Medal of the Royal Guelphic Order, detail

The Royal Guelphic Order (german: Königliche Guelphen-Orden), sometimes referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the

Prince Regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch regnant, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illne ...

(later King George IV). It takes its name from the House of Guelph, of which the Hanoverians were a branch. Since Hanover and the United Kingdom shared a monarch until 1837, the order was frequently bestowed upon British subjects.

History

Until 1837 the order was frequently awarded to officers in the British Navy and Army, although it was still classed as a foreign order, with British members of the order not entitled to style themselves as "Sir" unless they were also created

Knights Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are t ...

, as many were. The British link ended in 1837 when Hanover's royal union with Great Britain ended, with Ernest Augustus becoming King of Hanover and

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

ascending the British throne. When Hanover was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866, the order continued as a house order to be awarded by the Royal House of Hanover. Today, its current Sovereign is the Hanoverian head of the house, Ernst August, Prince of Hanover.

Classes

The insignia was based on the white horse on Hanover's arms. The Order includes two divisions, Civil and Military, the latter indicated by crossed swords on both the badge and star. It originally had three classes, but with several reorganisations since 1841, as house order today it has four classes and an additional Cross of Merit. In descending order of seniority the classes are:

1815–1841

* Knight Grand Cross (GCH). Received a collar chain and badge, a star worn on the left breast, and a badge worn from sash over the right shoulder. * Knight Commander (KCH). A neck badge worn from a ribbon, with a breast star, smaller than that for the GCH. * Knight (KH). Wore the badge on the left breast. Versions in both gold and silver were awarded. Holders of the respective degrees of the order in Britain were entitled to be post-nominally addressed with the initials, which stand for Knight Grand Cross of Hanover, Knight Commander of Hanover and Knight of Hanover. The initial GCG was also used, and was cited in the original statutes of the order. Gold and silver medals were attached to the order, for award to those not eligible for the order itself, including

non commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

s and royal servants.

After 1841

*Grand Cross *Commander 1st Class *Commander 2nd Class *Knight *Cross of Merit

The Order

Officers

The Order has six officers: the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, the

King of Arms King of Arms is the senior rank of an officer of arms. In many heraldic traditions, only a king of arms has the authority to grant armorial bearings and sometimes certify genealogies and noble titles. In other traditions, the power has been ...

, the Genealogist, and the Secretary.

Officers until 1837

The first six officers were: * Chancellor:

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...

Ernst Friedrich Herbert von Münster * Vice-Chancellor:

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* Secretary:

Ludwig Moeller Ludwig may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ludwig (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Ludwig (surname), including a list of people * Ludwig Ahgren, or simply Ludwig, American YouTube live streamer and ...

* King of Arms: Sir George Nayler * Genealogist:

August Neubourg August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. Its zodiac sign is Leo and was originally named '' Sextilis'' in Latin because it was the 6th month in ...

* Registrar: Sir William Woods

Officers since 1987

*Chancellor: Ernst August, Prince of Hanover

Members

List of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order Below is an ''incomplete'' list of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order from the creation of the order in 1815 until 1837. A Hanoverian order, appointments have not been conferred by the British monarch (in their role as King of Ha ...

* List of Knights Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order * Charles Ashe à Court-Repington *

Charles Babbage Charles Babbage (; 26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871) was an English polymath. A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage originated the concept of a digital programmable computer. Babbage is considered ...

Lovell Benjamin Badcock General Sir Lovell Benjamin Badcock Lovell, KCB, KH (born Badcock; 1786 – 11 March 1861) was a lieutenant-general in the British Army. He was a descendant of Sir Salathiel Lovell through the marriage of Lovell's daughter, Jane Lovell, to Ric ...

William Stanhope Badcock Vice-Admiral William Stanhope Lovell, KH (1788–1859) was a vice-admiral in the British Royal Navy and a descendant of Sir Salathiel Lovell. He was born William Stanhope Badcock, the eldest son of Thomas Stanhope Badcock of Little Missenden ...

