Order of merit

Orders of merit may be found bestowed as official distinctions by states and as dynastic orders by royal families alike. In picture the Cross of the Order pro Merito Melitensi, exceptionally an order of merit established in 1920 by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, itself an independent, Catholic order of chivalry and sovereign entity.

An order of merit is a visible honorific order conferred by a state, government, royal family, or other sovereign entity to an individual in recognition of military or civil merits.

The historical background of the modern honour system of orders of merit may be traced to the emergence of orders of chivalry in the Middle Ages.

An order of merit may be found bestowed as official distinctions by states and as dynastic orders by royal families alike. In the case of modern republics, it may constitute the highest distinction conferred by the respective state authority.

National orders of merit

• Order of Merit, a British order of merit established in 1902 by King Edward VII
• Order pro Merito Melitensi, established in 1920 as a state decoration by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
• Order of Merit (Lebanon), established in 1922 as the highest honour of the Republic of Lebanon
• Order of Merit (Portugal), established in 1927, known by its current name since 1976
• Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, established in 1951 as the highest honour of the Republic of Italy
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, established in 1951 as the highest honour of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Order of Merit of the Austrian Republic, established in 1952 as the highest honour of the Austrian Republic
• Order of Merit (Egypt), established in 1953
• National Order of Merit (France), established in 1963
• Order of Merit (Malaysia), established in 1975 as the highest honour of Malaysia
• National Order of Merit (Malta), established in 1990 as the highest honour of the Republic of Malta
• Order of Merit (Central African Republic)

Dynastic orders of merit

• Order of Merit of Savoy of the House of Savoy, established in 1988
• Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House if the House of Braganza, established in 1993

Defunct

• Pour le Mérite, a Prussian order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia, last awarded in 1918

See also

• Order (honour)
  • Order of Merit (disambiguation)
    • Order of Military Merit (disambiguation), a number of separate orders
    • Order of Naval Merit (disambiguation), a number of separate orders
      • Cross of Merit (disambiguation), a number of separate decorations
      • Medal of Merit (disambiguation), a number of separate decorations