- Time Period: Pre World War I
- Institution: 20 February 1868
- Country: Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy (or Ordine della Corona d’Italia) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for civilian and military merit.
Compared with the older Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572), the Order of the Crown of Italy was awarded more liberally and could be conferred on non-Catholics as well; eventually, it became a requirement for a person to have already received the Order of the Crown of Italy in at least the same degree before receiving the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.
The order has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic in 1946. However, Umberto II did not abdicate his position as fons honorum and it remained under his Grand Mastership as a dynastic order. While the continued use of those decorations conferred prior to 1951 is permitted in Italy, the crowns on the ribbons issued before 1946 must be substituted for as many five pointed stars on military uniforms.
The following grades exist:
Knight Grand Cross (Cavaliere di Gran Croce decorati del Grande Cordone)
Grand Officer (Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine della Corona d’Italia)
Commander (Commendatore dell’Ordine della Corona d’Italia)
Officer (Ufficiale dell’Ordine della Corona d’Italia)
Knight (Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Corona d’Italia)
The Order of the Crown of Italy Design
The badge of the order was a gilt cross with curved edges, enameled in white, with the so-called Savoy knots between the arms of the cross.
The obverse central disc featured the Iron Crown of Lombardy (as appeared on the Austrian Order of the Iron Crown) on a blue enamel background. The reverse central disc had a black-enameled eagle bearing the Savoy cross on a golden background.
The star of the Grand Cross was an eight-pointed faceted silver star; the central disc featured the Iron Crown on a blue enameled background, surrounded by a white enamel ring bearing the inscription VICT. EMMAN. II REX ITALIAE MDCCCLXVI (Victor Emmanuel II, King of Italy, 1866). There was a black-enameled eagle bearing the Savoy cross above the star.
The star of the Grand Officer was an eight-pointed faceted silver star with ball tips at each point and with the obverse of the badge superimposed upon it.
The ribbon of the order was red-white-red.
