The Order of Charlemagne ( ca, Orde de Carlemany) is the only

order 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 ...

and

civil decoration Civil awards and decorations are awarded to civilians for distinguished service or for eminence in a field of endeavour. Military personnel might also be eligible for services of a non-military nature. There are various forms of civil awards and d ...

issued by the Principality of

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

History

The Order of Charlemagne was created 7 December 2007 by the Minister of Culture

Juli Minoves Triquell Juli Minoves i Triquell (; born 15 August 1969, in Andorra la Vella) is an Andorran diplomat, author, and the 13th President of Liberal International. Biography Minoves was educated as an economist (University of Fribourg) and Political Scientis ...

with the purpose to "reward the merits of those who have excelled in their field of work and who have made outstanding services to the Andorran State". The name of the order was given to honour the figure of the founder of the

Principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall un ...

of Andorra, Emperor

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first E ...

of the

Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools ...

, who granted sovereignty to the people of the "Valleys of Andorra" in gratitude for helping him fight the

Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia ...

s. Since then, Charlemagne has been a

national symbol A national symbol is a symbol of any entity considering and manifesting itself to the world as a national community: the sovereign states but also nations and countries in a state of colonial or other dependence, federal integration, or even an e ...

for the principality.

Organisation

The Grand Master of the order is the

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

of the Principality of Andorra, currently

Xavier Espot Zamora Xavier Espot Zamora (born 30 October 1979) is an Andorran judge and politician. He is a former minister of justice and the current prime minister of Andorra The head of government of the Principality of Andorra (), alternatively known as th ...

. Grand Chancellor is the Minister of Culture, currently Sílvia Riva González. The order is divided into four classes: *

Collar Collar may refer to: Human neckwear *Clerical collar (informally ''dog collar''), a distinctive collar used by the clergy of some Christian religious denominations *Collar (clothing), the part of a garment that fastens around or frames the neck ...

Grand Cross Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Grand ...

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

Medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...

Recipients in selection

José Luis Sampedro José Luis Sampedro Sáez (Barcelona, 1 February 1917 – Madrid, 8 April 2013) was a Spanish economist and writer who advocated an economy "more humane, more caring, able to help develop the dignity of peoples". Academician of the Real Academia ...

(2008)

References

* * http://www.rtva.ad/noticia.aspx?id=43819 {{DEFAULTSORT:Order Of Charlemagne Orders, decorations, and medals of Andorra Awards established in 2007 2007 establishments in Andorra

History

Organisation

Recipients in selection

See also

References