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The Order of Civil Merit ( es, Orden del Mérito Civil) was established by King
Alfonso XIII of Spain Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alf ...
in 1926. The order recognizes "the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and foreign citizens for the benefit of Spain."


History

According to ''Basic Norms on Protocol & Decorations'' '' The Order of Civil Merit was established by King
Alfonso XIII of Spain Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alf ...
, by Royal Decree on 25 June 1926, after the proposition of the President of the Council of Ministers, General D. Miguel Primo de Rivera (1870–1930). Its first regulations was published next 25 May 1927. This Order was created to reward civic virtues of the functionaries in service for the State, the Provinces and Municipalities, as well as extraordinary services performed by Spanish citizens for the good of Nation, and could possibly be awarded, moreover, to foreign citizens by courtesy or reciprocity. At the origin, it consisted of five categories: * Grand Cross (''Gran Cruz'') * Commander by Number (''Comendador de Número'') * Commander (''Comendador'') * Knight (''Caballero'') * Silver Cross (''Cruz de Plata'') Entry into the Order was conferred by the King, upon proposition of the Minister of State, requiring the agreement of the Council of Ministers when it concerned the concession of the Grand Cross, instructing them in all cases a demonstrative record of the justification of the award and issuing appointments and diplomas by the Section of Foreign Ministry and Orders of the Ministry of State. The Provisional Government of the Republic, by decree of 24 July 1931, abolished this order and other orders of the State, except that of Isabel the Catholic, and wanted to replace them with the creation of the Order of the Republic. Saved this interregnum, by Decree of 7 November 1942 restores the Order of Civil Merit, with his previous features, privileges and seniority, with the following categories: Grand Cross, Cordon (designation of the Grand Cross when given to women), Commander of Number, Commander, Officer, Knight, Knot (name of degree Knight when given to women) and Silver Cross, approving its rules by decree of 3 February 1945. Subsequently, by decree of 26 July 1957, the Knight of the Collar category is established in the Order of Civil Merit, as the highest distinction of the Order. This high level is reserved to decorate Sovereigns and Heads of State and, exceptionally, to those, enjoying relevant significance, who are already in possession of the Grand Cross of the Order. The great changes since that date, both in the social and political reality of Spain, and in the legal and administrative system, have been advised to update the rules governing the Order respecting the spirit that inspired its creation and preserving its seniority and their order of priority among the other Spanish Orders. Thus, by Royal Decree 2396/1998 of 6 November 1998, published in the ''Boletín Oficial del Estado'' 279 of 21 November 1998 (and subsequent correction published in the ''BOE'' 40 of 16 February 1999), the approval of the new regulations proceeded, bringing together in one legal text all regulations which were scattered. Among the most notable elements of the new regulation, one may mention suppression of the names of the degrees of Lady's Cordon, Knight's Cross and Dame's Knot, joining the first in that of Grand Cross, and creating the degree of Cross, including the two others, to avoid interpretations that would consider the maintenance of these designations may involve some form of discrimination based on gender. Furthermore, it empowers the decorated women, for aesthetic and functional reasons (given the characteristics of their gala dress), to use miniature versions of the insignia, and to hang them differently from the men, as specified for each grade in the new regulation. Two new forms of badges in the degree of Commander were regulated to grant awards to juridical persons: the Tie, for institutions that have recognized the use of flags or similar ensigns, and the Badge of Honour for institutions that do not possess these emblems. Finally, in order to lend prestige to the distinctions of this Order and ensure that each is properly justified, the current regulation makes a detailed discussion of the merits to be considered for grant, of formal requirements to be met by proposals for entry and promotion within the Order, stating the legitimate authorities to do them, and reporting procedures that can be instructed in order to determine the suitability of granting.


Grades

The ribbon of the order is blue with a narrow white centre stripe, except for the ribbon of "Collar", which is blue with 2 white stripes on the edges. The Order of Civil Merit comes in seven classes as follows: * Collar (''Collar'') - Order's Collar. * Grand Cross (''Gran Cruz'') - Sash and Plaque (Golden Order's Star). * Commander by Number (''Encomienda de Número'') - Plaque (Silver Order's Star). * Commander (''Encomienda'') - Golden order's star on a necklet. * Officer's Cross (''Cruz de Oficial'') - Golden order's cross hanging from a ribbon. * Knight's Cross (''Cruz'') - Silver order's cross hanging from a ribbon. * Silver Cross (''Cruz de Plata'') - Simpler silver cross hanging from a ribbon.


