TheNational Order of the Legion of Honour (French:Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur[ɔʁdʁnɑsjɔnaldəlaleʒjɔ̃dɔnœʁ]ⓘ), formerly theImperial Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre impérial de la Légion d'honneur), is the highest and most prestigious Frenchorder of merit, bothmilitary andcivil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was established in 1802 byNapoleon Bonaparte, and it has been retained (with occasional slight alterations) by all later French governments and regimes.
The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction:Chevalier (Knight),Officier (Officer),Commandeur (Commander),Grand officier (Grand Officer) andGrand-croix (Grand Cross).
During theFrench Revolution, all of the Frenchorders of chivalry were abolished and replaced withweapons of honour. It was the wish ofNapoleon Bonaparte, theFirst Consul, to create a reward to commend civilians and soldiers. From this wish was instituted aLégion d'honneur,[2] a body of men that was not an order ofchivalry, for Napoleon believed that France wanted arecognition of merit rather than a new system of nobility. However, theLégion d'honneur did use the organization of the old French orders of chivalry, for example, theOrdre de Saint-Louis. The insignia of theLégion d'honneur bear a resemblance to those of theOrdre de Saint-Louis, which also used a red ribbon.[3]
Napoleon originally created this award to ensure political loyalty. The organization would be used as a façade to give political favours, gifts, and concessions.[4] TheLégion d'honneur was loosely patterned after aRoman legion, withlegionaries,officers, commanders, regional "cohorts" and a grand council. The highest rank was not a Grand Cross but aGrand aigle (Grand Eagle), a rank that wore the insignia common to a Grand Cross. The members were paid, the highest of them extremely generously:
Napoleon famously declared, "You call these baubles, well, it is with baubles that men are led... Do you think that you would be able to make men fight by reasoning? Never. That is good only for the scholar in his study. The soldier needs glory, distinctions, rewards."[5] This has been often quoted as "It is with such baubles that men are led." Napoleon was also occasionally noted after a battle to ask who the bravest man in a regiment was, and upon the regiment declaring the individual, the Emperor would take the Legion d'Honneur from his own coat and pin it on the chest of the man.[6]
The order was the first modernorder of merit. Under the monarchy, such orders were often limited to Roman Catholics, allknights had to be noblemen, and military decorations were restricted toofficers.[citation needed] TheLégion d'honneur, however, was open to men of all ranks and professions; only merit or bravery counted. The new legionnaire had to be sworn into theLégion d'honneur. All previous orders were Christian, or shared a clear Christian background, whereas theLégion d'honneur is a secular institution. The badge of theLégion d'honneur has five arms.
In a decree issued on the10PluviôseXIII (30 January 1805), a grand decoration was instituted. This decoration, a cross on a largesash and a silver star with an eagle, symbol of the Napoleonic Empire, became known as theGrand aigle (Grand Eagle), and later in 1814 as theGrand cordon (big sash, literally "big ribbon"). After Napoleon crowned himselfEmperor of the French in 1804 and established theNapoleonic nobility in 1808, award of theLégion d'honneur gave right to the title of "Knight of the Empire" (Chevalier de l'Empire). The title was made hereditary after three generations of grantees.
Napoleon had dispensed 15 golden collars of theLégion d'honneur among his family and his senior ministers. This collar was abolished in 1815.
TheLégion d'honneur was prominent and visible in the French Empire. The Emperor always wore it, and the fashion of the time allowed for decorations to be worn most of the time. The king ofSweden therefore declined the order; it was too common in his eyes. Napoleon's own decorations were captured by thePrussians and were displayed in theZeughaus (armoury) in Berlin until 1945. Today, they are in Moscow.
