- Order of George I
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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.
Contents
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.
Famous Holders
Holder Date Grade Viscount Andrew Cunningham - Knight Grand Cross with swords Jackson Dodds - - Dwight D. Eisenhower - Knight Grand Cross with swords Charles D. Griffin - Knight Grand Cross with swords Mark Mindler - Knight Grand Cross with swords Viscount Bernard Montgomery 1944 - 1976 Knight Grand Cross with swords Earl Louis Mountbatten 1946 - 1979 Knight Grand Cross Chester W. Nimitz - Knight Grand Cross with swords Baron Arthur Tedder 1946 - 1967 Knight Grand Cross with swords Nathan Farragut Twining - Knight Grand Cross with swords Philippos of Greece 1986 Knight Grand Cross Prince Phillip 1950 Knight Grand Cross with swords External links
- Greece: Royal Order of George I, at Medals of the World
- The Greek Royal Orders
Decorations of Greece Orders Order of the Redeemer • Order of the Phoenix • Order of Honour • Order of Beneficence • Order of George I (defunct) • Order of Saints George and Constantine (defunct) • Order of Saints Olga and Sophia (defunct)
Gallantry and
merit medalsMedal for Gallantry • Cross of Valour • War Cross • Medal for Outstanding Acts • Medal for Exceptional Acts • Medal of Military Merit • Air Force Cross • Gendarmerie War Cross • Medal of Police Merit
Commemorative and
campaign medalsCross for the War of Independence 1821–29 • Cross for the Bavarian Auxiliary Corps • Medal for the Constitution of 1843 • Medal for the Greco-Turkish War of 1912–13 • Medal for the Greco-Bulgarian War • Medal for the Macedonian Struggle • Inter-Allied Victory Medal • Royal Hellenic Navy Campaign Cross • Maritime War Cross • Medal for the War of 1940–1941 • Medal for the War of 1941–1945 • Medal for the National Resistance • United Nations Korea Medal • Centenary Memorial Medal of the Greek Royal Family
Categories:- Order of George I
- 1915 establishments in Greece
- Awards established in 1915
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