Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit
Encyclopedia
The Illustrious Royal Order of St. Ferdinand and Merit is an order of knighthood of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
.
It was established on 1 April 1800 by Ferdinand IV of Naples and III Sicily
to award those who did important deeds and gave proof of loyalty to the Head of the Royal House
and to the Royal Family
.
The Order is divided into three Ranks:
The decoration is formed by a golden round shield bearing the image of St. Ferdinand, edged by a blue-enameled round plate with the inscription "FIDEI ET MERITO", bordered by six golden rays edged by six white enameled lilies. The ribbon is blue and edged in dark red.
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
.
It was established on 1 April 1800 by Ferdinand IV of Naples and III Sicily
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I reigned variously over Naples, Sicily, and the Two Sicilies from 1759 until his death. He was the third son of King Charles III of Spain by his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony. On 10 August 1759, Charles succeeded his elder brother, Ferdinand VI, as King Charles III of Spain...
to award those who did important deeds and gave proof of loyalty to the Head of the Royal House
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
and to the Royal Family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
.
The Order is divided into three Ranks:
- Knights of Grand Cross, with fess, cross and plate;
- Knights Commanders, with neck ribbon and cross;
- Knights, with ribbon and cross to the buttons.
The decoration is formed by a golden round shield bearing the image of St. Ferdinand, edged by a blue-enameled round plate with the inscription "FIDEI ET MERITO", bordered by six golden rays edged by six white enameled lilies. The ribbon is blue and edged in dark red.
See also
- Royal Order of Francis IRoyal Order of Francis IThe Royal Order of Francis I is a dynastic Order of Knighthood of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies...
- Order of Saint George and ReunionOrder of Saint George and ReunionThe Order of Saint George and Reunion is a order of knighthood of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.It was created on 1 January 1819 by Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies to reward military valor and merit...
- Order of Saint Januarius
- Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint GeorgeSacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint GeorgeThe Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George is a Roman Catholic order of chivalry. It was fictively established by Constantine the Great, though in reality it was founded between 1520 and 1545 by two brothers of the Angeli Comneni family. Members of the Angeli Comneni family remained...