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Order of St. Louis stylised design
(Full size), Knight, Kingdom of France
法蘭西王國時期
騎士級聖路易勳章
(風格裝飾官方版)
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.
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。
Borna Barac, Reference Catalogue Orders Medals and Decorations of the World : instituted until 1945 : Part II Bronze Book D-G (Craotia:OBOL d.o.o. Zagreb, 2010)