Order of George I

Βασιλικόν Τάγμα Γεωργίου Α' Royal Order of George I
Star of the Grand Cross of the Order of George I (civil division)
Awarded by the King of the Hellenes
Motto	ΙΣΧΥΣ ΜΟΥ Η ΑΓΑΠΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΑΟΥ
Awarded for	distinguished services to Greece
Status	defunct since 1973
Grades (w/ post-nominals)	Grand Cross, Grand Commander, Commander, Gold Cross, Silver Cross
Statistics
Established	16 January 1915
Replaced by	Order of the Phoenix (2nd Hellenic Republic, 1924–1935) Order of Honour (3rd Hellenic Republic, from 1975)
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of St. Olga and St. Sophia
Next (lower)	Order of the Phoenix

Badge of a Commander of the order

The Royal Order of George I (Greek: Βασιλικόν Τάγμα Γεωργίου Α') is a defunct order of Greece.

History

The order was founded in 1915 by King Constantine I in honor of his father, George I. It was only the second Greek order to be created after the Order of the Redeemer in 1833, and remained the second senior award of the Greek state for the duration of its existence. The order was closely associated with the Greek monarchy, and was hence abolished with the establishment of the Second Hellenic Republic in 1924, to be replaced with the Order of the Phoenix. The order was restored along with the monarchy in 1935, and continued to be awarded until the final abolition of the monarchy in 1973. It was replaced by the Third Hellenic Republic in 1975 by the Order of Honour.

Grades

The Order has five classes:

• Grand Cross - wears the badge of the Order on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
• Commander or Grand Commander - wears the badge of the Order on a necklet, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
• Commander - wears the badge of the Order on a necklet;
• Officer or Gold Cross - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
• Member or Silver Cross - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.

A sixth, supreme class comprising a Collar of the order was originally envisaged, but never realized.

As the Order was restricted to officers and senior state officials, an additional Commemorative Medal of the Order of George I (Αναμνηστικόν μετάλλιον του Τάγματος Γεωργίου Α') was instituted in 1915 for NCOs and common soldiers, junior officials and ordinary citizens. It had initially two classes, silver and bronze, with a third in gold added after 1935.

Insignia

• The badge of the Order was a white-enamelled Latin cross pattée, in silver for the Silver Cross class, in gold for the higher classes, with a wreath of laurels between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc was in red enamel, bearing the royal cypher of George I, two crossed gammas with a crown above and a "I" below, surrounded by a white enamel ring bearing the royal motto IΣXΥΣ MOΥ H AΓAΠH TOΥ ΛAOΥ ("My Strength is the Love of the People"). The reverse central disc bore the years of George I's reign, 1863-1913. The badge was topped by a crown; the military division also had crossed swords behind the badge. The Commemorative Medal;s badge was identical in design, except that the cross was not enamelled.

• The star of the Order was a silver star with straight rays, with eight points for Grand Cross and four points for Grand Commander, and with the obverse of the badge superimposed upon it.

• The ribbon of the Order was plain red.

Notable recipients

External links

• Greece: Royal Order of George I, at Medals of the World
• The Greek Royal Orders