The Order of Parfaite Amitié (; literally meaning the 'Order of Perfect Friendship') is a

dynastic order of knighthood A dynastic order, monarchical order, or house order is an honorific distinction under royal patronage. This type of order is bestowed by a reigning sovereign or by the head of a formerly ruling family, recognized as a legitimate source of hono ...

of the princely

House of Thurn and Taxis The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis (, ) is a family of German nobility that is part of the ''Briefadel''. It was a key player in the mail, postal services in Europe during the 16th century, until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and ...

History

The order was founded during the reign of

Alexander Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Thurn and Taxis Alexander Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Thurn and Taxis, full German name: ''Alexander Ferdinand Fürst von Thurn und Taxis'' (21 March 1704 – 17 March 1773) was the third Prince of Thurn and Taxis, Postmaster General of the Imperial Reichspost, ...

, as the supreme order of the princely house.

Karl Anselm, 4th Prince of Thurn and Taxis Karl Anselm, 4th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, full German language, German name: ''Karl Anselm Fürst von Thurn und Taxis'' (2 June 1733 – 13 November 1805) was the fourth Thurn und Taxis, Prince of Thurn and Taxis, Postmaster General of the Reic ...

, then reformed the order and was able to formally transmit it to descendants to this day. With the abolition of the principalities of the

Confederation of the Rhine The Confederated States of the Rhine, simply known as the Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation, was a confederation of German client states established at the behest of Napoleon some months after he defeated Austrian Empire, Austria ...

by the acts of 12 July 1806, the order's value became related to the dynasty, and it is to be given to members who have turned 18 years of age.

Insignia

The order's badge consists of a golden eight-pointed

Maltese cross The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four " V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which develope ...

in white enamel. Between the arms of the cross can be seen a tower and an upright lion, the main symbols from the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

of the

. Upon the arms of the cross are engraved the words ''VINCULUM AMICITIAE'' (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

for 'Chain of Friendship'). In the

medallion 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 in ...

are the initials (Carl Anselm). On the reverse, there is a blue-enamelled medallion with the letters in gold. Since 1928, the initial (

Albert Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert Computers, Inc., a computer manufacturer in the 1980s * Albert Czech Republic, a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street mar ...

). Men wear the decoration around their neck with sky-blue band. A copy of the order is in the treasury of the museum at Saint Emmeram's Abbey in

Regensburg Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...

, Germany.

Recipients

Albert, 8th Prince of Thurn and Taxis Albert Maria Joseph Maximilian Lamoral, 8th Prince of Thurn and Taxis (full German name: ''Albert Maria Joseph Maximilian Lamoral Fürst von Thurn und Taxis''; 8 May 1867 – 22 January 1952) was the eighth Prince of Thurn and Taxis and Head ...

* Albert, 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis *

Alexander, Margrave of Meissen Alexander, Prince of Saxony, Duke of Saxony (German: ''Alexander Prinz von Sachsen Herzog zu Sachsen''; born Alexander Afif on 12 February 1953), is the nephew, adopted son and heir of Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen, and a businessman. Follow ...

Carlo Alessandro, 3rd Duke of Castel Duino Prince Carlo Alessandro della Torre e Tasso, 3rd Duke of Castel Duino (born 10 February 1952) is the current head of the Castel Duino branch of the House of Thurn and Taxis. Family Carlo Alessandro is the only child of Raimundo, 2nd Duke of Ca ...

Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg (1901–1950) Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg (Elisabeth Marie Wilhelmine; 7 March 1901 – 2 August 1950) was the daughter of William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal. In 1922, she married Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn an ...

* Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis (1860–1881) *

Franz Joseph, 9th Prince of Thurn and Taxis Franz Joseph Maximilian Maria Antonius Ignatius Lamoral, 9th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, full German name: ''Franz Josef Maximilian Maria Antonius Ignatius Lamoral Fürst von Thurn und Taxis'' (21 December 1893, Regensburg, Kingdom of Bavaria – ...

* Fritz von Thurn und Taxis * Prince Gabriel of Thurn and Taxis *

Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis Gloria, Dowager Princess of Thurn and Taxis (''Mariae Gloria Ferdinanda Joachima Josephine Wilhelmine Huberta''; born Countess Gloria von Schönburg-Glauchau, 23 February 1960) is a German socialite, businesswoman, Catholic activist, art collec ...

Prince Gustav of Thurn and Taxis Prince Gustav Franz Maria of Thurn and Taxis (22 August 1888 – 30 April 1919) was a member of the House of Thurn and Taxis and a Prince of Thurn and Taxis by birth. As a member of the Thule Society, Gustav was executed by the Bavarian Soviet ...

* Prince Gustav of Thurn and Taxis (1848–1914) *

Duchess Helene in Bavaria Duchess Helene in Bavaria (Helene Caroline Therese; 4 April 1834 16 May 1890), nicknamed Néné, was the Hereditary Princess of Thurn and Taxis as the wife of Maximilian Anton Lamoral. She was a Duchess in Bavaria by birth as the daughter of D ...

