NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 No. 20 
 
 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS OF CHIVALRY 
 AND MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 By HARROLD E. GILLINGHAM 
 
 THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY 
 BROADWAY AT 156TH STREET 
 NEW YORK 
 1923 
 
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 The American Journal of Numismatics, 
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 porary Medals. March, r910. New and 
 revised edition. New York. 1911. xxxvi, 
 412 pages, 512 illustrations. $10.00. 
 
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 1914. Vii, 134. pages, 40 plates. $1.00. 
 
NUMISMATIC 
 NOTES & MONOGRAPHS 
 
Numismatic NoTES AND MONOGRAPHS 
 is devoted to essays and treatises on sub- 
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 ITALy (SAVOY) 
 
 Order of the Most Sacred Annunciation Plaque 
 
ITALIAN ORDERS OF 
 CHIVALRY 
 
 AND 
 MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 BY 
 HARROLD E. GILLINGHAM 
 
 
 
 THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY 
 BROADWAY AT I56TH STREET 
 NEW YORK 
 
 1923 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY 
 THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY 
 
 Press oF THE Lent & GrarrF Co., New York 
 
ITALIAN ORDERS OF CHIVALRY 
 AND MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 By Harroip E. GILLINGHAM 
 
 Students have always found the coinage 
 of Italy of more than passing interest, and 
 the country of the early Romans is still a 
 far from exhausted field of numismatic re- 
 search. Few sections of Europe have had 
 such a varied history. Few have been more 
 fought over. Greeks, Romans, Vandals, 
 Goths, Franks, Germans, Normans, Span- 
 iards, Austrians and the Papal Authorities 
 have had a hand in the mismanagement of the 
 country’s affairs, and all have left traces 
 of their influence, but nowhere more defi- 
 nitely than in the field of numismatics. 
 The changing coinage has always been 
 interesting, and the publication of the Corpus 
 Nummorum Italicorum, undertaken by His 
 
 NUNEDS ATA TIC NOTES 
 
 
 
2 
 
 ITALIAN ORDER S3Ax 2 
 
 Majesty, Victor Emmanuel III, is a magnifi- 
 cent demonstration of the value of nufhis- 
 matic research. 
 
 In the time of Augustus, “Italia” was 
 divided into eleven sections. In the feudal 
 period many of these had been governed for 
 centuries by members of the same family. 
 It was a normal condition for these clans to 
 wage war one upon the other, and this state 
 of affairs existed almost uninterruptedly 
 until the middle of the Nineteenth Century. 
 “The destinies of Italy were decided in the 
 cabinets and on the battle-fields of Northern 
 Europe—a Bourbon at Versailles, a Haps- 
 burg at Vienna or a thick-lipped Lorrainer, 
 with the stroke of his pen, wrote off province 
 against province, regarding not the popula- 
 tion who had bled for him or thrown them- 
 selves upon his mercy.”’ Through it all, the 
 Papacy has exerted a powerful influence. In 
 the early period such a shifting of control was 
 not to the best interests of the inhabitants. 
 
 The Kingdom of Italy, as we know it 
 today, did not exist, of course, until 1870. 
 With the fall of the French Empire under 
 Napoleon III, the assistance of France was 
 
 NUMISMATICG NOE. 
 
MDA s OF HONOUR 
 
 no longer available, and Rome came under 
 thesdominion of Victor Emmanuel. All of 
 that gieat mountainous peninsula was 
 united and free. For over seventy years the 
 country has been governed by a Prince of the 
 House of Savoy. Its population has pros- 
 pered more during that period than for many 
 preceding centuries. 
 
 These changing conditions were not with- 
 out effect upon the organisations which we 
 class as Orders of Knighthood. Many of the 
 Orders of Chivalry founded by the Ducal or 
 Princely rulers of Italy were named for their 
 patron saints. It has seemed expedient in 
 this article to treat of the Orders and Decora- 
 tions of all of these changing principalities 
 separately. Insofar as is possible, any 
 repetition which this course involves has 
 been avoided. 
 
 Pameoeent IN €)GRAPHS 
 
 3 
 
4 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS aes 
 
 LUCCA, 
 
 Lucca, the most northern province of 
 Tuscany, lies between the Apennines and 
 the Mediterranean Sea. Its principal city, 
 Lucca, on the River Sarchio, is famous for a 
 remarkable bridge which is said to have been 
 built about tooo A.D. From the time of 
 the Narses, in the Sixth Century, Lucca was 
 an important city, Here and at Pisa, the 
 earliest Italian school of painting flourished 
 in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries. 
 Lucca became an autonomous commune 
 from the death of Matilda (1115). In 1314 
 Uguccione della Faggiola seized the reins of 
 Government, but later he was superseded 
 by the powerful Castruccio Castracani. 
 Louis of Bavaria, after having occupied it 
 by his troops, sold it to a Genoese banker, 
 Gherardo Spinola; it was seized by John, 
 King of Bohemia, pawned by him to the 
 Rossi of Parma, sold to Florence, relin- 
 quished to Pisa, nominally liberated by 
 Charles IV (Emperor of Germany, 1346- 
 1678) and governed by his vicar. Lucca, 
 
 NUMISMATIC NG 
 
 
 
Maria OL HONOUR 
 
 subjected to endless vicissitudes, managed 
 first as a democracy and after 1628 as an 
 oligarchy, to maintain its independence, 
 alongside of Venice and Genoa, and painted 
 the word “Libertas” on its banner until the 
 French Revolution. In 1805, Napoleon I 
 gave Lucca to his sister Eliza, who had 
 married Bacciochi. It was occupied by 
 the Neapolitans in 1814, and from 1816 to 
 1847 it was the Duchy of Maria Louisa of 
 Parma (who married her cousin, Charles IV 
 of Spain), and was ruled by her son, Charles 
 Louis. It later formed one of the provinces 
 of Tuscany. Under the rule of the Lombard 
 Dukes, Lucca possessed a coinage of its own. 
 
 MILITARY ORDER OF SAINT GEORGE 
 OF LUCCA. Duke Charles Louis Ferdi- 
 nand, a Spanish Bourbon, founded this 
 Order on June 1, 1833. It was called Ordine 
 dit San Giorgio per il Merito Militare, and 
 was awarded for military services to the 
 Duchy. It was also issued to officers and 
 privates whose service exceeded three years. 
 
 The Decoration is a Maltese cross, enam- 
 elled white. It is edged with gold for the 
 
 NEO vl ONO GRAPHS 
 
 5 
 
ITALIAN ORD 
 
 first class, with silver for the second, while 
 for the third class it is silver without the 
 enamel. In the centre is a white medallion, 
 upon which there is a gold figure of St. 
 George slaying the dragon, surrounded by 
 the words AL MERITO MILITARE ona 
 green band. The reverse shows the initials 
 of the founder, C.L., crowned, and the date 
 1833. The ribbon is bright red with a white 
 stripe. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT LOUIS. Founded 
 on December 22, 1836, by Duke Charles 
 
 Louis, and awarded for civil merit. It was 
 reorganized in 1849 by his son, Charles III, 
 Duke of Parma, a Bourbon, for Civil and 
 Military service; it is, therefore, classed 
 with the Orders of Parma also. See page 19. 
 
 The badge of the first class is a white- 
 enamelled cross, with heavy gold lines and 
 with a large fleur-de-lis at the tip of each 
 cross-arm. The obverse bears a shield upon 
 which is an effigy of Saint Louis in golden 
 armour; the reverse has a shield bearing the 
 Bourbon crest of three lilies. The second 
 class cross is of silver and white enamel, 
 
 NUMISMA TiC h Gio 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS 
 
 
 
 PARMA 
 Order of Saint Louis 
 
 
 
ITALIAN, ORDERG = 
 
 while the third is all silver but without the 
 crown. The ribbon is blue with a yellow 
 stripe on either side. 
 
 MEDAL FOR MILITARY SERVICE: 
 Created on June 1, 1833, for officers who had 
 served over thirty years, and called the 
 Medaglia di Anzianita. The obverse bears 
 a gilt Maltese cross with the initials C.L. and 
 a crown above; on the reverse are the Roman 
 figures XX X, denoting the years of service. 
 The ribbon is blue, with yellow stripes— 
 four of the former and three of the latter. 
 
 CIVIL MEDAL OF MERIT. This Dec- 
 oration was also instituted by Duke Charles 
 Louis. It is of silver and bronze. The 
 initials of the founder, C.L. intertwined, ap- 
 pear on the obverse, and the reverse has 
 inscribed theteon the words, AT BENEM E- 
 RITI DELLA SALUTE PUBBLICA: 
 
 NUMISMA TLC Nea 
 
 
 
Mew AES OF HONOUR 
 
 MODENA. 
 
 In 183 B.C. Mutina, as Modena was then 
 called, wasa Roman colony. For more than 
 twelve centuries there were constantly 
 changing rulers. In 1288 A.D. Obizzo II 
 (1240-1293), of the princely house of Este, 
 received the lordship of Modena. The 
 Este family was one of the oldest of North- 
 ern Italy, dating back to about 917 A.D. 
 Through the marriage of an heiress of the 
 house of Welf, of Bavaria, with a younger 
 son of the house of Este, this family became 
 connected with the houses of Brunswick 
 and Hanover, from which are descended the 
 Sovereigns of England, through the house of 
 Guelph. At various periods, the Estensi 
 received the sovereignties of Ferrara, Modena 
 and Reggio. The male branch of the family 
 lost the duchies of Modena and Reggio on 
 the death of Hercules Rinaldo, who died in 
 1803. His only daughter, Maria, married 
 Ferdinand of Austria, son of Francis I and 
 Maria Theresa. Their son, Francis IV, in 
 1816 became the first Hapsburg duke of 
 
 Peewee NO GRAPHS 
 
 a 
 
IO 
 
 ITALIAN ORD 
 
 Modena. He died in 1846, and when his 
 son Francis V died in 1875, the male line of 
 the Austrian Estensi became extinct and the 
 title passed to Francis, son of Archduke 
 Charles Louis. Members of the Este family 
 and their descendants had held the Duchy 
 of Modena almost continuously from 1288 
 until 1860. In that year the territory by 
 a plebescite was declared part of the King- 
 dom of Italy. 
 
