece._--The _Order of the Redeemer_ was founded as such in 1833 by

King Otto, being a conversion of a decoration of honour instituted in

1829 by the National Assembly at Argos. There are five classes, the

numbers being regulated for each. An illustration of the badge and

ribbon of the grand cross is given on Plate V. fig. 1.

_Holland._--The _Order of William_, for military merit, was founded in

1815 by William I.; there are four classes; the badge is a white cross

resting on a green laurel Burgundian cross, in the centre the

Burgundian flint-steel, as in the order of the Golden Fleece. The

motto _Voer Moed, Belied, Trouw_ (For Valour, Devotion, Loyalty),

appears on the arms of the cross. The cross is surmounted by a

jewelled crown; the ribbon is orange with dark blue edging. The _Order

of the Netherlands Lion_, for civil merit, was founded in 1818; there

are four classes. The family _Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau_

passed in 1890 to the grand duchy of Luxembourg (see under LUXEMBURG).

In 1892 Queen Wilhelmina instituted the _Order of Orange-Nassau_ with

five classes. The _Teutonic Order_ (q.v.), surviving in the Ballarde

(Bailiwick) of Utrecht, was officially established in the Netherlands

by the States General in 1580. It was abolished by Napoleon in 1811

and was restored in 1815.

_Italy._--The _Order of the Annunziata_, the highest order of

knighthood of the Italian kingdom, was instituted in 1362 by Amadeus

VI., count of Savoy, as the Order of the Collare or Collar, from the

silver collar made up of love-knots and roses, which was its badge, in

honour of the fifteen joys of the Virgin; hence the number of the

knights was restricted to fifteen, the fifteen chaplains recited

fifteen masses each day, and the clauses of the original statute of

the order were fifteen (Amadeus VIII. added five others in 1434).

Charles III. decreed that the order should be called the Annunziata,

and made some other alterations in 1518. His son and successor,

Emmanuel Philibert, made further modifications in the statute and the

costume. The church of the order was originally the Carthusian

monastery of Pierre-châtel in the district of Bugey, but after Charles

Emmanuel I. had given Bugey and Bresse to France in 1601 the church of

the order was transferred to the Camaldolese monastery near Turin.

That religious order having been suppressed at the time of the French

Revolution, King Charles Albert decreed in 1840 that the Carthusian

church of Collegno should be the chapel of the order. The knights of

the Annunziata have the title of "cousins of the king," and enjoy

precedence over all the other officials of the state. The costume of

the order is of white satin embroidered in silk, with a purple velvet

cloak adorned with roses and gold embroidery, but it is now never

worn; in the collar the motto _Fert_ is inserted, on the meaning of

which there is great uncertainty,[65] and from it hangs a pendant

enclosing a medallion representing the Annunciation (see Plate IV.

fig. 7). An account of the order is given in Count Luigi Cibrario's

_Ordini Cavallereschi_ (Turin, 1846) with coloured plates of the

costume and badges.

The _Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus_ (SS Maurizio e Lazzaro), is a

combination of two ancient orders. The Order of St Maurice was

originally founded by Amadeus VIII., duke of Savoy, in 1434, when he

retired to the hermitage of Ripaille, and consisted of a group of

half-a-dozen councillors who were to advise him on such affairs of

state as he continued to control. When he became pope as Felix V. the

order practically ceased to exist. It was re-established at the

instance of Emmanuel Philibert by Pope Pius V. in 1572 as a military

and religious order, and the following year it was united to that of

St Lazarus by Gregory XIII. The latter order had been founded as a

military and religious community at the time of the Latin kingdom of

Jerusalem with the object of assisting lepers, many of whom were among

its members. Popes, princes and nobles endowed it with estates and

privileges, including that of administering and succeeding to the

property of lepers, which eventually led to grave abuses. With the

advance of the Saracens the knights of St Lazarus, when driven from

the Holy Land and Egypt, migrated to France (1291) and Naples (1311),

where they founded leper hospitals. The order in Naples, which alone

was afterwards recognized as the legitimate descendant of the

Jerusalem community, was empowered to seize and confine anyone

suspected of leprosy, a permission which led to the establishment of a

regular inquisitorial system of blackmail. In the 15th and 16th

centuries dissensions broke out among the knights, and the order

declined in credit and wealth, until finally the grand master,

Giannotto Castiglioni, resigned his position in favour of Emmanuel

Philibert, duke of Savoy, in 1571. Two years later the orders of St

Lazarus and St Maurice were incorporated into one community, the

members of which were to devote themselves to the defence of the Holy

See and to fight its enemies as well as to continue assisting lepers.

