Military Order of Maria Theresa
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German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Katonai Mária Terézia-rend in Hungarian
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Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, Vojenský řád Marie Terezie in Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
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Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
: Vojni Red Marije Terezije) was an Order (decoration)
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire founded on June 18, 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolin
Battle of Kolin
-Results:The battle was Frederick's first defeat in this war. This disaster forced him to abandon his intended march on Vienna, raise his siege of Prague, and fall back on Litoměřice...
, by the Empress Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
to reward especially meritorious and valorous acts by commissioned officer, including and especially the courageous act of defeating an enemy, and thus, "serving" his monarch. It was specifically given for "successful military acts of essential impact to a campaign that were undertaken on [the officer's] own initiative, and might have been omitted by an honorable officer without reproach." This gave rise to a popular myth that it was awarded for (successfully) acting against an explicit order. It is considered to be the highest honor for a soldier in the Austrian Armed services.
Originally, the Order had two classes: the Knight's Cross and the Grand Cross. On October 15, 1765, Emperor Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
added a Commander's Cross and a breast star to be worn by holders of the Grand Cross.
A prospective awardee was considered only in regards to their military service record; their ethnicity, birth and rank (as long as he was a commissioned officer) were irrelevant. Knight Cross recipients were automatically ennobled with the title of Ritter
Ritter
Ritter is a designation used as a title of nobility in German-speaking areas. Traditionally it denotes the second lowest rank within the nobility, standing above "Edler" and below "Freiherr"...
in the Austrian nobility
Austrian nobility
Historically, the Austrian nobility was a privileged social class in Austria. The nobility was officially abolished in 1919 after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Former noble families and their descendants are still a part of Austrian society today, but they no longer retain any specific...
for life, and admitted to court. Upon further petition they could also claim the hereditary title of Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
(Freiherr). They were also entitled to a pension. Widows of the Order's recipients were entitled to half of their spouse's pension during the remainder of their lives.
The Order ceased to be awarded by the Austrian Emperor at the fall of the Habsburg Dynasty in 1918, when its last sovereign, Charles I, transferred his powers concerning this honour to the Order Chapter. The Chapter then processed applications until its last meeting in 1931, when it was decided that further awards should not be made. The medal has been awarded a total of 1241 times.
The last surviving knight of the Order was k.u.k.
K.u.k.
The German phrase kaiserlich und königlich , typically abbreviated as k. u. k., k. und k. , or k. & k., refers to the Court of the Habsburgs in a broader historical perspective . Some modern authors restrict its use to the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918...
Fregattenleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Gottfried Freiherr von Banfield
Gottfried von Banfield
Freiherr Gottfried von Banfield was the most successful Austro-Hungarian naval aeroplane pilot in the First World War. He was known as the 'Eagle of Trieste' and was the last person in history to wear the Military Order of Maria Theresa...
. He received the honour in 1917 for his services as a maritime aviator during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and headed the Tripcovich Shipping Company in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
after the war. He died in 1986, aged ninety-six.
Insignia
- The badge of the Order was a gilt, white-enamelled cross. The central disc is also in enamel, bearing the coat-of-arms/national flag of Austria, surrounded by a white ring bearing the motto "Fortitvdini" (Fortitude).
- The star of the Order was a silver faceted cross of the same shape as the badge, with a wreath of green-enamelled oakOakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
leaves between the arms of the cross. The central disc is the same as on the badge.
- The ribbon of the Order was red-white-red, from the national flag of Austria.
Grand Cross
- Count Eduard Clam-GallasEduard Clam-GallasCount Eduard Clam-Gallas was an Austrian General. He was the eldest son of Count Christian Christoph Clam-Gallas , patron of Beethoven, and Countess Josephine Clary-Aldringen .- Career :...
(14 March 1805(1805-03-14) in Prague – 17 March 1891 in Vienna) was an Austrian General.
- Count Leopold Joseph von Daun (or Dhaun) (September 24, 1705 – February 5, 1766), later Prince of Thiano, Austrian field marshal, was born at Vienna, as son of Count Wirich Philipp von Daun.
