Order of the White Eagle (Poland)
| Order of the White Eagle | |
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| Awarded by Republic of Poland | |
| Type | Single grade order |
| Eligibility | All |
| Status | Currently awarded |
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| Established | November 1, 1705 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | none |
| Next (lower) | Order Virtuti Militari (military), Order Polonia Restituta, Great Order |
| Related | Order of the Garter |
 The ribbon bar of the Order |
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The Order of the White Eagle (Polish: Order Orła Białego) is Poland's highest decoration awarded to both civilians and the military for their merits. It was officially instituted on November 1, 1705 by Augustus II the Strong and bestowed on eight of his supporters: four Polish magnates, three Russian field marshals (including Peter Lacy), and one Cossack hetman.
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History
The badge Order of the White Eagle was originally a red enamel oval on a light blue ribbon. This was replaced by a cross in 1709. By 1713 it was worn from the neck, with a blue sash, and a star. August of Saxony conferred the Order forty times before his death in 1733. After the third partitioning of Poland, in 1795, the Order was abolished, though it was renewed by 1807 and became the highest award of the Duchy of Warsaw and of the Kingdom of Poland. It was also popular among the Russian czars, who also conferred the Order upon themselves. In 1830, after a November Uprising against Imperial Russia, to which Poland belonged at the time, the jewel of the Order was modified to more closely resemble those of Russian orders. It remained in this former until the Russian Revolution of 1917, in which the Russian Empire fell.
The Order of the White Eagle officially became Poland's highest decoration by act of Parliament of February 4, 1921, and the insignia was redesigned. In the interbellum the Order was awarded to 24 Polish citizens and 87 foreigners, among whom were 33 monarchs and heads of state, ten prime ministers and fifteen other ministers of state, and twelve members of royal families.
After 1948, when the People's Republic of Poland came into existence, the Order of the White Eagle was no longer awarded, but it was never officially abolished. It was also used by the Polish Government in Exile. Following the collapse of communism, the Order was once again reinstated on October 26, 1992. The President of Poland is always the Grand Master of the Order.
1713 Insignia
1713 badge was a Maltese cross enameled red with white borders with diamonds set in each of the balls at the eight points of the cross and with diamond set rays appearing between each of the points of the cross, i. e., a larger longer ray between each arm of the cross and a smaller ray between each of the two points of these arms. In the center of the cross was a white enameled eagle in high relief with spread wings and facing left and with a diamond set royal crown on its head. At the top of the cross between the two top points was a diamond studded semi-circular link through which passed a diamond studded ring through which, in turn, passed the light-blue ribbon from which it was worn.
The star of the order consisted of an eight-pointed gold star with straight rays; the central disc bore a red-bordered white enamelled cross pattée with golden rays between the arms, surrounded by a blue ring bearing the motto "Pro Fide, Lege et Rege" (For Faith, Law and the King).
Insignia during the Tsarist era
The badge of the order consisted of a gold crowned double-headed eagle enamelled in black, with a cross superimposed upon its chest: this was a gold Maltese cross enamelled in red with white enamel outline and golden rays between the arms. A white enamel crowned eagle with spread wings, facing left (the coat-of-arms of Poland) was superimposed on the cross. It was worn on a plain dark blue sash.
Insignia after 1921
.PNG)
The badge of the order consists of a gold Maltese cross enamelled in red with white enamel outline and golden rays between the arms. A white enamel crowned eagle with spread wings, facing left (the coat-of-arms of Poland) is superimposed on the cross. It is worn on a plain light blue sash. This design clearly reflects a return to the essential design of the 1713 badge, but without the diamonds of the earlier badge.
The star or plaque of the order consists of an eight-pointed silver star with straight rays, with a cross superimposed upon it: this is a gold Maltese cross enamelled in red with white enamel outline and golden rays between the arms. The motto of the order, „Za Ojczyznę i Naród” ("For Fatherland and Nation"), appears on the arms of the cross. the central disc is in white enamel, with the monogram "RP" (Rzeczpospolita Polska) surrounded by a green enamelled wreath.
Knights of the Order
This is a list of some of those who have been invested in the Order, now awarded in recognition of significant service, both military and civil, in the interests of Poland.
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See also
- Polish military eagle
External links
- Further Reading on the history of the Order: The Order of the White Eagle by Rafal Heydel-Mankoo
- Picture of the Order of the White Eagle
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