The galleys of the order subsequently took part in various expeditions

against the Turks and the Barbary pirates. Leprosy, which had almost

disappeared in the 17th century, broke out once more in the 18th, and

in 1773 a hospital was established by the order at Aosta, made famous

by Xavier de Maistre's tale, _Le Lépreux de la cité d'Aoste_. The

statutes were published in 1816, by which date the order had lost its

military character; it was reformed first by Charles Albert (1831),

and later by Victor Emmanuel II., king of Italy (1868). The knighthood

of St Maurice and St Lazarus is now a dignity conferred by the king of

Italy (the grand master) on persons distinguished in the public

service, science, art and letters, trade, and above all in charitable

works, to which its income is devoted. There are five classes. The

badge of the combined order is composed of the white cross with

trefoil termination of St Lazarus resting on the green cross of St

Maurice; both crosses are bordered gold. The first four classes wear

the badge suspended from a royal crown. The ribbon is dark green.

See L. Cibrario, _Descrizione storica degli Ordini Cavallereschi_,

vol. i. (Turin, 1846); _Calendario Reale_, an annual publication

issued in Rome.

The military _Order of Savoy_ was founded in 1815 by Victor Emmanuel

of Sardinia; badge modified 1855 and 1857. It has now five classes.

The badge is a white cross, the arms of which expand and terminate in

an obtuse angle; round the cross is a green laurel and oak wreath; the

central medallion is red, bearing in gold two crossed swords, the

initials of the founder and the date 1855. The ribbon is red with a

central stripe of blue. The _Civil Order of Savoy_, founded in 1831 by

Charles Albert of Sardinia, is of one class, and in statutes of 1868

is limited to 60 members. The badge is the plain Savoy cross in blue,

with silver medallion, the ribbon is blue with white borders. The

_Order of the Crown of Italy_ was founded in 1868 by Victor Emmanuel

II. in commemoration of the union of Italy into a kingdom. There are

five classes.

_Luxemburg._--The _Order of the Golden Lion_ was founded as a family

order of the house of Nassau by William III. of the Netherlands and

Adolphus of Nassau jointly. On the death of William in 1890 it passed

to the grand duke of Luxemburg; it has only one class. The _Order of

Adolphus of Nassau_, for civil and military merit, in four classes,

was founded in 1858, and the _Order of the Oak Crown_ as a general

order of merit, in five classes, in 1841, modified 1858.

_Monaco._--The _Order of St Charles_, five classes, was founded in

1858 by Prince Charles III. and remodelled in 1863. It is a general

order of merit.

_Montenegro._--The _Order of St Peter_, founded in 1852, is a family

order, in one class, and only given to members of the princely family;

the _Order of Danilo_, or of the _Independence of Montenegro_, is a

general order of merit, in four classes, with subdivisions, also

founded in 1852.

_Norway._--The _Order of St Olaf_ was founded in 1847 by Oscar I. in

honour of St Olaf, the founder of Christianity in Norway, as a general

order of merit, military and civil. There are three classes, the last

two being, in 1873 and 1890, subdivided into two grades each. The

badge and ribbon is illustrated on Plate V, fig. 5. The reverse bears

the motto _Ret og Sandhed_ (Right and Truth). The _Order of the

Norwegian Lion_, founded in 1904 by Oscar II., has only one class;

foreigners on whom the order is conferred must be sovereigns or heads

of states or members of reigning houses.

_Papal._--The arrangement and constitution of the papal orders was

remodelled by a brief of Pius X. in 1905. The _Order of Christ_, the

supreme pontifical order, is of one class only; for the history of

this ancient order see _Portugal_ (_infra_). The badge and ribbon is

the same as the older Portuguese form. The _Order of Pius_ was founded

in 1847 by Pius IX.; there are now three classes; the badge is an

eight-pointed blue star with golden flames between the rays, a white

centre bears the founder's name; the ribbon is blue with two red

stripes at each border. The _Order of St Gregory the Great_, founded

in 1831, is in two divisions, civil and military, each having three

classes. The _Order of St Sylvester_ was originally founded as the

_Order of the Golden Spur_ by Paul IV. in 1559 as a military body,

though tradition assigns it to Constantine the Great and Pope

Sylvester. It was reorganized as an order of merit by Gregory XVI. in

1841. In 1905 the order was divided into three classes, and a separate

order, that of the _Golden Spur_ or _Golden Legion_ (_Militia Aurata_)

was established, in one class, with the numbers limited to a hundred.

