Saxe-Ernestine House Order
Ducal Saxe- Ernestine House Order was the common State Order of the Thuringian duchies of Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Saxe-Meiningen.
History
The rebalance of the heritage of the younger branch of the Ernestine line of the Wettin family - after the extinction of the House of Saxe -Gotha -Altenburg - was the " Ernestine " on 25 December 1833 by the dukes Friedrich of Saxe- Altenburg, Ernst I of Saxe -Coburg and Gotha and Bernhard II Erich friend of Saxe- Meiningen and Hildburghausen donated. The Order served primarily as a religious house for male members of the three Ernestine lines, but was also awarded for civilian and military merit.
The foundation goes to the Order of the German honesty back in 1690 in memory of the Duke Ernst the Pious ( * 1601, † 1675), was donated by the Duke of Altenburg.
Order of classes
The Order originally had four classes:
- Grand Cross (maximum 9 owner, real secret councils or this rank, princes of the three houses ( after completion of 18 years of age ) without counting - Friedrich Trinks
- Commander, First Class ( more than 12 owners, bureaucrats or ministers)
- Commander, Second Class ( more than 18 owners, with the rank of President, Supreme or lieutenant colonel )
- Ritter ( maximum of 36 owners )
Each of the three courts gave the third part of the Order and each class was obliged to give awards to other farms. The number of awards to foreigners was unlimited, at least two of the farms had to agree, however. Around 1890 they also created the 5th grade, the Knight of the Second Class.
After 1850, the order was a war decoration extended: the swords on the ring (crossed golden swords under the crown of the suspension ) and swords to cross ( golden swords between the arms of the cross and on the Order star among the medallion ). Military received the Order with a laurel wreath instead of the oak wreath described above.
In 1866, we also created a Silver Cross of Merit of the Order, which was renewed several times (1870, 1890 and 1914) and was intended for lower officers and the military. However, it has the general form is, without crown, without the lions ornaments between his arms, without balls on the tips and unemailliert. Also, this cross was awarded with swords (only between the arms ).
Order decoration
The cross of the Order is a white enamelled Maltese Cross with border golden lions in the angles. In the obverse center medallion shows a golden bust of looking to the right Duke Ernst the Pious of a blue enameled band with the Order Currency Fideliter et constanter ( "good and stable " ) surrounded in golden letters. To get the whole center medallion makes a green enamelled oak wreath with golden veins. In the medallion lapel of the Cross shows the Saxon diamond crest of a blue ring with the inscription 25 December 1833 and the same as that of the oak wreath surrounded averse. The religious character on a golden royal crown. Until about 1864, the old burg ceremonies with the letter F on the upper cross arm of the averse, the Gotha were marked with the letter E and the Meiningen with the letter B. In ceremonies of the Order on foreign nationals lacking the oak wreaths.
The Order Star of the Grand Cross is achstrahlig rays with alternating silver and gold. He wears a white cross of the Order, whose center medallion the same ( with the two rings and the Order of foreign exchange ) as the Order character was, but with the Saxon pound crown in its center instead of the Duke image. The award of the Grand Cross brought the hereditary nobility, and noble persons already increasing in the next rank ( knight barons, barons to Count ).
The Order of the Star Commanders First Class was until 1864 only a faceted cross with diamond crown and the Order motto in center medallion, without the underlying star. Order in 1865 introduced a rhombic star with lying on the cross for this class.
There was also a Princess cruise ( actually just a badge, because female winners were not provided in the Articles ): it is a small cross of the model by the Order star, diagonally down ( there were also other versions with just standing cross) and by a green enameled band surrounded by the Order motto. The cross hangs from a royal crown, which is surmounted by a raised gold loop.
As a special honor, the Order was (only Grand Cross ) awarded with diamonds. He was born on a crimson ribbon with mutual dark green stripes.
The Collar of standing to only the three sovereigns and other royal personages evenly matched: it is made of white enamelled crosses with the letter E, golden crowns and border Golden Lion, the religious character on a plate with the Saxon diamond crest.
After 1918
The Ernestine House Order was not extinguished after the fall of the German monarchies in 1918, but became the unofficial house medal lent, especially by Duke Carl Eduard of Saxe- Coburg- Gotha. This was banned in 1936 by Hitler. ( † 1992 * 1895), which in the name of her son Friedrich Alfred († 1997, lived as a Capuchin monk) Only after 1955, the ceremonies were resumed, this time by the Dowager Duchess Clara Maria of Saxe- Meiningen and Hildburghausen, undertook. In addition to their grandchildren from the family of Habsburg were still about 20 people awarded ( only large crosses).