 ORDER OF THE EAGLE OF ESTE. 
 Founded by Francis V on December 27, 
 1855, and awarded for military and civil 
 merit. The number of the members of the 
 Order was limited to 20 for the Grand Cross, 
 40 for the Commander Class and 120 for the 
 Class of the Knights. The decoration was 
 surrendered on the death of the Knight. 
 The insignia is a gold Maltese cross with 
 gold knobs at the points, white-enamelled 
 and edged with blue. Between the arms of 
 the cross are gold scrolls, and the letters 
 E.S.T.E. are distributed in the angles. On 
 the blue medallion is the white-crowned 
 eagle of the house of Este, surrounded by a 
 
 NUM ISM Tila a. 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS 
 
 Pe 
 
 
 
 MopENA 
 Order of the Eagle of Este 
 
 dL 
 

 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS Aa 
 
 
 
 
 white-enamelled band, inscribed PROXIMA 
 SOLI MDCCCLV. ‘The reverse centre of 
 white enamel bears the figure of Saint Con- 
 tardo holding a cross. It is surrounded by 
 a blue-enamelled band bearing three stars 
 and inscribed S. CONTARDUS ATESTI-~ 
 NUS. The ribbon is white, edged with blue 
 stripes. When awarded for military merit, 
 the cross is surmounted by a trophy of arms; 
 for civil merit, by an oak wreath. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MILITARY MEDAL FOR EOYARTY. 
 Francis IV, the first Hapsburg duke of Mo- 
 dena (1816-1846), caused a medal to be struck 
 and awarded to those of his troops who re- 
 
 -mained faithful during the riot of February 
 4, 1831. This disturbance was organized 
 by Ciro Menotti, and forced Francis IV to 
 flee from his capital. It was thought by 
 some that the Duke was in league with 
 Menotti, but as the Duke caused Menotti 
 
 to be put to death when the Revolution was 
 suppressed, this is doubtful. The silver 
 medal given to his supporting troops bears 
 the inscription epee 
 MDCCCXXXI. Within a wreath of laurel, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NUMISMA IEG 
 
Peo HONOUR 
 
 and below are two crossed swords. The 
 reverse is inscribed FRA NCISCUS IV DUX 
 MUTINAE. The ribbon has three stripes, 
 equal in width; the middle one white, the 
 side ones blue. 
 
 CROSS FOR SERVICE. Authorized by 
 Francis V, May 16, 1852. This medal was 
 awarded to officers who had served 25 years 
 under the banner of the house of Este. It 
 is a silver cross with a gilt edge. In the 
 centre is the white eagle of Este, surmounted 
 by a crown and the letters F.V. The reverse 
 bears the Roman figures X XV. °» The cross 
 is surmounted by the ducal crown, and the 
 ribbon is white, edged with blue. 
 
 MILITARY MEDAL OF MERIT. This 
 decoration was created in 1852 for the junior 
 officers and privates. It is silver. On the 
 obverse appears a bust of the duke facing 
 left, and the legend FRANCESCO V DUCA 
 DI MODENA EC. EC. ARCIDUCA D’AUS- 
 TRIA ESTE EC. EC. On the reverse, within 
 alaurel wreath,PEL MERITO MILITARE. 
 
 The ribbon is blue, edged with white. 
 
 Pees! ON O:GRAP-HS 
 
 13 
 
 
 
ITALIAN OR Die 
 
 MEDAL OF FIDELITY. Francis V ap- 
 pears to have been in a struggle with his 
 subjects during most of the thirteen years 
 of his reign. He was compelled to seek 
 refuge in Austria in 1840, but he returned to 
 Modena after the battle of Novara on March 
 24th of the same year. Ten years later he 
 was again forced to flee. In 1860 Modena 
 became part of United Italy. To reward 
 those of his subjects who had remained 
 faithful to him during his exile, he created 
 the Medal of Fidelity in 1863. It is bronze, 
 32mm. in diameter. On the obverse it bears 
 the effigy of the duke and the inscription 
 FRANCESCO: V AUST) ATES ayes 
 DUX MUTINAE; on the reverse, the 
 words FIDELITATI ET CONSTANTIAE 
 IN ADVERSIS MDCCCLXIII, surrounded 
 by a wreath of oak leaves. The ribbon is of 
 blue and white horizontal stripes, edged with 
 
 blue and white. 
 
 NUMISMADT Gant 
 
 
 
PMeeseVeslaeOF HONOUR 
 
 PARMA. 
 
 Parma was the Eastern section of Gallia 
 Cispadane at the time of Constantine. It 
 lies in the Lombard plain, north of the 
 Apennines, south of the River Po and west 
 of Modena. For the first fifteen centuries 
 of the Christian era, the many rulers of 
 Parma were of various nationalities. The 
 duchy came into the possession of the Far- 
 nese family during the early part of the Six- 
 teenth Century. Eight dukes of that family 
 ruled over the destinies of its people. From 
 Antonio, who died childless in 1731, the 
 duchy passed to Charles of Bourbon (Don 
 Carlos), Infante of Spain, who became King 
 of Naples in 1735. Both Austria and Spain 
 governed it at varicus times. At the Con- 
 gress of Vienna in 1815, the duchy was 
 granted to Marie-Louise (daughter of Fran- 
 cis I of Austria), second wife of Napoleon I. | 
 She died in 1847. Spanish and Austrian 
 rulers again came into possession. Charles 
 III, a Bourbon and the grandson of Victor 
 Emmanuel I of Sardinia, reigned from 1849 
 
 AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 
 
16 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS 
 
 until his assassination in 1854. In 1860, 
 during the regency of his son Robert, Parma 
 was incorporated in the Kingdom of Italy. 
 
 ORDER OF CONSTANTINE. Authori- 
 ties differ with regard to the date of the insti- 
 tution of this Order. It has been said that 
 it was founded by Constantine the Great 
 about the year 313 A.D. Others give credit 
 to the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II (Isaac 
 Angelus Comnenus), and fix the year as 
 1190. This seems the more probable date. 
 The Order is also called the Order of Saint 
 Angelus, the Order of the Golden Chevaliers, 
 and the Military Order of Constantine of 
 Saint George, it being under the patronage 
 of that Saint and Martyr. Late in the 
 Seventeenth Century its control appears to 
 have been sold to Francis I (Francis of 
 Farnese), Duke of Parma, who became the 
 
 Grand Master. The Order came into high 
 
 repute because of the rules he observed in its 
 distribution, and also because of the large 
 domains he conferred upon it, including the 
 church of the Madonna della Steccata at Par- 
 ma. Clark attributes its revival to Charles V. 
 
 NUMISMATTIOCsN OG Te 
 
Pees Or HONOUIR 
 
 In 1734 or 1735, after the extinction of the 
 male line of the Farnese family, the heir 
 to the Duchy of Parma, Infante Don Carlos 
 (son of Philip V of Spain and Elizabeth Far- 
 nese), became the Grand Master. He trans- 
 ferred the Order to Naples when he ascended 
 that throne. It was abolished in Naples 
 by Joseph Bonaparte in 1806 but continued 
 in Sicily. Revived in 1814, it remained in 
 existence until the unification of Italy. 
 Owing to its transfer to Sicily, it is fre- 
 quently classed among the Orders of the Two 
 Sicilies. The members of the Order consist 
 of Senators, Commanders, Knights, Serving- 
 brothers and Squires. 
 
 On August 8, 1922, the Count d’Caserta 
 of the Austrian line of Bourbons, and a dis- 
 tant cousin of the King of Italy through the 
 female line, honoured one Michael Cangiano, 
 the official Interpreter of the Superior Court 
 of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Signor Can- 
 giano was made a Knight of the Order of 
 Constantine of Saint George of Parma and 
 of Sicily. This indicates that the Order 
 has been continued as a Family Order by the 
 old rulers of those Duchies. 
 
 eee ey N: OC) GR AvP HS 
 
 17 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pi, obs. 
 
