Order of Military Merit (Bulgaria)

The Military Merit was founded on May 18, 1900 by Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, and could be awarded against the enemy to all soldiers of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, without distinction of rank for military merit and for bravery. A ceremony to foreigners was also acceptable.

Classes

The Order has five classes, with the last two share in two stages.

• Grand Cross
• Grand Commander
• Commander
• Officer
• Knight's Cross with crown
• Knight's cross
• Silver cross with crown
• Silver Cross

Order decoration

The religious character is a red enamelled cross with curly beams and tapered ends. It depends on the imperial crown and has a white medallion on the center with a stylized eagle and crossed swords.

Carrying method

For the military merit medal ribbon was yellow with black stripes and white border for civil merit white with green pink border strip. Since 1915, the Order of Merit had been added on the Austrian model laurel branches as a war decoration. The ribbon was then light blue with silver trim strip.