This page is a list of the

orders of chivalry An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is an order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and paired with medieval concep ...

and orders of merit awarded by France, in the order they were established or incorporated in France, and their origins.

Kingdom of the Franks, Merovingian and Carolingian periods (485–987)

* Order of Saint Remigius 485 (probably a legend) *

Order of the Rooster and the Dog Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

496 (probably a legend) *

Order of the Oak The Kingdom of Sobrarbe was the legendary predecessor to the Kingdom of Aragon and the modern region of Sobrarbe (from Latin ''super Arbem'', on mount Arbe). According to the late medieval legend, the kingdom, with its capital at Aínsa, was a pr ...

723 (probably a legend)

Kingdom of France, Capetian period (987–1328)

* Order of the Lion 1080 * Order of Saint Lazarus 1099 * Order of the Temple, also known as the Templars, set up in Jerusalem by 7 French knights in 1118. The Order had its headquarters in Paris but was so spread across Europe it cannot be accounted a solely French order *

Order of Our Dear Lady of the Poor of Aubrac Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

1120 * Order of the Holy Ghost 1198 * Order of the Faith and Peace 1229 * Militia of the Faith of Jesus Christ (first half of the 13th century) *

Order of the Broom-cod The Order of the Broom-cod (French : "''Ordre de la Coste de Genest''"), is believed to have been founded in 1234 by the French king, St. Louis IX, to commemorate his wedding with Margaret of Provence, daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Prov ...

1234

Kingdom of France, Valois period (1328–1589)

* Order of Saint Lazarus 1099 * Order of the Star, also known as the

Order of Our Lady of the Noble House The Order of the Star (french: Ordre de l'Étoile) or Company of the Star was an order of chivalry founded on 6 November 1351 by John II of France in imitation of the Order of the Garter founded in 1348 by Edward III of England. The inaugural cere ...

1351 *

Order of the Golden Shield In 1369, Louis II "the Good", duke of Bourbon founded the Knights of the Golden Shield to commemorate the release from English captivity of noble hostages held along with the king John II of France. This release came in 1369, three years after th ...

(= Order of the Green Shield) -

Duke of Bourbon Duke of Bourbon (french: Duc de Bourbon) is a title in the peerage of France. It was created in the first half of the 14th century for the eldest son of Robert of France, Count of Clermont and Beatrice of Burgundy, heiress of the lordship of B ...

1369 *

Order of Our Lady of the Thistle The Order of Our Lady of the Thistle was founded in January 1370 in Moulins, Allier, Moulins, by Louis II, Duke of Bourbon, Louis II "the Good", Duke of Bourbon « in the honour of God and the Immaculated Virgin», at the occasion of his marriage wi ...

1370 * Order of the Crown - Lord of Coucy 1378 * Order of the Ermine - Duchy of Brittany 1381 *

Order of the Belt of Hope The Order of the Belt of Hope was a knighthood order which was founded in 1389 by King Charles VI of France and dedicated it to "Our Lady who bring back home the lost hunters". Other sources including Menestrier named Louis II, Duke of Bourbon as ...

1389 *

Noble Order of Saint George of Rougemont The Noble Order of Saint George of Rougemont was a baronial order of chivalry established around 1440 in the Free County of Burgundy. From the 15th through the late 18th centuries it enjoyed the protection of the Dukes of Burgundy and later the Fre ...

- Duchy of Burgundy 1390 *

Order of the Porcupine The Order of the Porcupine ( French: ''Ordre du Porc-Épic'', ''Ordre du Camail'') was established by Louis de France, Duke of Orléans, in 1394, at the occasion of his elder son Charles of Orléans' baptism. Award and history Louis I, Duke ...

- Duke of Orleans (Valois-Orleans) 1394 *

Order of the Passion of Christ The Order of the Passion of Christ was a French knighthood order which was founded in 1380 by King Richard II of England and in 1400 by his father-in-law king Charles VI of France. It was a crusader knighthood. The two kings prepared a Crusade t ...

1400 *

Order of the White Lady The French Marshal Jean Le Maingre ("Boucicaut") was a knight who fought throughout Europe. Saracens refrained from attacking Boucicaut in Tunis when two "beautiful women in white robes fell from heaven with, into their hands, a flag with a re ...

Emprise de l'Escu vert à la Dame Blanche The ''Emprise de l'Escu vert à la Dame Blanche'' ("Enterprise of the Green Shield with the White Lady") was a chivalric order founded by Jean II Le Maingre and twelve other knights in 1399, committing themselves for the duration of five years. Insp ...

