Order of the Eagle of Georgia

Order of the Eagle and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Sash badge of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia
Awarded by Bagrationi dynasty
Type Five-degree Order of Merit
Awarded for reward for virtue with regards to Georgia and the cause of the monarchy
Status Currently constituted
Statistics
Established between 1184 and 1213
Precedence
Next (higher) None
Next (lower) Order of Saint Queen Tamar

Ribbon of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia

The Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ, better known as the Order of the Eagle of Georgia (OEG), is the highest Order of Chivalry awarded by the House of Bagration, whose Chief and Grand Master is Prince David Bagration of Mukhrani, Duke of Lasos, Prince of Kakheti, Prince of Kartli and Prince Moukrani [1][2][3] Prince David was acknowledged as the head of the Royal House and supreme master of the order, when his father, H.R.H. Jorge de Bagration (de jure King George XIV),[4] died and Prince Davit inherited, by right of blood (jure sanguinis), the right to confer (jus honorum) his house’s Royal Order motu proprio as a heritable prerogative in his capacity of de jure King David XIII.[5]

History of the Order

Traditionally, founded by Queen Tamar of Georgia (1184-1213) it was restored by H.R.H. Prince Irakli Bagration of Mukhrani in 1939 as the highest of the House Orders of the Bagrationi dynasty.[2] Contemporary sources say that Saint Queen Tamar of Georgia founded the Order to help the Empire of Trebizond, and gave the Georgian knights the Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Eagle as their emblems, in order to distinguish them from the knights of the Empire of Trebizond who had the double-headed eagle as their emblem. The name of the Order refers to the Sacred Tunic that Jesus Christ wore during His martyrdom. According to tradition, after the relic was raffled off by Roman soldiers, it was taken to Georgia, preserved and buried in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, alongside the insignias of King.[6]

In 1942, H.R.H. Prince Irakli Bagration of Mukhrani (Prince of Kartli, Hereditary Prince of Mukhransky, Duke of Lasos, sovereign Grand Master of the OEG as well as the order of Queen St. Tamar)[7] was elected President of the Union of Traditionalist Georgians who were dedicated to restoring a free Georgia under a constitutional monarchy. Prominent members included historians Zurab Avalishvili and Mikheil Tsereteli, writer Grigol Robakidze, linguist Kita Chkhenkeli, politicians, Shalva Maglakelidze and Spiridon Kedia, Georgian Armed Forces Commander Giorgi Kvinitadze, Giorgi Kvinitadze Major General Leo Kereselidze, and social commentator Revaz Gabashvili, among many others.

Upon his death in 1977, Prince Irakly was succeeded by his first-born son H.R.H. Prince Jorge de Bagration, who preferred to maintain the order within the strict circle of his family for reasons of discretion and dynastic policy until, in 2001, he decided to give concessions for excellence and merit.[8]:59, 61–62, 64–65, 67–68 After 2003, Prince Jorge gave the OEG a new constitution establishing the terms and conditions under which it is currently governed H.R.H, Prince David. From the very beginning, H.R.H. Jorge de Bagration, as advanced by his heir, wanted the Order to be an effective instrument of assistance to the people of Georgia.

During the Grand Mastership of H.R.H. Prince Jorge de Bagration, significant figures from the royalty and the nobility entered the Order. These include H.R.H. Dom Miguel de Braganca, Duke of Viseu and Infante of Portugal is a Knight Grand Cross of the OEG.[9] Other royals include H.R.H, Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess, de jure Empress, of Russia and the widely accepted (but disputed) head of the Imperial Romanov dynasty, who is a Lady of the Grand Cross, and first cousin once removed from Prince David.[10] Notably, her mother was Princess Leonida Bagration-Mukhrani of Georgia, who, as the dowager Grand Duchess of Russia was the last living (by marriage) Romanov born in the Russian Empire and was the Great Aunt of the order's current Grand Master Prince David Bagration of the Mukhrani.[11]

In 1991 it was reported that the Georgian Parliament acknowledged H.R.H Prince Jorge Bagration of Mukhrani, as the head of the Royal house of Bagrationi.[12] In 1995, OEG Grand Master, Prince Jorge, traveled to Georgia with Grand Duchess Maria (see above) of Russia and Grand Duke George (a knight of the OEG) and met with Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze who declared to Prince Jorge: "My Lord, you are in your homeland which needs the Royal Family to maintain its unity." [7]

Given the Mukhrani's long exile in Spain, and the order's restoration in 1939, it is not surprising that many of the order's members are Spanish, including many aristocrats.[13] The Spanish government formally accorded the Bagration-Moukkrhani Princes the qualification of "Royal Highness," although the title had been Serene Highness before the Mukrhani diaspora.[14] To end the exile era and bind the order and the Mukhrani claim to their royal Georgian roots, Prince David repatriated to Georgia in 2008, one year after the Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II, who is a holder of the Grand Collar of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia, had called for the restoration of the Georgian monarchy.[6] David was granted citizenship, and a year later, in a marriage that received widespread media attention,[15] Prince David, wearing the Grand Cross of the OEG,[16] married Princess Anna, daughter of the genealogically junior Grazinsky Bragration branch who were rivals to the defunct Georgian throne.[8]:56–67 Princess Anna was, herself, a Dame of the OEG's Grand Collar.[13] This event was characterized by Dr. Silvia Serrano, Professor of Law at the University of Auvergne, as a "symbolic 'glueing together' of various legitimizing principles (history, nation, religion). . ."[6] This match sparked widespread interest in the revival of a constitutional monarchy.[17] However, the royal couple divorced in 2013,[18][19] but not before giving issue to Prince Giorgi "the son of and heir to two dynasties" who from birth was a Knight Grand Collar of the order.[20] Prince Giorgi is frequently pictured wearing his OEG miniature on a traditional white Choka.

