Guadalupe Order
The Guadalupe Order ( Spanish Orden de Guadalupe ) was a Mexican Order of Merit , originally founded by Emperor Iturbide under the name Order of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish Orden Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe ) and founded on November 11, 1853 by President Antonio López de Santa Anna was renewed to immortalize the glorious memory of Mexican independence. The order is responsible for protecting the Virgin of Guadalupe, who is considered to be miraculous .
Order classes
The order consisted of five classes and the number of members was limited, with foreigners not falling under the restriction.
- Grand Cross - 30 members
- Grand Officer - 100 members
- Komtur - 200 members
- Officer - 500 members
- Knight - unlimited
Emperor Maximilian gave the order the last new statutes on April 10, 1865. The medal has not been awarded since Maximilian's death.
Order decoration
The sign of the order was a gold four-armed cross with dark red, white-lined enamel, in the middle a green ellipse with the image of the Holy Virgin and the inscription Religion, Independencia, Union (religion, independence, unity), on the back Al patriotismo heroico (for heroic Patriotism). Between the wings rays and a gold wreath, above an eagle with an opuntia .
The breast star has eight rays and is made of gold with a cross on top. The tape was dark blue with purple stripes. The chain of the Grand Cross, which was only worn at major festivities, consisted alternately of the eagle described above and, within the golden wreaths of laurel and palm branches, from the initials of the founder AI .