The cross _Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice_, instituted by Leo XIII. in

1888 is a decoration, not an order. There remains the venerable _Order

of the Holy Sepulchre_, of which tradition assigns the foundation to

Godfrey de Bouillon. It was, however, probably founded as a military

order for the protection of the Holy Sepulchre by Alexander VI. in

1496. The right to nominate to the order was shared with the pope as

grand master by the guardian of the _Patres Minores_ in Jerusalem,

later by the Franciscans, and then by the Latin patriarch in

Jerusalem. In 1905 the latter was nominated grand master, but the pope

reserves the joint right of nomination. The badge of the order is a

red Jerusalem cross with red Latin crosses in the angles.

_Portugal._--The _Order of Christ_ was founded on the abolition of the

Templars by Dionysius or Diniz of Portugal and in 1318 in conjunction

with Pope John XXII., both having the right to nominate to the order.

The papal branch survives as a distinct order. In 1522 it was formed

as a distinct Portuguese order and the grand mastership vested in the

crown of Portugal. In 1789 its original religious aspect was

abandoned, and with the exception that its members must be of the

Roman Catholic faith, it is entirely secularized. There are three

classes. The original badge of the order was a long red cross with

expanded flat ends bearing a small cross in white; the ribbon is red.

The modern badge is a blue enamelled cross resting on a green laurel

wreath; the central medallion, in white, contains the old red and

white cross. The older form is worn with the collar by the

grand-crosses. The _Order of the Tower and Sword_ was founded in 1808

in Brazil by the regent, afterwards king John VI. of Portugal, as a

revival of the old _Order of the Sword_, said to have been founded by

Alfonso V. in 1459. It was remodelled in 1832 under its present name

and constitution as a general order of military and civil merit. There

are five classes. The badge of the order and ribbon is illustrated on

Plate IV. fig 4. The _Order of St Benedict of Aviz_ (earlier of

_Evora_), founded in 1162 as a religious military order, was

secularized in 1789 as an order of military merit, in four classes.

The badge is a green cross _fleury_; the ribbon is green. The _Order

of St James of the Sword_, or James of Compostella, is a branch of the

Spanish order of that name (see under SPAIN). It also was secularized

in 1789, and in 1862 was constituted an order of merit for science,

literature and art, in five classes. The badge is the lily-hilted

sword of St James, enamelled red with gold borders; the ribbon is

violet. In 1789 these three orders were granted a common badge uniting

the three separate crosses in a gold medallion; the joint ribbon is

red, green and violet, and to the separate crosses was added a red

sacred heart and small white cross. There are also the _Order of Our

Lady of Villa Viçosa_ (1819), for both sexes, and the _Order of St

Isabella_, 1801, for ladies.

_Rumania._--The _Order of the Star of Rumania_ was founded in 1877,

and the _Order of the Crown of Rumania_ in 1881, both in five classes,

for civil and military merit; the ribbon of the first is red with blue

borders, of the second light blue with two silver stripes.

_Russia._--The _Order of St Andrew_ was founded in 1698 by Peter the

Great. It is the chief order of the empire, and admission carries with

it according to the statutes of 1720 the orders of _St Anne_,

_Alexander Nevsky_, and the _White Eagle_; there is only one class.

