Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit

Horatio Nelson . The Ferdinand Order is the third from the right

The Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit , also known as the Order of Ferdinand , was founded on April 1st, 1800 by King Ferdinand IV in memory of Ferdinand the Great, King of Castile .

Faithfulness and devotion should be honored, virtues that made a restoration of the kingdom possible.

In 1861 the order was repealed.

Order classes

The order had three classes

Grand Cross limited to 24 members and with the title “Excellence” as salutation
Commander
Knight

Order decoration

A star consisting of six golden rays with six silver Bourbon lilies between them form the decoration. The star is surmounted by a golden royal crown. The words Fidei et merito (loyalty and merit) are written in gold in the circular blue gold-framed enamel ring .

The medallion shows Saint Ferdinand on a gold background with a sword in his right hand and a laurel wreath in his left hand. The inscription Ferd on the reverse . IV. Instituit 1800 .

Ribbon and way of wearing

The ribbon is dark blue with red stripes.

Grand cruisers wore the medal on the sash from the right shoulder to the left side and with a breast star . Commanders as neck medals and knights the medal in the buttonhole.

Ceremonial clothing

The clothes consisted of a skirt, waistcoat and trousers made of so-called drap d'or, white silk stockings with gold-embroidered gussets and a round hat turned up on one side. The hat had a silk red cockade , was set with gold and adorned with two feathers in red and blue. The matching coat was made of blue moiré with embroidered lilies and O and F and was tied by two golden red-blue long strings.

The lining was made of white taffeta and ermine strips . A sword hanger made of blue moire with red stripes on the edge was worn to perfect it. The coat pattern was repeated.

The order was worn in a different way for clothing. The Grand Cross class wore the medal around their neck on a gold medal chain . The chain links alternated between Bourbon lilies and crossed flags. The royal crown, a tower and the letter F were shown alternately on the flags .

literature

Maximilian Gritzner : Handbook of the orders of knights and merit of all civilized states of the world , Leipzig 1893
Ferdinand order . In: Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon 1894–1896, Volume 6, p. 675.

Individual evidence

^ Order of Ferdinand . In: Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon 1894–1896, Volume 6, p. 675.
↑ Description of all orders, the images of which are included in the color print work: “The orders, coats of arms and flags of all regents and states” . Author:? Leipzig 1883–1887

[1] Order of Ferdinand . In: Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon 1894–1896, Volume 6, p. 675.

[2] Description of all orders, the images of which are included in the color print work: “The orders, coats of arms and flags of all regents and states” . Author:? Leipzig 1883–1887