The Order of the Bath Medal
The Most Honorable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I in 1725 and turned into a Military Order.
The Complete List of British Orders of Knighthood and Chivalry
Most of Great Britain’s Orders of Knighthood have their origins in the Middle Ages, when select bands of knights fought in European countries to support the king or a religious ideal. Membership to these orders was highly coveted.
Orders are still surrounded by ceremony, but most of the insignia we see today was not created in the Middle Ages, but in the 16th century or later. The higher the class, the more elaborate the insignia. The full grouping of sashes, collar chains, stars and badges are generally only worn on special occasions.
As feudalism went into decline, many orders of chivalry disappeared. Some of them were resurrected at a later date, while others still exist and continue to evolve. Order insignia are generally not named and have to be returned on the death of a knight. For this reason, it’s difficult to prove they belonged to a certain person (and in many cases, replicas are manufactured by the same firms responsible for making the originals). However, Order insignia tend to be incredibly attractive.
The Most Honorable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I in 1725 and turned into a Military Order.
The Order of Merit is an award established in 1902 that recognizes distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, or culture.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry that rewards charitable works and public service.
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration established by Queen Victoria and awarded for exceptional services in military nursing.
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is a British order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878.
The Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III in 1348 and regarded as the most prestigious British order of chivalry.
The Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry revived by King James VII of Scotland (James II) in 1687 and re-established in 1703.
The Order of St. Patrick is a dormant British order of chivalry created in 1783 to reward the Irish during the American War of Independence.
The Royal Guelphic Order (or the Hanoverian Guelphic Order), is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by King George IV.
The Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded in 1818 in honor of military saints St. Michael and St. George.
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria to honor Indian Princes who served in India.
The Royal Order of Victoria and Albert was a British Royal Family Order instituted in1862 by Queen Victoria and granted to female members.
The Imperial Order of the Crown of India is an order established by Queen Victoria in 1878 when she became Empress of India.
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria for distinguished service to the monarch.
The Empire Gallantry Medal (or EGM), was a British medal awarded for acts of the gallantry introduced it on 29 December 1922.
The British Empire Medal is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown.
The Order of the Companions of Honor is an order of the Commonwealth founded in 1917 by King George V as a reward for achievements.
The Baronet’s Badge was established in 1629 by Letter Patent by James I to recognize baronets whose knighthood became hereditary.
The title of Knight Bachelor (KB) as introduced by King Henry III to recognize a battelier, and the KB badge authorized by George V.
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem is a working order of charitably minded men and women established in 1888.
The NATO Medal is an international military decoration awarded to militaries under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Delve deeper into the history of Great Britain during World War II with this small selection of further reading materials. Explore the pivotal moments, heroic deeds, and enduring legacy of Britain’s role in the global conflict.