St. Anna Order (Bavaria)
The Order of Saint Anne was founded on September 19, 1783 by the widow of the late Elector Maximilian III. Joseph von Bayern , Maria Anna Sophie von Bayern donated for daughters of the Catholic Bavarian nobility.
In order to be accepted into the women's monastery at St. Anna in Munich and to be entrusted with the medal, the single applicants had to be at least eighteen years old and have sixteen aristocratic ancestors. That number was later reduced to eight. From 1802 onwards, six daughters of non-aristocratic officers and civil servants and, from November 28, 1808, Protestant women could also be accepted. From 1841 foreign women could also be accepted.
The admission fee in 1875 was 200 and for foreigners 1,600 marks.
Order decoration
The order decoration consists of a circularly rounded, gold-rimmed cross with arms that widen outwards. The cross arms are white enamelled with a dark blue enamelled edge and on them are the words SUB TUUM PRAESI DIUM (Under Your Presidency), on the reverse NOS TER PATRO NUS. (Our patron). Semicircular gold-rimmed approaches are attached between the cross arms.
The white enamelled and gold-rimmed medallion shows the golden figure of Immaculata on the front and the golden figure of Bishop St. Benno on the back.
The cross was carried on a double bow with a sky-blue ribbon with silver side and light yellow edge stripes. On festive occasions, a ribbon of the same color was worn as a sash from the left shoulder to the right hip.
For the canonesses a black dress with lace was included.
Members (selection)
- Anna Freifrau von Hornstein (honorary canon) († February 16, 1835)
- Katharina von Predl (1790–1871), German painter
- Alexandra Amalie of Bavaria (Abbess)
See also
literature
- Georg Schreiber The Bavarian orders and decorations. Prestel-Verlag, Munich 1964.