- Marshal

Boucicaut Boucicaut may refer to: Persons * Jean I Le Maingre ( -1367), called "Boucicaut", Marshal of France * Jean II Le Maingre (1366-1421), son of Jean I, also called "Boucicaut", Marshal of France * Geoffrey Boucicaut, son of Jean I, governor of the D ...

round 1398-1400 *

Order of the Hop The Order of the Hop (Latin: ''Ōrdō lupuli'') was a medieval Burgundian order of merit instituted c. 1406 by John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy (1371–1419). According to Jean-Jacques Chifflet (1588–1660), John awarded the honour to curry ...

- Dukes of Burgundy round 1400 * Order of the Golden Chains -

1414 *

Order of the Greyhound The Order of the Greyhound was founded in 1416 in the Duchy of Bar. One also called this chivalric order, the "''Order of the Faithfulness''" The order is called "Order of Hubert" since 1423. This knighthood order was founded as a knightly comp ...

(Order of the Faithfulness) Duchy of Bar 1416 =

Order of Hubert The Order of the Greyhound was founded in 1416 in the Duchy of Bar. One also called this chivalric order, the "''Order of the Faithfulness''" The order is called "Order of Hubert" since 1423. This knighthood order was founded as a knightly comp ...

- 1423 * Order of Saint Michael - 1469 *

Order of the Ladies of the Cord The Order of the Ladies of the Cord (French: L’Ordre des Dames chevalières de la Cordelière" or "Ordre de la Cordelière"), was a ladies order founded by the French queen Anne of Brittany in 1498. This rope with knots had been added by her st ...

1498 * Order of the Holy Spirit (1578) *

Order of the Christian Charity The Order of Christian Charity was, supposedly, founded in 1589 by the French King Henry III and was granted to disabled veterans. ''citing'' : André Favin, ''Le Théâtre d'Honneur et de Chevalerie ou Histoire des Ordres militaires...'', 1620 ( ...

1589

Kingdom of France, Bourbon period (1589–1793)

* Order of Saint Lazarus 1099 * Order of Saint Michael (1469) * Order of the Holy Spirit (1578) * Order of the Yellow Ribbon 1600 * Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (1606) * United Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus 1608 *

Order of the Knights Bannerets The Order of the Knights Bannerets was a French knighthood mentioned in a biography of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, 1st Baronet (1570-1631) by Thomas Smith. Smith writes: "Ex omnibus inventis propositis illud uti videtur,de novo equitem ordine inst ...

1609 *

Order of Saint Magdalene Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

1614 *

Order of the Annunciation The Order of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary ( la, Ordo de Annuntiatione Beatæ Mariæ Virginis), also known as Sisters of the Annunciation or Annonciades, is an enclosed religious order of contemplative nuns founded in honor of the ...

1619 *

Order of the Celestial Blue Ribbon of the Holy Rosary Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

1645 *

Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis (french: Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis) is a dynastic order of chivalry founded 5 April 1693 by King Louis XIV, named after Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). It was intended as a rewa ...

(1693) *

Order of the Bee Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

1703 *

Order of the Terrace Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

1716 *

Order of the Banner Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

1723 * Order of Military Merit also ''Institution du Military Merit'' (1759) * Order of the Rose 1780 On January 1, 1791, the Order of Saint Louis and the Order of Military Merit were merged into the Military Decoration (French: ''Décoration militaire'') by the Convention, the revolutionary parliament.

French First Republic (1793–1804)

Revolutionary France abolished all chivalric orders of the monarchy in 1793. There were nevertheless decorations such as medals and Weapons of Honour.

Consulate of Napoleon Bonaparte (1800–1804)

*The Legion of Honour was not, strictly speaking, a chivalric order at the time of its institution, since

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

did not like knighthood orders and the Legion of Honour had to be a "real" legion with legionaries, officers and commanders. Nevertheless, at the time of its institution, the Legion of Honour had all the hallmarks of a chivalric order except the name.

French First Empire (1804–1814, 1815)

* Legion of Honour (1802) * Order of the Iron Crown (1805) * Order of the Reunion (1811)

Kingdom of France, Bourbon Restoration (1814, 1815–1830)

* Order of Saint Michael (1469) * Order of the Holy Spirit (1578) * United Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus 1608 *

(1693) *

Order of the Academic Palms Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

(1808) * Order of the Saint Sepulchre in Jerusalem (1814) *

Décoration du Lys The Decoration of the Lily (french: Décoration du Lys, link=no) was a French medal created by the Bourbon Restoration in 1814. Background From the end of 1813, Napoleon's armies were fighting on their own soil, culminating in the Six Days' Cam ...