 Pe 
 x 
 S 
 Sy 
 Be 
 S 
 ™ 
 a 
 ‘a 
 
 
 
 PARMA 
 
 Order of Constantine 
 
MEAS OF HONOUR 
 
 The insignia is a red-enamelled gold cross, 
 fleury. On the arms are the letters J.H.S.V. 
 (In hoc signo vinces). In the centre is the 
 Labarum, or Standard. Greek letters X 
 and P crossed,and A (Alpha) and 2 (Omega). 
 Harold Bayley, in his book entitled Lost 
 Language of Symbelism, Londou, 1913, 
 writes,—‘‘The Latin P has the same form as 
 the Greek letter named Rho. One of the most 
 famous emblems of early Christianity— 
 known as the Labarum, the seal of Con- 
 stantine, or the Chi-Rho monogram—is the 
 letter X surmounted by a P. The two letters 
 Chi and Rho are assumed to read Chr, a 
 contraction for the name Christ, but the 
 symbol was in use long ages prior to Chris- 
 tianity.”’ The first class members of the 
 Order wear a gold figure of Saint George 
 slaying the dragon, suspended from the 
 cross. The ribbon is light blue moiré. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT LOUIS. Charles ITI, 
 Duke of Parma, revived this order at Parma, 
 August 11, 1849, as an award of merit. His 
 father Charles Louis (or Charles II) had 
 originated the order in Lucca in 1836. ‘There 
 
 Oe ON OGRAPHS 
 
 19 
 
ITALIAN ORDER 
 
 are five classes and the insignia is a cross, 
 composed of four fleurs-de-lis, bound together 
 by their leaves. On the centre of the 
 obverse in a blue-enamelled shield are three 
 gold lilies. On the reverse is a figure of 
 St. Louis, surrounded by the motto DEUS 
 ET DIES (God and light). The Grand 
 Cross and that for Commanders and Cava- 
 liers of the first class have a gold figure of 
 St. Louis surmounted by a gold crown. The 
 cross for the second class Cavaliers has a 
 silver figure with a silver crown, and the 
 fifth class is of enamelled silver without a 
 
 crown. The ribbon is light blue and yellow. 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT. Founded during 
 the reign of Marie Louise, 1815-1847. Marie 
 Louise was the mother of the Little King 
 of Rome who, fortunately for Italy, never 
 reigned. The medal is: Silver; \2o smm- 
 and bears on the obverse, AJ BENEM ER- 
 ENTI DEL PRINCIPE EH DPEITO3 72. 
 On the reverse is the head of Marie Louise 
 and the inscription, M@. LOUIS ARCID. D. D. 
 AUSTRIA DUCA DI PARMA PIAZ. E. 
 GU AST. Theribbonislight blueand light red. 
 
 NUM ISM A PIC Oe. 
 
 
 

 
 creas Or HONOUR 
 
 SAN MARINO. 
 
 When Marinus, the Dalmatian monk, 
 and his companions settled in the Eastern 
 Apennines, in the third century, they little 
 thought they were establishing a community 
 with such a future. For a long time San 
 Marino was something like a buffer state, 
 between hostile Italian dynasties in that 
 vicinity. In 1631, the Independence of San 
 Marino was acknowledged by the States of 
 the Church. Napoleon I preserved its sep- 
 arate existence in 1797, and Napoleon III 
 protected it from the designs of Pope Pius 
 IX in 1854. At the unification of Italy, 
 1859-1860, San Marino was still allowed its 
 independence, and today it is the smallest 
 Republic in Europe. 
 
 ORDER OF CHIVALRY OF SAN MA- 
 RINO. Sometimes called the Equestrian 
 Order of San Marino, created on August 13, 
 1859, by the Council of the Republic, in 
 commemoration of the fifteenth century of 
 its foundation. The purpose of its founda- 
 
 pee ey) ON OG R-A PHS 
 
 Zt 
 
ITALIAN DECGRALIONS by ee 
 
 
 
 SAN MARINO 
 
 Order of Chivalry of San Marino 
 
heat OF HONOUR 
 
 tion was to reward those who were promi- 
 nent in the welfare of the country and its 
 people. There are five grades: Grand 
 Crosses, Grand Officers, Commanders, Off- 
 cers and Chevaliers. The badge or cross, 
 which is surmounted by a gold crown, is a 
 gold-edged, white-enamelled cross moline 
 with a gold ball at the end of eacharm. Be- 
 tween the arms are four gold towers. The 
 obverse centre bears the effigy of Saint 
 Marino to left, surrounded by a blue band, 
 inscribed SAN MARINO PROTETTORE. 
 The reverse bears on a gold shield, in the cen- 
 tre, the arms of the country—the three 
 towers. The shield is surrounded by a blue 
 band bearing the words MERITO CIVILE 
 E MILITARE. The ribbon is of seven 
 equal stripes, four of blue and three of white. 
 
 The writer has four specimens of this cross. 
 Two have full-faced busts of San Marino, 
 with white hair and beard. One has a 
 younger face to the left, with black beard 
 and hair, while the fourth has a bust in gold, 
 facing to the left, but on a white-enamelled 
 field. Two of the specimens bear on the 
 reverse MERITO CIVILE. Elvin and 
 
 PENeveevE ONO GRAPHS 
 
 23 
 
ITALIAN ORDERS Aap 
 
 Lawrence-Archer give the inscription as 
 “Merito Militare,’ while the Catalogue 
 Musée de l’ Armée has it “Merito Civile.” 
 Cappelletti and Puca, the Italian authori- 
 ties, give the former wording, and the figure 
 of San Marino facing to the left; and this, 
 no doubt, is correct. 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT. Instituted on 
 March 22, 1860. ‘This is octagonal in form 
 and of gold, silver and bronze, according to 
 the importance of its award. In the centre 
 of the obverse is the Arms of the Republic, 
 the three towers, within an oak and laurel 
 wreath, below which is the word LIBERTAS; |. 
 around this is, REPUBBLICA DI SAN 
 MARINO. On the reverse, within an oak 
 wreath, is the word A NZIA NITA if the pur- 
 pose of the reward is military, or MERITO, 
 if for civil award. The ribbon is light blue, 
 edged with red. 
 
 NUMISMAIT GG 
 
 
 

 
 Meals OF HONOUR 
 
 SARDINIA, SAVOY AND THE 
 KINGDOM OF ITALY. 
 
 Sardinia, one of the islands of the King- 
 dom of Italy, is known to have been settled 
 by the Carthaginians in 512 B.C. Thence- 
 forward Romans, Vandals, Goths, Saracens, 
 and the Genoese ruled the island. In the 
 year 1325 A.D, the king of Aragon took pos- 
 session. From that time until 1403 Sardinia 
 was an Aragonese province. After the union 
 of Aragon and Castile, it became Spanish 
 and so remained until 1713, when it was 
 ceded to Austria by the treaty of Utrecht. 
 In 1720 it was given to Victor Amadeus II 
 (1666-1732), Duke of Savoy, in exchange for 
 the island of Sicily, and he became King of 
 Sardinia; the title of King of Savoy was con- 
 ferred upon him the same year. This title 
 of King of Sardinia and Savoy continued 
 until the unification of Italy in 1859-1860. 
 
 MEDAL OF VALOUR. Created in 1793 
 
 by Victor Amadeus III (1727-1796), King of 
 Sardinia. It is of gold and silver, 38 mm. 
 
 peeve ON OG RA P-H'S 
 
 25 
 

 
 26 
 
 ITALIAN © RODE 
 
 in diameter, and bears on the obverse a 
 bust of the king facing to right and V7TTO- 
 RIO-AMADEUS III. The reverse has a 
 wreath of oak leaves, within which is a tro- 
 phy of arms and flags, and the words AL 
 VALORE. The ribbon is dark blue. 
 About 1404 Amadeus VIII, (the first Duke 
 of Savoy), extended his provinces. The 
 territory over which he later reigned extend- 
 ed from the Lake of Geneva to the Mediter- 
 ranean Sea, and from the River Saone (in 
 France) to the River Sesia in Italy. The 
 Duchy of Savoy also included Nice. This 
 section remained almost continually in the 
 possession of the house of Savoy until 1860. 
 It is said that Napoleon III had a secret 
 treaty with Count Cavour, the Italian states- 
 man, before the French army went to assist 
 the Sardinians to drive the Austrians from 
 Northern Italy. At the Peace table, Savoy, 
 
 the cradle of the house of that name, as well 
 
 as Nice, was given to France. Of this set- 
 tlement, Garibaldi is reported to have said, 
 “That man (Cavour) has made me a foreigner 
 in my own house.”’ 
 
 Inasmuch as the Kingdom of Italy has 
 
 NUMISMATLIG 3G 
 
MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 been ruled by princes of the house of Savoy, 
 it seems proper to describe, in the subsequent 
 pages, the decorations generally known as 
 Italian Orders of Chivalry and Medals of 
 Distinction. 
 
 ORDER OF THE MOST SACRED 
 ANNUNCIATION. This Order is the high- 
 est in rank and most important of all the 
 Italian Decorations. It ranks with the 
 Golden Fleece of Spain and the Garter of 
 England. Authorities differ as to its origin, 
 though many of them give the year 1362 as 
 the date of its foundation. In that year, 
 the Order of the Neck Chain or Order of the 
 Collar of Savoy was founded by Amadeus 
 VI, Count Verde of Savoy (1333-1383). His 
 grandfather, Amadeus V, called the Great, 
 assisted the Knights of the Order of Saint 
 John of Jerusalem at Rhodes, and compelled 
 the Turks, under Mahomet II, to abandon 
 their siege of that island in 1310 or, as some 
 state, in 1315. For this service Amadeus V 
 was presented with a collar, bearing the let- 
 ters F.E.R.T. Fortitudo ejus Rhodum tent 
 (By his bravery Rhodes was held). He 
 
 Pow soavi-OuN-O GRA PHS 
 
 27 
 
28 
 
 ITALIAN ORED Res 
 
 was also granted for his Arms, the use of 
 the white cross of the Crusaders, which later 
 became the Cross of Savoy (H. W. Finch- 
 am’s “Order of St. John of Jerusalem in 
 England’’). Although authorities differ as 
 to the exact meaning of these letters 
 F.E.R.T., the above is the more generally 
 accepted explanation, and is that given by 
 Bernardo Giustinian, the Italian authority, 
 in 1692. In 1518, new statutes were formu- 
 lated for the Order by Charles III, Count of 
 Savoy. At that time the name was changed 
 to the Order of the Most Sacred Annuncia- 
 tion. Several changes in the Order have 
 been made by various Counts of Savoy since 
 that time, among whom were Victor Emman- 
 uel IJ in 1869 and Humbert I in 1889. There 
 is but one class of Members—Chevaliers or 
 Knights, whose number, exclusive of the 
 Sovereign and Church Dignitaries and 
 Princes, is limited. They must also be of 
 the Roman Catholic faith. The insignia 
 consists of a gold medallion on which is a 
 representation of the Annunciation, above 
 which is a dove, symbolising the Holy Spirit. 
 This is surrounded by a group of symbolic 
 