- András Hadik de Futak (German: Andreas Reichsgraf Hadik von Futak; Hungarian: futaki Hadik András gróf; Slovak: Andrej Hadík; October 16, 1710 – March 12, 1790) was a Hungarian Count. He was commander of a Habsburg army corps in the Seven Years' War under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine.
- Paul von HindenburgPaul von HindenburgPaul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934....
(2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
field marshalGeneralfeldmarschallField Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
, statesmanStatesmanA statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
, and politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934.
- Anton Ludwig August von MackensenAugust von MackensenAnton Ludwig August von Mackensen , born August Mackensen, was a German soldier and field marshal. He commanded with success during the First World War and became one of the German Empire's most prominent military leaders. After the Armistice, Mackensen was interned for a year...
(6 December 1849 – 8 November 1945), born August Mackensen, was a German soldier and field marshal.[1] He commanded with success during the First World War and became one of the German Empire's most prominent military leaders.
- Archduke John of Austria (German: Johann von Österreich; 20 January 1782 – 11 May 1859) was a member of the Habsburg dynasty, an Austrian field marshal and German Imperial regent (Reichsverweser).
- Johann Josef (Joseph) Wenzel (Anton Franz Karl) Graf Radetzky von RadetzJoseph Radetzky von RadetzJohann Josef Wenzel Graf Radetzky von Radetz was a Czech nobleman and Austrian general, immortalised by Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March...
(English: John Joseph Wenceslaus, Count Radetzky of Radetz, Czech: Jan Josef Václav hrabe Radecký z Radce) (Schloss Trebnitz (Czech: Trebnice), Bohemia, November 2, 1766 – Milan, Italy, January 5, 1858) was a Czech nobleman and Austrian general, immortalised by Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March. General Radetzky was in the military for over 70 years, until his death at age 91, and is known for the victories at the Battles of Custoza (July 24–25, 1848) and Novara (March 23, 1849) during the First Italian War of Independence.
- Wilhelm II, German Emperor (German: Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht; English: Frederick William Victor Albert) (27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was the last German emperor and king of Prussia.
Commander's Cross
- Feldmarschalleutnant Emanuel CvjetićaninEmanuel CvjetićaninEmanuel Cvjetićanin was an Austro-Hungarian Feldmarschalleutnant, a rank equivalent to Lieutenant General.Emanuel Cvjetićanin, whose baptismal name was Manojlo, was born in Veliki Cvjetnić. His last name of Cvjetićanin was from an old Serbian family that originated from the Serbian Bogunovići...
8.8.1833.In the war of 1878–1882, Cvjetićanin was the main organizer of the gendarmerie in Sarajevo. He received numerous decorations, including the Order of Maria Theresa, and the title of baron. He was the first adjutant of Emperor Franz Josef I. - Count Eduard Clam-GallasEduard Clam-GallasCount Eduard Clam-Gallas was an Austrian General. He was the eldest son of Count Christian Christoph Clam-Gallas , patron of Beethoven, and Countess Josephine Clary-Aldringen .- Career :...
(14 March 1805(1805-03-14) in Prague – 17 March 1891 in Vienna) was an Austrian General.
- Svetozar BoroevićSvetozar BoroevicSvetozar Boroević von Bojna was an Austro-Hungarian field marshal who was described as one of the finest defensive strategists of the First World War....
(or Borojević) von Bojna (December 13, 1856 – May 23, 1920) was a Croatian - born Austro-Hungarian Field Marshal.
- Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli (February 12, 1856 – December 9, 1941) was an Austrian general during World War I.
- Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von BülowFriedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von BülowFriedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow, Graf von Dennewitz was a Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars.-Early life:...
, Graf von Dennewitz (February 16, 1755 – February 25, 1816) was a Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars.
- Count Viktor Dankl von Krasnik (German: Viktor Graf Dankl von Krasnik, born as Viktor Dankl on September 18, 1854, in Udine, died January 8, 1941 in Innsbruck) was a highly decorated career Austro-Hungarian officer who reached the pinnacle of his service during World War I with promotion to the rare rank of Colonel General (Generaloberst).