* Henry Bayly (British Army officer, born 1790) * Charles Bell *

George Frederick Beltz George Frederick Beltz, KH (9 August 1774 – 23 October 1841) was an English genealogist, appointed Lancaster Herald in 1822. Life Beltz was the second of seven children of George Nicholas Beltz of St George's, Bloomsbury, a coal merchant, and E ...

* William Brereton (British Army officer) * David Brewster *

Samuel Brown (Royal Navy officer) Captain Sir Samuel Brown of Netherbyres KH FRSE (1776 – 13 March 1852) was an early pioneer of chain design and manufacture and of suspension bridge design and construction. He is best known for the Union Bridge of 1820, the first vehicular su ...

* George Brown (British Army officer) * Thomas Bunbury (British Army general) * Ryder Burton * Nicholas Carlisle *

James Charles Chatterton General Sir James Charles Chatterton, 3rd Baronet, (10 December 17945 January 1874) was a British Army officer and politician; he was the third and last of the Chatterton baronets of Castle Mahon. He fought during both the Peninsular and Waterl ...

* Robert Alexander Chermside * Thomas Henry Shadwell Clerke * Abraham Josias Cloëté *

William Colebrooke Sir William MacBean George Colebrooke, (9 November 1787 – 6 February 1870) was an English career soldier and colonial administrator who became lieutenant governor of New Brunswick in 1841. Life The son of Colonel Paulet Welbore Colebrooke, R ...

* John Cowell-Stepney *

Henry John Cumming General Sir Henry John Cumming, KCH (December 1771 – 28 November 1856) was a senior officer in the British Army. He was born in Calcutta, the son of Col. Sir John Cumming of the East India Company. He joined the Army in 1790 as a cornet in ...

Augustus De Butts General Sir Augustus De Butts (1770 28 November 1853) was an officer in the Royal Engineers. De Butts served during the French Revolutionary Wars, fighting in the Siege of Toulon, the Siege of Bastia, and the Siege of Calvi. Biography Ea ...

Edward Cromwell Disbrowe Sir Edward Cromwell Disbrowe GCG (1790–1851) was a British politician and diplomat. Life Sir Edward Disbrowe was born at Walton Hall, Walton-on-Trent, South Derbyshire, the son of Colonel Edward Disbrowe, and his wife Lady Charlotte Hobar ...

Wilhelm von Dörnberg Wilhelm Caspar Ferdinand Freiherr von Dörnberg (14 April 1768, Schloss Hausen near Bad Hersfeld - 19 March 1850, Münster) was a German general. He was also known as 'Aufstandsdörnberg' or 'Uprising Dörnberg', for his part in the German cam ...

* William Granville Eliot * William Henry Elliott * Henry Ellis (librarian) * Richard England (British Army officer, born 1793) *

Mathias Everard Mathias Everard, KH (died 1857), was a major-general of Randilestown, Co. Meath. He was the third son of Thomas Everard of Randilestown, by his wife and cousin, Barbara, daughter of O'Reilly of Ballinlough Castle, and sister of Sir Henry Nugent, w ...

* Arthur Farquhar (Royal Navy officer, born 1772) * Alexander Findlay (British Army officer) *

Charles Augustus FitzRoy Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy, (10 June 179616 February 1858) was a British military officer, politician and member of the aristocracy, who held governorships in several British colonies during the 19th century. Family and peerage Charles was b ...

* Charles Fergusson Forbes *

William Forster (British Army officer) General William Frederick Forster KH (17 December 1798 – 8 June 1879) was a senior British Army officer who served as Military Secretary from 1860 to 1871. Military career Brought up in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Forster was commissioned into the ...

James Freeth General Sir James Freeth (5 March 1786 – 19 January 1867) was Quartermaster-General to the Forces. Military career Freeth was commissioned into the 98th Regiment of Foot in 1806. He served in the Peninsular War and in France from 1809 t ...