 NUMISMATTC NO 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Prev 
 
 
 
 ITALY (SAVOY) 
 
 Order of the Most Sacred Annunciation 
 

 
 See 
 ee ———_— 
 
 [ITALTAN § ORS Tks 
 
 knots of ribbon (/acs d@’amour), on which are 
 numerous roses, a possible reference to the 
 Mystic Rose. The whole is suspended from 
 a gold chain, composed of alternate knots of 
 ribbon and roses, with the letters F.E.R.T. 
 interwoven. The plaque, or star, is similar 
 to the badge, surrounded by eight rays of 
 flame, with the letters F.E.R.T. on the sides. 
 The ribbon is blue moiré. (Frontispiece. ) 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE AND 
 SAINT LAZARUS. The Order of St. Mau- 
 rice was instituted in 1434, at Ripaille, 
 near the lake of Geneva, by Amadeus VIII 
 (1383-1450), Count and first Duke of Savoy. 
 The Order took its name from the patron 
 saint of Savoy. Amadeus VIII conferred 
 this Order on ten of his courtiers when they 
 accompanied him to his retreat at the priory 
 of Ripaille. He was elected Pope in 14309, 
 taking the name of Felix V, but he resigned 
 in 1448 and retired to the solitude of Ripaille, 
 where he died in 1450. He is buried at 
 Lausanne. Shortly after his death, the Or- 
 der became dormant. It was revived in 
 
 NUMISMA DiC Ne ts 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Prasy i 
 
 
 
 ITALy (SAVOY) 
 Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus 
 
32 
 
 ITALIAN ORD 
 
 1572 by Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, 
 to encourage the Catholics to resist the Cal- 
 vinistic reforms attempted in Savoy. The 
 Dukes of Savoy were Grand Masters. 
 
 The Order of Saint Lazarus was gen- 
 erally supposed to have been founded about 
 the year 1060, during the earlier crusades, 
 although there was a Fraternity of Ecclesias- 
 tical Knights who as early as 366 A.D. 
 founded a hospital at Jerusalem to care for 
 the lepers. These were known as the 
 Knights of St. Lazarus. Elias Ashmole, 
 in his ‘History of the most noble Order of 
 the Garter,” London, 1715, writes—‘‘At 
 length, through the incursion of the Barba- 
 rians, and Injury of Time, it (the order) 
 lay extinguished, but was revived when the 
 Latin Princes joyned in a Holy League to 
 recover the Holy Land. ... For in that 
 Time the Monks of this Order added Martial 
 Discipline to their Skill in Physick; and for 
 their Services against the Infidels, begat a 
 great Esteem from Baldwin II, King of 
 Jerusalem, and some of his Successors.” 
 The Order was inactive for a long period. 
 
 NUMIS MA ELGN DO 
 
MEOW ALTS OF HONOUR 
 
 In 1490 it was united with the Hospitallers 
 of St. John at Rhodes, but in 1565 Pope Pius 
 IV restored it and granted additional privi- 
 leges. In September, 1572, Pope Gregory 
 XIII, at the request of Emmanuel Philibert, 
 Duke of Savoy, restored the Order of Saint 
 Maurice and united it with that of St. Laz- 
 arus, under the title of the ORDER OF 
 SAINT MAURICE AND SAINT LAZARUS. 
 Pope Gregory XIII also appointed the Dukes 
 of Savoy Hereditaries and Masters, and as 
 Ashmole writes—‘‘oblig’d them to furnish 
 out two Gallies for the Service of the Papal 
 See, to be employ’d against Pyrates.”’ 
 
 There have been many changes in the Or- 
 der by the various sovereigns, but at present 
 there are five grades: Knights of the Grand 
 Cross, Grand Officers, Commanders, Officers 
 and Chevaliers. The number of the last 
 grade is unlimited. Many foreigners have 
 been decorated with this grade. The pres- 
 ent form of decoration was established by 
 Duke Charles Emmanuel I (1562-1630). The 
 badge consists of a white-enamelled cross, 
 treflée, of St. Maurice, conjoined at the 
 
 Pea Deen ON OG RA PHS 
 
 AS) 
 
 
 
34 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 angles with the green Maltese cross of St. 
 Lazarus, which is ball-tipped at the points. 
 The badges of the four higher grades are sur- | 
 mounted by a Royal crown, the size of the 
 cross and of the crown indicating the par- 
 ticular grade. It is suspended by a bright 
 green watered ribbon. The eight-rayed star 
 of the Order is silver. In the centre is a 
 reproduction of the badge or cross, without 
 the crown. 
 
 MEDAL OF SAINT MAURICE. _Insti- 
 tuted for Military services by King Charles 
 
 Albert,’ King of Sardinia, on July 10, 1830. 
 It was intended as further recognition of 
 those officials who had received the cross of 
 the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, 
 and who had served under the flag “‘per Ja 
 duratt di diect lustri’”’ (lustri meaning a five 
 
 year enlistment, and dieci lustri, therefore, 
 fifty years). The Medal is gold, bearing on 
 the obverse the equestrian figure of the pa- 
 tron saint of Savoy, St. Maurice, holding the 
 flag of the Order in his right hand. Around 
 this are the words S. MAURIZIO PRO- 
 
 NUMISMA TDL GN Olas 
 
 
 
Miwa Ss Or HONOUR 35 
 
 TETTORE DELLE NOSTRE ARMI. The 
 reverse is inscribed as below, 
 AL CAVALIERE 
 MAURIZIANO 
 Peel aL RI 
 NELLA CARRIERA 
 MILITARE 
 BENEMERITO 
 space being reserved for the name of the 
 recipient. There are two sizes of the medal. 
 The larger, 55 mm. in diameter, is for Gen- 
 erals or Admirals who had received the 
 higher decoration ef the Order of St. Maurice 
 and St. Lazarus, and the smaller, 39 mm., 
 for officers who had received the lower grades 
 of the same Order. ‘The ribbon is green, the 
 same as for the Order. 
 
 ROYAL MILITARY ORDER OF SAVOY. 
 Founded at Genoa, on August 14, 1815, by 
 Victor Emmanuel I (1759-1824). Its pur- 
 pose was to reward acts of valour and 
 magnanimity. The Order was modified on 
 September 28, 1855, by Victor Emmanuel 
 II, later king of Italy, who also changed the 
 
 MNO MONOGRAPHS 
 
 
 
lLTALTANSORSP ire 
 
 decoration to the present form. ‘There are 
 five classes: Knights of the Grand Cross, 
 Grand Officers, Commanders, Officers and 
 Chevaliers. The cross, which is white- 
 enamelled with curvilinear tips, is edged with 
 gold. It rests upon a wreath of laurel 
 leaves. On the red background of the medal- 
 lion is the white cross of Savoy, around 
 which on a circular band are the words AL 
 MERITO MILITARE. The reverse medal- 
 lion of red enamel has two crossed swords, 
 points up, above which is the date 1855, and 
 on either side, the initials V. E. The cross 
 of the first three classes is surmounted by 
 a Royal crown, that of the fourth class bya 
 trophy of flags and arms, while the fifth class 
 cross has but the suspension ring. The ribbon 
 is blue moiré, with a red band in the centre. 
 
 The star, which is of silver, has eight rays; 
 in the centre is a duplication of the obverse of 
 the decoration, without the crown. Prior 
 to 1855, the star or plaque bore the motto 
 AL MERITO ED AL VALORE. 
 
 CIVIL ORDER OF SAVOY. Founded at 
 Turin, on October 29, 1831, by Charles 
 
 NUMIS MAW TOS tae 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS 
 
 ITALY (SAVOY) 
 
 Military Order of Savoy 
 
 
 
38 
 
 ITALIANO RD kes 
 
 Albert (1798-1849), King of Sardinia and 
 Savoy. During most of his reign of eighteen 
 years, he was at war with Austria. Follow- 
 ing the revolution of 1848 in France, he 
 began war for the Independence of Italy 
 but was compelled to abdicate in 18409 after 
 his defeat by the Austrians at Novara. The 
 object of the Order was to reward ‘those of 
 other professions, not less useful than that of 
 the army, who have become through long and 
 profound study the ornaments of the State to 
 which they have rendered important service.’ 
 
 There is but one class to the Order, known 
 as Knights, and it is seldom conferred on 
 foreigners. The decoration is a light blue 
 Savoy cross edged with gold. The medallion 
 on the obverse is white with a gold rim; in 
 the centre are the intials of the founder, 
 C. A. The reverse las) Aveo 
 CIVILE 1831, in gold lettering on a white 
 field, on the centre medallion. The moiré 
 ribbon is of three equal stripes—light blue 
 with white either side. 
 
 ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY: 
 Created on February 20, 1868, by Victor 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOS 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Preiwil) 
 
 %: 
 
 
 
 ITALy (sAvoy) 
 
 Civil Order of Savoy 
 
ITALIAN “Offre 
 
 Emmanuel IT (1820-1878), the first King of 
 United Italy, to commemorate the annexa- 
 tion of Venice to that kingdom. This is 
 sometimes called the Order of the Iron 
 Crown. Doubtless the origin of the name 
 arose from the fact that at the coronation 
 of Agilif, King of the Lombards (592-615), 
 a crown was used, composed of gold and 
 precious stones, inset with a band of iron 
 which was said to have been forged from a 
 nail of the true Cross. ‘Tradition says that 
 this crown was kept in the Cathedral of 
 Monza and removed to Mantua in 1859. 
 When Napoleon I became King of Italy in 
 1805, it is said he was crowned with this 
 crown. The Order of the Iron Crown of 
 Italy, founded by Napoleon I in 1805, was 
 abolished in 1814, although revived in 
 Austria in 1816 by Francis I as the Austrian 
 Order of the Iron Crown. 
 