Notable recipients of Collar or Grand Cross

The Collar and Grand Cross of the Order have been awarded to royalty, heads of state and their spouses, and diplomats, including:


Heads of state

* 2021:
Moon Jae-in Moon Jae-in (; ; born 24 January 1953) is a South Korean former politician, civil servant and lawyer who served as the 12th president of South Korea between 2017 and 2022. Prior to his presidency, he served as Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs an ...
and
Kim Jung-sook Kim Jung-sook ( ko, 김정숙; born 15 November 1954) is a South Korean classical singer who served as first lady of South Korea from 2017 to 2022, as the wife of the 12th president of South Korea Moon Jae-in. Overview Kim's parents ran ...
, president and first lady of the Republic of Korea * 2015:
Mohamed Ould Ahmed Salem Ould Mohamed Rare Muhammad was an Islamic prophet and a religious and political leader who preached and established Islam. Muhammad and variations may also refer to: *Muhammad (name), a given name and surname, and list of people with the name and its variations ...
interior minister of Mauritania * 2015: Sushma Swaraj minister of External Affairs of India * 2012:
Felipe Calderón Hinojosa Felipe is the Spanish variant of the name Philip, which derives from the Greek adjective ''Philippos'' "friend of horses". Felipe is also widely used in Portuguese-speaking Brazil alongside Filipe, the form commonly used in Portugal. Noteworthy ...
, president of Mexico * 2009: Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Rheima Hall, governor-general and first lady of Jamaica * 2010: Petro Poroshenko, president of Ukraine (then minister of foreign affairs) * 2008 Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates * 2007: Roh Moo-hyun and Kwon Yang-suk, president and first lady of the Republic of Korea * 2003: Georgi Parvanov and
Zorka Parvanova Zorka Petrova Parvanova ( bg, Зорка Петрова Първанова; born 4 May 1958, in Razlog) is a Bulgarian historian and former First Lady of Bulgaria from 2002 until 2012. She is the wife of Georgi Parvanov, the former President of ...
, president and first lady of
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Maced ...
* 2003:
Ion Iliescu Ion Iliescu (; born 3 March 1930) is a Romanian politician and engineer who served as President of Romania from 1989 until 1996 and from 2000 until 2004. Between 1996 and 2000 and also from 2004 to 2008, the year in which he retired, Iliescu ...
, president of Romania * 2003: Islom Karimov, president of Uzbekistan * 2002
Abdelaziz Bouteflika Abdelaziz Bouteflika (; ar, عبد العزيز بوتفليقة, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Būtaflīqa ; 2 March 1937 – 17 September 2021) was an Algerian politician and diplomat who served as President of Algeria from 1999 to his resignation in 201 ...
, president of
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
* 1999: Petar Stoyanov and Antonina Stoyanova, president and first lady of
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Maced ...
* 1996: Leonid Kuchma and Lyudmila Kuchma, president and first lady of Ukraine * 1995: Mohamed Mahathir, prime minister of Malaysia * 1994: Fidel V. Ramos and
Amelita Ramos Amelita "Ming" Jara Martinez-Ramos (born December 29, 1926) is a former First Lady of the Philippines. She is the widow of Fidel V. Ramos. Early life Ramos was born Amelita Jara Martinez to Rufino Martinez and Josefa Jara Martinez, both from ...
, president and first lady of the Philippines * 1993:
Zhelyu Zhelev Zhelyu Mitev Zhelev ( bg, Желю Митев Желев; 3 March 1935 – 30 January 2015) was a Bulgarian politician and former dissident who served as the first non-Communist President of Bulgaria from 1990 to 1997. Zhelev was one of the mos ...
and Maria Zheleva, president and first lady of
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Maced ...
* 1994: Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya and Aïcha Mint Ahmed Tolba, president and first lady of Mauritania * 1988: Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, president of Indonesia * 1979:
Félix Houphouët-Boigny Félix Houphouët-Boigny (; 18 October 1905 – 7 December 1993), affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux ("The Old One"), was the first president of Ivory Coast, serving from 1960 until his death in 1993. A tribal chief, he wor ...
, president of
Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
* 1978: Saddam Hussein, then vice president of Iraq * 1968: Habib Bourguiba and
Wassila Ben Ammar Wassila Ben Ammar Bourguiba ( ar, وسيلة بن عمار; April 22, 1912 – June 22, 1999) was the second wife of the former Tunisian president Habib Bourguiba and the First Lady of Tunisia from 1962 until 1986. She was called ''Majda'' (ven ...
, president and first lady of Tunisia * 1968: Habib Bourguiba Jr., minister of foreign affairs of Tunisia * 1965:
Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...
, president of the Republic of China * 1957:
Camille Chamoun Camille Nimr Chamoun OM, ONC ( ar, كميل نمر شمعون, ''Kamīl Sham'ūn''; 3 April 1900 – 7 August 1987) was a Lebanese politician who served as President of Lebanon from 1952 to 1958. He was one of the country's main Christ ...
, president of Lebanon


