The Order of Merit ( es, link=no, Orden al Mérito) is a Chilean order and was created in 1929. Succeeding the Medal of the Merit, which was created during the term of the President

Germán Riesco Germán Riesco Errázuriz (; May 28, 1854 – December 8, 1916) was a Chilean political figure, and he served as President of Chile between 1901 and 1906. Early life He was born in Rancagua, the son of Mauricio Riesco, a Spanish merchant and o ...

through the Minister of War decree No. 1350 on 4 September 1906. This new national distinction was created to recognize the meritorious service provided by foreign military personnel to Chilean officials. The order is only awarded to foreigners. Gran Cruz Mérito Chile AEAColl

History

In 1817,

Bernardo O'Higgins Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme (; August 20, 1778 – October 24, 1842) was a Chilean independence leader who freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. He was a wealthy landowner of Basque-Spanish and Irish ancestry. Alth ...

created the Legion of Merit, with the aim of recognizing the ones who have provided help to Chile, specially during its

independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

. In 1823, when O'Higgins fled the country after his abdication, the Legion was extinct. Nevertheless, in 1906,

created the ''Medal of the Merit'', with the same aim as the current Order: award those who gave civil services to the Republic. The first 200 military medals were minted in gold and silver, giving them the title of ''First'' and ''Second Class''. They were minted at the Casa de la Moneda, having a tricolor ribbon. The order had three classes: ''First'', ''Second'', and ''Third Class''; but later a new class was added (''Grand Officer'') that would be awarded to heads of state. In 1929, the Medal was renamed as the ''Order of Merit'', and the current regulations where enacted in 2000, being slightly reformed in 2016.

Grades

The

President of Chile The president of Chile ( es, Presidente de Chile), officially known as the President of the Republic of Chile ( es, Presidente de la República de Chile), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Chile. The president is r ...

is the Gran Master of the Order. The Chancellor is the

minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...

. *

Collar ( es, link=no, Collar) * CHL Order of Merit of Chile - Grand Cross BAR

Grand Cross ( es, link=no, Gran Cruz) * CHL Order of Merit of Chile - Grand Officer BAR

Grand Officer ( es, link=no, Gran Oficial) * CHL Order of Merit of Chile - Commander BAR

Commander ( es, link=no, Comendador) * CHL Order of Merit of Chile - Officer BAR

Officer ( es, link=no, Oficial) * CHL Order of Merit of Chile - Knight BAR

Knight ( es, link=no, Caballero) Chile - Order of Merit Grand Cross in case

Insignia

The Orders design is made up of a gold five-pointed star enamelled in while, backed by a gold

laurel wreath A laurel wreath is a round wreath made of connected branches and leaves of the bay laurel (), an aromatic broadleaf evergreen, or later from spineless butcher's broom (''Ruscus hypoglossum'') or cherry laurel (''Prunus laurocerasus''). It is a s ...

. The central disc bears a representation of the national personification of Chile. The outer ring of the central disk is inscribed with "Republica de Chile" ( Republic of Chile). The badge hangs from a gold

Andean Condor The Andean condor (''Vultur gryphus'') is a giant South American Cathartid vulture and is the only member of the genus ''Vultur''. Found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America, the Andean condor is the larg ...

, the national bird of Chile. The Star of the Grand Cross grade is made up of a ten-pointed highly curved star fronted by a gold laurel wreath. Placed on this is another five-pointed white-enamelled star with a central gold disc. The outer edge of the disc is enamelled in blue with the inscription; "Orden del Merito Chile" (Order of Merit Chile). The centre of the disc is emblazoned with a representation of the

Coat of Arms of Chile The coat of arms of Chile dates from 1834 and was designed by the English artist Charles Wood Taylor (1792–1856). It is made up by a figurative background divided in two equal parts: the top one is blue and the bottom, red. A five pointed whit ...

. The badge of the Order is the same for the Collar, Grand Cross, Grand Officer and Commander grades, however the final two grades; the Officer and Knight, are the same basic design however instead of being enamelled in white, the star is enamelled in blue and red respectively. The Orders ribbon is made up of a blue field edged very thinly in red. This is the reverse of the ribbon for the other Chilean order of chivalry; The Order of Bernardo O'Higgins.

Recipients

* Wilhelm Adam (colonel general) *

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Jorge Alessandri Jorge Eduardo Alessandri Rodríguez (; 19 May 1896 – 31 August 1986) was the 27th President of Chile from 1958 to 1964, and was the candidate of the Chilean right in the crucial presidential election of 1970, which he lost to Salvador All ...

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Patricio Aylwin Patricio Aylwin Azócar (; 26 November 1918 – 19 April 2016) was a Chilean politician from the Christian Democratic Party, lawyer, author, professor and former senator. He was the first president of Chile after dictator Augusto Pinochet, a ...

Michelle Bachelet Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (; born 29 September 1951) is a Chilean politician who served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022. She previously served as President of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and 2014 to 201 ...

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* Aníbal Cavaco Silva *

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* António Costa * Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada *

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* Willem Anton Engelbrecht *

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* Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark *

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* Narciso Garay *

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* Władysław Günther-Schwarzburg * António Guterres * Christian Günther * William Halsey, Jr. *

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* José Antonio de Lavalle y García *

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* Maurice August Lippens * Joseph Taggart McNarney *

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* Ignacy Mościcki *

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* Aleksandra Piątkowska *

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* Kazimierz Raszewski *

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* Nelson Rockefeller * Karol Adam Romer *

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* Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev *

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* Franjo Tuđman *

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* Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom *

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* Arthur Zimmermann * Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu

References and links

{{reflist
Condecoraciones
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile. Orders, decorations, and medals of Chile 1929 establishments in Chile Merit of Chile, Order of the Orders of merit Awards established in 1929