Portuguese Royal Orders

Marengo · May 16, 2008

I wondered which orders the Portuguese RF still has? From what I could figure out myself, D. Duarte is the grand master of The Royal Order of Saint Michael of the Wing and of Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa

D. Isabel has her own order too, the order of Saint Isabel (with the pink sash), Which makes me wonder who was the grand mistress of it when D. Duarte was not married yet.

I believe only the orer of Christ has been nationalised by the Portuguese state, but I might very well be wrong. Does anybody know more about the orders?

Elsa M. · May 16, 2008

Marengo said:
I believe only the orer of Christ has been nationalised by the Portuguese state, but I might very well be wrong. Does anybody know more about the orders?

From the group of the ancient military orders, the State has nationalised the following:
Ordem de Torre e Espada, do Valor, Lealdade e Mérito (Order of the Tower and Sword, of the Value, Loyalty and Merit);
Ordem de Cristo (Order of Christ);
Ordem de Avis (Order of Avis);
Ordem de Sant'Iago da Espada (Order Of Saint Iago of the Sword).

Besides these, the State is also the owner of two national orders:
Ordem do Infante D. Henrique (Order of Infante D. Henrique);
Ordem da Liberdade (Order of Liberty).

Moreover, the President has also a series of orders of civil merit:
Ordem do Mérito (Order of the Merit);
Ordem da Instrução Pública (Order of the Public Instruction);
Ordem do Mérito Agrícola, Comercial e Industrial (Order of the Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Merit).

Check the official website:
Antigas Ordens Militares | Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas

Elsa M. · May 16, 2008

D. Duarte is the Grand Master of the Order of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa (Grão-Mestre da Ordem de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Vila Viçosa), Grand Master of the Royal Order of Saint Michael of the Wing (Grão-Mestre da Real Ordem de São Miguel da Ala) and Master of the Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (Bailio Grã-Cruz de Honra e Devoção da Ordem Soberana Militar de Malta).

D.ª Isabel has the Grand Cross of the Order of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa (Grã-Cruz da Ordem de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Vila Viçosa) and she's the Grand Mistress of the Royal Order of Saint Isabel (Grã-Mestra da Ordem Real de Santa Isabel) and Dame Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign and Military Order of Malta (Dama Grã-Cruz de Honra e Devoção da Ordem Soberana e Militar de Malta).

Elsa M. · May 16, 2008

Ordem Militar de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Order of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa):

Created by King D. João VI, during the Court's displacement to Rio de Janeiro, this order was instituted on February 6th 1818 (the date of his acclamation), in recognition to the efficient protection of the Kingdom's patron saint (Our Lady of the Conception). [See also this post in the thread of the Bragança Royal Jewels]
This order distinguished those who proved their loyalty to the Portuguese Royal House, in the war against the Napoleon's occupying forces.

In 1910, the Republica abolished this Order, but King D. Manuel II continued using the order's insignia in the exile. Recently. D. Duarte Pio, Duke of Bragança, re-established it as an honorific dynastic order of the Portuguese Royal Family, and has distinguished several Portuguese personalities (among them the players and staff of the National Football Team).

Insignia
The order's insignia were designed by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Debret (1768-1848), who was in charge of creating in Rio de Janeiro an arts and crafts lyceum (Escola Real de Artes e Ofícios), under the auspices of King D. João VI and of the Marquis of Marialva. The sash is light blue and white, while the medallion is starshaped and crowned. Surrounding the monogram "AM", there is an inscription saying: "Padroeira do Reino" (Patroness of the Kigdom).

http://www.ichrusa.com/saintsalive/chevalier_serafin/images/pict7.jpg
http://www.ichrusa.com/saintsalive/chevalier_serafin/images/pict6.jpg

Elsa M. · May 16, 2008

Real Ordem de São Miguel da Ala (Royal Order of Saint Michael of the Wing):

The Military Wing of Saint Michael of the Order of Saint James was founded in 1171, by King D. Afonso I, to honor a group of knights from the Kingdom of León, who assisted him in retaking Santarém from the Moors, in 1147.

