IdentifyMedals Logo

Tag: Featured

The War Cross (Spain)

The War Cross (or Cruz de Guerra) is a high military award of Spain to recognise battlefield bravery.

The decoration aims to prize those who have realized actions or facts of great efficiency, or they have given excellent services, both with valor during a continued period, inside one armed conflicts or of military operations involving or could involve resort to force, and carrying military abilities or remarkable command skills.

The medal was established in 1938 (BOE. Núm. 526) and has four different types:

  • Gran Cruz
  • Cruz de Guerra para Jefes
  • Cruz de Guerra para oficiales y suboficiales
  • Cruz de Guerra para Cabos y Soldados

The Spanish War Cross is modified by the Royal Decree 1 Royal Decree 1040/2003, 1 August (Spanish Official Gazette No. 177) that reduced the categories to one, Cruz (Cross) establishing an insignia with a new design.

The Military Medal (Spain)

The Military Medal (or Medalla Militar) is a high military award of Spain to recognize battlefield bravery.

The medal was established in 1918 by Alfonso XIII of Spain. Since then it is awarded to members of the Spanish military service independent of rank.

Among notable recipients are:

  • Emilio Mola
  • Adolf Galland (Condor Legion)
  • Mohamed Meziane
  • Werner Mölders (Condor Legion)
  • Walter Oesau (Condor Legion)
  • Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma (Condor Legion)
  • Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen (Condor Legion)
  • Philippe Pétain (Commander-in-Chief of French Forces)

The Military Medal Design

The order is worn, in all uniforms, in normal size and highlighted above all other decorations, except the Laureate Cross. Additional awards are denoted by golden clasps with relevant inscription.

The medal is struck in silvered bronze andmeasures 42mm.

The Civil Order of Alfonso XII

The Civil Order of Alfonso XII (or Orden Civil de Alfonso XII) is a Spanish honorific decoration named for King Alfonso XII (1857–1885) established by Royal Decree on 23 May 1902 with the purpose of rewarding achievements in the fields of education, science, culture, teaching, and research.

According to Article 3 of the Royal Decree, the order is composed of three categories:

  • Grand Cross (Gran Cruz)
  • Commander (Encomienda)
  • Chevalier (Caballero)

Royal Decree 954/1988, of 2 September, finalized its replacement with the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise, “adapting its norms to the social conditions of the present time and to the democratic principles on which the legal system is based.”

The Civil Order of Alfonso XII Design

The order is a multi-piece construction made of silver and enamels. It measures 85.5 mm x 85.5 mm and has a vertical pinback flanked by dual prongs.

The Order of the Dragon of Annam

The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam (Ordre impérial du Dragon d’Annam) was created in 1886 in the ancient Vietnamese city of Huế.

The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam (or Ordre impérial du Dragon d’Annam) was created on March 14, 1886, in the ancient Vietnamese city of Huế, by Emperor Đồng Khánh of the Imperial House of Annam, upon the “recommendation” of the President of France as a jointly awarded French colonial order.

The Order was designed as a reward for services to the state, the French colonial government, or the emperor.

When French colonial rule over Indochina ended, the Order of the Dragon of Annam was abolished and replaced by the National Order of Vietnam which was later retained and revised by the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The ribbon of the Dragon of Annam was retained for this award, but it was (belatedly) recognized that a colonial order had no place in the new regime as the order was always historically associated with the period of French rule. Even the name of “Annam” in the title of the order was a point of dishonor as the name comes from the old Chinese term for Vietnam, which means “the pacified south”.

In its classes and insignia, the Order was modeled on the French Légion d’honneur and the other French colonial orders:

  • Grand Cordon
  • Grand Officer
  • Commander
  • Officer
  • Knight

The Order of the Dragon of Annam Design

The badge was an eight-pointed star charged with a central medallion of blue bearing the legend “Hoàng đế Đồng Khánh” (‘Emperor Đồng Khánh’; in stylized Chinese characters) with four radiant suns surrounded by a red band, all suspended from an imperial crown surmounted by a green dragon.

