Old Military Order of Savoy
Encyclopedia
The Military Order of Savoy was a military honorary order of the Kingdom of Sardinia
first, and of the Kingdom of Italy
later.
to its soldiers, later this degrees went into disuse because of the napoleonic
regime in Italy and especially in Piedmont
. On the 1st of April 1815 these honorary degrees were used again by Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
and later abolished on the 14th of August of the same year.
Later again, all of these honorary degrees become part of one, and became, the Military Order of Savoy. This military order was to be granted to the soldiers who fought in the Italian army of Napoleon and became part of the Legion of Honor (or either obtained the honorary degree of Order of the Iron Crown
) due to military merit. This honorary degree was conceded to everyone no matter what religion or rank the soldier was.
This degree was a typically French honorary degree.
Another purpose this Order was created to reward all other kind of military merit, to the simple soldier and up to the high-ranked officer, that performed a special military feat during battle.
With the entry of this new Order in the honorary degree system of the Kingdom of Italy
these four different grades were then modified into five:
This last ranking or grade was most commonly referred to as cavalier rather than militant.
cross, for the militants, and golden for all the other rankings.
The cross was covered with white and red enamel and was surrounded with a laurel crown covered with green enamel.
On top of the medal there was the royal crown of Sardinia, the medal was personally given from the sovereign in presence of the ranked troops in order to give military honours.
The militants wore the medal hanging from a blue ribbon pinned on the uniform at the height of the chest.
The cavaliers wore it in the same manner but on top of the medal there was a rosette. The commendatore
wore the medal hanging from a blue ribbon around the neck while the Great Cross cavalier wore it hanging from a blue shoulder-strap at the height of the left hip together with a rosette pinned to the chest made out of silver and a round blue shield engraved on it and topped with the VE letters and circled with the engraving To the Merit and Valour.
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
first, and of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
later.
History
The origin of the Military Order of Savoy is be traced back to the first honorary degrees granted by Victor Amadeus III of SardiniaVictor Amadeus III of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus III was King of Sardinia from 1773 until his death. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until declaring war on revolutionary France in 1792...
to its soldiers, later this degrees went into disuse because of the napoleonic
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
regime in Italy and especially in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. On the 1st of April 1815 these honorary degrees were used again by Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Victor Emmanuel I was the Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia from 1802 to 1821, and Jacobite Pretender from 1819 until his death.-Biography:...
and later abolished on the 14th of August of the same year.
Later again, all of these honorary degrees become part of one, and became, the Military Order of Savoy. This military order was to be granted to the soldiers who fought in the Italian army of Napoleon and became part of the Legion of Honor (or either obtained the honorary degree of Order of the Iron Crown
Order of the Iron Crown
The Imperial Order of the Iron Crown was established June 5, 1805 by Napoleon Bonaparte . It took its name from the ancient Iron Crown of Lombardy, a medieval jewel with an iron ring, forged from what was supposed to be a nail from the True Cross as a band on the inside. This crown also gave its...
) due to military merit. This honorary degree was conceded to everyone no matter what religion or rank the soldier was.
This degree was a typically French honorary degree.
Another purpose this Order was created to reward all other kind of military merit, to the simple soldier and up to the high-ranked officer, that performed a special military feat during battle.
Ranking
The Order was once split into four different grades of merit:- Great Cross cavalier
- commendatoreCommendatoreLiterally Commander, the official title of Commendatore is awarded by decree of the President of Italy to individuals who are given this honour in the Italian Order of Merit known as the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica and other orders of knighthood...
- cavalier
- militant
With the entry of this new Order in the honorary degree system of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
these four different grades were then modified into five:
- Great Cross cavalier
- grand officer
- commendatoreCommendatoreLiterally Commander, the official title of Commendatore is awarded by decree of the President of Italy to individuals who are given this honour in the Italian Order of Merit known as the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica and other orders of knighthood...
- officer
- militant or cavalier
This last ranking or grade was most commonly referred to as cavalier rather than militant.
Insignia
The medal was a silver SavoySavoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
cross, for the militants, and golden for all the other rankings.
The cross was covered with white and red enamel and was surrounded with a laurel crown covered with green enamel.
On top of the medal there was the royal crown of Sardinia, the medal was personally given from the sovereign in presence of the ranked troops in order to give military honours.
The militants wore the medal hanging from a blue ribbon pinned on the uniform at the height of the chest.
The cavaliers wore it in the same manner but on top of the medal there was a rosette. The commendatore
Commendatore
Literally Commander, the official title of Commendatore is awarded by decree of the President of Italy to individuals who are given this honour in the Italian Order of Merit known as the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica and other orders of knighthood...
wore the medal hanging from a blue ribbon around the neck while the Great Cross cavalier wore it hanging from a blue shoulder-strap at the height of the left hip together with a rosette pinned to the chest made out of silver and a round blue shield engraved on it and topped with the VE letters and circled with the engraving To the Merit and Valour.
| Ribbon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Officre | Commendatore Commendatore Literally Commander, the official title of Commendatore is awarded by decree of the President of Italy to individuals who are given this honour in the Italian Order of Merit known as the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica and other orders of knighthood... |
Grand Officer | Great Cross Cavalier |