The order fell into disuse after 1733 and it was not included among the orders that were nationalized by the Portuguese Republic. However, in 1986, D. Duarte Pio declared himself as the Grand Master of the Order and, in 2001, he promulgated the statutes to govern it.

Elsa M. · May 16, 2008

Ordem da Rainha Santa Isabel (Order of Queen Saint Isabel):

This order was created by D. João VI, on November 4th 1801, in recognition to the devotion of Queen Saint Isabel. The King invested his wife, D.ª Carlota Joaquina, as the Grand Mistress and ever since, it has been an order exclusively for dames, distinguishing catholic noble women.

In 1910, the Republica abolished it, but the wife of the last king (D.ª Augusta Vitória) and the Duchess of Bragança continued using the order’s insignia of Grand Mistress.

The sash is pale pink and it has a white stripe in the midle. The crowned medallion shows a picture of the Queen Saint, giving money to a poor man, and it is surronded by a frame of roses (an alusion to the Queen’s miracle). The Latin motto inscribed in it is: "Pauperum Solatio".

feistycheese · Sep 26, 2008

Can anyone tell me more about the Order of Saint Isabel?

Hi All.

First of all Id like to say what an interesting read all the threads on the Portuguese royal family are, I didn't really know anything outside our own Royals in the UK, but ive been avidly reading the threads and articles over the past few days, and its really opened my eyes.

My primary reason for being here is to ask for some help and advice. I have recently acquired a piece of Jewelry which I believe may have been made for a member of the Order of Saint Isabel (I hope I am not breaking house rules by posting a picture?). The jewelry in question is an 18ct gold pendant absolutely packed with diamonds but with the motto on the bottom written in gold on blue enamel 'Pauperum Solatio'. The central part is a pierced work 'R' (possibly a name or rank?). The pendant was made c1820's to 1830 and in the French empire style. You really need to see it to understand the quality of the item, it was clearly made by a master jeweller for someone important.

I guess I am really trying to find out who owned it and how it came to be in England. The lady who had it most recently before it came into my hands was 90 years old, and I am currently trying to find out from her family its most recent history. I personally believe it may have been given to her by an exiled Portuguese noble (or possibly even passed down through family connection), as I know the Order was continued by Queen Amelia and her ladies while she was in exile in England.

Could anyone tell me if they know where I could find a list of the members of the Order (probably quite difficult considering they were a 'secret' society), or point me in the direction of a historian who might be able to help me? In fact anymore information at all on the history of the order and even the life of the Portuguese nobles while in exile would be really fascinating and helpful.

My intentions (if the pendant definetely has Portuguese links), is to return the item to Lisbon, hopefully to a museum or possibly the royal family itself.

Thankyou in advance for all your comments.

Kind Regards.

Chris.

Elsa M. · Sep 26, 2008

feistycheese said:
anymore information at all on the history of the order and even the life of the Portuguese nobles while in exile would be really fascinating and helpful.

Hello, Chris! Welcome aboard! :flowers:

The Royal Order of St. Isabel is exclusively female and it is to receive only twenty-six catholic women, each time. In addition to Portuguese noble ladies, also foreign Catholic Queens were distinguished by it.

After the proclamation of the republic (in 1910), the order was extinguished, but D.ª Augusta Victoria (the widow of King D. Manuel II) continued using the insignia of Grand-Mistress in the exhile (there in the UK)... From then on, I believe the order was a bit "frozen", untill the current Duchess of Bragança had decided to recover it...

feistycheese · Sep 26, 2008

Thankyou Elsa, thats actually been a great help. What I didn't know until you pointed me in the direction of this thread was that part of the insignia was a border of Roses. Thats made me really happy as my piece is surrounded by a frame of tiny interwined diamond studded roses, which only confirms my belief that this was made for a member of the order. Could you possibly tell me what the 'Queens Miracle' alludes to.

Thanks.

Chris.

Danny SR · Sep 26, 2008

feistycheese said:
Thankyou Elsa, thats actually been a great help. What I didn't know until you pointed me in the direction of this thread was that part of the insignia was a border of Roses. Thats made me really happy as my piece is surrounded by a frame of tiny interwined diamond studded roses, which only confirms my belief that this was made for a member of the order. Could you possibly tell me what the 'Queens Miracle' alludes to.