The star for Grand Officers and Grand Cross holders was charged with a green dragon holding the same blue medallion as featured on the badge. There were two ribbons, red with gold border stripes for awards by the Emperor and green with gold border stripes for the President’s version.

The Order of Nichan El-Anouar (Order of the Light)

The Order of Nichan El-Anouar (or “Order of the Light”) was established in 1887 as a colonial order of merit of the Tajurah sultanate in French Somaliland.

The order has five degrees:

  • Grand-croix (grand cross)
  • Grand officier (grand officer)
  • Commandeur (commander)
  • Officier (officer)
  • Chevalier (knight)

The Order was deprecated on 3 December 1963 by the Ordre National du Mérite.

The Indochinese Order of Merit

The Indochinese Order of Merit (or “Ordre du Mérite indochinois”) was a regional award of France awarded by the Governor-General of Indochina for the local population of French Indochina.

Established April 30, 1900 by Governor-General of French Indochina Paul Doumer the order was to reward the local population of Indo-China for services to agriculture, commerce, industry and art.

This award had no status as an official French colonial award but was a local only award for the population of Laos, Cambodia, Tonkin, Cochin China, and Annam.

Governed by an Order Council, it was divided into three classes with limit on the number of members for each class. The 3rd class, was limited to 500 members. The 2nd Class, was limited to 100 members. The 1st class, was limited to 15 members.

The Indochinese Order of Merit Design

The badge of the order is a ball tipped six-pointed star with concave sides. In the center of the star is a round rimmed medallion. In the center of the medallion is the inscription in Annamese ideographic writing “It is worthy to develop knowledge“.

On the rim is the inscription INDOCHINE FRANCAISE (French Indochina). Attached to the ball of the top most arm of the star are two laurel branches, which act as a ring to attach the star to its ribbon.

The ribbon of the order is yellow Moire silk. The Order was presented in the 1st degree in gold, 2nd degree silver, and third degree bronze.

The Commemorative Medal of the 1862 Mexico Expedition

The Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition is a commemorative campaign medal established by French emperor Napoleon III.

The Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition (or Médaille commémorative de l’expédition du Mexique in French) is a commemorative campaign medal established by decree on 29 August 1863 by French emperor Napoleon III. The medal recognizes military service during the 1862-1863 French intervention in Mexico.

On 30 April 1863, sixty two legionnaires resisted for nine hours against over two thousand Mexicans, allowing for the capture of the city of Puebla on 17 May 1863 thus paving the way to Mexico. In the capital, an assembly of notables recognized Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg as Emperor of Mexico. However, even with the support of 20,000 Mexicans who embraced the new emperor, Maximilian’s forces were harassed in their work of pacification by the troops of President Benito Juárez, who had the support of the United States. In February 1867, Emperor Napoleon III ordered the repatriation of all remaining French troops from Mexico.

No minimum time of service was mentioned in the award statute.

The Commemorative Medal of the 1862 Mexico Expedition Design

The medal measures 30 mm in diameter, is circular and struck in silver.

The obverse bears the left profile of Emperor Napoleon III crowned with a laurel wreath surrounded by the relief inscription “NAPOLEON III” “EMPEREUR“. A 4 mm wide relief laurel wreath ran along the entire circumference of both the obverse and reverse of the medal.

On the reverse and within the laurel wreath, a circular relief inscription reads “*EXPEDITION DU MEXIQUE * 1862-1863“, with two small five pointed stars separating the text from the dates. At the center, the relief inscription on five lines of the campaign’s major battles “CUMBRES” “CERRO-BORREGO” “SAN-LORENZO” “PUEBLA” “MEXICO”.

The medal hangs from a 36 mm wide white silk moiré ribbon bearing 5 mm red and green stripes arranged at a 45 degree angle forming a cross, over which was superimposed a black eagle, its wings spread and holding a green snake in its beak and talons, a design inspired by the coat of arms of Mexico.

The Military Order of St. Henry

The Military Order of St. Henry is a military order of the Kingdom of Saxony and the oldest military order of the German Empire.