Foreign royalty

* 2021:
Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland (born Olof Daniel Westling; 15 September 1973), is a member of the Swedish royal family. Prior to his marriage to the heir apparent, Crown Princess Victoria, he was a personal trainer and gym owner and r ...
of Sweden * 2021:
Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland (born Sofia Kristina Hellqvist; 6 December 1984), is a member of the Swedish royal family. Before marrying Prince Carl Philip and becoming a princess of Sweden in 2015, Sofia was a glamour model and realit ...
of Sweden * 2021:
Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland (Carl Philip Edmund Bertil; born 13 May 1979) is the only son and the second of three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. , Prince Carl Philip is fourth in the line of succession ...
of Sweden * 2008: H.H.E. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah of Kuwait * 2008: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dha ...
* 2006:
Princess Märtha Louise Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince. Princess as a s ...
of Norway * 2000:
King Mohammed VI Mohammed VI ( ar, محمد السادس; born 21 August 1963) is the King of Morocco. He belongs to the 'Alawi dynasty and acceded to the throne on 23 July 1999, upon the death of his father, King Hassan II. Upon ascending to the throne, Moha ...
of Morocco * 2000: Princess Astrid of Belgium * 2000: Prince Lorenz of Belgium * 2000: Prince Laurent of Belgium * 1999: Princess Alia and husband Mohammad Al-Saleh of Jordan * 1995: King Ja'afar
Yang di-Pertuan Agong The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (, Jawi: ), also known as the Supreme Head of the Federation, the Paramount Ruler or simply as the Agong, and unofficially as the King of Malaysia, is the constitutional monarch and head of state of Malaysia. The of ...
of Malaysia * 1995: Queen Najihah
Raja Permaisuri Agong ''Raja Permaisuri Agong'' ( Jawi: راج ڤرمايسوري اݢوڠ; full title: ''Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong''; سري ڤدوک بݢيندا راج ڤرمايسوري اݢوڠ, literally ''The Que ...
of Malaysia * 1966: King King Faisal of Saudi Arabia * 1962:
King Saud Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ( ar, سعود بن عبد العزيز آل سعود ''Suʿūd ibn ʿAbd al ʿAzīz Āl Suʿūd'', Najdi Arabic pronunciation: ; 15 January 1902 – 23 February 1969) was King of Saudi Arabia from 9 November 1953 ...
of Saudi Arabia * 1960:
King Rama IX Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...
of Thailand * 1955: Princess Dina of Jordan (then queen)


Others

*2018: Monirul Islam * 2017:
State Minister Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. I ...
Nasrul Hamid Nasrul Hamid (Rakesh Chandra Rai as born 13 November 1964) is an Awami League politician and the State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh. Early life and education Hamid was born on 13 November 196 ...
of
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
* 2017: Ignacio Echeverría *2013:
Fadi Al-Atrash Joumblatt Fadi (also spelled Fahdi or Fadhi) is a given name meaning "redeemer or savior". Fady and Fadey are similar names. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Fadi Abboud (born 1955), Lebanese businessman and politician * Fadi Afash (born ...
* 2009:
Amancio Ortega Amancio Ortega Gaona (; born 28 March 1936) is a Spanish billionaire businessman. He is the founder and former chairman of Inditex fashion group, best known for its chain of Zara and Bershka clothing and accessories shops. As of November 20 ...
* 2007:
Miriam Defensor Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (''née'' Defensor; June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, and stateswoman who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executiv ...
* 2005:
Abderrahim Harouchi Abderrahim Harouchi (31 January 194421 August 2011) was a Moroccan pediatric surgeon and politician who served as minister of public health from 1992 to 1995 and Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity from 2004 to 2006. Biography ...
*1948: J. Hunter Guthrie


Gallery

File:Spain - Order of Civil Merit Grand Cross set.png, Grand Cross set with bestowal document. File:Spain - Order of Civil Merit Grand Cross Star.png, Breast Star of the Grand Cross grade. File:Spain - Order of Civil Merit Grand Cross Badge.png, Grand Cross badge of the Order. File:Spain - Order of Civil Merit Grand Cross with awarding document.png, Grand Cross set of insignia. File:Spain - Order of Civil Merit Commander.png, Commander grade of the Order. File:Spain - Order of Civil Merit Commander grade set.png, Set of the 3rd Class Commander grade.


References


External links


World Awards
{{Authority control Civil Merit, Order of Civil Merit, Order of Awards established in 1926 1926 establishments in Spain