Order of the Crown of Italy
Commander's insignia
Awarded by  Italy
Type	Order of knighthood
Eligibility	Civilian and military personnel
Awarded for	Merit
Status	No longer awarded
Statistics
Established	20 February 1868
Last awarded	18 March 1983

The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order of chivalry in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861.^[1] It was awarded in five degrees for civilian and military merit.

Compared with the older Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572), the Order of the Crown of Italy was awarded more liberally and could be conferred on non-Catholics as well; eventually, it became a requirement for a person to have already received the Order of the Crown of Italy in at least the same degree before receiving the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.

The order has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic in 1946. However, Umberto II did not abdicate his position as fons honorum and it remained under his Grand Mastership as a dynastic order. While the continued use of those decorations conferred prior to 1951 is permitted in Italy, the crowns on the ribbon must be substituted for as many five pointed stars on military uniforms.^[2]

Following the demise of the last reigning monarch in 1983, the order, founded by the first, is no longer bestowed. It was replaced by the Order of Merit of Savoy founded by his heir, the current head of the former Royal House, in 1988.

Contents 1 Grades 2 Insignia 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Grades

The various degrees of the order, with corresponding ribbons, were as follows:

Ribbon	Class (English)	Full title in Italian	Manner of wear
	1st Class / Knight Grand Cross	Cavaliere di Gran Croce dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia	Badge on sash on right shoulder, plus star on left chest
	2nd Class / Grand Officer	Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia	Star on left chest
	3rd Class / Commander	Commendatore dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia	Badge on necklet
	4th Class / Officer	Ufficiale dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia	Badge on ribbon with rosette on left chest
	5th Class / Knight	Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia	Badge on ribbon on left chest

[edit] Insignia

• The badge of the order was a gilt cross with curved edges, enamelled in white, with the so-called Savoy knots between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc featured the Iron Crown of Lombardy (as appeared on the Austrian Order of the Iron Crown) on a blue enamel backbround. The reverse central disc had a black-enamelled eagle bearing the Savoy cross on a golden background.
• The star of the Grand Cross was an eight-pointed faceted silver star; the central disc featured the Iron Crown on a blue enamelled background, surrounded by a white enamel ring bearing the inscription VICT. EMMAN. II REX ITALIAE MDCCCLXVI (Victor Emmanuel II, King of Italy, 1866). There was a black-enamelled eagle bearing the Savoy cross above the star.
• The star of the Grand Officer was an eight-pointed faceted silver star with ball tips at each point and with the obverse of the badge superimposed upon it.
• The ribbon of the order was red-white-red.

[edit] See also

• Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
• Civil Order of Savoy
• Military Order of Savoy

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ordini dinastici della Real Casa di Savoia (English)