Military Merit Order of Saint George (Lucca)
The Order of Military Merit of St. George was founded on June 1, 1833 under the name of Ordine di San Giorgio per il Merito militare . It was a military medal of merit in the Duchy of Lucca .
The order was founded by Duke of Lucca Carl Ludwig . According to the later foundation statutes of May 7, 1841, the Duke was Grand Master of the order. The award was intended to honor loyal and deserving military personnel. Only the duke could claim back the decoration if it was missed.
Order classes
The order had three classes.
- 1st class reserved for generals after three years of excellent leadership, for staff officers and officers of all degrees with troops.
- 2nd class officers, general
- 3rd class other members of the army
Order decoration
The decoration of the order showed St. George slaying the dragon in the white central shield on the front . An inscription in the green enamelled ring around the medallion read the motto: “Al merito militare” (For military merit). In the lapel was the crowned name CL of the founder and the year of foundation 1833. The medallion lay on a straight-armed paw cross . A broad edge of the cross arms enclosed a deeper enameled surface. The eyelet was attached to the upper cross arm.
The decoration differed according to the class.
- First class was gold and enamelled
- Second class was made of silver and enameled
- Third grade was made of silver
Ribbon and way of wearing
The ribbon of the 1st class was a red white red ribbon decorated with a rosette and was worn on the left side of the chest. The decoration on the ribbon did not exist in the other classes.
The Grand Master (Duke) carried the first class cross. This included a star with the middle shield on the front of the cross of the main decoration, supplemented by the year of the foundation.
literature
- The book of orders of knights and decorations: history, description and illustrations of the insignia of all orders of knights, Verlag Carl Muquardt, Brussels / Leipzig 1848, p. 128