1814 *

Decoration of the Armband of Bordeaux Decoration may refer to: * Decorative arts * A house painter and decorator's craft * An act or object intended to increase the beauty of a person, room, etc. * An award that is a token of recognition to the recipient intended for wearing Ot ...

(French: "Décoration du Brassard de Bordeaux" 1814) * Legion of Honour (from 1815 also a formal knighthood order but no more the first of French decorations.) * Hunting Order of St. Hubert (1815) * Décoration de la Fidélité (1816)

Kingdom of France, July Monarchy (1830–1848)

* Legion of Honour from 1830 the first in rank among French decorations and knighthood orders. *

Order of the Cross of July The Order of the Cross of July (French: Ordre de la Croix de Juillet) was a French Order of Merit. It was created on December 13, 1830 by King Louis-Philippe I to thank those who had helped overthrow Charles X and establish a Constitutional monar ...

, (French: "Ordre de la Croix de Juillet"), established in 1830 by the "Bourgeois King" Louis Philippe I.

French Second Republic (1848–1852)

* Legion of Honour 1802

French Second Empire (1852–1870)

* Legion of Honour 1802 *

Order of the Public Instruction Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

(French:"Ordre l’Instruction Publique") 1866

French Third Republic (1870–1945)

* Legion of Honour 1802 *

1866 The French Republic possessed in Asia, Africa and America a large

colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 a ...

empire. For the purposes of this huge area, a number of "

Colonial orders of knighthood A colonial order of chivalry was an order of chivalry awarded by European colonial states in Africa and Asia for those who conquered and administered their territories. They were sometimes adopted by post-colonial successor states, or remained on ...

" were established or incorporated. They were : * Royal Order of Cambodia (French:"Ordre Royal du Cambodge" (1864) * Order of the Star of Anjouan (French:"Ordre de l'Étoile d'Anjouan" (1874) *

Order of the Dragon of Annam The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam (, , ; french: Ordre impérial du Dragon d'Annam, Ordre du Dragon Vert) was created in 1886 in the city of Huế, by Emperor Đồng Khánh of the Imperial House of Annam, upon the "recommendation" of th ...

(French:"Ordre du Dragon d'Annam" (1886) *

Order of Nichan El-Anouar The Ordre du Nichan El-Anouar (Arabic: ''Order of the Light'') was established in 1887 as a colonial order of merit of the Tajurah sultanate in French Somaliland and abolished as a result of the order reform on 3 December 1963. History On 21 ...

(French:"Ordre du Nichan El-Anouar" (1887) * Order of the Black Star (French:"Ordre de l'Étoile Noire" (1889) In addition, the Governor-General of French Indo-China established in 1900 : * Order of the Merit of Indochina (French:Ordre du Mérite Indochinois"). France had also not enough in the fatherland with the Legion of Honor. The various ministries therefore proposed that they themselves managed and issued orders to: * National Order of Agricultural Merit (French: "l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole") 1883 * Order of Maritime Merit (French:"Ordre du Mérite Maritime") 1930 * Order of the Social Merit (French:"Ordre du Mérite social") 1936 * Order of Public Health (French:"Ordre de la Santé publique") 1938 * Orde of the Commercial Merit (French:"Ordre du Mérite commercial") (1939)
which was renamed in 1961 "Order of the Commercial and Industrial Merit". In 1940, a French government was formed in exile . They suggested a knighthood order as: *

Order of Liberation The Order of Liberation (french: Ordre de la Libération) is a French Order which was awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is a very high honour, second only after the ''Légion d’Honneur'' (Legion of Honour ...

established in 1940 by

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

in London. The France-remaining government of Marshal Philippe Pétain, the so-called "Vichy government", proposed 2 knighthood orders: *

National Order of Labour The National Order of Labour was an Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Bulgaria from 1945 to 1946, and of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 to 1990. It came in three grades. Royal Order {{Infobox order , title = Royal Order of ...