Thanks.

Chris.

Queen Isabel was well known for giveing not only money but also food to the poor. Her husband, D. Dinis, was not much in favore of her doing this, and from what I can remember he had prohibited her from doing this. One day as she was giveing a poor man some bread that she had in an apren she had around her waist. D. Dinis asked her what she was holding in there, and she told him roses. When she let go of the apron roses not bread fell to the ground. Its called the miracle of the roses.

Elsa M. · Oct 12, 2008

Here's a little article about the Real Ordem de S. Miguel da Ala:
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The Equestrean and Military Order of St. Michael of the Wing was a chivalric order established by King D. Afonso Henriques, after re-taking Santarém from the Moors, in 1147. Legend says that the batle took place on St. Michael's day (May 8th) and the Archangel would have appeared to the Christian warriors, as an armed and winged arm, to help them defeating the Moors. To commemorate this miracle, D. Afonso Henriques decided to create a chilvalric order named after the Archangel, which would become the first order of purely Portuguese origin.

Centuries later, it was recovered during the reign of King D. Miguel I, and it was officially extinct 1834, but it continued having a secret existance, during the exile. In 1848, D. Miguel obtained the recognition from Pope Pious IX, and it started to be considered a private order, aimed at the defense of the Catholic religion and the restoration of the "legitimate succession".

From then on, the Grand-Master would pass on to the successors of D. Miguel I (D. Miguel, D. Duarte Nuno and D. Duarte Pio). The Order of St. Michael of the Wing is nowadays a patriotic and catholic brotherhood, which rewards those who serve the interests of the Heir to the Throne. D. Duarte Pio is its Grand-Master and the headquarters are placed at the Church of the Holly Miracle, in Santarém.

Marengo · Oct 27, 2008

Elsa M. said:
Real Ordem de São Miguel da Ala (Royal Order of Saint Michael of the Wing):

The Military Wing of Saint Michael of the Order of Saint James was founded in 1171, by King D. Afonso I, to honor a group of knights from the Kingdom of León, who assisted him in retaking Santarém from the Moors, in 1147.

The order fell into disuse after 1733 and it was not included among the orders that were nationalized by the Portuguese Republic. However, in 1986, D. Duarte Pio declared himself as the Grand Master of the Order and, in 2001, he promulgated the statutes to govern it.

Due to the article that was posted here I wondered to whom Dom Duarte gives this order? To people who volunteered for worthwhile causes for example? Or did something extraordinairy?

Elsa M. · Oct 27, 2008

Marengo said:
Due to the article that was posted here I wondered to whom Dom Duarte gives this order? To people who volunteered for worthwhile causes for example? Or did something extraordinairy?

This order is intended to recognize those who had stood out in active service to the community and the Portuguese culture. Thus were awarded several members of the emigrant community in the U.S.A., Italy and Spain.

maidmarion · Oct 27, 2008

Elsa M. said:
This order is intended to recognize those who had stood out in active service to the community and the Portuguese culture. Thus were awarded several members of the emigrant community in the U.S.A., Italy and Spain.

I wonder if he would be able to do the same in Canada? Many who have emigrate to Canada from Portugal have brought our Portuguese community to the forefront of many large cities! Interesting, I hope he does...
mm

Elsa M. · Dec 8, 2008

Here are the links to the official website:

Real Ordem de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Vila Viçosa

The Royal Order of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa is one of the three dynastic orders of the Portuguese Royal House. It was created by King D. João VI, on February 6th 1818 (on his acclamation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The purpose of the King was to honour Our Lady of Conception (who had been crowned Queen of Portugal and Patroness of the Kingdom, by King D. João IV, in 1646), after Portugal have remained as an independent country, after the Napoleonic invasions.

The Order was to be given as a military decoration for those who had served the King and prooved to be faithful to Our Lady and the Pope.

Initially, it was limited to 12 Grand Crosses, 40 commendations and 100 knights. The Grade of Grand Cross was normally given to the members of royal families and the title of Commander to the members of the nobility who held high positions within the Court.

