Order of the Colonial Empire

Template:Refimprove Template:Template other The Order of the Colonial Empire (Template:Langx) was a Portuguese Order (decoration), established on 13 April 1932 as a colonial order of knighthood, to reward services by soldiers and civilians in the Portuguese colonies in Asia and Africa.

The Order consisted of five grades:

• Grand Cross, which wore the badge on a sash on the right shoulder and the star on the left chest;
• Grand Officer, which wore the badge on a necklet and the star on the left chest;
• Commander, which wore the badge on a necklet and the star on the left chest;
• Officer, which wore the badge on a ribbon with rosette on the left chest;
• Knight, which wore the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.

The Commander grade was dropped sometime during the 1960s , and the Order was discontinued upon the Carnation Revolution in 1974. Template:Fact

Ribbon bars of the Order of the Colonial Empire
File:PRT Order of the Colonial Empire - Grand Cross BAR.svg Grand Cross	File:PRT Order of the Colonial Empire - Grand Officer BAR.svg Grand Officer	File:PRT Order of the Colonial Empire - Commander BAR.svg Commander	File:PRT Order of the Colonial Empire - Officer BAR.svg Officer	File:PRT Order of the Colonial Empire - Knight BAR.svg Knight

Insignia

The badge of the Order was an enamel Order of Christ Cross, in silver for Knight and in gilt for higher grades, with the lesser Coat of arms of Portugal in enamel and gilt at the centre.

The star of the Order was an eight-pointed faceted star, in gilt for Grand Cross and Grand Officer, in silver for Commander, with the badge of the Order at the centre.

The ribbon of the Order was red with black central and edge stripes.

Notable Recipients

• António de Eça de Queirós
• António de Oliveira Salazar

Grand Crosses:

• George V of the United Kingdom
• Prince George, Duke of Kent
• Mozambique Company