The badge and ribbon is illustrated in Plate IV. fig 5. The collar is

composed of three members alternately, the imperial eagle bearing on a

red medallion a figure of St George slaying the Dragon, the badge of

the grand duchy of Moskow, the cipher of the emperor Paul I. in gold

on a blue ground, surmounted by the imperial crown, and surrounded by

a trophy of weapons and green and white flags, and a circular red and

gold star with a blue St Andrew's cross. The _Order of St Catherine_,

for ladies, ranks next to the St Andrew. It was founded under the name

of the _Order of Rescue_ by Peter the Great in 1714 in honour of the

empress Catherine and the part she had taken in rescuing him at the

battle of the Pruth in 1711. There are two classes. The grand cross is

only for members of the imperial house and ladies of the highest

nobility. The second class was added in 1797. The badge of the order

is a cross of diamonds bearing in a medallion the effigy of St

Catherine. The ribbon is red with the motto _For Love and Fatherland_

in silver letters. The _Order of St Alexander Nevsky_ was founded in

1725 by the empress Catherine I. There is only one class. The badge is

a red enamelled cross with gold eagles in the angles, bearing in a

medallion the mounted effigy of St Alexander Nevsky. The ribbon is

red. The _Order of the White Eagle_ was founded in 1713 by Augustus

II. of Poland and was adopted as a Russian order in 1831; there is one

class. The _Order of St Anne_ was founded by Charles Frederick, duke

of Holstein-Gottorp in 1735 in honour of his wife, Anna Petrovna,

daughter of Peter the Great. It was adopted as a Russian order in 1797

by their grandson, the emperor Paul. There are four classes. Other

orders are those of _St Vladimir_, founded by Catherine II., 1782,

four classes, and of _St Stanislaus_, founded originally as a Polish

order by Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski in 1765, and adopted as a

Russian order in 1831.

The military _Order of St George_ was founded by the empress Catherine

II. in 1769 for military service on land and sea, with four classes; a

fifth class for non-commissioned officers and men, the _St George's

Cross_, was added in 1807. The badge is a white cross with gold

borders, with a red central medallion on which is the figure of St

George slaying the dragon. The ribbon is orange with three black

stripes.

_Servia._--The _Order of the White Eagle_, the principal order, was

founded by Milan I. in 1882, statutes 1883, in five classes; the

ribbon is blue and red; the _Order of St Sava_, founded 1883, also in

five classes, is an order of merit for science and art; the _Order of

the Star of Karageorgevitch_, four classes, was founded by Peter I. in

1904. The orders of _Milosch the Great_, founded by Alexander I. in

1898 and of _Takovo_, founded originally by Michael Obrenovitch in

1863, reconstituted in 1883, are since the dynastic revolution of 1903

no longer bestowed. The _Order of St Lazarus_ is not a general order,

the cross and collar being only worn by the king.

_Spain._--The Spanish branch of the _Order of the Golden Fleece_ has

been treated above. The three most ancient orders of Spain--of _St

James of Compostella_, or _St James of the Sword_, of _Alcantara_ and

of _Calatrava_--still exist as orders of merit, the first in three

classes, the last two as orders of military merit in one class. They

were all originally founded as military religious orders, like the

crusading Templars and the Hospitallers, but to fight for the true

faith against the Moors in Spain. The present badges of the orders

represent the crosses that the knights wore on their mantles. That of

St James of Compostella is the red lily-hilted sword of St James; the

ribbon is also red. The other two orders wear the cross

_fleury_--_Alcantara_ red, _Calatrava_ green, with corresponding

ribbons. A short history of these orders may be here given. Tradition

gives the foundation of the _Order of Knights of St James of

Compostella_ to Ramiro II., king of Leon, in the 10th century, to

commemorate a victory over the Moors, but, historically the order

dates from the confirmation in 1175 by Pope Alexander III. It gained

great reputation in the wars against the Moors and became very

wealthy. In 1493 the grand-mastership was annexed by Ferdinand the

Catholic, and was vested permanently in the crown of Spain by Pope

Adrian VI. in 1522.

The _Order of Knights of Alcantara_, instituted about 1156 by the

brothers Don Suarez and Don Gomez de Barrientos for protection against

the Moors. In 1177 they were confirmed as a religious order of

knighthood under Benedictine rule by Pope Alexander III. Until about

1213 they were known as the Knights of San Julian del Pereyro; but

when the defence of Alcantara, newly wrested from the Moors by

Alphonso IX. of Castile, was entrusted to them they took their name

from that city. For a considerable time they were in some degree

subject to the grand master of the kindred order of Calatrava.