* Wilhelm Imkamp *

Princess Isabel Maria of Braganza Princess Isabel Maria of Braganza, (Isabel Maria Alberta Josefa Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Francisca de Paula e de Assis Teresa Adelaide Eulália Sofia Carolina; 19 November 1894, Kleinheubach, Kingdom of Bavaria – 12 January 1970, Regensburg ...

* Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis * Karl August, 10th Prince of Thurn and Taxis * Princess Louise of Thurn and Taxis *

Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn and Taxis Prince ''Ludwig Philipp'' Maria Friedrich Joseph Maximilian Antonius Ignatius Lamoral of Thurn and Taxis, full German language, German name: ''Ludwig Philipp Maria Friedrich Joseph Maximilian Antonius Ignatius Lamoral, Prinz von Thurn und Taxis'', ...

Archduchess Margarethe Klementine of Austria Archduchess Margarethe Klementine Maria of Austria (in German: ''Margarethe Klementine Maria, Erzherzogin von Österreich''; in Hungarian: ''Habsburg–Toscanai Margit Klementina Mária főhercegnő''; 6 July 1870, Alcsút, Austria-Hungary– ...

Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen Prince Maria Emanuel of Saxony, Duke of Saxony, Margrave of Meissen (31 January 1926 – 23 July 2012) was the head of the Royal House of Saxony. Life Born at Prüfening Abbey in Regensburg, Bavaria, he was the eldest child of the then Heredita ...

* Princess Maria Theresia of Thurn and Taxis (born 1980) * Princess Mathilde Sophie of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg * Prince Max Emanuel of Thurn and Taxis (b. 1935) *

Prince Max Emanuel of Thurn and Taxis Father ''Emmeram'' of Thurn and Taxis Order of Saint Benedict, OSB, until his profession Prince ''Max Emanuel'' Maria Siegfried Joseph Antonius Ignatius Lamoral of Thurn and Taxis (; 1 March 1902, Regensburg, Kingdom of Bavaria – 3 October 1994 ...

Maximilian II of Bavaria Maximilian II (28 November 1811 – 10 March 1864) reigned as King of Bavaria between 1848 and 1864. Unlike his father, King Ludwig I, "King Max" was very popular and took a greater interest in the business of Government than in personal ext ...

* Maximilian Anton, Hereditary Prince of Thurn and Taxis *

Maximilian Karl, 6th Prince of Thurn and Taxis Maximilian Karl, 6th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, full German name: ''Maximilian Karl Fürst von Thurn und Taxis'' (3 November 1802 – 10 November 1871) was the sixth Prince of Thurn and Taxis, head of the Thurn-und-Taxis-Post, and Head of t ...

Maximilian Maria, 7th Prince of Thurn and Taxis Maximilian Maria Carl Joseph Gabriel Lamoral, 7th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, full German language, German name: ''Maximilian Maria Carl Joseph Gabriel Lamoral Fürst von Thurn und Taxis'' (24 June 1862, Schloss Taxis, Dischingen, Kingdom of Württ ...

Prince Paul of Thurn and Taxis Paul Maximilian Lamoral, Prince of Thurn and Taxis (full German name: ''Paul Maximilian Lamoral Fürst von Thurn und Taxis''; 27 May 1843 – 10 March 1879), was the third child of Maximilian Karl, 6th Prince of Thurn and Taxis and his secon ...

Raimundo, 2nd Duke of Castel Duino Raimondo, Prince della Torre e Tasso, 2nd Duke of Castel Duino (16 March 1907 – 17 March 1986) was the son of Alessandro, 1st Duke of Castel Duino and Princess Marie de Ligne family, Ligne.Genealogy of della Torre e Tasso in: ''Genealogisches Ha ...

Alexander, Count of Schönburg-Glauchau Alexander, Count of Schönburg-Glauchau (born August 15, 1969), known professionally as Alexander von Schönburg, is a German journalist and writer. He is, after his older brother Carl's abdication, the current head of the comital branch of the ...

* Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis * Baroness Wilhelmine of Dörnberg

References

* Dr. Kurt Gerhard Klietmann: ''Ordenskunde – Beiträge zur Geschichte der Auszeichnungen Nr. 1'', Verlag Die Ordens-Sammlung, Berlin 1958 * J.B. Mehler: ''Das fürstliche Haus Thurn und Taxis in Regensburg'', Habbel-Verlag, Regensburg 1898

External links

Brief history of the Order
– MedalBook
Example of the Order's insignia
– Dorotheum {{DEFAULTSORT:Order of Parfaite Amitie Thurn und Taxis Orders of chivalry awarded to heads of state, consorts and sovereign family members Dynastic orders