Louis XVIII changed the appearance of the order, but it was not abolished. To have done so would have angered the 35,000 to 38,000 members. The images of Napoleon and his eagle were removed and replaced by the image of KingHenry IV, the popular first king of theBourbon line. Three Bourbonfleurs-de-lys replaced the eagle on the reverse of the order. A king's crown replaced the imperial crown. In 1816, the grand cordons were renamed grand crosses and the legionnaires became knights. The king decreed that the commandants were now commanders. TheLégion d'honneur became the second-ranking order of knighthood of the French monarchy, after theOrder of the Holy Spirit.
Louis Philippe I, King of the French, wearing the sash and star of the Grand Cross, as well as the Officers Cross of the orderJean-François Klobb recipient of the Legion of Honour
Following the overthrow of the Bourbons in favour of KingLouis Philippe I of theHouse of Orléans, the Bourbon monarchy's orders were once again abolished and theLégion d'honneur was restored in 1830 as the paramount decoration of the French nation. The insignia were drastically altered; the cross now displayedtricolour flags. In 1847, there were 47,000 members.
Yet another revolution in Paris (in 1848) brought a new republic (the second) and a new design to theLégion d'honneur. A nephew of the founder,Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, was elected president and he restored the image of his uncle on the crosses of the order. In 1852, the first recorded woman,Angélique Duchemin, an old revolutionary of the 1789 uprising against the absolute monarchy, was admitted into the order. On 2 December 1851, President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte staged acoup d'état with the help of the armed forces. He made himselfEmperor of the French exactly one year later on 2 December 1852, after a successfulplebiscite.
Philippe Pétain andJohn J. Pershing were decorated with theGrand-croix of the Legion of Honor, as were several US generals with theCommandeur andChevalier medal shortly after World War I, in 1919.
In 1870, the defeat of the French Imperial Army in theFranco-Prussian War brought the end of the Empire and the creation of theThird Republic (1871–1940). As France changed, theLégion d'honneur changed as well. The crown was replaced by alaurel and oak wreath. In 1871, during theParis Commune uprising, theHôtel de Salm, headquarters of theLégion d'honneur, was burned to the ground in fierce street combats; the archives of the order were lost.
In the second term of PresidentJules Grévy, which started in 1885, newspaper journalists brought to light the trafficking of Grévy's son-in-law, Daniel Wilson, in the awarding of decorations of theLégion d'honneur. Grévy was not accused of personal participation in this scandal, but he was slow to accept his indirect political responsibility, which caused his eventual resignation on 2 December 1887.
DuringWorld War I, some 55,000 decorations were conferred, 20,000 of which went to foreigners. The large number of decorations resulted from the new posthumous awards authorised in 1918. Traditionally, membership in theLégion d'honneur could not be awarded posthumously.
The establishment of theFourth Republic in 1946 brought about the latest change in the design of the Legion of Honour. The date "1870" on the obverse was replaced by a single star. No changes were made after the establishment of theFifth Republic in 1958.
Evolution of the insignia of the Grand Cross of the Legion d'Honneur through Frances various governments and regimes, from the First Empire to the current Fifth Republic
The Legion of Honour is a national order of France, meaning a public incorporated body. The Legion is regulated by acivil law code, the "Code of the Legion of Honour and of the Military Medal". While thePresident of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the order, day-to-day running is entrusted to the Grand Chancery (Grande Chancellerie de la Légion d'honneur).
Since the establishment of the Legion, the Grand Master of the order has always been the Emperor, King or President of France.PresidentEmmanuel Macron therefore became the Grand Master of the Legion on 14 May 2017.[7]
The Grand Master appoints all other members of the order, on the advice of the French government. The Grand Master's insignia is theGrand Collar of the Legion. The President of the Republic, as Grand Master of the order, receives the Collar as part of his investiture, but the Grand Masters have not worn the Collar sinceValéry Giscard d'Estaing.[8]
The Grand Chancery is headed by the Grand Chancellor (grand chancelier), usually a retired general, as well as the Secretary-General (secrétaire général), a civilian administrator.