* Robert Garrett (British Army officer) *

George Gawler Lieutenant-Colonel George Gawler, KH, (21 July 1795 – 7 May 1869) was the second Governor of South Australia, at the same time serving as Resident Commissioner, from 17 October 1838 until 15 May 1841. Biography Early life Gawler, born on 21 ...

* Johann Karl Ludwig Gieseler *

Charles Stephen Gore General Sir Charles Stephen Gore (26 December 1793 – 4 September 1869), also styled as the Honorable Charles Gore, was a British general. Early life Gore was a son of Arthur Gore, 2nd Earl of Arran and, his third wife, the former Elizabe ...

* Gideon Gorrequer * Gottlieb Graf von Haeseler *

Andrew Halliday (physician) Sir Andrew Halliday, KH (also spelt Hallidie; 17 March 1782 in Copewood, parish of Dryfesdale, Dumfries – 7 September 1839 in Dumfries) was a Scottish physician, reformer, and writer.. Also available at Biography He was born in Copeland, ...

Henry Hanmer Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Hanmer, (23 January 1789 – 2 February 1868) was an English Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1831 to 1837. Hanmer was the fifth son of Sir Thomas Hanmer, 2nd Baronet of Hanmer, Bettisfield Park ...

Jakob von Hartmann Jakob Freiherr von Hartmann (4 February 1795 – 23 February 1873) was a Bavarian general who served in the Austro-Prussian War and Franco-Prussian War. Early life and French service Hartmann was born the son of Georg Hartmann and Barbara Geithe ...

Graves Haughton Sir Graves Chamney Haughton FRS (1788 – 28 August 1849) was a British scholar of Oriental languages. Life and career Haughton, the son of a doctor, was educated in England before travelling to India in 1808 to take up a position in Bengal as ...

William Havelock William Havelock, KH (1793–1848) was a cavalry officer in the British Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Life He was the eldest son of William Havelock of Ingress Park, Kent, and brother of Sir Henry Havelock and of Colonel Charl ...

Andrew Leith Hay Sir Andrew Leith Hay of Rannes (17 February 1785 – 13 October 1862) was a Scottish soldier, Whig politician and writer on architecture. Biography Andrew Leith Hay was the eldest son of General Alexander Leith Hay of Rannes and Mary Forbes o ...

William Henderson (Royal Navy officer) Rear Admiral William Willmott Henderson, CB, KH (1788–1854) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commander-in-Chief, South East Coast of America Station. Naval career Henderson joined the Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United ...

* William Herschel *

John Herschel Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st Baronet (; 7 March 1792 – 11 May 1871) was an English polymath active as a mathematician, astronomer, chemist, inventor, experimental photographer who invented the blueprint and did botanical wo ...

* Felton Hervey-Bathurst * John Hindmarsh * William Jackson Hooker * William Hotham (Royal Navy officer, born 1794) * John Hobart Caradoc, 2nd Baron Howden *

Frederick Irwin Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Chidley Irwin, KH (22 March 1794 – 31 March 1860) was acting Governor of Western Australia from 1847 to 1848. Born in 1794 in Drogheda, Ireland, Frederick Chidley Irwin was the son of Reverend James Irwin. Some ...

* James Ivory (mathematician) *

James Jackson (British Army officer) General Sir James Vaughan Jackson, GCB, KH (1790 – 31 December 1871) was an Irish officer in the British Army. Military career He was born the third son of Colonel George Jackson, of Carramore House, Ballina, Co. Mayo, an M.P. for Co. Mayo ...

* William Jervois (British Army officer) * Love Jones-Parry (British Army officer) * Heinrich Kirchweger * Charles Konig * Joseph de Courcy Laffan *

Henry John Leeke Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Sir Henry John Leeke, Order of the Bath, KCB, Royal Guelphic Order, KH, Deputy Lieutenant, DL (1 September 1792 – 26 February 1870) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Third Sea Lord, Third Naval Lord, Member ...