Ultimately, however, they asserted their independence by electing a

grand master of their own, the first holder of the office being Don

Diego Sanche. During the rule of thirty-seven successive grand

masters, similarly chosen, the influence and wealth of the order

gradually increased until the Knights of Alcantara were almost as

powerful as the sovereign. In 1494-1495 Juan de Zuñiga was prevailed

upon to resign the grand-mastership to Ferdinand, who thereupon vested

it in his own person as king; and this arrangement was ratified by a

bull of Pope Alexander VI., and was declared permanent by Pope Adrian

VI. in 1523. The yearly income of Zuñiga at the time of his

resignation amounted to 150,000 ducats. In 1540 Pope Paul III.

released the knights from the strictness of Benedictine rule by giving

them permission to marry, though second marriage was forbidden. The

three vows were henceforth _obedientia_, _castitas conjugalis_ and

_conversio morum_. In modern times the history of the order has been

somewhat chequered. When Joseph Bonaparte became king of Spain in

1808, he deprived the knights of their revenues, which were only

partially recovered on the restoration of Ferdinand VII. in 1814. The

order ceased to exist as a spiritual body in 1835.

The _Order of Knights of Calatrava_ was founded in 1158 by Don Sancho

III. of Castile, who presented the town of Calatrava, newly wrested

from the Moors, to them to guard. In 1164 Pope Alexander III. granted

confirmation as a religious military order under Cistercian rule. In

1197 Calatrava fell into the hands of the Moors and the order removed

to the castle of Salvatierra, but recovered their town in 1212. In

1489 Ferdinand seized the grand-mastership, and it was finally vested

in the crown of Spain in 1523. The order became a military order of

merit in 1808 and was reorganized in 1874. The _Royal and Illustrious

Order of Charles III._ was founded in 1771 by Charles III., in two

classes; altered in 1804, it was abolished by Joseph Bonaparte in

1809, together with all the Spanish orders except the Golden Fleece,

and the _Royal Order of the Knights of Spain_ was established. In 1814

Ferdinand VII. revived the order, and in 1847 it received its present

constitution, viz. of three classes (the commanders in two divisions).

The badge of the order is a blue and white cross suspended from a

green laurel wreath, in the angles are golden lilies, and the oval

centre bears a figure of the Virgin in a golden glory. The ribbon is

blue and white. The _Order of Isabella the Catholic_ was founded in

1815 under the patronage of St Isabella, wife of Diniz of Portugal;

originally instituted to reward loyalty in defence of the Spanish

possessions in America, it is now a general order of merit, in three

classes. The badge is a red rayed cross with gold rays in the angles,

in the centre a representation of the pillars of Hercules; the cross

is attached to the yellow and white ribbon by a green laurel wreath.

Other Spanish orders are the _Maria Louisa_, 1792, for noble ladies;

the military and naval orders of merit of _St Ferdinand_, founded by

the Cortes in 1811, five classes; of _St Ermenegild_ (_Hermenegildo_),

1814, three classes, of _Military Merit_ and _Naval Merit_, 1866, and

of _Maria Christina_, 1890; the _Order of Beneficencia_ for civil

merit, 1856; that of _Alfonso XII._ for merit in science, literature

and art, 1902, and the _Civil Order of Alfonso XII._, 1902.

[Illustration: PLATE V.

(i) THE REDEEMER (Greece). (ii) THE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN

OF JERUSALEM (English Branch, Badge of the Sovereign and Patron).

(iii) THE ST. HUBERT (Bavaria). (iv) THE ST. STEPHEN (Hungary). (v).

THE ST. OLAF (Norway). (vi). THE SERAPHIM (Sweden).

_Drawn by William Gibb._

_Niagara Litho. Co., Buffalo, N. Y._]

