The Military Order of Italy

• Time Period: Pre World War I
• Institution: 14 August 1815
• Country: Italy

The Military Order of Italy (or Ordine Militare d’Italia in Italian) is the highest military order of the Italian Republic and the former Kingdom of Italy.

It was founded as the Military Order of Savoy, a national order by the King of Sardinia, Vittorio Emanuele I, Duke of Savoy in 1815.

The order is awarded in five degrees for distinguished wartime conduct of units of the armed forces or individual personnel that has “proven expertise, a sense of responsibility and valour.” The order was continued on the unification of Italy in 1861 and was revived, under its new name, following the foundation of the Republic in 1946.

The Military Order of Italy Design

The badge is a golden matuna cross, enameled in white, with a wreath of green-enameled laurel and oak leaves between the arms of the cross.

The obverse during the monarchy was red enamel with a white enamel cross (the current version is in white enamel with the letters R.I. for Repubblica Italiana). The disc is surrounded by a red enamel ring bearing the inscription Al Merito Militare.

The reverse is in red enamel with crossed swords. During the monarchy it had the letters V.E. (for Vittorio Emanuele) on the sides of the sword and the year 1855 above it. The current version has no cypher but has the additional year 1947, the date of the promulgation of the Italian constitution, below the swords. The badge for the three higher classes are suspended by a wreath of green-enamelled laurel and oak leaves; the Officer’s badge is suspended by a golden trophy of arms instead and the Knight’s badge has neither emblems.