* John Leslie (physicist) * Henry Frederick Lockyer * Edmund Lodge *

Frederick Love General Sir James Frederick Love (1789 – 13 January 1866) was a British Army officer who served as Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. Military career Love was commissioned into the 52nd Regiment of Foot in 1804 and took part in the retrea ...

Alexander Maconochie (penal reformer) Alexander Maconochie (11 February 1787 – 25 October 1860) was a Scottish naval officer, geographer, and penal reformer. In 1840, Maconochie became the Governor of Norfolk Island, a prison island where convicts were treated with severe brut ...

* Frederic Madden * Charles Menzies (Royal Marines officer) * Samuel Rush Meyrick *

Charles Collier Michell Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Collier Michell, KH (29 March 1793 in Exeter – 28 March 1851 in Eltham, London), later known as Charles Cornwallis Michell, was a British soldier, first surveyor-general in the Cape, road engineer, architect, artist ...

* William Taylor Money * Sir John Murray, 8th Baronet *

George Nayler Sir George Nayler, KH FRS ( bapt. 29 June 1764 – 28 October 1831) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Early life George Nayler was born on 29 June 1764 in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. He was the fifth son ...

Robert Nickle (British Army officer) Major-General Sir Robert Nickle, KH (12 August 1786 – 26 May 1855 ) was a commander of the forces in Australia. Nickle was born at sea, the son of Robert Nicholl, an officer in the 17th Light Dragoons, and entered the army at an early age. H ...

* Nicholas Harris Nicolas * John Owen (Royal Marines officer) * Francis Palgrave * George William Paty * John Pennycuick (British Army infantry officer) *

George Dean Pitt Major-General George Dean-Pitt, KH (1781 or 1772 – 8 January 1851) was Lieutenant-Governor of the former New Zealand Province of New Ulster from 14 February 1848 to his death on 8 January 1851. Early life He was born George Dean, the illegit ...

* Henry Riddell * John Robison (inventor) *

John Robyns Major General John Robyns, (13 May 1780 – 22 March 1857) was a senior officer of the Royal Marines who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and earned historically noteworthy military distinctions on the North America and West Indies St ...

* Sir David Scott, 2nd Baronet * Robert Smart * Charles Hamilton Smith * Frederick Smith (British Army officer, born 1790) *

Henry Somerset (British Army officer) Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Somerset KCB KH (30 December 1794 – 15 February 1862) was a British Army officer. Military career Born the eldest son of Lord Charles Somerset, Somerset was commissioned a cornet on 5 December 1811 and promoted t ...

* John Spink * Thomas Staunton St Clair *

Joseph Thackwell Lieutenant-General Sir Joseph Thackwell (1 February 1781 – 8 April 1859) was a British Army officer. He served with the 15th Hussars in the Peninsular War at the Battle of Sahagún in 1808 and the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, and he lost his l ...

Edward Thomason Sir Edward Thomason (c. 1769 – 29 May 1849) was a manufacturer and inventor in Birmingham knighted by King William IV. Life He was born around 1769 in Birmingham. His father Edward Thomason (1740 – 1793) was a manufacturer of buckles, and ...

* Walter Tremenheere * George Tyler (Royal Navy officer) * James Maxwell Wallace * George Wetherall *

Edward Charles Whinyates General Sir Edward Charles Whinyates, (6 May 1782 – 25 December 1865) was a senior British Army artillery officer. Biography Whinyates was the son of Major Thomas Whinyates of Abbotsleigh, Devon, and his wife Katharine Frankland, and was edu ...

* Charles Wilkins * Frederick von Wissell *

William Woods (officer of arms) Sir William Woods KH FSA (17 August 1785 - 25 July 1842) was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Woods was a bastard of unknown paternity. He used the name and arms of George Woods, a London tailor, but was said to be the son ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control Royal Guelphic Order

Guelphic Order The Royal Guelphic Order (german: Königliche Guelphen-Orden), sometimes referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent (later King George IV). It takes its name ...

1815 establishments in the Kingdom of Hanover Awards established in 1815 Orders, decorations, and medals of Hanover