Star of Said Ali
Encyclopedia
The Star of Said Ali (French
: "Étoile de Said Ali"), also "Orde of the Ster van Said Ali" was instituted in 1886 by King Saidi Ali ibn Saidi Omar
, ruler of Bambao
, first king of the united Grande Comore
. The decoration
is an Order of Merit
.
As the prince and his subjects were Muslim
s a star
was chosen as a design and not a cross
.
Its second design is based on a double-sided five-pointed star of dark green enamel
with gold ball finials at the end of each point. Diamonds were no longer used. The star is layered over rays of gold between each arm. A raised Arabic inscription is encircled in the center of the star. This is suspended from a large golden crescent with small green enamel star(s) on it (three on the Commander grade and one on the Knight grade). The original metal design of this Order varies considerably from the later enameled version.
The Ordre de l'Étoile d'Anjouan
was related to this order.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: "Étoile de Said Ali"), also "Orde of the Ster van Said Ali" was instituted in 1886 by King Saidi Ali ibn Saidi Omar
Said Ali bin Said Omar of Grande Comore
Said Ali bin Said Omar , was the Sultan or King of Bambao. He unified the eleven sultanates of the island of Grande Comore and became the first and last Sultan tibe or paramount king....
, ruler of Bambao
Bambao
Bambao is a village on the island of Anjouan in the Comoros.* Sultanate of Bambao...
, first king of the united Grande Comore
Grande Comore
Grande Comore is an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is the largest island in the Comoros nation. Most of its population is of the Comorian ethnic group. Its population as of 2006 is about 316,600. The island's capital is Moroni, which is also the national capital...
. The decoration
State decoration
State 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....
is an Order of Merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
.
The order between 1886 and 1892
The first jewel was a typical Arab piece of silver embellished with a number of diamonds and words in Arabic. The ribbon was woven of dark red silk and embroidered with golden stars. Said Ali established the Order to recognize meritorious service by civilian or military personnel.As the prince and his subjects were Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s a star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
was chosen as a design and not a cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
.
The order after 1892
The later design was awarded in four classes,- Grand CrossGrand CrossThe phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...
- CommanderCommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
- Officer
- KnightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
Its second design is based on a double-sided five-pointed star of dark green enamel
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous 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...
with gold ball finials at the end of each point. Diamonds were no longer used. The star is layered over rays of gold between each arm. A raised Arabic inscription is encircled in the center of the star. This is suspended from a large golden crescent with small green enamel star(s) on it (three on the Commander grade and one on the Knight grade). The original metal design of this Order varies considerably from the later enameled version.
The Ordre de l'Étoile d'Anjouan
Ordre de l'Étoile d'Anjouan
The 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...
was related to this order.