- Anton HausAnton HausAnton Haus was an Austrian naval officer. Despite his German surname, he was born to a Slovenian-speaking family in Tolmein . Haus was fleet commander of the Austro-Hungarian Navy in World War I and was the Navy's Grand Admiral from 1916 until his death.-Biography:Haus entered the Navy in 1869...
(June 13, 1851 - February 8, 1917) was an Austrian naval officer.
- Julius Jacob von HaynauJulius Jacob von HaynauJulius Jacob von Haynau was an Austrian general.The illegitimate son of the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, William I and Rebecca Richter, a Jewish woman, he entered the Austrian army as an infantry officer in 1801 and saw much service in the Napoleonic wars...
(October 14, 1786, Kassel – March 14, 1853) was an Austrian general.
- Heinrich Hermann Josef Freiherr von HeßHeinrich von HeßHeinrich Hermann Josef Freiherr von Heß , Austrian soldier, entered the army in 1805 and was soon employed as a staff officer on survey work....
(1788, Vienna - 1870, Vienna), Austrian soldier, entered the army in 1805.
- Count Josip Jelačić von BužimJosip JelacicCount Josip Jelačić of Bužim was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859...
(16 October 1801, Peterwaradein – 20 May 1859, Zagreb); also spelled Jellachich, Jellacic or Jellasics) was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859.
- Archduke Joseph August Viktor Klemens Maria of Austria, Prince of Hungary and BohemiaArchduke Joseph August of AustriaArchduke Joseph August Viktor Klemens Maria of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia was for a short period head of state of Hungary, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the eldest son of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria and his wife Princess Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
(9 August 1872 – 6 July 1962) was for a short period head of state of Hungary, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the eldest son of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria (1833–1905)
- Hermann Kövess von KövessházaHermann Kövess von KövessházaHermann Kövess von Kövessháza was the final, and completely ceremonial, Commander-in-Chief of Austria-Hungary...
(March 30, 1854[1] – September 22, 1924[1]) was the final, and completely ceremonial, Commander-in-Chief of Austria-Hungary. He served as a generally competent and unremarkable[2] commander in the Austro-Hungarian Army and was close to retirement in 1914 when The First World War broke out and he was given a command post.
- Laval Graf Nugent von WestmeathLaval Nugent von WestmeathLaval Graf Nugent von Westmeath was a soldier of Irish birth who fought in the armies of Austria and the Two Sicilies.-Biography:...
(Ballynacor, Ireland, November 3, 1777 - Karlovac, Croatia, August 21, 1862) was a soldier of Irish birth who fought in the armies of Austria and the Two Sicilies.
- Arthur Freiherr Arz von StraussenburgArthur Arz von StraussenburgArthur Freiherr Arz von Straußenburg was an Austro-Hungarian Colonel General and last Chief of General Staff to the Austro-Hungarian Army.- Early life :...
(or Straußenburg) June 16, 1857 - June 1, 1935, was an Austro-Hungarian Colonel-General and last Chief of General Staff to the Austro-Hungarian Army.
Knight’s Cross
- Feldmarschalleutnant Emanuel CvjetićaninEmanuel CvjetićaninEmanuel Cvjetićanin was an Austro-Hungarian Feldmarschalleutnant, a rank equivalent to Lieutenant General.Emanuel Cvjetićanin, whose baptismal name was Manojlo, was born in Veliki Cvjetnić. His last name of Cvjetićanin was from an old Serbian family that originated from the Serbian Bogunovići...
8.8.1833.In the war of 1878–1882, Cvjetićanin was the main organizer of the gendarmerie in Sarajevo. He received numerous decorations, including the Order of Maria Theresa, and the title of baron. He was the first adjutant of Emperor Franz Josef I. - Count Eduard Clam-GallasEduard Clam-GallasCount Eduard Clam-Gallas was an Austrian General. He was the eldest son of Count Christian Christoph Clam-Gallas , patron of Beethoven, and Countess Josephine Clary-Aldringen .- Career :...
