*** Welcome to piglix ***

Order of Saint Maurice

Order of Saints Maurice
and Lazarus
Pyhän Mauritiuksen ja Lasaruksen ritarikunnan rintatähti.png
Grand cross of the
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Awarded by Italy House of Savoy
Type Dynastic order of knighthood
Royal house House of Savoy
Religious affiliation Roman Catholic
Ribbon Green
Motto FERT
Eligibility Military, civilian
Awarded for Distinguished merits
Status Active in exile
First Grand Master Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy (1528–1580)
Grand Master Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples (disputed)
Statistics
Established 16 September 1572
(Order of Saint Maurice: 1434)
(Order of Saint Lazarus: 1119)
Precedence
Next (higher) Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
Next (lower) Military Order of Savoy
Cavaliere SSML BAR.svg
Ribbon bar of the
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus

The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italian: Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the House of Savoy, founded in 1572 by Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, through amalgamation approved by Pope Gregory XIII of the Order of Saint Maurice, founded in 1434, with the medieval Order of Saint Lazarus, founded circa 1119, considered its sole legitimate successor. Its headquarters are situated at the Lierna Castle in Lombardy, Italy. Its current Grand Master is Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, since 1983, albeit contested by his cousin and throne rival Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta.

The order was formerly awarded by the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) with the heads of the House of Savoy as the Kings of Italy. Originally a chivalric order of noble nature, it was restricted to subjects of noble families with proofs of at least eight noble great-grandparents. The order's military and noble nature was and is still combined with a Roman Catholic character.

After the abolishment of the monarchy and the foundation of the Italian Republic in 1946, the legacy of the order is maintained by the pretenders of the House of Savoy and the Italian throne in exile.


...
Wikipedia

...