The Order of Bravery (or Орден за Храброст in Bulgarian) is an order established on 1 January 1880 with a decree of Knyaz Alexander Batenberg and it’s considered the most esteemed Bulgarian order and the second highest in the Kingdom of Bulgaria and fourth highest in the Republic of Bulgaria. The recipients of the order are called cavaliers.
The Order was modeled after the Order of Military Merit of the Grand Duchy of Hesse, which existed until 1866. It was first awarded on 17 April 1880 to 33 participants of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). On 24 April, the order was awarded for the first time to a civilian person.
On 15 September the Order of Bravery ceased to exist.
There were the following classes or grades:
- Grand Cross of the Order of Bravery: Awarded only to the ruler (who was a Grand Master of the order), five emissions.
- Order of Bravery I Grade: 1st class (four emissions), 2nd class (awarded to Bulgarian and foreign generals and foreign rulers).
- Order of Bravery II Grade: Two emissions.
- Order of Bravery III Grade: 1st class (until 1915 it was called Order of Bravery III grade), three emissions. 2nd class (since 1915), five emissions.
- Order of Bravery IV Grade: 1st class (until 1915 it was called Order of Bravery IV grade), seven emissions. 2nd class (since 1915), ten emissions.
The Order for Bravery Design
Between 1937 and 1940, the sign of the I grade, 1st class was used as a symbol of the Bulgarian Air Force in analog with the Iron Cross which was the traditional symbol of the Luftwaffe. Several German officers received this award during World War II.
The Grand Cross consisted of a necklace, a star, and a mantle.
The ribbon is light blue with silver stripes on either side.