(14 March 1805(1805-03-14) in Prague – 17 March 1891 in Vienna) was an Austrian General.
- Major-General Sir Robert Henry DickRobert Henry DickSir Robert Henry Dick KCB KCH, KOV was a Scottish soldier, son of a doctor in the East India Company's service.- Military Career :He entered the British Army in 1800.He was lieutenant in the 42nd Regiment of Foot in 1804....
, KCB, KCH - 73rd Foot - died of wounds, 10 February 1846.
- Karl Mack von LeiberichKarl Mack von LeiberichKarl Mack von Leiberich, Freiherr was an Austrian soldier. He is best remembered as the commander of the Austrian forces that capitulated to Napoleon's Grande Armée in the Battle of Ulm in 1805. Historians of the late 20th century widely agree that he was among the poorest of the commanders of the...
, Freiherr (25 August 1752 – 22 December 1828) was an Austrian soldier. He is best remembered as the commander of the Austrian forces defeated and captured by Napoleon's Grande Armée in the Battle of Ulm in 1805.
- Submarine Commander Georg Ludwig von Trapp. Father of the famous Von Trapp family that inspired the movie The Sound of MusicThe Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
. He was given the medal for becoming "the dread of the Adriatic" for using his equipment to the best of his abilities in WWI. Born April 4, 1880, he died of lung cancer in Vermont on May 30 1947. He received lung cancer from the toxic fumes emitted from his submarine during WWI. Out of all the medals this one was his favorite, and the only one he was able to smuggle out of Austria.
- Viktor Weber Edler von WebenauViktor Weber Edler von WebenauViktor Weber Edler von Webenau , General in the Austro-Hungarian army while World War I, military governor of Montenegro between 1916 and 1917 and head of the Austro-Hungarian armistice commission - Career :*1879: as Kadett-Offizierstellvertreter from Infanteriekadettenschule Liebenau to...
(* 13 November 1861 in Neuhaus; † 6 May 1932 in Innsbruck), General in the Austro-Hungarian army while World War I, military governor of Montenegro between 1916 and 1917 and head of the Austro-Hungarian armistice commission (Armistice of villa Giusti)
- Alois WindischAlois WindischAlois Windisch was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
(awarded 11 December 1925) (3 February 1892 – 28 December 1958) was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Alois Windisch was captured by Soviet troops in 1945 and was extradited to Yugoslavia. He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, but was released in 1953.
- Ferdinand, Freiherr of WintzingerodeFerdinand von WintzingerodeFerdinand, Freiherr of Wintzingerode was a German nobleman and officer in several different armies of the Napoleonic Wars, finally ending up as a general in the Imperial Russian army and fighting in the War of the Sixth Coalition against the French invasion of Russia and the subsequent campaigns...
(15 February 1770, Allendorf - 16 June 1818, Wiesbaden) was a German nobleman and officer in several different armies of the Napoleonic Wars, finally ending up as a general in the Imperial Russian army and fighting in the War of the Sixth Coalition against the French invasion of Russia and the subsequent campaigns in Germany and France. He appears in Tolstoy's War and Peace.
- Eugen Count Wratislaw von Mittrowitz-NettolitzkyEugen Wratislaw von Mitrowitz.Eugen Count Wratislaw von Mittrowitz-Nettolitzky was an Austrian Fieldmarshal.He joined the army in 1804 and fought in the 1805-09 and 1813-16 campaigns...
(* 8. July, 1786, in Wischopol (Czech: Dolní Bousov), Bohemia; † 14. February, 1867, in Vienna) was an Austrian Fieldmarshal.
- Maximilian Daublebsky Freiherr von Sterneck zu EhrensteinMaximilian Daublebsky von SterneckMaximilian Daublebsky Freiherr von Sterneck zu Ehrenstein was an Austrian admiral who served as the chief administrator of the Austro-Hungarian Navy from 1883 until his death.-Biography:...
(14 February 1829, Klagenfurt - 5 December 1897, Vienna) was an Austrian admiral who served as the chief administrator of the Austro-Hungarian Navy from 1883 until his death.