The insignia of the Order is constituted by a blue band with a white stripe and a medallion in form of a star surmounted by the royal crown, with a circle in the middle, where one can read the following inscription:
"VM [Virgin Mary] / Patroness of the Kingdom". The emblem was designed by the renowned Court Painter Jean Baptise Debret, in 1818.

Real Ordem de Santa Isabel

The Royal Order of Saint Isabel has its patron saint on D.ª Isabel of Aragon (1270-1336), the wife of King D. Dinis.

It was established on November 4th 1801, by the Prince Regent D. João and its first Grand Mistress was Princess D.ª Carlota Joaquina (future queen consort), who awarded the decoration to many Portuguese, Spanish and Brazilian ladies, between 1801 and 1830.

It was first Portuguese Order exclusively female and its purpose was to distinguish 26 catholic ladies, for services to the Crown and welfare initiatives, praticed in the tradition of the Holy Queen.

The insignia of the order is made up of a pink band with a white stripe in the middle and a crowned medallion decorated with a frame of golden roses. In the middle of it there is an enamel portrait of Queen Saint Isabel of Portugal, giving goods to a poor man (an allusion to the famous Miracle of the Queen Saint), and the following Latin motto: "Pauperum Solatio".

The emblem was designed by Jean Baptiste Debret in 1818, when the Portuguese Court was still in Brazil.

Real Ordem de São Miguel da Ala

The Royal Order of St. Michael of the Wing was founded in 1147 by King D. Afonso I of Portugal, to honor a group of knights of the Order of St. James, who who have come to help taking Santarém from the Moors, on May 8th 1147.

Originally, its members belonged to the Military Order of St. James and that is why it still keeps the red sword and two fleur-de-lis (representing the Cistercian Rule).

King D. Miguel I, while in the exhile, recovered the order in 1848 and since then it has been granted as decoration by his descendants. It is destined to award people of any nationality and religion, in recognition to the extraordinary contributions to the Royal House or to the cult of St. Michael Archangel, traditionally revered as Angel of Portugal and Angel of Peace.

Portugal · Jan 10, 2009

Order of Saint Michaels Wing (Portugal)

Recently D.Duarte lost the rights for using the name "Royal Order of St. Michael"

Here is the news article from Portugal
DN Online: Nuno da Câmara Pereira ganha batalha judicial a D. Duarte

What I am wondering how can someone register an ancient order which was founded by the first king of Portugal?

I would like to hear opinions.Regina's of course! :flowers:

Elsa M. · Nov 4, 2013

Recent news about this...

The dispute between Nuno da Câmara Pereira and D. Duarte Pio de Bragança has came to trial.
Two years and a half after the court has frozen more than 100 thousand euros from D. Duarte's bank account, the Commercial Court of Lisbon (TCL) will examine if the Duke of Bragança has indeed violated the court order, which forbade him to use the insignia of the order of St. Miguel.

Penhora de 100 mil euros a D. Duarte em julgamento - Sociedade - Sol

Google translation:
http://www.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF8&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsol.sapo.pt%2Finicio%2FSociedade%2FInterior.aspx%3Fcontent_id%3D89233

julliette · Nov 4, 2013

Portugal said:
Recently D.Duarte lost the rights for using the name "Royal Order of St. Michael"

Here is the news article from Portugal
DN Online: Nuno da Câmara Pereira ganha batalha judicial a D. Duarte

What I am wondering how can someone register an ancient order which was founded by the first king of Portugal?

I would like to hear opinions.Regina's of course!

That's a good question! Any opinions? I'd like to know

Elsa M. · Nov 19, 2013

Elsa M. said:
The dispute between Nuno da Câmara Pereira and D. Duarte Pio de Bragança has came to trial.

The trial has come to an end. D. Duarte won

http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/exclusivo-cm/d-duarte-ganha-batalha

halowar · Jul 17, 2014

Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa - Strange maker G. Wolfers

Hello,

I'm quite new to this hobby, collecting for 1 year mostly Romanian Orders and Medals.

Today I have stumbled upon what I think is a portuguese order of villa vicosa, but the maker is quite unusual, I really don't find a similar one.
The makers name is Belgian jeweler G.Wolfers.

The patina is there, but can you help me with more information?

Some photos:

Thank you in advance,
Sorin

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