Chevalier (Knight): minimum 20 years of public service or 25 years of professional activity with "eminent merits"
Officier (Officer): minimum 8 years in the rank ofChevalier
Commandeur (Commander): minimum 5 years in the rank ofOfficier
Grand officier (Grand Officer): minimum 3 years in the rank ofCommandeur
Grand-croix (Grand Cross): minimum 3 years in the rank ofGrand-officier
The "eminent merits" required to be awarded the order require the flawless performance of one's trade as well as doing more than ordinarily expected, such as being creative, zealous and contributing to the growth and well-being of others.
The order has a maximum quota of 75 Grand Cross, 250 Grand Officers, 1,250 Commanders, 10,000 Officers, and 113,425 (ordinary) Knights. As of 2010,[update] the actual membership was 67 Grand Cross, 314 Grand Officers, 3,009 Commanders, 17,032 Officers and 74,384 Knights. Appointments of veterans ofWorld War II, French military personnel involved in theNorth African Campaign and other foreign French military operations, as well as wounded soldiers, are made independently of the quota.
Members convicted of a felony (crime in French) are automatically dismissed from the order. Members convicted of a misdemeanour (délit in French) can be dismissed as well, although this is not automatic.
Wearing the decoration of theLégion d'honneur without having the right to do so is a serious offence. Wearing the ribbon orrosette of a foreign order is prohibited if that ribbon is mainly red, like the ribbon of the Legion of Honour.
In theory, French military personnel in uniform are required to salute other military members in uniform wearing the medal (but not the ribbon), whatever theLégion d'honneur rank and the military rank of the bearer. In practice, however, this is rarely done.
There is not a single, complete list of all the members of the Legion in chronological order. The number is estimated at one million, including about 2,900 Knights Grand Cross.[11]
French nationals, men and women, can be received into theLégion, for "eminent merit" (mérites éminents) in military or civil life. In practice, in current usage, the order is conferred on entrepreneurs, high-levelcivil servants, scientists, artists, including famous actors and actresses, sportchampions,[c] and others with connections in theexecutive. Members of theFrench Parliament cannot receive the order, except for valour in war,[12] and ministers are not allowed to nominate their accountants.
Until 2008, French nationals could only enter the Legion of Honour at the class ofChevalier (Knight). To be promoted to a higher class, one had to perform new eminent services in the interest of France and a set number of years had to pass between appointment and promotion. This was however amended in 2008 when entry became possible at Officer, Commander and Grand Officer levels, as a recognition of "extraordinary careers" (carrières hors du commun). In 2009,Simone Veil became the first person to enter the Order at Grand Officer level.[13] Veil was a member of theAcadémie française, a formerHealth Minister andPresident of the European Parliament, as well as anAuschwitz survivor. She was promoted to Grand Cross in 2012.
Every year at least five recipients decline the award. Even if they refuse to accept it, they are still included in the order's official membership.[8] The composersMaurice Ravel andCharles Koechlin, for example, declined the award when it was offered to them.[14][15]
While membership in theLégion is technically restricted to French nationals,[16] foreign nationals who have served France or the ideals it upholds[17] may receive the honour.[18] Foreign nationals who live in France are subject to the same requirements as the French. Foreign nationals who live abroad may be awarded a distinction of any rank or dignity in theLégion. Foreign heads of state and their spouses or consorts of monarchs are made Grand Cross as a courtesy. American and British veterans who served in eitherWorld War on French soil,[19] or during the 1944 campaigns to liberate France,[20][21] may be eligible for appointment as Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, provided they were still living when the honour was approved.
Collective appointments can be made to cities, institutions or companies. A total of 64 settlements in France have been decorated, as well as six foreign cities:Liège in 1914,[22]Belgrade in 1920,[23]Luxembourg City in 1957,Volgograd (the World War II 'Stalingrad') in 1984,[24]Algiers in 2004, andLondon in 2020.[25][26] French towns display the decoration in theirmunicipal coat of arms.
