Item number: M13

Year: AD 1809-1819

Material: Gold and Enamel

Size: 95.0 x 36.0 mm

Weight: 11.23 g

Provenance: Dixons Medals 2022

In AD 1693, Louis XIV, the reigning king of France, decided to establish the “Order of Saint Louis” under the name of the legendary medieval monarch, Louis IX. This order was created to promote the Catholic faith among military officers and recognize their achievements. The members of the Order were eligible to receive the “Order of Saint Louis,” which comprised three ranks: Knight (chevalier), Commander (commandeur), and Grand Cross (grand-croix). According to the original statutes, the organization consisted of an unlimited number of knights, twenty-four commanders, and eight holders of the Grand Cross, marking the first time in French history that order was open to individuals of non-noble birth.

The method of wearing the Knight rank differs from the Commander and Grand Cross ranks. Instead of being suspended from an 11 cm wide red grand cordon fixed from the upper right to the lower left. The Knight’s Order, however, is worn with a single 37 mm wide ribbon of cloud-patterned crimson silk, attached to the left eyelet of the garment.

According to the design of Louis XIV, retired officers awarded this honor received fixed annual subsidies from the surplus of the L’hôtel des Invalides, varying based on the ranking of the order: the Grand Cross level received 6000 livres, the Commander level received 3000 to 4000 livres, and the Knight level received 2000 livres. However, simultaneously, if an individual who has not been conferred the honor publicly wears the order, they will face the loss of noble titles and even endure up to twenty years of hard labor.

After the outbreak of the French Revolution in AD 1792, the National Convention, established as the supreme authority, declared the founding of the Republic and abolished the Order of Saint Louis. Although in 1814, during the Bourbon Restoration under Louis XVIII, the Order was reinstated, its bestowal was once again halted in 1830 after the July Revolution, when the newly elected ruler, Louis-Philippe I, announced the suspension of the Order of Saint Louis. For known holders of the Order, an official decree mandated the removal of the Gold Fleur De Lis from the order before it could be worn in public.

The overall appearance of the insignia showcases a white enamel-bordered gold cross. Originally, it included a specific angle-mounted royal Gold Fleur De Lis that represented the monarchy, but the stamen of the lily was removed, either due to damage or in response to the new policy in AD 1830. At the ends of the branches are two gold buttons, and near the central part, a gold tail link connects to the insignia.

The insignia itself is oval-shaped, surrounded by a blue enamelled border with a gold edge on both sides. On the obverse side, the golden inscription on uppercase reads “LUD. M. INST. 1693,” signifying “Louis the Great established in AD 1693” (complete: Ludovicus Magnus Instituit 1693). In the center is an engraved full-body portrait of King Louis, adorned in gold armor, with a blue enamel-painted white ermine cloak on his shoulders. The king’s right-hand holds a green enamel laurel wreath, while the left-hand grasps a green enamel crown of thorns worn by Jesus and a hanging white veil. The king stands on green land in front of a red enameled background symbolizing the suffering of Jesus. While some enamel has worn off the laurel wreath and crown of thorns, other parts of the painting remain intact.

On the reverse side, the blue enamel border bears the inscription “.BELL. VIRTUTIS PRAEM.,” meaning “to manifest courage and virtue.” In the center, a burning golden sword is displayed, with the blade connected to a white belt and a green laurel wreath. Regarding the overall appearance, only a slight loss of enamel is observed on the green wreath at the left end.

Due to the aforementioned history, the order is recognized by the present-day “International Commission for Orders of Chivalry” as a knighthood.

物件編號: M13

年代: 公元 1809-1819 年

材質: 黃金, 琺瑯

尺寸: 95.0 x 36.0 mm

重量: 11.23 g

來源: 迪生獎章 2022

公元1693年，時任法國國王的路易十四決定以中世紀傳奇君王：路易九世之名，創建他本人為大團長的「聖路易騎士團」旨在鼓勵軍官的天主教信仰和立下戰功，更會頒發「聖路易勳章」予其成員。聖路易勳章包括三個等級：騎士級、指揮官級和大十字級。根據原始的章程，組織成員為無數量限制的騎士、二十四名指揮官和八名大十字勳章的擁有者組成，更是法國史上首次對平民出身者開放的勳章。

騎士級聖路易勳章的佩帶方法，不同於指揮官級跟大十字級勳章是懸掛在一條右上向左下方固定的11公分寬紅色大綬帶底端。騎士級勳章僅能以一條37毫米寬的雲紋火紅色系綬帶，將勳章別在衣服左側的扣眼上。

根據路易十四的設計，受勳的軍官們退休後，依照勳章等級差異，每年能固定從榮譽軍人院的盈餘得到補助。 大十字級為6000里弗爾、指揮官級為3000到4000里弗爾和騎士級的2000里弗爾。不過同時，若有未受勳者在公開場合佩戴該勳章，將會被剝奪貴族頭銜甚至面臨長達二十年的苦役。

法國大革命爆發後，公元1792年成為最高機關的國民公會，宣布成立共和國和取消聖路易勳章。雖然在公元1814年，復辟的路易十八又恢復該勳章的頒發。但公元1830年法國爆發七月革命後，民眾推舉的新統治者：路易-菲利普一世宣布停止聖路易勳章的頒發。對於勳章已知的擁有者，官方下令將代表波旁王朝的百合花移除後，即能在公開場合佩戴該勳章。

該綬章整體外觀為鑲有琺瑯白的金邊十字架，原先以特定角度鑲嵌一塊代表王室的金質百合花飾，其百合花蕊的部分已經被拔除，出於毀損或者要因應公元1830年的新政策，皆是花蕊消失的可能原因。在分支的末端各有兩粒金製鈕扣點，近中心端則以金色燕尾榫跟綬章作連結。

此綬章呈一橢圓形，雙面皆被鑲金邊的藍色琺瑯邊框包圍。正面的金色大寫字母銘文為：「LUD. M. INST. 1693」，即「路易大帝設立於公元1693年」(完整：Ludovicus Magnus Instituit 1693)之意。中央為刻有聖路易國王全身肖像，其身穿金甲，肩披以琺瑯藍塗裝的白底貂皮斗篷。國王右手拿著綠色琺瑯月桂花環，左手握著耶穌戴過的綠色荊棘王冠及一條下垂的白色面紗。國王雙腳踏在綠色土地上，站在象徵耶穌受難的紅色琺瑯背景前方。正面除了月桂花環和荊棘王冠的綠色琺瑯已經剝落，其他部位的塗料仍十分完整。

背面的藍色琺瑯邊框上印有銘文「.BELL. VIRTUTIS PRAEM.」，意指「以彰勇毅」。中央則展示一把燃燒的金寶劍，劍刃透過一條白色腰帶與綠色月桂花環相連。而在整體外觀上，僅有花環左側末端的綠色琺瑯有些許剝落。

由於上述的歷史，該勳章被現今仍在活動的「國際騎士團委員會」認可為騎士團勳章。