The Saxe-Ernestine House Order (Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausorden) was a German Ducal award, instituted by Duke Friedrich of Saxe-Altenburg

Saxe-Altenburg

Saxe-Altenburg was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia.-History:The duchy originated from the medieval Burgraviate of Altenburg in the Imperial Pleissnerland , a possession of the Wettin Margraves of Meissen since 1243...

, Duke Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Duke Bernhard II of Saxe-Meiningen

Saxe-Meiningen

The Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia....

, on 25 December 1833 as a joint award of the Saxon duchies

Ernestine duchies

The Ernestine duchies, also called the Saxon duchies , were a changing number of small states largely located in the present German state of Thuringia, governed by dukes of the Ernestine line of the House of Wettin.-Overview:The...

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Classes

At first, the Order consisted of five classes: Grand Cross, Commander's Cross with Star in First and Second Classes, and Knight's Cross in First and Second Classes. Awards were reserved for officers.. In 1864, a silver-gilt

Silver-gilt

Silver-gilt or gilded/gilt silver, sometimes known in American English by the French term vermeil, is silver gilded with gold. Most large objects made in goldsmithing that appear to be gold are actually silver-gilt; for example most sporting trophies, medals , and many crown jewels...

 medal was added but subsequently suppressed in 1918, at the end of World War I. Gold and silver medals were also associated with the Order.

There are mentions of awards of the Order to the Nazi hierarchy in the 1930s.

2006 Saxe-Coburg revival

In 2006 the head of the ducal family of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Andreas,
created the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Order. It is based on the old Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order.