_Sweden._--The _Order of the Seraphim_ (the "Blue Ribbon"). Tradition

attributes the foundation of this most illustrious order of knighthood

to Magnus I. in 1280, more certainty attaches to the fact that the

order was in existence in 1336. In its modern form the order dates

from its reconstitution in 1748 by Frederick I., modified by statutes

of 1798 and 1814. Exclusive of the sovereign and the princes of the

blood, the order is limited to 23 Swedish and 8 foreign members. The

native members must be already members of the _Order of the Sword_ or

the _Pole Star_. There is a prelate of the order which is administered

by a chapter; the chapel of the knights is in the Riddar Holmskyrka at

Stockholm. The badge and ribbon of the grand cross is illustrated on

Plate V. fig. 6. The collar is formed of alternate gold seraphim and

blue enamelled patriarchal crosses. The motto is _Iesus Hominum

Salvator_. The _Order of the Sword_ (the "Yellow Ribbon"), the

principal Swedish military order, was founded, it is said, by Gustavus

I. Vasa in 1522, and was re-established by Frederick I., with the

_Seraphim_ and the _Pole Star_ in 1748; modifications have been made

in 1798, 1814 and 1889. There are five classes, with subdivisions. The

badge is a white cross, in the angles gold crowns, the points of the

cross joined by gold swords entwined with gold and blue belts, in the

blue centre an upright sword with the three crowns in gold, the whole

surmounted by the royal crown. The ribbon is yellow with blue edging.

The _Order of the Pole Star_ (_Polar Star_, _North Star_, the "Black

Ribbon"), founded in 1748 for civil merit, has since 1844 three

classes. The white cross bears a five-pointed silver star on a blue

medallion. The ribbon is black. The _Order of Vasa_ (the "Green

Ribbon"), founded by Gustavus III. in 1772 as an order of merit for

services rendered to the national industries and manufactures, has

three classes, with subdivisions. The white cross badge bears on a

blue centre the charge of the house of Vasa, a gold sheaf shaped like

a vase with two handles. The ribbon is green. The _Order of Charles

XIII._, founded in 1811, is granted to Freemasons of high degree. It

is thus quite unique.

_Turkey._--The _Nischan-i-Imtiaz_, or _Order of Privilege_, was

founded by Abdul Hamid II. in 1879 as a general order of merit in one

class; the _Nischan-el-Iftikhar_, or _Order of Glory_, also one class,

founded 1831 by Mahmoud II.; the _Nischan-i-Mejidi_, the _Mejidieh_,

was founded as a civil and military order of merit in 1851 by Abdul

Medjid. There are five classes; the badge is a silver sun of seven

clustered rays, with crescent and star between each cluster; on a gold

centre is the sultan's name in black Turkish lettering, surrounded by

a red fillet inscribed with the words _Zeal_, _Devotion_, _Loyalty_;

it is suspended from a red crescent and star; the ribbon is red with

green borders. The khedive of Egypt has authority, delegated by the

sultan, to grant this order. The _Nischan-i-Osmanie_, the _Osmanieh_,

for civil and military merit, was founded by Abdul Aziz in 1862; it

has four classes. The badge is a gold sun with seven gold-bordered

green rays; the red centre bears the crescent, and it is also

suspended from a gold crescent and star; the ribbon is green bordered

with red. The _Nischan-i-Schefakat of Compassion or Benevolence_, was

instituted for ladies, in three classes, in 1878 by the sultan in

honour of the work done for the non-combatant victims of the

Russo-Turkish war of 1877 in connexion with the Turkish Compassionate

Fund started by the late Baroness Burdett-Coutts. She was one of the

first to receive the order. There are also the family order, for

Turkish princes, the _Hanédani-Ali-Osman_, founded in 1893, and the

_Ertogroul_, in 1903.

_Non-European Orders._--Of the various states of Central and South

America, Nicaragua has the _American Order of San Juan_ or _Grey

Town_, founded in 1857, in three classes; and Venezuela that of the

_Bust of Bolivar_, 1854, five classes; the ribbon is yellow, blue and

red. Mexico has abolished its former orders, the _Mexican Eagle_,

1865, and _Our Lady of Guadalupe_, 1853; as has Brazil those of the

_Southern Cross_, 1822, _Dom Pedro I._, 1826, _the Rose_, 1829, and

the Brazilian branches of the Portuguese orders of _Christ_, _St

Benedict of Aviz_ and _St James_. The republican _Order of Columbus_,

founded in 1890, was abolished in 1891.