 The first distribution of the Order of 
 the Crown of Italy, as founded by King 
 Victor Emmanuel II, occurred on April 
 22, 1868, when the heir-apparent, Humbert, 
 married Princess Marguerite of Savoy. 
 There are five classes of the Order—Grand 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
 
 
PTACLAN 
 
 DECORATIONS 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 Order of the Crown of Italy 
 
 PR 
 
 IX 
 
ITALIAN ORD 
 
 Cordons, Grand Officers, Commanders, 
 Officers and Knights. The grade of Knight 
 or Chevalier is frequently conferred on 
 foreigners. The insignia is a white-enam- 
 elled cross-pattee edged with gold, and 
 convex, with knots of gold cord connecting 
 the arms. In the blue-enamelled medallion 
 is a gold crown. On the reverse medallion 
 is the crowned eagle of Savoy. On its 
 breast is a red shield, bearing the white cross 
 of Savoy. The ribbon is of red with a white 
 stripe in the centre. The star of the order, 
 for the highest grade, is of eight silver rays, 
 on the centre of which is a gold crown on 
 blue field, encircled by a white band, in- 
 scribed VICTORIUS EMMANUEL II 
 REX ITALIAE MDCCCLXVI. This device 
 is surmounted by a crowned eagle bearing the 
 Arms of Savoy onits breast. The star of the 
 Grand Officer is an eight-pointed silver star, 
 on which is a reproduction of the Cross. 
 
 ORDER OF INDUSTRY. By a decree of 
 May 9, 1901, Victor Emmanuel III created 
 a Decoration called the “Cavalieri del 
 Lavoro” (Knights of Industry). It is 
 
 NUMISMA DiCGeN 
 
 
 
Moos OF HONOUR 
 
 awarded to those prominent or proficient in 
 the Industrial, Commercial or Agricultural 
 work of the Kingdom or of its Colonies. 
 The decoration consists of a green-enamelled 
 Savoy cross, edged with gold. On the 
 obverse is a white medallion, bearing the 
 words AL MERITO/DEL/LA VORO/1901 
 
 The reverse medallion bears the initials of the 
 founder, V. E., ingold ona white field. The rib- 
 bon is dark green with a red stripe in the cen- 
 tre. There is but one class to this order, andits 
 award carries with it no particular privileges. 
 
 COLONIAL ORDER OF THE STAR OF 
 ITALY. Founded in tg11t by King Victor 
 Emmanuel III. Its purpose was to reward 
 those deserving of especial recognition who 
 were prominent in the work of the Colonies. 
 There are five classes to the Order: Knights 
 of the Grand Cross, Grand Officers, Com- 
 manders, Officers and Chevaliers. The 
 decoration consists of a white-enamelled 
 star of five points, edged with gold and ball- 
 tipped. On the obverse medallion of red, 
 is the gold monogram (V. E.) of the founder, 
 with crown above. A green-enamelled circle 
 
 
 
 Pare een ONO GRAPHS 
 
 43 
 
ITAL TA NOR 
 
 has at the bottom of iC 7771, Gn ine 
 reverse red medallion are the words AL/ 
 MERITO/COLONIALE in gold letters. 
 The ribbon is red, with narrow white and 
 green bands on either side. All grades of 
 the star have a crown above, except that of 
 Chevalier, which is plain. The plaque, 
 which is worn by the first and second classes 
 only, consists of thirty-five silver rays, on 
 which is the uncrowned star described above. 
 
 MILITARY CROSS FOR SERVICE. 
 On November 8, 1900, Victor Emmanuel 
 III authorized a cross for long and faithful 
 service, called the ‘‘Croce per anzianita di 
 servizio Militare.” It is of gold for Officers, 
 and of silver for the troops. The decoration 
 is a Maltese cross; on the obverse, a medallion 
 bearing the Royal cipher V E crowned, and 
 on the reverse Roman characters, denoting 
 years of service—XXV for the Officers and 
 XVI for the troops. If the officers have 
 served forty years and the troops twenty-five 
 years, the Roman characters vary accordingly, 
 and the cross has a crownabove. Theribbonis 
 green, with a wide white stripe in the centre. 
 
 
 
 NUM DS MAGIC oeies 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Ese ee 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 Colonial Order of the Star of Italy 
 

 
 ITALIA NS Osea 
 
 MILITARY MEDAL OF VALOUR. As 
 early as 1793, during the war between Pied- 
 mont and France, Victor Amadeus III, 
 King of Sardinia (1727-17096), created a 
 Medal of Valour. This was awarded for 
 individual acts of bravery, and was struck 
 in gold and in silver. Victor Emmanuel I 
 revived the award in 1815, at the time of the 
 downfall of Napoleon I, but abolished it in 
 August of that year when he created the 
 Military Order of Savoy. When Charles 
 Albert was King of Sardinia and Savoy, 
 he reinstituted the medal in 1833, for acts 
 of valour not sufficiently important to war- 
 rant the Military Order of Savoy. From the 
 time of its inception to 1887, it was always 
 awarded in gold or silver, but in that year 
 Humbert I decreed that a bronze medal 
 should be given for acts of valour of a lesser 
 degree. This medal ranks in Italy almost 
 as highly as does the Victoria Cross in Great 
 Britain or the Medal of Honour in this 
 country. It is frequently called the Sar- 
 dinian Medal of Valour. The earliest model 
 was 38 mm. in diameter, having on the 
 obverse the bust of the king facing to the 
 
 NUMISMA DRG Or 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Les ne | 
 
 
 
 ITALY (SAVOY) 
 Military Medal of Valour 
 
48 
 
 ITALIAN O}R D Eee ee 
 
 right and the words VITTORIO AMADEUS 
 III, The reverse had a wreath of oak leaves, 
 within this is a trophy of arms and flags and 
 the words AL VALORE. About the time 
 of the Crimean war, the design was changed. 
 The size was reduced to 33 mm. The 
 obverse has the Arms of Savoy, surmounted 
 by a crown in an oval. Below are a palm 
 and laurel branch, tied at base with a ribbon; 
 and around the whole, the words AL V ALO- 
 RE MILITARE. The reverse has two laurel 
 branches tied with a ribbon, with a space 
 in the centre for the recipient’s name. The 
 name of his campaign is placed on the outer 
 edge. The ribbon has always been a dark 
 blue moiré. Victor Emmanuel II caused a 
 number of these medals, in both gold and 
 silver, to be given to the British and French 
 troops who took part in the Crimean war. 
 Two of these are in my collection, and have 
 been awarded to Frenchmen. The reverse 
 has the name and title of the recipient en- 
 graved at the centre, while around the outer 
 edge of one are the words SPEDIZIONE 
 D’QRIENTE 1855-1856, in relief. The 
 second specimen has the same words en- 
 
 NUMISMATIGC NS 
 
 
 
Meo wre HONOUR 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 graved. The Musée de l Armée of Paris has 
 a medal with the recipient’s name engraved 
 and GUERRE D’ITALIE 1859 in relief. 
 This was for the war with Austria. Another 
 has in relief CAMPAGNA DELLA BASSA 
 ITALIA 1860-1861. Mr. C. S. Gifford, of 
 Boston, has in his collection a variant of 
 this Medal of Valour. It is but 25 mm. in 
 diameter. The reverse has around the edge, 
 outside the wreath, in relief, the words 
 GUERRA CONTRA LIMPERO D’AUS- 
 TRIA. 
 Many of these medals have been awarded 
 to the men of other countries who have 
 assisted Italy in her campaigns. It was a 
 Military Medal of Valour, of gold, which 
 General Diaz placed upon the grave of the un- 
 known American soldier at Arlington on Nov- 
 ember 11, 1921, by order of the King of Italy. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CIVIL MEDAL © OF VALOUR. © Au- 
 thorized by King Victor Emmanuel II on 
 April 3, 1851. It was given in gold, silver 
 and bronze. Under a decree of April 20, 
 1888, Humbert I authorized a bronze medal 
 also. ‘These are awarded to civilians for per- 
 
 
 
 
 
 Papel OaNEOuG RIA PHS 
 
50 
 
 ITALIAN ORD Rae ore 
 
 sonal acts of courage and valour, such as. 
 rescues at fires and at sea. The medal is 
 34 mm. in diameter, bearing on the obverse 
 the Arms of Savoy in an escutcheon, with a 
 Royal crown above. Around this at the 
 top are the words AL VALORE CIVILE. 
 The reverse has a wreath of oak leaves, with 
 space in the centre for the recipient’s name. 
 The writer’s medal is engraved D’ONOFRIO 
 GIO. ANTONIO CERVINARA (AVEL- 
 LINO) 22 XBRE. 1868. The ribbon for this 
 medal is of the Italian National colours. 
 Three equal stripes—red, white and green. 
 
 NAVAL MEDAL OF VALOUR. Insti- 
 tuted in March, 1836; modified in 1847, and 
 again by Victor Emmanuel II in 1860, to 
 reward the men of the Navy for heroism. 
 In 1888, Humbert I established three grades, 
 gold, silver and bronze, according to the 
 character of the award. The obverse bears 
 the Arms of Savoy on a shield, with a crown 
 above, and encircled by a palm and laurel 
 branch tied at the bottom; and round the 
 outer edge is the motto AL VALORE DI 
 MARINA. On the reverse is an oak 
 
 NUMIS MATT CRN Gia. 
 
Mapes OF HON.OUR 
 
 wreath (less full than that of the Military 
 medal of Valour) with a reserve in the 
 centre for the name of recipient and mention 
 of the act for which the medal is awarded. 
 The ribbon is dark blue moiré, with one wide 
 and one narrow white stripe at each side. 
 
