Order of Saint Michael (Bavaria)

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This article is about the Bavarian order. For other uses, see Order of Saint Michael (disambiguation).
Order of Merit of Saint Michael
Verdienstorden vom Heiligen Michael
Ridder in de Orde van Verdienste van de Heilige Michaël van Beieren voorzijde.gif
Awarded by File:Royal Standard of the King of Bavaria (1835 - 1918) Rautenflagge.jpg Kingdom of Bavaria
Typebefore 1837: Military Order
after 1837: Order of merit
EstablishedMilitary Order: 29 September 1693
Order of Merit: 16 February 1837
Royal houseHouse of Wittelsbach
Religious affiliationRoman Catholicism
MottoQUIS UT DEUS
("Who [is] like God")
StatusNo longer awarded
FounderArchbishop Joseph Clemens, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne
GradesMilitary Order:
Commander
Knight Officer
Knight
Order of Merit:
1st class with Grand Cross
1st class
2nd class with star
2nd class
Cross of Honour
3rd class
4th class
Cross of Merit
Medal of Merit
Precedence
Next (higher)Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown
Next (lower)Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art
OrderofSt.MichaelMerit.gif
Ribbon of the order

The Order of Saint Michael (German: Orden zum Heiligen Michael), later Order of Merit of Saint Michael (German: Verdienstorden vom Heiligen Michael) was founded on September 29, 1693 [1] by Joseph Clemens of Bavaria, then Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, as a military order. It's full name was Most Illustrious Military Order of Defenders of Divine Glory under the Protection of the Holy Archangel Michael.[2] Initially, this order was only open to the Catholic nobility. Upon its institution, the order consisted of the Grand Master and three classes: Commander, Knight Officer and Knight, divided in two divisions, spiritual and secular. The Grand Master was bestowed with a Breast Star. The commanders, officially limited to nine of the spiritual and the secular division each, constituted the chapter. They also were known as Knights Grand Cross. The order had four spiritual officers: chancellor, honorary chaplain, almoner, and sacristan, and the same amount of secular officers: marshal, treasurer, equerry, and chamberlain. The third class was limited to 18 spiritual und secular knights each, so the order ideally should have had 63 members, representing the age of the queen of angels.[3]

The headquarter on the order in the Electorate of Cologne was located in the Godesburg, later in the Electoral Palace. It's Bavarian main church was St. Michael in Berg am Laim, Munich.

In 1808, the order was recognized by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and the grade of Knights of Honour, limited to twelve recipients, was added to the third class. In 1813, the order received the official title of the Knightly House Order of St. Michael.

On 16 February 1837, Ludwig I of Bavaria transformed the military order into an order of merit, called Order of Merit of St. Michael, divided into three classes: Knight Grand Cross, Commander, and Knight. The physical appearance of the decorations also changed at this time. In 1855, the classes of Knight Commander and Knight 2nd class were introduced. In 1887, according to a proposal of Crailsheim, the order got reformed and divided into Knights 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th class; a cross of merit and a silver medal were affiliated with the order.[4]

List of Grandmasters

  1. 1693–1723: Joseph Clemens of Bavaria, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne
  2. 1723–1761: Clemens August of Bavaria, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne and Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
  3. 1761–1763: Johann Theodor of Bavaria, Prince-Bishop of Regensburg, Prince-Bishop of Freising, and Prince-Bishop of Liège.
  4. 1763–1770: Duke Clement Francis of Bavaria
  5. 1770–1777: Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria
  6. 1778–1795: Charles II August, Duke of Zweibrücken
  7. 1795–1799: Maximilian Joseph, Duke of Zweibrücken
  8. 1799–1837: Duke Wilhelm in Bavaria

After the death of Duke Wilhelm and the transformation into an order of merit, the King of Bavaria as the fount of honor was de facto Grand Master.

References

  1. ^ Robertsom, Megan C. "Kingdom of Bavaria: Royal Merit Order of St Michael". Medals of the World. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  2. ^ Michael, Verdienstorden vom Heiligen (1769). Nouveau calendrier du Très Illustre Ordre Equestre de Bavière sous le Titre de Défenseurs de la Gloire de Dieu sous la Protection de Saint-Michel Archange: 1769 (in French).
  3. ^ Trost, Ludwig (1888). Die Geschichte des St.-Michaels-Ordens in Bayern und der St.-Michaels-Bruderschaft seit dem Jahre 1693 bis auf die Gegenwart (in German). Oldenbourg. ISBN 978-3-486-72592-6.
  4. ^ Trost, Ludwig (1888). Die Geschichte des St.-Michaels-Ordens in Bayern und der St.-Michaels-Bruderschaft seit dem Jahre 1693 bis auf die Gegenwart (in German). Oldenbourg. ISBN 978-3-486-72592-6.
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