The Order of the Southern Cross (or Ordem Nacional do Cruzeiro do Sul in Portuguese) is a Brazilian order of chivalry established on 1 December 1822 for the coronation of Pedro I of Brazil, the empire’s first monarch.
The order is awarded “as a token of gratitude and recognition for those who have rendered significant service to the Brazilian nation”. The Grand Master of the Order of the Southern Cross is the President of Brazil.
Originally known as the Imperial Order of the Cross (or Ordem Imperial do Cruzeiro in Portuguese), the first knights were also appointed when the monarch was crowned. Although Brazil had shared orders of chivalry with Portugal before the country’s independence, the Order of the Cross was the first purely Brazilian order.
From the proclamation of the Republic until the revolution of 1930 (what’s known as the Old Republic), national orders ceased to exist. This changed when, in 1832, the Order of the Southern Cross was the first to be re-established. Today, it’s considered the senior Brazilian National Order.
The order continues to be used by both branches of the Brazilian Imperial family, but it’s no longer recognized by the Republic of Brazil.
Classes of the Order of the Southern Cross
In 1932, the republican version of the Order had the same five grades as the old imperial version. The Order of the Southern Cross is now awarded in six classes:
Grand Collar: The highest rank, usually restricted to foreign Heads of State.- Grand Cross
Gand Officer
Commander
Officer
Knight
The Order of the Southern Cross Medal Design
The insignia of the Order of the Southern Cross is a five-point white enamelled star edged with golden silver. It seats on a crown and is surmounted by a garland made of coffee and tobacco leaves. In the obverse, in the center is a blue sky field with the constellation of the Southern Cross, and in the circumference is the inscription “Benemerentium Premium” (“an award for merit”). The reverse shows the effigy of the Republic in gold and the inscription “Federative Republic of Brazil” (Art. 2 of the Regulations).
The Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross is a chain from which the badge of the order is suspended.
The Star of the Order is a plaque modelled after the badge of the Order and is worn on the left breast.