 MEDAL -OF “MERIT FOR PUBLIC 
 SAFETY. This decoration was first insti- 
 tuted on September 13, 1854, by Victor 
 Emmanuel II and was called “La Medaglia 
 di Benemerenza per 1 Benemeriti della 
 salute pubblica.”’ Its purpose was to reward 
 the services of volunteers in epidemics of 
 contagious diseases and those who took part 
 in other ways beneficial to the health and 
 safety of the public. 
 
 It is given in gold, silver and bronze. 
 On the obverse is a bust of the King to left, 
 around which is inscribed UMBERTO I 
 RE DITALIA. On the reverse are oak 
 and laurel branches, surrounded by the words 
 SALUTIS PUBLICAE BENEMERENTI- 
 BUS. A reserve at the centre is left for the 
 name of the recipient. On the earlier 
 models the bust and title of Victor Emmanuel 
 
 Peeves viNO.GRAPHS 
 
 51 
 
ITALIAN (OR 
 
 II appeared on the obverse, and the reverse 
 motto read AJ BENEMERITI DELLA 
 SALUTE PUBBLICA. The ribbon is light 
 blue, edged with black. 
 
 MEDAL FOR VETERANS GUARDING 
 THE TOMB OF THE KINGS. This medal 
 was authorized on July 14, 1879, and altered 
 on January 1, 1880. It was established to 
 honour the veterans of the war of 1848-1849 
 who guarded the tomb of Victor Emmanuel 
 II. It is 30 mm. in diameter and of silver. 
 The ribbon is blue with a white stripe in the 
 centre, with one edge green and the other 
 red. The first model has on the obverse a 
 wreath of laurel with a superimposed, five- 
 pointed star bearing at the centre the bust 
 of the King and the words UMBERTO I° 
 RE D'ITALIA; on the reverse, VETERAN! 
 1848-49 | GUARDIA D’ONORE / ALLA 
 TOMBA DEL RE / VITTORIO EMA- 
 NUELEII. After the death of Humbert I, 
 Victor Emmanuel III altered the medal. 
 The obverse bore his own bust and title, and 
 thereverseread /AI/VETERA NI 1848-1870 
 /GUARDIA D’ONORE/ ALLE TOMBE 
 
 NUMIS MAT GN 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Puwasli 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 Veteran Guard of the Tomb of the Kings 
 
[TAL LAN@O33 ae 
 
 DI RE/VITTORIO EMANUELE II/E 
 UMBERTO I. A specimen of this design 
 is in my collection. 
 
 LIFE SAVING MEDAL. Authorized by 
 Royal Decree on March 8, 1888. This 
 decoration is awarded to those, not in the 
 Navy, who have risked their lives to save 
 others from drowning, or shipwreck, or for 
 other forms of personal valour at sea. It is 
 issued by the Ministry of the Marine. The 
 medal is in silver and in bronze only and is 
 not to be worn on the person. ‘The obverse 
 bears the effigy of the King, facing left, and 
 the inscription VITTORIO EMANUELE 
 III RE D'ITALIA, The reverse has two 
 circles, one within the other; in the outer 
 circle occur the words MINISTERO DELLA 
 MARINA, while the inner one is left blank 
 for the name of the recipient, the date and 
 the statement regarding the occasion of the 
 award. 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT. Authorized by a 
 Decree of May 6, 1909. This medal was 
 awarded to all persons, including many 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pres! 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 
 Medal of Merit 
 
56 
 
 ITALIAN OR Ditka 
 
 foreigners, who from philanthropic or 
 charitable motives went to the relief of the 
 inhabitants of Sicily and Southern Calabria 
 at the time of the earthquake of December 
 28, 1908. It is 34 mm. in diameter, and 
 was issued in gold, silver and bronze. The 
 obverse bears the effigy of the King, facing 
 left, and the words VITTORIO EMA- 
 NUELEIII. On the reverse, the inscription 
 TERREMOTO/28 DICEMBRE 1908 
 /IN CALABRIA [ EIN SIECILIA sur 
 rounded by a wreath of oak leaves. The 
 ribbon is green with a white stripe on either 
 side. A variation of this medal was issued, 
 bearing on the obverse the bust of the king 
 surrounded by the inscription VITTORIO 
 EMANUELE TI RE DITALIA. “the 
 reverse reads MEDAGLIA/COMMEMO- 
 RATIVA/TERREMOTO/CALABRO 
 SICULO/28 DICEMBRE /1908. The 
 ribbon for this has 5 stripes, alternately 
 white and green. 
 
 The writer possesses an interesting medal, 
 for the official issuance of which no authority 
 has been found. It is of silver, 33 mm. in 
 diameter. The obverse bears the head of 
 
 NUMISMA JT DLOGSN Ga 
 
 
 
Poe P AEs OF HONOUR 
 
 the King of Sardinia and Savoy, facing left, 
 with A CARLO ALBERTO at the sides. 
 Under the bust, the letters S.J. (probably 
 standing for Stephano Johnson). The 
 reverse reads IT VETERANI/ITALIANi 
 /IN/PELLEGRINAGGIO/ALLA SUA 
 TOMBA/A SUPERGA. ‘The ribbon is dark 
 blue with a yellow stripe each side. It is 
 believed that these medals were given to the 
 veteran soldiers of Charles Albert who made 
 the pilgrimage to his last resting place. 
 The Abbey of Superga was founded by 
 Victor Amadeus III near Turin. In its church 
 rest the remains of the Princes of Savoy. 
 Charles Albert (1789-1849) died at Oporto in 
 1849. His body was buried on the heights of 
 Superga. Italy later recognized his devotion, 
 and pilgrims still journey to his tomb. 
 
 CRIMEAN MEDAL. Italy was not back- 
 ward in awarding what are commonly 
 known as Campaign or Service Medals but 
 which the Italian authorities style ‘“Medaglie 
 Commemorative.” ‘That for the Crimean war 
 was the first. It was authorized on October 
 22, 1856, and was issued to the Piedmont 
 
 eNeleeevi ONO GRAPHS 
 
 — 
 
 5/ 
 
58 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS 
 
 troops serving during that campaign under 
 General La Marmora. The medal is of 
 silver, 35 mm. in diameter. On the obverse 
 appears the effigy of the King, facing left, 
 and the inscription VITTORIO EMANUELE 
 IIT. The reverse has in large letters, in 
 relief, CRIM EA/1855-1856. ‘The ribbon is 
 light blue with a narrow gold edge. Some 
 authorities assign a ribbon of the Italian 
 National colours—red, white and green. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE LIBERATION OF 
 SICILY. This medal was issued to com- 
 memorate the dethronement of Ferdinand 
 II and the union of the ancient Kingdom of 
 Sicily with the Kingdom of Italy. As a 
 result of that insurrection, Garibaldi with 
 his thousand troops landed at Marsala, and 
 in three weeks was master of Messina. The 
 medal (30 mm.) is of silver and bronze. 
 On the obverse is the bust of the king and 
 the words VITTORIO EMANUELE; below 
 the bust, the initials S.J., probably standing 
 for Stephano Johnson, the maker. The re- 
 verse is inscribed JTALIA/E CASA DI 
 SAVOIA / LIBERAZIONE DI / SICILIA 
 
 NUMIS MAT EC eNO 
 

 
 
 
 
 Mego Or HONOUR 59 
 
 
 
 1860. The ribbon is red, with one white 
 and one green edge. 
 
 
 
 
 STAR OF THE THOUSAND. Here might 
 appropriately be mentioned a unique dec- 
 oration. On January 9, 1861, General Turr 
 went to the island of Caprera to carry to 
 that great Italian patriot, General Giuseppe 
 Garibaldi (1807-1882), the Star of Honour 
 which his famous thousand companions had 
 offered him. It is a gold star of seven points, 
 loosely set with diamonds. In the centre 
 on a blue-enamelled field in letters of gold is 
 ARTURO (a star which is said to protect 
 any one with an ideal). On this is super- 
 imposed a gold Trinacria, the emblem of 
 Sicily. This is surrounded by an enamelled 
 band of white, green and red, inscribed in 
 letters of gold I MILLE AL LORO DUCE 
 (The thousand to their chief). This was 
 the only decoration which that great 
 General consented to wear; and after his 
 death at Caprera on June 2, 1882, the star 
 was given by his sons to the Quirinal Museum 
 in Rome where it may now be seen. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pen OeVEON'OGRAPHS 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 [ITALIA NORD ie. 
 
 MEDAL» OF THE SPHOUSAND. sor 
 MARSALA MEDAL. Issued by the city 
 of Palermo, and authorized by the Italian 
 government in 1865. It was presented to 
 the troops of Garibaldi who entered the City 
 in 1860, and is called LA MEDAGLIA DEI 
 MILLE. The obverse has in the centre an 
 eagle with raised wings, standing on a fillet 
 inscribed S. P. Q. R. Around this are the 
 words Al PRODI CUI FU DUCE GARI- 
 BALDI (To the brave men who were led by 
 Garibaldi). On the reverse within a wreath 
 of laurel is JL MUNICIPIO/PALERMI- 
 TANO / RIVENDICATO / MDCCCLX. 
 Around this, outside the wreath are the words 
 MARSALA CALATAFIMI PALERMO. 
 The medal was issued in silver and in bronze. 
 The ribbon is bright red, witha gold stripe each 
 side, and on the face of the ribbon is fastened 
 a silver Trinacria, the emblem of Sicily. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MEDAL OF ITALIAN INDEPENDENCE. 
 This decoration was authorized in 1862. It 
 
 
 
 
 
 is of silver, and 32 mm. in diameter. On the 
 obverse is the head of the king, to left, 
 
 NUMISMAT LCN Ol 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pee: 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 
 Medal of the Thousand 
 
ITALIA NORD as 
 
 around which are the words VITTORIO 
 EMANUELE II RE DITAIIA “The 
 reverse depicts a standing female figure, 
 symbolizing Italy, holding in her right hand 
 a spear, and in the left, a shield with the 
 Arms of Savoy. Around the whole is in- 
 scribed GUERRE PER LINDIPENDENZA 
 E L’UNITA DITALIA. The ribbon is 
 composed of six narrow stripes of the 
 National colours—green, white and red. 
 Bars or barrets are issued in silver to be 
 attached to the ribbon, as follows: 1848- 
 1849 (war with Austria), 1855-1856 (Cri- 
 mean War), 1859 (war with Austria), 1860- 
 1861 (Garibaldi’s expedition in Sicily and 
 the Campaign in central Italy), 1866 (war 
 with Austria), 1867 (Campaign against 
 Rome), and 1870 (Capture of Rome). 
 
