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Order of the Crown of Romania

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The Order of the Crown of Romania is a chivalric order set up on 14 March 1881[2] by King Carol I of Romania to commemorate the establishment of the Kingdom of Romania.[3] It was awarded as a state order until the end of the Romanian monarchy in 1947.[4] It was revived on 30 December 2011 as a dynastic order.[5]

Order of the Crown of Romania
Ordinul Coroana României
Badge and sash of the order.
Grand cross, post-1932 civilian version.
Awarded by the King of Romania
TypeDynastic order
Royal houseHouse of Romania
Religious affiliationRomanian Orthodox
RibbonLight blue with silver stripes
MottoPRIN NOI INSINE
(By ourselves)
Awarded forConspicuous and special merit
StatusDiscontinued in 1947; revived in 2011
GradesGrand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Knight[1]
Precedence
Next (higher)Order of Carol I
Next (lower)Royal Decoration of the Custodian of the Romanian Crown

The two ribbon bars of the order.
Top: 1881-1932, 2011-present.
Bottom: 1932-1947.

Classes edit

The order had five classes. For most classes, the number of recipients living at any time was limited. However, this only applied to recipients having a Romanian citizenship - awards to foreign personnel were not counted in those numbers.

Classes and number of recipients edit

1881 edit

At first, the number of living Romanian recipients at any time was limited to the following:

  • Grand Cross (limited to 25)
  • Grand Officer (limited to 80)
  • Commander (limited to 150)
  • Officer (limited to 300)
  • Knight (unlimited numbers)[1]

1932 edit

In 1932, the maximum number of living Romanian recipients at any time was increased:[6]

  • Grand Cross (limited to 150)
  • Grand Officer (limited to 300)
  • Commander (limited to 500)
  • Officer (limited to 1500)
  • Knight (unlimited numbers)

1938 (civilian) edit

In February 1938, the maximum number of living Romanian recipients at any time was increased for the civilian version of the order:[7]

  • Grand Cross (limited to 200)
  • Grand Officer (limited to 400)
  • Commander (limited to 1000)
  • Officer (limited to 2000)
  • Knight (unlimited numbers)

1938 (military) edit

In 1938, a new version of the order was created specifically for military personnel. It featured a crown between the cross and the ribbon. The following maximum total numbers of living Romanian recipients at any time were ruled at the time of creation.[8] Awards in war time were not counted among the number.[6]

  • Grand Cross (limited to 50)
  • Grand Officer (limited to 100)
  • Commander (limited to 250)
  • Officer (limited to 500)
  • Knight (unlimited numbers)

Insignia edit

General edit

Grand Cross members wore the decoration on a sash from the right shoulder to left waist. Grand Officers and Commanders wore the medal around the neck, and Knights and Officers on the chest to the left side on a ribbon. For the two highest classes of the order, an eight-pointed silver star was additionally worn on the chest to the left: The Grand Cross star featured a depiction of an entire maltese cross, while the Grand Officer star only featured the centerpiece of the order, surrounded by four crowns after the 1932 redesign.

The orders were awarded in cases of issue featuring the ruling king's monogram on the top lid. In the first years, various colours of cases can be found. At least since the rule of Ferdinand I., the cases of the Order of the Crown were uniformly coloured blue. Starting in the late 1920s, the type and class of the respective order were additionally written outside on the top lid of the case of issue, directly underneath the king's monogram.

Decoration edit

Before 1932 (Type 1) edit

 
Type 1 Knight's Cross: Civilian version on a ribbon for military bravery, an atypical combination.

The model of 1881 features a red-enamelled, eight-pointed Maltese Cross with wider margin of gold and white. In the angles of the cross were "C"s, the initials of the founder. The medallion in the middle of the cross shows the Romanian royal crown on a dark red background. The medallion is surrounded by a white-frost edge surrounded the inscription PRIN NOI INSINE (by ourselves) and the order's foundation date of 14 March 1881. On the back of the medallion, there is the writing "10. Maiu" (May 10), the National Day. It is surrounded by the years 1866 (enthronement of Carol and the foundation of the Romanian dynasty), 1877 (proclamation of Romanian fully independence), 1881 (proclamation of the Kingdom and of Carol as King of Romania).

The ribbon and grand cross sash are light blue with two silver stripes on each side.[1]

From December 12, 1916, the order was also awarded in a version for merit in war time featuring two crossed swords. It could also be awarded on a special ribbon "for military bravery".[6] That ribbon was red with blue stripes.

Type 1 awards were mostly supplied to the Romanian Government by Bucarest-based jeweller Joseph Resch, whose logo appears in the cases of issue. Resch distributed orders made by numerous companies outside of Romania. In Austria, many Orders of the Crown were produced by jeweller Rozet & Fischmeister, and there are numerous versions likely manufactured in France. There were many distinct variations between manufacturers over the years that are differentiated by collectors.

After 1932 (Type 2) edit

 
Type 2Knight's Cross. Version for military personnel with a crown above the cross, swords signifying a war time award. On incorrect, civilian pre-1932 ribbon.

In 1932, the order was redesigned in all classes. In the center, the crown was replaced by the initial of Carol I., while between the cross arms, there were now four crowns. The size of higher classes was slightly decreased, and the ribbons were given a redesign: They were now blue with one grey bar in the middle, instead of the previous version with two bars at the sides. Some very rare, early Type 2 medals (likely produced in 1932) were made by adding a new inner medalion and the four crowns to Type 1 medals. They are recognizable by being larger Type 1 sizes.

