Order of Liberty

Order of Liberty Ordem da Liberdade
Star of The Order of Liberty
Awarded by Portuguese Republic
Type	Order
Eligibility	Portuguese and foreign citizens; military or civilian
Awarded for	Distinguished and important services rendered to the cause of democracy and freedom.
Status	Currently constituted
Grand Master	President of the Portuguese Republic
Grades	Grand Collar Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer Knight
Statistics
Established	1976
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of Prince Henry
Next (lower)	Order of Merit
Ribbon bar of the Order of Liberty

The Order of Liberty, or Freedom, (Portuguese: Ordem da Liberdade) is a Portuguese honorific civil order that distinguishes relevant services to the cause of democracy and freedom, in the defense of the values of civilization and human dignity. The order was created in 1976, after the Carnation Revolution of 1974 in which the quasi-fascist authoritarian Estado Novo regime of António de Oliveira Salazar and Marcello Caetano was deposed . The Grand Collar can also be given by the President of Portugal to former Heads of State and others whose deeds are of an extraordinary nature and particular relevance to Portugal, to making them worthy of such distinction.

The order includes five classes; in decreasing order of seniority, these are:

Like the other Portuguese orders, the title of Honorary Member (Membro Honorário—MHL) can be awarded to institutions and locals.