Organisations to receive the honour include theFrench Red Cross (Croix-Rouge Française), theAbbaye de Nôtre-Dame des Dombes (Abbey of Notre-Dame des Dombes), the French National Railway Company (SNCF, Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français), thePréfecture de Police de la Ville de Paris (Prefecture of Police of Paris), and variousGrandes Écoles (National (Elite) Colleges) and other educational establishments.
Notice of posthumous award of theCroix de Chevalier to Lieutenant Robert Léon Tessier—Mort pour la France ("Died for France") inWorld War I
The military distinctions (Légion d'honneur à titre militaire) are awarded for bravery (actions de guerre) or for service.
award for extreme bravery: theLégion d'Honneur is awarded jointly with amention in dispatches. This is the top valour award in France. It is rarely awarded, mainly to soldiers who have died in battle.
award for service: theLégion is awarded without any citation.
For active-duty commissioned officers, the Legion of Honour award for service is achieved after 20 years of meritorious service, having been awarded the rank ofChevalier of theOrdre National du Mérite. Bravery awards lessen the time needed for the award—in fact decorated servicemen become directly chevaliers of theLégion d'Honneur, skipping theOrdre du Mérite. NCOs almost never achieve that award, except for the most heavily decorated service members.
Collective appointments can be made to military units. In the case of a military unit, its flag is decorated with the insignia of a knight, which is a different award from thefourragère. Twenty-one schools, mainly schools providing reserve officers during the World Wars, were awarded the Légion d'Honneur. Foreign military units can be decorated with the order, such as theU.S. Military Academy.
The Flag or Standard of the following units was decorated with the Cross of a Knight of the Legion of Honour:[d]
Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine (Colonial Infantry Regiment of Morocco). Book of the regiment will be fighting its most decorated emblem of the French army.
The five classes wearing their respective insignia (gentlemen): 1:Chevalier; 2:Officier; 3:Commandeur; 4:Grand-officier; 5:Grand-croix
The order has had five levels since the reign of King Louis XVIII, who restored the order in 1815. Since the reform, the following distinctions have existed:
Three ranks:
Chevalier (Knight): badge worn on left breast suspended from ribbon
Officier (Officer): badge worn on left breast suspended from a ribbon with arosette
Commandeur (Commander): badge around neck suspended from ribbon necklet
Two dignities:
Grand officier (Grand Officer): badge worn on left breast suspended from a ribbon (Officer), with star displayed on right breast
Grand-croix (Grand Cross), formerlyGrande décoration,Grand aigle, orGrand cordon: the highest level; badge affixed to sash worn over the right shoulder, with star displayed on left breast
Due to the order's long history, and the remarkable fact that it has been retained by all subsequent governments and regimes since the First Empire, the order's design has undergone many changes. Although the basic shape and structure of the insignia has remained generally the same, the hanging device changed back and forth and France itself swung back and forth betweenrepublic andmonarchy. The central disc in the centre has also changed to reflect the political system and leadership of France at the time. As each new regime came along the design was altered to become politically correct for the time, sometimes even changed multiple times during one historical era.
How the design of theLégion d'honneur changed through each various era and regime, shown through the example of the obverse and reverse of the Officers cross. See below for a detailed explanation of each era.
Thebadge of theLégion is shaped as a five-armed "MalteseAsterisk", using five distinctive "arrowhead" shaped arms inspired by theMaltese Cross. The badge is rendered ingilt (in silver for chevalier) enameled white, with an enameledlaurel andoak wreath between the arms. The obverse central disc is in gilt, featuring the head ofMarianne, surrounded by the legendRépublique Française on a blue enamel ring. The reverse central disc is also in gilt, with a set of crossedtricolores, surrounded by the Légion's mottoHonneur et Patrie ('Honour and Fatherland') and its foundation date on a blue enamel ring. The badge is suspended by an enameled laurel and oak wreath.