 MEDAL FOR UNITED ITALY. This 
 medal was authorized in 1883. It is 32 mm. 
 in size, and of silver and bronze. On the 
 obverse is the effigy of the King and the 
 words UMBERTO I RE D'ITALIA. On 
 the reverse, within a laurel wreath the in- 
 scription UNITA/D’ ITALIA /1848-1870. 
 
 NUMISMAT TCs Oe 
 
 
 
PIALIAN DECORATIONS 
 
 BS oe pe 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 
 Medal of Italian Independence 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS PL. XVI 
 
 ietcmencnpeorcrenetesaio re 
 “emer error ease 
 
 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 
 Medal for United Italy 
 
Vege) P HONOUR 
 
 The ribbon has a broad green stripe with a 
 white and a red stripe on both sides. 
 
 Unlike the British campaign medals, few 
 of the Italian medals are inscribed on the 
 edges. The writer has a group of three 
 medals, inscribed PHILIP FIGYELMESY 
 COMANDANTE USSERI UNGHERESI. 
 These are for the Campaign of United Italy, 
 Liberation of Sicily, and for Italian Inde- 
 pendence. 
 
 MEDAL FOR AFRICA. Created on 
 November 3, 1894; sometimes called the 
 “Medal for Abyssinia.” It was awarded to 
 the forces of the Army and Navy which took 
 part in the operations in Abyssinia, especially 
 in that portion bordering on the Red Sea, 
 called Eritrea. This included the campaign 
 of 1887-1897 against Menelik II, who was 
 the Negus of Abyssinia. The medal was 
 issued in bronze, 32 mm., and bears on the 
 obverse the crowned head of King Humbert 
 I, facing right. On the reverse, within a 
 laurel wreath, are the words CAMPAGNE 
 D’ AFRICA. The ribbon is red with blue 
 borders. Silver bars, suitably inscribed, 
 
 Peewee vie) NC) GRAPHS 
 
 65 
 
66 
 
 [ITALTA NO Daas 
 
 were issued to the troops taking part in the 
 following expeditions, viz: Campagna 1887- 
 1888, Saati, Dogali Saganeiti, Keren, 
 Asmara, Adua, Agordat (1890), Halat, 
 Serobeti, Agordat (1893), Kassala, Halai, 
 Coatit, Campagna 1895-1896 and Cam- 
 
 pagna 1897. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE FAR EAST. Au- 
 thorized on June 23, 1901, and also known 
 as the ‘‘Medal for China,” or the “Medal 
 for the Boxer Uprising.” At the time of 
 that unfortunate affair, when so many of 
 the Nations went to the relief of their lega- 
 tions at Pekin, Italy was among the first. 
 To all those taking part in this expedition, 
 and to those who remained as guardians of 
 the territory until the end of the year 1gor, 
 this medal was given. It is of bronze, 
 32 mm., and bears on the obverse the effigy 
 of the King facing left and the words VIT- 
 TORIO EMANUELE III RE DITALIS; 
 on the reverse, within a wreath of laurel, 
 CINA 1900-1901. The ribbon is yellow, 
 with four dark blue stripes. Another medal 
 for China is exactly like the above, excepting 
 
 NUMISMA DPiLG Ne 
 
 
 
PAA DECORATIONS Br oy fl 
 
 ay 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 
 Medal for Africa 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 LTALTAN Oe 
 
 
 
 that the reverse bears the word CINA only. 
 This was given to the troops and sailors 
 who served in China from December 31, 
 1901 to April 1, 1908. The ribbon is 
 similar. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE TURKISH WAR OF 
 1911-1912. But a few years ago Italy and 
 Turkey were fighting desperately for the 
 control of Tripoli, a section of Northern 
 Africa which had been under Turkish rule 
 for several centuries. It was at this time 
 that Germany all but precipitated a Euro- 
 pean war by insisting upon certain methods 
 of settlement. Fortunately conflict was 
 averted by the treaty of Lausanne. To 
 commemorate the triumph over Turkey and 
 to honor those engaged there, a silver medal 
 of 32 mm. was authorized on November 21, 
 1912. The medal was issued to all men of 
 the Army and Navy who took part in the 
 operations against the Ottoman Empire, 
 whether in Africa or in Turkish territory. 
 On the obverse of the medal is the head of 
 the King, facing right, and the inscription, 
 VITTORIO EMAWY ll 
 
 NUMIS MA Ta Gee 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pie ALT 
 
 
 
 TTALY 
 
 War Cross 
 

 
 ITALIAN ORD 
 
 D'ITALIA. On the reverse, within a 
 wreath of laurel, the words GUERRA/ 
 ITALO-TURCA/1911-1912. The ribbon is 
 of six narrow blue and five narrow red stripes 
 of equal width. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THEs WAK Whainy: 
 The treaty of Lausanne did not stop all war 
 operations on the part of Italy. The tribes 
 of the newly acquired Colonial possessions 
 continued to make trouble. To reward the 
 troops taking part in such campaigns, a 
 silver medal of 32 mm. was authorized on 
 September 6, 1913. This was identical with 
 the Turkish war medal, except that the re- 
 verse bears the words GUERRA/IN LIBIA. 
 The ribbon is of the same design and colour. 
 
 WAR CROSS OF ITALY. Authorized in 
 1918. It was awarded to those worthy of 
 official recognition during the World War, 
 but whose service was not of sufficient im- 
 portance to warrant the Medal of Military 
 Valour. The Decoration is of bronze, 38 
 mm., in the form of the Savoy Cross. On 
 the obverse is inscribed MERITO DI 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS RE, eX 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 
 Medal for the World War 
 

 
 ITA DTA NORE ae 
 
 GUERRA, above which is the King’s 
 crowned monogram, V. £. and IJ7. On the 
 lower arm of the cross is an upright sword 
 entwined with a branch of oak. The 
 reverse has a star in the centre surrounded 
 by rays. The ribbon is dark blue with 
 two white stripes. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE WORLD WAR. 
 Created on July 29, 1920 and made from 
 captured Austrian cannon. It is bronze, 
 32 mm. On the obverse appears the hel- 
 meted bust of the King, encircled by the 
 inscription, GUERRA PER L’UNITA 
 D ITALIA 1915-1918 and three branches of 
 oak leaves. The reverse has an allegorical 
 figure of Victory, standing on a support 
 borne by two helmeted soldiers, and the 
 inscription CONITA NEL BRONZE NE- 
 MICO (Coined from enemy bronze). The 
 ribbon has eighteen narrow stripes of green, 
 white and red—six of each colour. Bars 
 were issued to be worn on the ribbon to 
 designate the years of service in the war. 
 These bear the dates of 1915, 1916, 1917 and 
 1918. 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
PVALIAN DECORATIONS 
 
 
 
 ITALY 
 Tfedal of National Gratitude 
 
 Pa 
 
 XX 
 

 
 ITAL TAN SO Die 
 
 VICTORY MEDAL. Created on De- 
 cember 16, 1920, but not issued until 1922. 
 The medal is bronze, 36 mm. As with the 
 Victory medals of the other allies, the winged: 
 Victory is the dominant feature. This 
 figure stands facing on a triumphal chariot 
 drawn by four lions. The reverse shows a 
 tripod above which two doves of peace are to 
 be seen. At top the inscription GRA NDE- 
 GVERRA-PER-LA-CIVILTA. In field, at 
 each side of tripod MCMXIV-MCMX VIII, 
 below, in two lines, AI COMBATTENTI 
 DELLE NAZIONI/ALLEATE ED ASSO- 
 CIATE. The badge is suspended by the 
 rainbow ribbon as are all the Victory 
 medals. 
 
 MEDAL OF NATIONAL GRATITUDE. 
 This medal is awarded to mothers who lost 
 sons in the World War. The obverse shows 
 an allegorical figure presenting a wreath to 
 a fallen warrior. Standing alongside is 
 another female in an attitude of grief. The 
 reverse has an inscription in eight lines 
 IL FIGLIO / CHE Ti WACOUL yar 
 DOLORE / TI RINASCE “O BEATA” / 
 
 NUMISMATICAS Ei 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS 
 
 ITALY 
 
 Victory Medal 
 
 
 
“56 
 
 ITALIAN ORDaeRSa awe 
 
 NELLA GLORIA / E IL VIVO EROE / 
 “PIENA Dh, GRAZIA? [fT COA es ine 
 ribbon is grey with center composed of 
 narrow green, white and red stripes. 
 
 MEDAL FOR WAR ORPHANS. This 
 medal has also been authorized but no 
 information has been received concerning it. 
 
 ITALIAN UNITY MEDAL. This medal 
 has not as yet been distributed and details 
 concerning it are lacking. It is to be sold 
 and the money received is to go to the widows 
 and mothers of those killed in the war. 
 
