The Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit is an
order of knighthood
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 ...
of the
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( it, Regno delle Due Sicilie) was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1860. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by population and size in Italy before Italian unification, comprising Sicily and a ...
.
It was established on 1 April 1800 by
Ferdinand IV of Naples and III Sicily to reward men who performed important deeds and gave proof of loyalty to the
Head of the Royal House and to the
Royal Family
A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...
.
Ranks and Insignia
The Order is divided into three Ranks:
*Knights of Grand Cross, with fess, cross and plate;
*Knights Commanders, with neck ribbon and cross;
*Knights, with ribbon and cross to the buttons.
The decoration is formed by a golden round shield bearing the image of St. Ferdinand, edged by a blue-enameled round plate with the inscription "FIDEI ET MERITO", bordered by six golden rays edged by six white enameled lilies. The ribbon is blue and edged in dark red.
See also
*
Royal Order of Francis I
The Royal Order of Francis I (properly 'The Royal Order of Francis I of the Two Sicilies' it, Reale Ordine di Francesco I) was an extinct order of merit of the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies which was annexed in 1861 by the King of Italy (u ...
*
Order of Saint George and Reunion
The Order of Saint George of the Reunion is an order of knighthood of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It was established to replace the Royal Order of the Two-Sicilies.
It was created on 1 January 1819 by Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies to rewa ...
*
Order of Saint Januarius
)
, clasps =
, post-nominals =
, established = 3 July 1738
, first_award =
, last_award =
, founder = Charles VII of Naples
, head_title = Grand Master
, head = Disputed:Prince P ...
*
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (SMOCG) ( it, Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio, es, Sagrada Orden Militar Constantiniana de San Jorge), also historically referred to as the Imperial Constantinian Order ...
External links
Pictures of the Order
{{Orders of Italian States before unification
Awards established in 1800