_China._--There are no orders for natives, and such distinctions as

are conferred by the different coloured buttons of the mandarins, the

grades indicated by the number of peacocks' feathers, the gift of the

yellow jacket and the like, are rather insignia of rank or personal

marks of honour than orders, whether of knighthood or merit, in the

European sense. For foreigners, however, the emperor in 1882

established the sole order, that of the _Imperial Double Dragon_, in

five classes, the first three of which are further divided into three

grades each, making eleven grades in all. The recipients eligible for

the various classes are graded, from the first grade of the first

class for reigning sovereigns down to the fifth class for merchants

and manufacturers. The insignia of the order are unique in shape and

decoration. Of the three grades of the first class the badge is a

rectangular gold and yellow enamel plaque, decorated with two upright

blue dragons, with details in green and white, between the heads for

the first grade a pearl, for the second a ruby, for the third a coral,

set in green, white and gold circles. The size of the plaque varies

for the different classes. The badges of the other four classes are

round plaques, the first three with indented edges, the last plain; in

the second class the dragons are in silver on a yellow and gold

ground, the jewel is a cut coral; the grades differ in the colour,

shape, &c., of the borders and indentations; in the third class the

dragons are gold, the ground green, the jewel a sapphire; in the

fourth the silver dragons are on a blue ground, the jewel a lapis

lazuli; in the fifth green dragons on a silver ground, the jewel a

pearl. The ribbons, decorated with embroidered dragons, differ for the

various grades and classes.

_Japan._--The Japanese orders have all been instituted by the emperor

Mutsu Hito. In design and workmanship the insignia of the orders are

beautiful examples of the art of the native enamellers. The _Order of

the Chrysanthemum_ (_Kikkwa Daijasho_), founded in 1877, has only one

class. It is but rarely conferred on others than members of the royal

house or foreign rulers or princes. The badge of the order may be

described as follows: From a centre of red enamel representing the sun

issue 32 white gold-bordered rays in four sharply projecting groups,

between the angles of which are four yellow conventional chrysanthemum

flowers with green leaves forming a circle on which the rays rest; the

whole is suspended from a larger yellow chrysanthemum. The ribbon is

deep red bordered with purple. The collar, which may be granted with

the order or later, is composed of four members repeated, two gold

chrysanthemums, one with green leaves, the other surrounded by a

wreath of palm, and two elaborate arabesque designs. The _Order of the

Paulownia Sun_ (_Tokwa Daijasho_), founded in 1888, in one class, may

be in a sense regarded as the highest class of the _Rising Sun_

(_Kiokujitsasho_) founded in eight classes, in 1875. The badge of both

orders is essentially the same, viz. the red sun with white and gold

rays; in the former the lilac flowers of the Paulownia tree, the

flower of the Tycoon's arms, take a prominent part. The ribbon of the

first order is deep red with white edging, of the second scarlet with

white central stripe. The last two classes of the _Rising Sun_ wear a

decoration formed of the Paulownia flower and leaves. The _Order of

the Mirror_ or _Happy Sacred Treasure_ (_Zaihosho_) was founded in

1888, with eight classes. The cross of white and gold clustered rays

bears in a blue centre a silver star-shaped mirror. The ribbon is pale

blue with orange stripes. There is also an order for ladies, that of

the _Crown_, founded in five classes in 1888. The military order of

Japan is the _Order of the Golden Kite_, founded in 1890, in seven

classes. The badge has an elaborate design; it consists of a star of

purple, red, yellow, gold and silver rays, on which are displayed old

Japanese weapons, banners and shields in various coloured enamels, the

whole surmounted by a golden kite with outstretched wings. The ribbon

is green with white stripes.

_Persia._--The _Order of the Sun and Lion_, founded by Fath 'Ali Shah

in 1808, has five classes. There is also the _Nischan-i-Aftab_, for

ladies, founded in 1873.

_Siam._--The _Sacred Order_, or the _Nine Precious Stones_, was

founded in 1869, in one class only, for the Buddhist princes of the

royal house. The _Order of the White Elephant_, founded in 1861, is in

five classes. This is the principal general order. The badge is a

striking example of Oriental design adapted to a European conventional

form. The circular plaque is formed of a triple circle of lotus leaves

in gold, red and green, within a blue circlet with pearls a richly

caparisoned white elephant on a gold ground, the whole surmounted by

the jewelled gold pagoda crown of Siam; the collar is formed of

alternate white elephants, red, blue and white royal monograms and

gold pagoda crowns. The ribbon is red with green borders and small

blue and white stripes. Other orders are the _Siamese Crown_ (_Mongkut

Siam_), five classes, founded 1869; the family _Order of

Chulah-Chon-Clao_, three classes, 1873; and the _Maha Charkrkri_,

1884, only for princes and princesses of the reigning family.

(C. We.)