- Time Period: Pre World War I
- Institution: 11 July 1832
- Country: Belgium
The Order of Leopold (Leopoldsorde / Ordre de Léopold / Leopoldsorden) is the oldest and highest order of Belgium (and one of the three current Belgian national honorary orders of knighthood). Leopold I, first King of the Belgians, is the Founder and First Grand Master of the Order. No membership can be granted to a person before the age of 42, except in the military division.
Established on 11 July 1832 and named in honor of its founder; King Leopold I, it consists of a military, a maritime and a civil division. The Order of Leopold is awarded by Royal order. The Belgian court often used the Grand Cordon as a valuable diplomatic gift, although towards the second half of the 19th century, it was also used as a dynastic order to bestow on family members during major family celebrations such as the wedding of Prince Albert in 1900 (where 15 Grand Cordons were sent to the Bavarian Court). Those who fought in the Belgian revolution became members in great numbers, and King Leopold II bestowed the order upon notable Belgian artists, generals and clergy.
The Order of Leopold is issued in five classes, each coming in three divisions (civil, military and maritime):
- Grand Cordon; who wears the badge on a collar (chain) or on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left side of the chest;
- Grand Officer; who wears a badge on a necklace, plus a star on the left side of the chest (created on 31 December 1838);
- Commander; who wears the badge on a necklace;
- Officer; who wears the badge on a ribbon with rosette on the left side of the chest;
- Knight; who wears the badge on a ribbon on the left side of the chest.
The Order of Leopold Design
The Order of Leopold is based on the French honor tradition with 5 classes. In 1832 Felix de Merode had a design approved by the Chambers for military and civil merit, with the exact colors being defined later the same year. The king approved both the color and grades both civil and military, as well as the official motto L’Union fait la Force/Eendracht maakt Macht.
The collar of the order has nine crowns, nine face-to-face monograms “LR” (“Leopoldus Rex” for King Leopold I), and eighteen lions.
The badge is a white-enameled Maltese Cross (in silver for the Knight class and in gold for the higher classes), with a green-enameled wreath of laurel and oak leaves between the arms of the cross. The obverse features a lion on a black background and the reverse the monogram “LR”. Both discs are surrounded by a red enamel ring with the motto “Unity Is Strength“. The cross is topped by a crown with crossed swords or anchors (or without either) depending on the division.
The ribbon is usually plain purple, although some variations have been noted, such as swords for when awarded in wartime, a vertical gold border on both sides for a special act of valor at war and others.