From February 1937, it was decided that - in case of war - the order could be awarded in a version with crossed swords for war time merits.[6] In 1938, a version for members of the military was created, featuring an additional crown between the cross and the ribbon.[6]

From December 1938, it was decided that in war time, the order would be awarded with crossed swords and a ribbon featuring two additional golden bars on both sides. From June 1941, the order could also be awarded on a "ribbon for military bravery" in all grades.[6] That ribbon was red with two blue stripes on the sides.

Most type 2 medals prior to approx. 1941 were supplied by Joseph Resch or Bijouteria Weiss in Bucarest, each labeling the respective cases of issue on the inner lid with their logo. Resch apparently distributed medals produced by C. F. Zimmermann in Pforzheim, while Weiss distributed ones made by Souval in Vienna. Most later, WW2 era cases feature the supplier "Monetaria Nationala" (National Mint) in the inner lid, and contained medals manufactured by C. F. Zimmermann in Pforzheim.

Recipients edit

Grand Cross edit

Grand Officer class edit

Commander class edit

Order class edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Brockhaus' konversations-lexikon-Vol 10 (in German). Leipzig, Germany: F.A. Brockhaus Verlag Leipzig. 1902. p. 751. Orden der Krone von Rumänien, von König Karl 10. (22.) Mai 1881 gestiftet, hat fünf Klassen (Großkreuze, Großoffiziere, Commandeure, Offiziere und Ritter). Das Ordenszeichen besteht in einem rot emaillierten, weiß geränderten Kreuze, auf dessen rotem Mittelschilde die rumän. silberne Krone und die Inschrift "Prin noi insine"(«Durch uns selbst"), unten das Datum der Proklamation des Königtums (14 Martie 1881), der Revers zeigt das Datum 10. Maiu und auf dem Reif 1866, 1877, 1881. Das Ordensband ist blau mit silbernen Rändern. Die Großkreuze tragen dazu einen silbernen Stern von acht Strahlen, die Großoffiziere einen solchen von kleinerer Form.
  2. ^ Piersall, Mark. "Order of the Crown of Romania "Ordinul Coroana Romaniei" 1881–1947". The Piersall Collection of Orders, Decorations, and Medals From Around The World. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  3. ^ Hentea, Călin (2007). Brief Romanian military history. Lanham, Md. [u.a.]: Scarecrow Press. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-8108-5820-6. Retrieved 4 December 2011. The proclamation of the Kingdom of Romania in 1881 was marked by the establishment of the second national order, the Crown of Romania.
  4. ^ The order was discontinued in 1947, after King Michael abdicated the throne upon the Soviet occupation of Romania.
  5. ^ Familia Regala
  6. ^ a b c d e f Klietmann, Kurt-Gerhard: Phaleristik Rumänien, Band 1, Berlin 1975, pp. 28-31.
  7. ^ Decree No. 914 from February 22, 1938. Printed in: "Monitorul Oficial", No. 45/1938, February 23, 1938, p. 1010.
  8. ^ Decree No. 915 from February 22, 1938. Printed in: "Monitorul Oficial", No. 45/1938, February 23, 1938, p. 1010.
  9. ^ The London Gazette, 19 September 1919
  10. ^ Acović, Dragomir (2012). Slava i čast: Odlikovanja među Srbima, Srbi među odlikovanjima. Belgrade: Službeni Glasnik. p. 564.
  11. ^ Royal Family of Romania
  12. ^ The National cyclopaedia of American biography: being the history of the United States as illustrated in the lives of the founders, builders, and defenders of the republic, and of the men and women who are doing the work and moulding the thought of the present time, Volume 10. New York: J. T. White company. 1909. p. 373. Retrieved 4 December 2011. in recognition of the sculptor's artistic achievements King Charles I of Roumania conferred upon him the order of the Crown with the title of chevalier which is the highest distinction for the artist
  13. ^ "Orders and Decorations, 1920" (in Japanese). p. 2.
  14. ^ Abraham, Erich Gottfried. "Traces Of War" (in Dutch). Stichting Informatie Wereldoorlog Twee. Retrieved 4 December 2011. Ordinul Corona Romaneii Commander, Rank: Oberst, Unit: Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 230, Awarded on: June 22nd, 1942
  15. ^ @@MajestyMagazine (20 October 2023). "Sir Clive Alderton, the King's private secretary, is now a Commander of the Order of the Crown of Romania and received the insignia from Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, at Peleş Castle yesterday" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ^ Herringshaw, WT. "Andrews, Arthur Irving" in Herringshaw's American blue-book of biography. American Publishers' Association. 1926. Page 47. Google Books.
  17. ^ Cook, RC. "Andrews, Arthur Irving" in Who's who in American Education. 1930. Volume 2. Page 30. Google Books.
  18. ^ Lawrence, Alberta Chamberlain. "Andrews, Arthur Irving" in Authors Biographical Monthly Service. Golden Syndicate Publishing Company. 1952. Page 65. Google Books.
  19. ^ "Andrews, Dr. Arthur Irving" in World Biography. Institute for Research in Biography. Fifth Edition. 1954. Page 30. Google Books
  20. ^ The Bates Student, vol 57 (1929–1930), 10 May 1929, p 2, col 3 Internet Archive
  21. ^ The New Pioneer (1945 or 1946) vol 4 (published by the Cultural Association for Americans of Romanian Descent) Google Books: [1] [2]
  22. ^ "Manoliu, Gheorghe". tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 17 May 2020. Awarded on: 1942

External links edit

  Media related to Order of the Crown (Romania) at Wikimedia Commons

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