Part 10

_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.