Netherlands - Royal Order of Holland

[augustin1813]

The "Ordre Royal de Hollande" was created in 1807 by King Lodewijk (Louis Bonaparte). This order became the "Ordre Royal de l'Union" in 1808.

Miniature of a knight cross:

[augustin1813]

"Ordre Royal de l'Union":

Knight Cross:

 

[paul wood]

Thanks for showing beautiful.

Paul

 

[pieter1012]

Hi Augustin,

indeed a beautiful example of this rare and short lived order. Actually, it is the first order of the kingdom of the Netherlands. His big brother Napoleon was not pleased at all with this action of Louis Napoleon. He wrote to his brother an angry letter, part of which says "vous marcher trop legerement et trop vite. Vous creez des ordres de chevalerie, ce qui est une chose ridicule. La Legion d'honneur n'a jamais ete consideree comme un ordre de chevalerie". Clear language.

Pieter

Edited April 13, 2016 by pieter1012

[taras]

4 hours ago, pieter1012 said:

Hi Augustin,

indeed a beautiful example of this rare and short lived order. Actually, it is the first order of the kingdom of the Netherlands. His big brother Napoleon was not pleased at all with this action of Louis Napoleon. He wrote to his brother an angry letter, part of which says "vous marcher trop legerement et trop vite. Vous creez des ordres de chevalerie, ce qui est une chose ridicule. La Legion d'honneur n'a jamais ete consideree comme un ordre de chevalerie". Clear language.

Pieter

This letter is very interesting and at the same time "une chose ridicule". Napoleon wrote it (most probably) in 1807. But a few months later, at the beginning of 1808, the Knight's grade of the LH was instituted. And so La Legion d'honneur itself has become "un ordre de chevalerie"

[augustin1813]

Napoléon to Louis, Finckenstein, april 4 1807:

"Vous offrez à tout le monde vos décorations; beaucoup de personnes m'en ont écrit qui n'ont aucun titre. Je suis fâché que vous ne sentiez pas que vous manquez aux égards que vous me devez. Mon intention est que personne ne porte ces décorations chez moi, étant résolu de ne pas les porter moi-même. Si vous m'en demandez la raison, je vous répondrai que vous n'avez encore rien fait pour mériter que les hommes portent votre portrait; que d'ailleurs vous l'avez institué sans ma permission, et qu'enfin vous le prodiguez trop. Et qu'ont fait toutes les personnes qui vous entourent, auxquelles vous le donnez?"

[taras]

It sounds a little too jealous

Edited April 13, 2016 by taras

[pieter1012]

A bit off topic, but amazing that Napoleon had time for these "trivial" matters. From April till june 1807 he was headquartered in Schloss Finckenstein, East Prussia, engaged in a war with Tsar Alexander of Russia, fighting off remnants of the Prussian army, meeting with his Marshals, managing the Empire with almost daily reports from Paris, and last but not least, taking care of his mistress Marie Waleska, who was living with him in Finckenstein.

Pieter