Honorific orders of Portugal
Encyclopedia
Honorific orders of Portugal is the attribution of decoration to individuals personal bravery, achievement, or service to Portugal
. Portugal has had a long tradition in rewarding its citizens.
The decorations are given by the President of the Portuguese Republic
, currently Aníbal Cavaco Silva
.
The headquarters of the Order were established in Tomar
. The Order had a major role in the Portuguese discoveries. In the course of the subsequent centuries, the King of Portugal became the grand-master of this and all of the military orders, which acquired a simple honorific role.
The Order of Christ is now conferred by relevant services to the country in the exercise of funcions related to the government or public administration (e.g., courts, diplomacy, armed forces)
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Portugal has had a long tradition in rewarding its citizens.
The decorations are given by the President of the Portuguese Republic
President of Portugal
Portugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
, currently Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC , is the President of Portugal. He won the Portuguese presidential election on 22 January 2006 and was re-elected on 23 January 2011, for a second five-year term. Cavaco Silva was sworn in on 9 March 2006....
.
Order of Christ
The Order of Christ is one of the ancient military orders. It was created by request of King D. Dinis to the pope, upon the extinction of the Order of the Temple. The templars had been granted important jurisdictions over the Portuguese territory, as well as being of strategic importance in its protection, in the end of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula. So, when the Order of the Temple was extinguished, King Dinis requested, and was granted, that all the possessions of this order in Portugal be attributed to a new order, to be created: the order of Christ. Basically, the templars in Portugal simply changed name.The headquarters of the Order were established in Tomar
Tomar
Tomar Municipality has a total area of 351.0 km² and a total population of 43,007 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Santarém District...
. The Order had a major role in the Portuguese discoveries. In the course of the subsequent centuries, the King of Portugal became the grand-master of this and all of the military orders, which acquired a simple honorific role.
The Order of Christ is now conferred by relevant services to the country in the exercise of funcions related to the government or public administration (e.g., courts, diplomacy, armed forces)