| Imperial Order ofSaint Prince Vladimir | |
|---|---|
 Star of the Order | |
Awarded by theEmperor of All Russia | |
| Type | Dynastic Order |
| Established | 3 October 1782 (1782-10-3) |
| Country | Russian Empire |
| Royal house | House of Romanov |
| Religious affiliation | Russian Orthodox Church |
| Motto | "Benefit, Honour and Glory" |
| Status | No longer awarded |
| Grades | 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th classes |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of Saint George |
| Next (lower) | Order of Saint Anna |
 Ribbon of the order | |
TheImperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir (Russian:орден Святого Владимира) was anImperial Russian order established on 3 October [O.S. 22 September] 1782 by EmpressCatherine II in memory of the deeds ofSaint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptizer of theKievan Rus'.
The order had four degrees and was awarded for continuous civil and military service. People who had been awarded with the St. Vladimir Order for military merits bore it with a special fold on the ribbon – "with a bow". There was a certain hierarchy of Russian Orders. According to this, the First Class Order of Saint Vladimir was the second one—the first was the Saint George Order—by its significance.
According to Russian laws on nobility, people who were awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir had the rights of hereditary nobility until the Emperor's decree of 1900 was issued. After this, only three first classes of the order gave such a right, the last one granting only personal nobility.
Today,Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, claimant to the Headship of the Russian Imperial House, continues to award the Russian Imperial Order of Saint Vladimir as adynastic order of knighthood.[1] The validity of her awards is disputed by some historians and by some members of the Romanov Family Association.[2]
A redenamelledcross pattée with black enamelled borders, and a black enamelled central disc bearing a crowned red anderminemantle with themonogram of Saint Vladimir. Worn on asash by the first degree, on anecklet by the second and third degrees, and on a chestribbon by the fourth degree.
A four-pointed star superimposed upon a four-pointed gold star, with a golden cross pattée and the letters "CPKB" between the arms of the cross on a black enamel background at the centre surrounded by the motto of the order "Benefit, Honour and Glory".
Worn on the left chest by the first and second degrees. This motto was transferred to present-day star of theOrder of Merit for the Fatherland, which was established in 1992 by PresidentBoris Yeltsin and is today the second highest ranking decoration of that country.
