An
order is a
decorationDecoration may refer to:* Decorative arts, the craft of a house painter and decorator.* An object or act intended to increase beauty of a person, room, etc....
, awarded by a government, a
dynastic houseA dynasty is a succession of people belonging to the same family, who, through various means and forms maintain power, influence or authority over the course of generations. Most commonly the term is used specifically in reference to royal houses and imperial dynasties — their authority manifests...
, or a religious body to an individual, usually for distinguished service to a
nationA nation is a body of people who share a real or imagined common history, culture, language or ethnic origin. The development and conceptualization of the nation is closely related to the development of modern industrial states and nationalist movements in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries,...
or to
humanityThe term world population commonly refers to the total number of living humans on Earth at a given time. As of , the Earth's population is estimated by the United States Census Bureau to be billion. The world population has been growing continuously since the end of the Black Death around 1400...
.
Modern orders and decorations can trace its origin back to the medieval
Orders of ChivalryChivalric orders are orders of knights that were created by European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades. After the crusades, the memory of these crusading military orders became idealised and romanticised, resulting in the late medieval notion of chivalry, and is...
. By the time of the
RenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe...
, most European monarchs either acquired an existing Order of Chivalry, or created new orders of their own, to reward loyal civilian and especially military officials.
An
order is a
decorationDecoration may refer to:* Decorative arts, the craft of a house painter and decorator.* An object or act intended to increase beauty of a person, room, etc....
, awarded by a government, a
dynastic houseA dynasty is a succession of people belonging to the same family, who, through various means and forms maintain power, influence or authority over the course of generations. Most commonly the term is used specifically in reference to royal houses and imperial dynasties — their authority manifests...
, or a religious body to an individual, usually for distinguished service to a
nationA nation is a body of people who share a real or imagined common history, culture, language or ethnic origin. The development and conceptualization of the nation is closely related to the development of modern industrial states and nationalist movements in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries,...
or to
humanityThe term world population commonly refers to the total number of living humans on Earth at a given time. As of , the Earth's population is estimated by the United States Census Bureau to be billion. The world population has been growing continuously since the end of the Black Death around 1400...
.
Modern orders and decorations can trace its origin back to the medieval
Orders of ChivalryChivalric orders are orders of knights that were created by European monarchs in imitation of the military orders of the Crusades. After the crusades, the memory of these crusading military orders became idealised and romanticised, resulting in the late medieval notion of chivalry, and is...
. By the time of the
RenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe...
, most European monarchs either acquired an existing Order of Chivalry, or created new orders of their own, to reward loyal civilian and especially military officials. Some of modern Europe's highest honours, such as the
Order of the Golden FleeceNOT to be confused with the Golden Fleece Award.The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges in 1430 by Duke Philip III of Burgundy to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Isabel of Aviz.- Origin :...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's
Order of the GarterThe Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms; it is the pinnacle of the honours system in the United Kingdom...
,
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
's
Order of the ElephantThe Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. A Danish religious confraternity called the Fellowship of the Mother of God with a badge of the Virgin Mary holding her Son within a crescent moon and surrounded with the rays of the sun, which hung from a collar of links in the form of...
and
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
's
Order of the ThistleThe Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
, were created during that era.
Such orders remained out of reach to the general public, however, until the nineteenth century. In 1802 Napoleon created the
Légion d'honneurThe Légion d'honneur or Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(Legion of Honour), which is still
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
's highest award; it can be awarded to any person, regardless of status, for bravery in combat or for 20 years of distinguished service.
The Legion of Honour serves as the model for numerous modern orders of merit in the Western World, such as the
Order of LeopoldOrder of Leopold may refer to:* Order of Leopold , founded in 1808 by emperor Francis I of Austria and discontinued in 1918* Order of Leopold , founded in 1832 by king Leopold I of Belgium...
(
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
, 1832) and the
Order of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions...
(
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, 1917). These orders typically have five classes, each wearing a badge (usually enamelled) on a
ribbonA ribbon or riband is a thin band of flexible material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily for binding and tying...
, as a sash for the senior class, around the neck or on the left chest for the lower grades (ladies may wear the badge on a bow on the left chest). The two highest classes also wear a star (or 'plaque') on the chest. In special cases the senior class may wear the badge on a
collarA livery collar or chain of office is a collar or heavy chain, usually of gold, worn as insignia of office or a mark of fealty or other association in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards....
