Order of the Slaves of Virtue
The Order of the Slaves of Virtue was founded by Empress Eleonora Magdalena Gonzaga of Mantua-Nevers in 1662.
This Austrian religious order was an order of women . The duties of acceptance were to be distinguished by a virtuous and pious way of life. The number of noble ladies, with the exception of princesses, was fixed at 30. Her appointment was carried out by the Empress as Grand Master . At the time of admission, loyalty to the religious community had to be praised. With the death of the Empress from the House of Neuburg (the widow of Emperor Leopold I who died in 1720 ) the order was revoked.
Order decoration
The medal is a gold medal on which a shining sun surrounded by a green laurel wreath is embossed. A legend SOL. UBIQ. TRIUM . (Sola ubique triumphat, virtue alone keeps the victory) was the motto of the order .
Carrying method
The women wore this medal on a gold chain on their left upper arm. In addition, there was a smaller medal on a black silk cord.
Order rule (extract)
- Anyone who did not wear the mark of the order visibly had to pay a fine of one hundred thalers.
- Special clothing was worn on solemn occasions.
- When a lady of the order died, the large order had to be returned. The heirs kept the smaller.
literature
- Christian Ortner , Georg Ludwigstorff: Austria's medals and decorations. Part I: The imperial-royal orders until 1918 , Verlag Militaria , Vienna 2017, ISBN 978-3-902526-81-6
- Klaus H. Feder: New Findings on the Insignia of the Habsburg Order of Ladies "Slaves of Virtue", in: Journal of the Austrian Society for Religious Orders, 44, November 2001, pp. 17-22
- Economic encyclopedia by JG Krünitz, 1773–1858
