House Order of the White Falcon
The House Order of the White Falcon , also known as the House Order of Vigilance , was an order of the Grand Duchy of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach . The medal bearers were listed in the state handbooks of the country.
history
In the Middle Ages, falconry was usually the amusement of the noble, and the falcon was considered a symbol of nobility. Even Henry IV included falcons in the imperial seal. Since this bird enjoyed great veneration well into the 18th century, it made sense to dedicate an order to it in place of the eagle and other animals .
The order has retained its form and name since its foundation on August 2, 1732. Duke Ernst August von Sachsen-Weimar , (the grandfather of the well-known later Grand Duke Carl August , who appointed Goethe to his court) donated it with the approval and in honor of Emperor Karl VI. , whose general of the cavalry he was since 1732, and gave him the title "de la Vigilance". In the course of time, however, the number of members decreased so much and the order fell into disrepair. In 1806 there was only one holder of the order, a knight. When Duke Carl August became Grand Duke after 40 years of reign with the elevation of his country to the Grand Duchy , the enlargement of the territory may have given rise to the creation of an Order of Merit . That same year, the House Order of Vigilance, or House Order of the White Falcon, was revived . It was renewed by Grand Duke Carl August on October 18, 1815 and revived under the name of the House Order of Vigilance or the White Falcon .
Order classes
The order, which imposed the obligation on the owner to be loyal and devoted to the respective rightful highest national authority, initially consisted of three classes and the number of members was limited:
- Grand Cross - on 12 members, with the exception of the born princes of the house
- Commander - to 25 members
- Knight - to 50 members
On February 18, 1840, there was an expansion to include a fourth class (Knight's Cross II. Class) and a cross of merit in two classes.
Order decoration
The order consists of an eight-pointed gold-framed green enamelled Maltese cross hanging from a crown . In the corners of the cross arms there is a red enamelled, scaled star with a gold border. On the front is a white enamelled falcon with outstretched wings. The reverse of the cross showed a green star on white enamel . In the middle of the cross an oval medallion with an enamelled blue showed the four-line motto VIGILANDO ASCENDIMUS in golden letters (we climb up carefully). Everything is surrounded by a golden laurel wreath and crown.
For merit in the war, the medal with crossed swords was awarded by the Kreuzwinkel.
Carrying method
Grand cruisers carried the medal on a sash from the right shoulder to the left hip as well as with an eight-pointed breast star on which the medal rests. Commanders decorated around the neck, knights II and I class as well as bearers of the Cross of Merit on the ribbon on the left side of the chest.
The ribbon is red.
Others
The Grand Duke was Grand Master, the born princes held the Grand Cross and at the same time the Chairman of the Minister of State was the Order's Chancellor.
The Grand Cross was worn on a collar on special occasions . The individual chain links alternately show a golden falcon and the letters CA (Carl August).
The day of the religious feast was October 18th every year.
Known porters
literature
- State handbooks for the Grand Duchy of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach. Weimar 1823–1913. Digital copies .
- Wilhelm Ernst Rothe: Statutes of the Grand Duke of Saxony-Weimar, renewed knight order 'The Vigilance' or the 'White Falcon'. Eighth addendum. Hof-Buchdruckerei, Weimar 1902 (statutes or amendments / additions by Carl August Grand Duke of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach of October 18, 1815; Carl Friedrich Grhzg. SWE, February 16, 1840; Carl Alexander Grhzg. SWE, December 24, 1868 September 22, 1870, January 15 & January 1873, July 8, 1878, September 10, 1889 and October 8, 1892; Wilhelm Ernst Grhzg.SWE April 15, 1902).
- Jochen Klauß: The Saxon-Weimar House Order of Vigilance or of the White Falcon. On the lending practice under Carl-Alexander 1853-1901 . In: Lothar Ehrlich, Justus H. Ulbricht (ed.): Carl Alexander von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach. Böhlau / Cologne 2004, ISBN 3-412-09203-7 , p. 165 ff.
- Lutz Fritsche (Ed.): The medals and decorations of the Grand Duchy of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach 1815-1918. Ilmenau 2012. ISBN 978-3-937064-21-5 .
- Dietrich Herfurth, Jochen Klauss, Jürgen Klee: Under the sign of the White Falcon. Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach in the light of its medals and decorations. Biloba-Verlag, Berlin 2012, ISBN 978-3-00-039112-5 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Description of all orders, their images in the color printing work: Moritz Ruhl: The orders, coats of arms and flags of all regents and states. Ruhl. Leipzig 1883–1887. OCLC 246599964 are included. (Reprint of the 1884 edition: Phaleristischer Verlag Autengruber. Offenbach am Main 1998. ISBN 3-932543-73-4 .)