, which is an elaborate chain around the neck. Military awards may have crossed swords added onto the insignias.
In Communist countries orders of merit usually come in one to three grades, with only a badge worn with or without a ribbon on the chest. An example of a Communist order was the one-class
Order of LeninThe Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
(USSR, 1930). Unlike the Western orders, however, Communist orders can be awarded more than once to an individual. After the collapse of the Soviet bloc most Eastern European countries have reverted to the Western-style orders originally established before the rise of
CommunismCommunism is a socioeconomic structure and political ideology that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general. Karl Marx posited that communism would be the final stage in human...
.
Today almost all countries have some form of orders or country decorations. Both
ThailandThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
's
Order of the White ElephantThe Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of The Empire of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...
and
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's
Order of the Rising SunThe Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan...
are over 100 years old.
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
has the
Order of CanadaThe Order of Canada is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the highest such order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada. Created in 1967, to coincide with the centennial of Canadian...
;
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
similarly has the
Order of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia on 14 February 1975 "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"....
. Though the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
has traditionally eschewed titles and honours that smack of nobility, it does award the
Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while...
to members of its military for particular acts of valour; the medal even has special privileges attached to it. The
Presidential Medal of FreedomThe Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is, along with theequivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress, the highest civilian award in the U.S...
and the Congressional Gold Medal are the highest awards presented by the United States to civilians. The
Legion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued both to United States military personnel and to military and political figures...
is the only United States decoration which may be issued in award degrees (much like an Order of chivalry or certain Orders of Merit).
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
does not award any orders, and the Swiss Constitution excludes Swiss citizens accepting orders from foreign governments from holding any sort of public office.
In 1974 the
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
government passed a resolution forbidding the King of Sweden from awarding membership in orders to Swedish citizens. This did not formally abolish the orders themselves, but today only the Order of Seraphim and the
Order of the Polar StarThe Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....
continue to be awarded, and only to foreign citizens. In 1995 this law was altered, allowing the Monarch to bestow the two remaining active Orders to members of the
Swedish Royal FamilyThe Swedish Royal Family consists of a number of persons in the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. They are entitled to royal titles and style , and some perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state.-History:Until the 1620s Swedish provinces...
.
Modern orders are usually open to all citizens of a particular country, regardless of status, sex, race or creed (although some countries require their citizens to have reached a certain age before becoming eligible). Nominations are either made by private citizens, or by government officials, depending on the country. Once awarded, an order may be revoked if the individual dies, commits a
crimeCrime is the breach of one or more rules or laws for which some governing authority, via mechanisms such as police power, may ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, or renounces
citizenshipCitizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, or national community.Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
. Rarely, a
dissidentA dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
becomes awarded, and due to personal beliefs refuses to accept it.
See also
- Awards and decorations of the Russian Federation
The award system of the Russian Federation has varied and distinct origins. The first being pre-1917 orders of the Russian Empire reestablished after 1991. The second is from former Soviet orders that were slightly modified and kept after the USSR's collapse...
- Awards and decorations of the Soviet Union
Awards and decorations of the Soviet Union are decorations from the Former Soviet Union that recognised achievements and personal accomplishments, both military and civilian. Some of the awards, decorations and orders were discontinued after the collapse of the Soviet Union, while others still...
- Civil decoration
A civil decoration is a decoration awarded to civilians for distinguished service. Military personnel might also be eligible for services of a non-military nature...
- Commonwealth realms orders and decorations
This article concerns the orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms awarded by the sovereign in right of each nation.Awards are listed by order of wear.-Antigua and Barbuda:* The Most Exalted Order of the National Hero...
- Dynastic Orders of Knighthood
A dynastic order of knighthood is an order belonging to the heraldic patrimony of a dynasty, often held by ancient right. These differ from military, religious, and orders of merit belonging to a particular state, having been instituted to reward personal services rendered to a sovereign, dynasty,...
- List of military decorations
- List of prizes, medals, and awards
- Military decoration
A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....
- Military order
A military order is a Christian order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i.e. propagating and/or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe, but many became secularized later.-History:Catholic military orders appeared following the...
- Neck order
A neck order is a type of decoration which is designed to be worn and displayed around a person's neck, rather than hung from the chest as is the standard practice for displaying most decorations....
- Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on April 5, 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
- State decoration
State decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a state. International decorations are similar, but are not granted by a specific nation but rather an international organization....