The OEG's symbolic relevance to Georgian independence not only recalls the nation's long line of monarchs, but reflects contemporary political realities. Tellingly, the Order of the Eagle of Georgia has been conferred on former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina (Boris) Ivanishvili (from 25 October 2012 until 20 November 2013) who had founded of the victorious Georgian Dream team which included the pro-monarchy New Rights Party in a coalition that is widely influenced by OEG Knight of Grand Collar H.H.and Beatitude Illia II who, polls show, is the most trusted man in Georgia.[21]

The dynastic order is assessed as an authenticated order of chivalry, but by slightly varying standards. In Burkes Peerage, it is as an order "founded by royal claimants in exile." The International Commission on Orders of Chivalry validates it as "new chivalric institution founded by the head of a formerly reigning dynasty;" the Augustan Society notes it as a non-ruling dynastic honor.[22] The long exile of the Bagration of Mukhrani claimants in Spain has resulted in deep Spanish connections as the order is highlighted in a list of notable orders on the Blasones Hispanos, Ordenes Dinasticas website.[23] and the Grand Master of the Order, was specifically invited to the coronation of Felipe VI of Spain providing de facto support for his Royal Role of one of the most ancient dynastic royal houses[24] in Europe.

Grand Masters of the Order

Grand Collar and Grand Cross breast star of the Order

Grades of the Order

The Order of the Eagle of Georgia is composed of five grades:

Notable Members

References

  1. ↑ "Provisional list of orders: New chivalric institutions founded by the head of a formerly reigning dynasty", International Commission on Orders of Chivalry – 2006 Register, retrieved February 14, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sainty & Heydal-Mankoo 2006
  3. ↑ http://www.blasoneshispanos.com/OrdenesCaballeria/04-OrdDinasticas/10-AguilaTunicaInconsultil/AguilaTunicaInconsultil.htm, retrieved February 16, 2015).
  4. ↑ Warner, Gerald. (8 August 2008). The Telegraph. "Demoralized Georgia may renew itself by restoring its monarchy." Retrieved May 3, 2014 at: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geraldwarner/4956651/Demoralised_Georgia_may_renew_itsel_by_restoring_its_monarchy/
  5. ↑ International Commission on Orders of Chivalry (2006). 2006 registry provisional list of orders: "New chivalric institutions founded by the head of a formerly reigning dynasty: Georgia, house of Bragation Order of the Tunic of our Lord. Retrieved May 24, 2014 at: http://www.icocregister.org/emain.htm
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Serrano 2014
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rey y Cabieses, Amadeo-Martín (2005). Wittelsbach y Borbón: relaciones y enlaces entre las Casas Reales de Baviera y España, siglos XIX al XXI. Escuela "Marqués de Avilés".
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Montgomery 1980
  9. ↑ The Royal House of Georgia Distinguished Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Retrieved May 22, 2014 at: http://www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge/order-eagle/order-distinguished-members
  10. ↑ Per exemplum, the website of Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia and pretender to the throne created new order of knighthood in 2010 for women. Retrieved May 20, 2014 at: http://www.imperialhouse.ru/eng/dynastyhistory/honoursaward/2462.html
  11. ↑ "Last Romanov Born In Russian Empire Dead At 95". The Telegraph. May 24, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Prince George Bagration of Mukhrani, Claimant to the throne of Georgia who became well known in Spain as a fearless motor racing and rally driver." The Times (London). 2 February 2008.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Elenco 2015
  14. ↑ Montgomery-Massingberd, H. (1980). Burke's Royal Families of the World. Vol. II, Africa & the Middle East. London: Burke's Peerage LTC
  15. ↑ Georgia Times Wedding of the two royal dynasties members ( August 2, 2009). Retrieved 10 February 2015; Georgian Journal,
  16. ↑ http://www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge/news/Offical-Events/Royal-Wedding
  17. ↑ Kalatozishvili, Georgy. (11 November 2013). Will Georgia become a monarchy? Vestnik Kavkaza, Retrieved February 11, 2015 at: http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/47427.html
  18. ↑ estnik Kavkaza (16 December 2013. Descendant of Georgian kings announces his divorce. Retrieved February 10, 2015 at: http://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/society/48794.html
  19. ↑ The Georgian Journal. (19 December 2013). Georgian Royal Family Divorce, Retrieved February 11 at: http://www.georgianjournal.ge/society/25730-georgian-royal-family-divorce.html
  20. ↑ Second birthday of HRH Giorgi Bagration Bagrationi, (27, September, 2013). Retrieved February 11, 2015, at: http://www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge/news/Offical-Events/Second-birthday-of-HRH-Giorgi-Bagration-Bagrationi
  21. ↑ De Waal, T. (September 11, 2012). A crucial election in Georgia. Retrieved at: http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/09/11/crucial-election-in-georgia
  22. ↑ Augustan Society (2014). Recognized orders of Chivalry: Other Non-Ruling Dynastic Honors and Orders of Merit: Georgia: House of Bagrationi Order of the Eagle of Georgia and Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Retrieve May 15, 2014 at: http://www.augustansociety.org/cpage.php?pt=107
  23. ↑ Blasones hispanos 2015
  24. ↑ http://www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge/news/Offical-Events/HRH-THE-PRINCE-DAVIT-OF-GEORGIA-INVITED-TO-THE-HISTORIC-PROCLAMATION-OF-HM-KING-FELIPE-VI-AS-KING-OF-SPAIN

Sources