House Order of Orange

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The House Order of Orange (Huisorde van Oranje) is an order (decoration) that was instituted by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in 1905. As a House Order it is not subject to ministerial responsibility or influence, but is awarded at the discretion of the Dutch monarch alone.

[edit] History

In 1905 Queen Wilhelmina felt the need for a House Order because the Order of the Oak Crown of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, used by her father and grandfather to reward Dutch subjects, was no longer available to her, as females were not allowed to succeed the throne of Luxembourg due to the Salic Law within its constitution in 1890.

The House Order of Orange had a very complex nomenclature, with 18 different classes and medals:

1. Grand Cross
2. Grand Officer
3. Commander
4. Officer
5. Knight
6. Knight 2nd. Class (since 1908)
7. The Golden Medal for Art and Science (equal in rank to a Grand Officer and very rare)
8. The Golden Medal for Initiative and Ingenuity (since 1917, equal in rank to a Grand Officer and very rare)
9. The Silver Medal for Art and Science (equal in rank to an Officer and rare)
10. The Silver Medal for Initiative and Ingenuity (since 1917, equal in rank to an Officer and rare)
11. Dame of Honour
12. Golden Cross of Merit
13. Silver Cross of Merit
14. Golden Medal of Honour
15. Silver Medal of Honour
16. Bronze Medal of Honour
17. Medal for saving lives from deadly peril (since 1910)
18. The Bronze Medal for Art and Science. (equal in rank to a knight and rare)

The number does not indicate a rank within the Order. The Dame of Honour was neither inferior or superior to another grade; however he highest rank was the Grand Cross. The insignia vary considerably amongst these awards; however they all share the same orange ribbon, symbolizing the House of Orange.

More than 3200 decorations were conferred between 1905 and 1969, mostly to Court Dignitaries,the Queen's household, and Doctors and lawyers who could choose between sending a bill for their services or a decoration in the House Order. and in 1969 Queen Juliana decided to reorganise the Order to bring it more in line with the ever more egalitarian spirit of the Dutch society. As a result the old House Order was split into five groups:

1. The House Order of Orange
2. The Order for Loyalty and Merit
3. The medals for Art and Science
4. The medals for Initiative and Ingenuity
5. The Order of the Crown

[edit] The House Order today

Today the House Order of Orange has these grades:

1.Grand Cross.

2.Grand Cross of Honour.

3.Cross of Honour.

Every subject of the Queen, apart from the members of The Royal House (see note), can be awarded the Cross of Honour. Once awarded, the recipient can be promoted to a higher grade of the House Order after three years.

Note: The Royal House (Koninklijk Huis) is a rather vague definition within Dutch constitutional theory and Dutch law. It consists of the Monarch, his or her consort, former monarchs and their consorts and those members of her family that have a right to succeed her. The Government is responsible for the actions and words of the members of the Royal House. It is not the same as the Royal Household, although that calls itself, and is usually called the Royal House as well. The Queen's second son decided not to ask for parliamentary approval for his marriage and lost his right to succeed to the throne, his membership of the Royal House and the title Prince of the Netherlands. He did however remain a Royal Highness ,a Prince of Orange-Nassau and a member of the Royal Family.In the eyes of the genealogy and heraldry the words Royal House apply to various descendants of the Dutch monarch. The law on funerals does not apply to funerals of the members of the Royal House, but in this context membership will probably be defined in yet another way.