The Military Order of St. Henry (or Militär-St. Heinrichs-Orden in German) is a military order of the Kingdom of Saxony, and the oldest military order of the states of the German Empire.

It was founded on October 7, 1736 by Augustus III, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony. The order underwent several more revisions over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and became obsolete with the fall of the Saxon monarchy in the wake of Germany’s defeat in World War I.

The order came in four classes: Grand Cross (Großkreuz), Commander’s Cross 1st Class (Kommandeurkreuz I. Klasse), Commander’s Cross 2nd Class (Kommandeurkreuz II. Klasse) or sometimes just Commander, and Knight’s Cross (Ritterkreuz). Generally, the rank of the recipient determined which grade he would receive.

The Military Order of St. Henry Design

The badge of the Order of St. Henry is a gold Maltese cross with white enameled edges.

Around the center medallion in the obverse there is a blue-enameled gold ring bearing on the obverse the words “FRIDR AUG D G REX SAX INSTAURAVIT“. The reverse shows the motto “VIRTUTI IN BELLO” (“Bravery in War”). On the obverse, the medallion is yellow-enameled with a painted portrait of St. Henry, the last Saxon Holy Roman Emperor. On the reverse, the medallion bore the Saxon coat of arms (alternating horizontal black and gold stripes with a diagonal rue crown).

Between the arms of the cross were green-enameled rue crowns, a symbol of Saxony. The badge was suspended from a royal crown. 

The star of the order is a silver eight-pointed star featuring a larger version of the medallion with St. Henry of the obverse of the cross, but with the text of the ring of the reverse. 

The ribbon of the order is light blue with yellow stripes near each edge. 

The Order of the Rue Crown

The Order of the Rue Crown is a dynastic order of knighthood of the Kingdom of Saxony created in 1807 by Frederick Augustus I.

The Order of the Rue Crown (or Hausorden der Rautenkrone in German), also known as the Order of the Crown of Saxony is a dynastic order of knighthood of the Kingdom of Saxony created in 1807 by Frederick Augustus I, the first King of Saxony, to be the civil counterpart to the Military Order of St. Henry.

The order takes its name from the green floral crown of rue (crancelin) found in the coat of arms of Saxony. It occupies the highest rank of the former Saxonian honour system.

The order was originally limited to 24 knights, although exceptions were made for members of ruling houses and those whose membership in the order would add to its prestige. The Order of the Rue Crown was presented in a single grade, Knight.

The Order of the Rue Design

The badge of the order is a gold Maltese cross enameled in green with a white border.

The white center medallion features in the obverse the crowned monogram of Frederick Augustus I of Saxony, encircled by a green crown of rue. Between the arms of the cross is a golden crown of rue.

The star of the order is made of silver, and has eight points. The center of the star bears a gold medallion with the motto of the order, PROVIDENTIÆ MEMOR, inside a ring of green rue leaves.

The badge of the order is borne on a ribband of grass green, worn over the right shoulder.

The Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown (Star)

The Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown is an order of merit of the Kingdom of Bavaria established by King Maximilian Joseph I.

The Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown (or Verdienstorden der Bayerischen Krone in German) is an order of merit of the Kingdom of Bavaria established by King Maximilian Joseph I on 19 March 1808. The order was awarded in several grades: Grand Commander, Grand Cross, Commander, Knight, and medals in gold and silver.

The motto of the order is Virtus et Honos (‘Courage and Honour’). King Maximilian I Joseph founded the order to reward civil servants of the state of all classes and other foreigners who were deserving of recognition of the Kingdom of Bavaria. Both the orders brought non-noble recipients in the collection of personal nobility with the title “Ritter von”.

The Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown Design

The order is a silver eight-pointed multi-rayed star in silver gilt and enamels and the inscription Virtus et Honos (‘Courage and Honour’), the motto of the order, in red, green, white and blue enamel.

The Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown measures 53 mm (or 80 mm including the crown suspension). The ribbon is light blue with white stripes.