Grand Cross
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Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia.[1] Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Grand Collar. In rare cases, the insignia itself is referred to as the "grand cross".[2]
In international relations, many times the class of Grand Cross is typically reserved for royalty, heads of state and equivalent. Sometimes a holder of the highest class or grade are referred to as "Commander Grand Cross",Template:Refn "Knight Grand Cross", or just "Grand Cross".
In the United Kingdom, the rank of "Knight Grand Cross" or "Dame Grand Cross" allows the recipient to continue to use the honorific "Sir" (male) or "Dame" (female) as a style before his or her name. The knighthood is initially conferred, as in other countries, at the lower rank of the order, typically "Knight Commander".
In Bavaria, the royal military order established by Maximilian Joseph consisted of three classes with the Grand Crosses ranking above the Commanders and Knights.[3] The Grand Cross title has also been used to confer military merit. For instance, the Grand Duchy of Baden awarded Prince Rupprecht a Grand Cross after World War I.[4]
From 1870 to 1918, the German Empire also set the Grand Cross as the highest rank of the Order of the Iron Cross, followed by the first and second classes.
Denomination "Grand Cordons"
Template:Expand list The orders in which the highest rank (or second after "Collar") is named "Grand Cordons" include the following orders:
- Template:Country data Belgium: Grand Cordons of the Order of Leopold (highest)
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (highest national order that admits Brazilian nationals to its ranks)
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco (special purpose)
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of Defense Merit
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of Naval Merit
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of Aeronautical Merit
- Template:Country data Paraná: Grand Cross of the Template:III (highest of the state)
- Template:Country data São Paulo: Grand Cross of the Order of Ipiranga (highest of the state)
- Template:Country data Cambodia: Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia (highest)
- Template:Country data Cambodia: Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Monisaraphon
- Template:Country data Cambodia: Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sahametrei
- Template:Country data Cambodia: Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sowathara
- Template:Country data Cameroon: Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit (Cameroon) (2nd)
- Template:Country data Cameroon: Grand Cordon of the Order of Valour (highest)
- Template:Country data Denmark: Grand Cross with Diamonds of the Order of the Dannebrog (2nd)
- Template:Country data Egypt: Grand Cordons of the Order of the Nile (highest)
- Template:Country data Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Liberty (highest)
- Template:Country data Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (2nd)
- Template:Country data Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland (highest)
- Template:Country data Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Lamb (highest)
- Template:Country data France: Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour (highest)
- Template:Country data French Polynesia: Grand Cross of the Order of Tahiti Nui (highest of the French overseas collectivity)
- Template:Country data Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Template:Country data Guinea: Grand Cross of the Kola-tree National Order (2nd)
- Template:Country data Guinea: Grand Cross of the National Order of Fidelity and People (highest)
- Template:Country data Guinea: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (Guinea) (highest)
- Template:Country data Guinea: Grand Cross of the National Order of the Campaign of Independence (highest)
- Template:Country data Italy: Knight Grand Cross decorated with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (highest)
- Template:Country data Japan: Grand Cordons of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (2nd after Collar)
- Template:Country data Japan: Grand Cordons of the Order of the Precious Crown (highest)
- Template:Country data Japan: Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun (highest)
- Template:Country data Jordan: Grand Cordons of the Order of the Star of Jordan (highest)
- Template:Country data Lebanon: Grand Cordons of the Order of Merit (Lebanon) (highest)
- Template:Country data Madagascar: Grand Cross of the National Order of Madagascar (highest)
- Template:Country data Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross Military William Order (highest)
- Template:Country data Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross Order of Orange-Nassau (3rd)
- Template:Country data Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross Order of the Netherlands Lion (2nd)
- Template:Country data Niger: Grand Cross of the National Order (Niger) (highest)
- Template:Country data Niger: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Niger) (2nd)
- Template:Country data Persia: Grand Cordons of the Order of the Lion and the Sun
- Template:Country data Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword
- Template:Country data Senegal: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Senegal) (2nd)
- Template:Country data Senegal: Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion (Senegal) (highest)
- Template:Country data Spain: Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III
- Template:Country data Sweden Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword
- Template:Country data Sweden Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
- Template:Country data Sweden Commander Grand Cross of the Order of Vasa
- Template:Country data Togo: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (2nd)
- Template:Country data Togo: Grand Cross of the Order of Mono (highest)
- Template:Country data Tunisia: Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence (highest)
- Template:Country data Tunisia: Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit (3rd)
- Template:Country data Tunisia: Grand Cordon of the Order of the 7th November 1987 (4th)
- Template:Country data Tunisia: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (2nd)
- Template:Country data United Kingdom: Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (highest)[n 1]
- Template:Country data United Kingdom: Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (highest)[n 1]
- Template:Country data United Kingdom: Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (highest)[n 1]
- Template:Country data United Kingdom: Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (highest)[n 1]
- Template:Country data United Kingdom: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint John (highest)[n 1]
Former
- Template:Country data Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of Columbus (Abolished as a state order in 1891)
- Template:Country data Empire of Brazil: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Highest, cancelled as national order in 1890, since then claimed as house order)
- Template:Country data Empire of Brazil: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Saint Benedict of Avis (2nd, cancelled as national order in 1890, since then claimed as house order)
- Template:Country data Empire of Brazil: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Saint James of the Sword (3rd, cancelled as national order in 1890, since then claimed as house order)
- Template:Country data Empire of Brazil: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Cross (4th, cancelled as national order in 1891 and reestablished as the National Order of the Southern Cross in 1932)
- Template:Country data Empire of Brazil: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Dom Pedro I (5th, cancelled as national order in 1890, since then claimed as house order)
- Template:Country data Empire of Brazil: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Rose (6th, cancelled as national order in 1890, since then claimed as house order)
- Template:Country data France
- Template:Flagicon French Comoros: Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Anjouan (Deprecated in 1963 by the National Order of Merit)
- Template:Flagicon French Dahomey: Grand Cross of the Order of the Black Star (Deprecated in 1963 by the National Order of Merit)
- Template:Flagicon French Somaliland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Light (Deprecated in 1963 by the National Order of Merit)
- Template:Country data Kingdom of Hawaii: Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Kapiʻolani (3rd, became obsolete in 1893)
Gallery
Illustration of typical insignia, as in the case of the Legion of Honour of France.
See also
Explanatory notes
References
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Footnotes
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- ↑ Burke, B. The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations. Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2016. Template:ISBN
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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Template:Orders
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