(French: "Ordre National Du Travail" 1942 * Order of the Francisque (French: "Ordre de la francisque") 1941

French Fourth Republic (1945–1958)

The Fourth Republic knew a very large quantity of knighthood orders and decorations. There were in 1945 16 knighthood orders. The traditional position of the Legion of Honour as highest and most prominent award remained formally intact but the French ministers founded for use in homeland and overseas no less than 11 new orders. * Legion of Honour 1802 *

1940 The French ministries kept on establishing

Ministerial Orders Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

so there were finally 19 : *

(''Ordre de l’Instruction Publique''), 1866; renamed in 1955 to '' Ordre des Palmes Académiques'' (Order of the Academic Palms) * Order of Agricultural Merit (''l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole'') 1883 * Order of Maritime Merit (''Ordre du Mérite Maritime'') 1930 * Order of the Social Merit (''Ordre du Mérite social'') 1936 * Order of Public Health (''Ordre de la Santé publique'') 1938 * Order of the Commercial Merit (''Ordre du Mérite commercial'') 1939 * Order of the Artisanal Merit (''Ordre du Mérite artisanal'') 1948 * Order of the Touristic Merit (''Ordre du Mérite touristique'') 1949 *

Order of the Postal Merit (France) Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

(''Ordre du Mérite postal'') 1953 * Order of the Warrior Merit (''Ordre du Mérite combattant'') 1953 *

Order of National Economy Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

(''Ordre de l'Economie nationale'') 1954 * Order of the Sportive Merit (''Ordre du Mérite sportif'') 1956 * Order of the Labour Merit (''Ordre du Mérite du Travail'') 1957 * Order of the Military Merit (''Ordre du Mérite militaire'') 1957 * Order of the Civil Merit (''Ordre du Mérite civil'') 1957 * Order of Arts and Letters) (''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'') 1957 * Order of the Saharian Merit (''Ordre du Mérite saharien'') 1958 The French Republic knew following a decree of 1 September 1950 two "Orders of Overseas France" (''Ordres de la France d'Outre-mer'') : * Order of the Black Star 1889 * Order of the Star of Anjouan 1874 The two Orders were a heritage of the

time during which the decorations of the colonized states such as

Dahomey The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. Dahomey developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a region ...

and the Comores were included in the French orders system. The French government awarded the Order of the Black Star in Europe until 1 January 1964. The decolonisation and restructuring of the French colonial empire, one speaks now of the " French Union", made necessary other adaptations in the French knighthood orders. Three other colonial Orders incorporated in it since 1896, namely the Royal Order of Cambodia (Cambodja), the

(Vietnam) and the

(Somaliland) became therefore on 1 September 1950 "Orders of Associated States of the French Union" (''Ordres des États Associés de l'Union Française''). The French government didn't award these honors themselves anymore. In 1963 the granting of the two French Overseas Orders were also discontinued. In their place, the new "

National Order of Merit An order of merit is conferred by a state, government or royal family on an individual in recognition of military or civil merit. Order of merit may also refer to: * FIFA Order of Merit, for significant contribution to association football * PDC O ...

" was awarded. This Order replaced fifteen of the ministerial orders so that a much clearer decoration policy became possible.

French Fifth Republic (1958–present)

* Legion of Honour 1802 *

1940 The 19 Ministerial Orders - which all knew three grades Commander, Officer and Knight - were each administered by a Board which was chaired by the relevant Minister. The fragmentation of the honors system was perceived as malpractice because a clear policy was not possible.
Fifteen of these orders were abolished by the first president of the Fifth Republic,

on 1 January 1964 and were replaced by the

but the three following were kept: *

(1808 or 1955) * National Order of Agricultural Merit (French: "l'Ordre National du Mérite Agricole") * Order of Maritime Merit (French: "l'Ordre du Mérite Maritime") The

Order of Arts and Letters The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...

(French: "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres"), established in 1956, was also maintained. A new development is that on 5 June 1996, the

Order of Tahiti Nui The Order of Tahiti Nui was established on 5 June 1996 by the Assembly of French Polynesia to reward distinguished merit and achievements in the service to French Polynesia. History The Order of Tahiti Nui was established June 5, 1996 by resolu ...

(French: "l'Ordre de Tahiti Nui") was established by the Assembly of French Polynesia (French: "Assemblée de Polynésie française"), the local French Polynesian parliamentary assembly.

Sources

* Gustav Adolph Ackermann, '' Ordensbuch, Sämtlicher in Europa blühender und erloschener Orden und Ehrenzeichen''. Annaberg, 1855
Google Books
(Former orders of France : p. 205-214) {{Orders, decorations, and medals of France