Ordre National du Mérite
Encyclopedia
The Ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit) is an Order of State
awarded by the President of the French Republic
. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle
. The reason of the Order’s establishment was twofold: to replace the large number of ministerial Orders previously awarded by the ministries; and to create an award that can be awarded at a lower level than the Legion of Honour
.
French nationals as well as nationals of foreign countries, men and women, can be received into the Order, for distinguished civil and military achievements, though of a lesser level than that required for the conferment of the Legion of Honour. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order and appoints all other members of the Order, by convention, on the advice of the Government. The Order has a common Chancellor and Chancery with the Legion of Honour. Every Prime Minister of France
is made a grand cross of the order after six months of service.
.
Colonial orders
Special orders of merit (Order of Social Merit) (1936)
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...
awarded by the President of the French Republic
President of the French Republic
The President of the French Republic colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France's elected Head of State....
. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
. The reason of the Order’s establishment was twofold: to replace the large number of ministerial Orders previously awarded by the ministries; and to create an award that can be awarded at a lower level than the Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
French nationals as well as nationals of foreign countries, men and women, can be received into the Order, for distinguished civil and military achievements, though of a lesser level than that required for the conferment of the Legion of Honour. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order and appoints all other members of the Order, by convention, on the advice of the Government. The Order has a common Chancellor and Chancery with the Legion of Honour. Every Prime Minister of France
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
is made a grand cross of the order after six months of service.
Grades
The Order has five classes, the same as the Légion d’honneur:- Grand'croix (grand cross) - wears the badge on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
- Grand officier (grand officer) - wears the badge on a ribbon with rosetteRosette (decoration)A rosette is a small, circular device that is presented with a medal. The rosettes are primarily for situations where wearing the medal is deemed inappropriate. Rosettes are issued in nations such as France, Italy and Japan...
on the left chest, plus the star on the right chest; - Commandeur (commander) - wears the badge on a necklet;
- Officier (officer) - wears the badge on a ribbon with rosetteRosette (decoration)A rosette is a small, circular device that is presented with a medal. The rosettes are primarily for situations where wearing the medal is deemed inappropriate. Rosettes are issued in nations such as France, Italy and Japan...
on the left chest; - Chevalier (knight) - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.
Insignia
The medal and the plaque of the Order were designed by the French sculptor Max LeognanyMax Leognany
Max Leognany was a French artist.He grew up in Yport-sur-Mer, and as a young man entered the École des Beaux-Arts ....
.
- The medal of the Order is a six-armed Maltese asteriskMaltese crossThe Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
in giltGildingThe term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
(silver for chevalier) enamelledVitreous enamelVitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
blue, with laurelBay LaurelThe bay laurel , also known as sweet bay, bay tree, true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree, or simply laurel, is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. It is the source of the bay leaf used in cooking...
leaves between the arms. The obverse central disc features the head of MarianneMarianneMarianne is a national emblem of France and an allegory of Liberty and Reason. She represents the state and values of France, differently from another French cultural symbol, the "Coq Gaulois" which represents France as a nation and its history, land, culture, and variety of sport disciplines in...
, surrounded by the legend République Française. The reverse central disc has a set of crossed tricolore, surrounded by the name of the Order and its foundation date. The badge is suspended by a laurel wreath.
- The star (plaque) is worn by Grand Cross (in giltGildingThe term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
on the left breast) and Grand Officer (in silver on the right breast) respectively; it is a twelve-armed sunburst, with rays (formerly plain, now in blue enamel) between the arms. The central disc features the head of MarianneMarianneMarianne is a national emblem of France and an allegory of Liberty and Reason. She represents the state and values of France, differently from another French cultural symbol, the "Coq Gaulois" which represents France as a nation and its history, land, culture, and variety of sport disciplines in...
, surrounded by the legend République Française and the name of the Order, and in turn surrounded by a wreath of laurel.
- The ribbonRibbonA ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily for binding and tying. Cloth ribbons, most commonly silk, are often used in connection with clothing, but are also applied for innumerable useful, ornamental and symbolic purposes...
for the medal is a solid blue field. For the officer and above, a rosette is centered in the field. For the commander, grand officer, and grand cross, the rosette is centered bar of silver; silver and gold, and a solid gold respectively.
Deprecated orders
With the 1963 creation of the order of Merit, sixteen orders were discontinued. Extant members of those orders may continue to display their decorations.Colonial orders
- Ordre de l'Étoile d'AnjouanOrdre de l'Étoile d'AnjouanThe Ordre de l'Étoile d'Anjouan was a French colonial order of knighthood founded in 1874. It was established in 1874 by sultan Mohamed-Saïd-Omar of the Comoros island of Anjouan, reorganised on 18 June 1892 and authorised and recognised by the French government on 12 September 1896...
(1874) (Order of the Star of Anjouan) - Ordre du Nichan el Anouar (1887) (Order of Nishaan-e-Anuar or Order of Light)
- Ordre de l'Étoile NoireOrdre de l'Étoile NoireThe Order of the Black Star was an order of knighthood established on 1 December 1889 at Porto-Novo by Toffa, future king of Dahomey...
(1889) (Order of the Black Star)
Special orders of merit (Order of Social Merit) (1936)
- Ordre de la Santé publiqueOrdre de la Santé publiqueThe Ordre de la Santé publique was a French order of merit, created by presidential decree of President Albert Lebrun on 18 February 1938 and amended on 22 May 1954, and awarded for services to the public health and protection of children...
(Order of Public Health) (1938) (Order of Commercial and Industrial Merit) (1939) (Order of Artisanal Merit) (1948) (Order of Tourism Merit) (1949) (Combatant's Order of Merit) (1953) (Postal Order of Merit) (1953) (Order of the National Economy) (1954) (Order of Sports Merit) (1956) (Order of Work Merit) (1957) (Order of Military Merit) (1957) - Ordre du Mérite civilOrdre du Mérite CivilThe Ordre du Mérite civil of France was created on 14 October 1957 to reward individuals who have rendered services reported to the state as part of the Ministry of Interior, or to departments, municipalities and public institutions...
(Order of Civil Merit) (1957) - Ordre du Mérite saharienOrdre du Mérite SaharienThe Ordre du Mérite saharien was established in 1958 as a reward for social, scientific, economic or administrative services rendered by French or foreign persons who participated in the development of Saharan regions...
(Saharan Order of Merit) (1958)
See also
- 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...
- Ribbons of the French military and civil awardsRibbons of the French military and civil awardsThis is a list of the ribbons of the French military and civil awards.-French National Orders:-French Ministerial Orders:-The principal French military awards:-The French commemorative awards:- Medals of Honor :-The other awards:...
- State decorationState decorationState decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a state. International decorations are similar, but are not granted by a specific nation but rather an international organization....