Thestar (orplaque) is worn by the Grand Cross (in gilt on the left chest) and the Grand Officer (in silver on the right chest) respectively; it is similar to the badge, but without enamel, and with the wreath replaced by a cluster of rays in between each arm. The central disc features the head ofMarianne, surrounded by the legendRépublique Française ('French Republic') and the mottoHonneur et Patrie.[27]
The badge or star is not usually worn, except at the time of the decoration ceremony or on adress uniform orformal wear. Instead, one normally wears the ribbon or rosette on their suit.
For less formal occasions, recipients wear a simple stripe of thread sewn onto the lapel (red forchevaliers andofficiers, silver forcommandeurs). Except when wearing a dark suit with a lapel, women instead typically wear a small lapel pin called a barrette. Recipients purchase the special thread and barrettes at a store in Paris near thePalais-Royal.[28]
The first model of the Legion d'Honneur did not hang from a crown or wreath. It lasted for just 9 months from May 1804 until February 1805 and encompassed the founding of theFirst French Empire on the 18th May 1804. Despite being officially established on 19 May 1802, no awards were made until this version. This version shows theEmperor on the obverse and the imperial eagle on the reverse. The text on the ring on both the obverse and reverse would remain the same during the entirety ofNapoleon's reign.
The second model of differed only from the first by the addition of theimperial crown atop the cross, and was attached to one of the arms of the cross. The image of the Emperor is also slightly smaller than the previous version, while the reverse ring also has a stylised wreath at the bottom instead of three stars.
The third model is very similar to the previous second version however the depiction of Napoleon is more similar to the first version and the obverse ring has a wreath at the bottom. The crown, while almost identical to that of the second version this time is free-hanging and separately fixed above the cross.
The fourth model has as slightly different depiction of the Emperor while the obverse ring has a star and dots in place of the previous versions wreath. The reverse of the fourth model is notable as its the only First Empire model with the eagle facing to the right, while the bottom of the ring has three stars reminiscent of the first model. The crown the cross hangs from is also very different compared to the previous two versions.
The fifth and final version of the First Empire is different from the other versions by the execution of larger text on the rings, with the reverse showing a distinct wreath like object at the bottom. The obverse on some models shows and enamelledlaurel wreath adorning the Emperors head, while on the reverse the eagle is back facing left. The crown is also radically different from the previous models.
The sixth model from theBourbon Restoration period marks the first major alteration from the original design, due to the fact that theregime and leader of France had changed. The crown the cross hangs from has been altered and also features the main symbol of theHouse of Bourbon; thefleur-de-lis. The obverse features the profile of "The Good King"Henri IV with the text of the ring bearing the words; Henry IV, King of France and theNavarre. The reverse keeps the text of the previous versions;Honneur et Patrie and depicts the three fleurs-de-lis, the symbol of the Bourbons.
The seventh model from theJuly Monarchy period is similar to the previous Bourbon Restoration period. The crown is very similar, with just the fleur-de-lis omitted, the obverse keeps the profile of Henri IV but the obverse ring bears just his name, with the rest of the ring filled with stars and a wreath. The reverse bears the first depiction of what would continue for many future iterations; the two crossedtricolours with the usual reverse ring mottoHonneur et Patrie.
The eighth model, used for only three years during theSecond Republic is the only other example apart from the first model to not have any hanging device (no crown/wreath). The obverse once again shows a portrait of Napoleon, with the text reading "BonaparteFirst Consul" and the date of the order's founding; 19 May 1802. The reverse shows the crossed tricolours as before, however this time theHonneur et Patrie is written underneath and not on the ring, the first and only time this was the case. The reverse ring instead readsRépublique Française which would later feature on the obverse ring.
The ninth orLa Presidence model was only used between 1851 and 1852 and is considered by some to be a hybrid model. It is at the very least a transitional model from the design used during the Second Republic to theSecond Empire. The execution of the cross is very similar to Second Republic models, just with the addition of a crown (different to that of the Second Empire models) while the obverse continues to show Napoleon, with the ring text ofNapoleon Emp. des Français. The reverse shows the imperial eagle and the usual ring text. The central discs bear a striking resemblance to the fifth model.
The tenth model used in the Second Empire would be the last to date to use either Napoleon's image or a crown of any sort. The crown used is quite unique and resembles theCrown of Napoleon III, while the obverse shows the Napoleon I with the ring text ofNapoleon Empereur des Français (the only model to fully spell out Emperor). The reverse shows the usual imperial eagle, though this time facing right like the fourth model. The usual reverse ring text is present with a large wreath at the bottom.
The eleventh model created for theThird French Republic would be another radical change, and the first to show much of the symbolism of today's model. It was the first model to hang from a wreath of laurel and oak leaves, and the first to feature the profile ofMarianne on the obverse. The ring on the obverse reads;République Française, the first since the early Second Republic and the first time on the obverse, with the date1870. The back features the tricolours and the usual text ofHonneur et Patrie, in a design almost identical to the seventh model used during the July Monarchy.
The 12th, final and current version is almost identical to the 11th. The only differences are found on the ring of the obverse, where the date of 1870, the Third Republic's founding, is replaced with a star. The reverse is also almost identical, with just the wreath at the bottom of the ring being replaced with29 Floréal an X (29 Floréal Year 10), the date of the order's founding (19 May 1802) in theFrench Revolutionary Calendar. Except for these changes theLegion d'Honneur has remained unchanged from 1870, with this exact form being kept during both theFourth and currentFifth Republic.
OriginalLégionnaire insignia, the first ever model (1804)
Late EmpireLégionnaire insignia: the front features Napoleon's profile and the rear, the imperial Eagle. An imperial crown joins the cross and the ribbon.
Louis XVIII era (1814) Knight insignia: the front featuresHenry IV's profile and the rear, the arms of the French Kingdom (threefleurs-de-lis). A royal crown joins the cross and the ribbon.
Reverse of a Second Republic cross, with two crossed French flags
The insignia of an officer class of the Legion d'Honneur from the current Fifth Republic
Fifth Republic officer class, decorated with arosette
Fifth Republic Knight insignia: the centre features Marianne's head. A crown of laurels joins the cross and the ribbon.
Chiang Kai-shek'sLégion d'honneur plaque. In his day, the plaque was not gilded in gold.
Chiang Kai-shek'sLégion d'honneur. This is the reverse of his Grand Cross.
The insignia of a Grand Cross. Nowadays the star of a Grand Cross is gilt. The silver star is the Grand Officer's badge.
^The award for the French Legion of Honour is known by many titles, also depending on the five levels of degree: Knight of the Legion of Honour;Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur; Officer of the Legion of Honour;Officier de la Légion d'honneur; Commander of the Legion of Honour;Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur; Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour;Grand officier de la Légion d'honneur; Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour;Grand'Croix de la Légion d'honneur. The wordhonneur is often capitalised, as in the name of the palacePalais de la Légion d'Honneur.
^All Olympic Gold Medal winners are awarded theLégion.
^Officially, military units are not members of the Legion of Honour, which include only individuals. As for foreign Legionnaires, they are "decorated with the Legion of Honour insignia", not "member of the Legion of Honour". Do not confuse military units that received thefourragère to the colour of the ribbon of the Legion of Honour (units quoted at six, seven or eight times in the order of the army with military units whose flag is decorated with the Cross of the Legion of Honour.
^Pierre-Louis Roederer, "Speech Proposing the Creation of a Legion of Honour",Napoleon: Symbol for an Age, A Brief History with Documents, ed. Rafe Blaufarb (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008), 101–102.
^M. Wattel, B. Wattel. (2009).Les Grand'Croix de la Légion d'honneur de 1805 à nos jours. Titulaires français et étrangers. Paris: Archives & Culture.ISBN978-2-35077-135-9.
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