 MEDAL FOR WAR VOLUNTEERS. 
 Notice has been received that a medal will 
 be issued shortly to those who volunteered 
 in the World War. 
 
 CROWN OF MERIT. At this writing, 
 and before any confirmation could be secured, 
 advices have come that the Councils of 
 Ministers have proposed a decoration to be 
 awarded to clerks and workingmen who have 
 remained faithful to their employers for 
 
 NUMISM AdonGeN dt eee 
 
 
 
MeO AtSs OF HONOUR 
 
 twenty-five years or more. Presumably this 
 medal is intended to stimulate a spirit of co- 
 operation between the employed and em- 
 ployer. No decision as to the design has 
 been announced. 
 
 Several of the municipalities of Northern 
 Italy issued medals to honor those who aided 
 in the efforts to free that country during the 
 strenuous days of 1848-1849. None of 
 these medals of the cities are official medals, 
 and consequently few if any of the authori- 
 ties mention them. ‘They are inserted here 
 in order that the numismatist may have 
 
 some facts relating to them. 
 Como had a medal inscribed on the ob- 
 
 verse, COMO LIBERATA NELLE GLORI- 
 OSE GIORNATE 18-22 MARZO 1848. 
 The reverse bears the Arms of the city and 
 the words AL VALORE DEL CITTADINO. 
 Bologna issued a medal inscribed VIT- 
 TORIO BOLOGNA 8./8.1848. On the re- 
 verse, QUANDA IL POPOLO SI DESTA 
 DIO SI PONE ALLA SUA TESTA. 
 Livorno’s medal bears on the obverse 
 AI VALOROSI DIFENSORI DI LIVORNO 
 10 E 11/6 1849. The.reverse': bears” the 
 
 AND? MONOGR-:AP-HS 
 
 
 
ITALIAN ORDER SS 
 
 Arms of the State and the words MU NICI- 
 PIO DI LIVORNO. The ribbons for the 
 above medals are red and white. 
 
 Milano likewise had a medal to show her 
 appreciation of the efforts of her citizens for 
 freedom. It bears on the obverse a figure 
 of Victory and the dome of the Cathedral. 
 The reverse has the Arms of the State and 
 the inscription COMMUNE DI MILANO. 
 The ribbon is red and yellow. 
 
 Cadore, Vicenza and Brescia are also said 
 to have issued medals, but a dependable 
 description has not been obtainable. 
 
 During the war of 1848-1849 against 
 Austria, and the several Principalities of 
 which Italy is now composed, Rome, too, 
 became involved. At the time of the 
 Insurrection of 1848, Pope Pius IX fled to 
 Gaeta, where he remained until 1850. On 
 February 9, 1849, Rome was declared a 
 Republic. To those who took part in the 
 Insurrection, and who aided in the formation 
 of the short-lived Republic, as well as for 
 connection with subsequent events, Rome 
 awarded several medals. As with the others, 
 authentic information is difficult to obtain. 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
 
 
MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT. Issued for the 
 battle of Vicenza on June 10, 1848. This 
 medal was of both silver and bronze, and 
 30 mm. in diameter. On the obverse within 
 a wreath of oak leaves, the Arms of the city 
 of Rome—a crowned shield, bearing the 
 letters S. P. Q. R. (Senatus Populus que 
 Romanus—The Senate and the people of 
 Rome). Around this device is the inscription 
 ALMAE VRBIS COSS BENEMERENTI. 
 On a plain reverse is the motto, PVGNA 
 STRENVE/AD VICETIAM /PVGNATA 
 Jaa DV SS VINIAS /°-M.DCCC. XLVI. 
 The ribbon is of equal stripes of magenta 
 and yellow—the colours of Rome. 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT (Rome). Issued in 
 silver and bronze. The obverse has in the 
 centre, the she-wolf with Romulus and 
 Remus. Around this is BENEMERITO 
 DELLA PATRIA, with an oak and olive 
 branch beneath. The reverse has in the 
 centre a group of flags and a trophy of arms, 
 surrounded by the inscription IN DIPEN- 
 DENZA ITALIANA 1848. The ribbon is 
 similar to the preceding. 
 
 ADSM ONOGRAPHS 
 
 79 
 
ITALTAN OR 2 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT. Struck in silver 
 and bronze, and is said to have been issued 
 by the Republic of Rome to those who dis- 
 tinguished themselves during the Insurrec- 
 tion of 1848. It is 30 mm., and has on the 
 obverse the she-wolf with Romulus and 
 Remus, standing on a pedestal, bearing the 
 letters S. P. Q. R. The reverse reads AL 
 MERITO, surrounded by an oak wreath. 
 The ribbon is magenta and yellow. 
 
 Another medal is described by one au- 
 thority as a reward to the combatants of 
 
 1848. It is 23 mm., bronze, and bears on 
 
 the obverse an allegorical female figure, 
 holding a spear in her right hand and a 
 cornucopia in her left. At her feet is a 
 globe surmounted by an eagle. Above is a 
 rayed star. On the edge is inscribed 
 REPUBLICA ROMANA. On the reverse 
 is the motto ALLA VIRTU CITTADINA 
 within an oak wreath. This is surrounded 
 by the inscription LA PATRIA RICONO- 
 SCENTE. No ribbon is described. 
 
 According to Padiglione still another 
 Medal of Merit was issued in commemora- 
 tion of September 20, 1870, when Rome was 
 
 N:U:M IS MAW CN aa 
 
 
 
LTALIAN DECORATIONS 
 
 Rome. Battle of Vicenza 
 Rome. Medal of Merit 
 
 Be 
 
 , &XI] 
 
 
 
82 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 admitted into the Kingdom of Italy. Scul- 
 fort, a French writer, says this medal was 
 given to commemorate the proclamation of 
 the Republic of Rome in 1848; although 
 preference is here given to the Italian 
 authority’s version. The medal was issued 
 in silver and bronze, 30 mm. in diameter. 
 On the obverse is a shield bearing the Arms 
 of the City, surmounted by the she-wolf 
 with Romulus and Remus. This device 
 rests upon two crossed battle axes and an 
 oak wreath. The reverse bears within an 
 oak wreath ROMA/RIVENDICATA/AI 
 SUOI/LIBERATORI, surmounted by a 
 star. The ribbon has narrow alternating 
 stripes of magenta and yellow. Some rib- 
 bons have nineteen stripes; others have 
 eleven. 
 
 NUMISMA PEGGING ie 
 

 
 Pewee So Or HONOUR 
 
 THE TWO SICILIES 
 
 Even more so than with Italy proper, 
 Sicily has been a battle-ground from the 
 earliest times. And this condition, as is 
 usually the case, has made the numismatics 
 of Sicily of great importance. Before the 
 period of coinage, the Sikels dwelt in the 
 land. Later the Carthaginians disputed 
 with the Greeks for its control, both yielding 
 ultimately to the Romans. In addition to 
 the struggles between the Normans and the 
 Spaniards for its possession, it had to with- 
 stand the onslaught of the Saracens. 
 
 Sicily, especially in the medieval period, 
 has shared the fate of the kingdom of 
 Naples, or, as they came to be known, the 
 Kingdom of the two Sicilies—a title which 
 in itself is a commentary of the relative 
 importance of Naples. After the Lombard 
 rule in the 11th century, the Normans, under 
 Count Roger, brought about a consolidation 
 of Naples and Sicily. The conquest dates 
 from 1130 A.D., when he assumed the title 
 
 Panes ON OGRAPHS 
 
 83 
 
84. 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 of King of Naples and Sicily. There were 
 two periods of separation—1282 to 1442 
 and 1458 to 1504, but after the last-named 
 year the two kingdoms remained under one 
 crown until the unification of Italy in 1861. 
 It is unnecessary here to dwell upon the 
 constantly changing rule for the two king- 
 doms more than to mention the conflict 
 between the House of Anjou and of Aragon 
 through the 14th and 15th centuries. Under 
 Charles VIII (from 1494), the French ruled, 
 
 while between 1504 and 1707 the Spanish 
 
 were in control. They were followed by 
 the Austrians (until 1720). After that 
 date Spanish Bourbons held possession. 
 
 The Napoleonic rule on the mainland 
 dates from 1805, while Ferdinand IV con- 
 trolled the island of Sicily. The downfall 
 of Napoleon at Waterloo saw the two 
 kingdoms again united under the Bourbons. 
 The wars for the independence of Italy, and 
 the efforts of Garibaldi in 1859 and 1860, 
 finally brought both sections into the 
 Kingdom of Italy and under the rule of the 
 house of Savoy. 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 Piaiehe OF SLHE «SHIP. In 1269, St. 
 Louis founded in France the Order of the 
 Ship or of the Double Crescent. Upon his 
 death in 1270, his brother, Charles d’Anjou, 
 established this order in the Kingdom of 
 Naples. Owing to the design of the collar, 
 this order is sometimes given a third name— 
 The Order of the Sea Shell. The insignia was 
 a gold collar of scallop shells, alternating with 
 double crescents. From this was suspended a 
 medal with a ship as its design. The motto 
 is NON CREDO TEMPORI. Clark, an Eng- 
 
 lish writer, describes an order founded in 1382 © 
 
 by Charles III, King of Naples, called the 
 “Order of St. Nicholas,” while Elias Ashmole 
 styles it “The Order of the Argonauts of 
 St. Nicholas.” Both give the motto as NON 
 CREDO TEMPORI. Apparently, therefore, 
 this is a survival or a later form of the 
 Order of the Double Crescent. 
 
 ORDER OF THE CRESCENT. Favine 
 states that this order was founded in An- 
 giers, France, in 1464, by René, Duke of 
 Anjou, King of Jerusalem and _ Sicily. 
 Ashmole quotes St. Marthes as giving 1448 
 
 Pa eVLOINO GRAPHS 
 
 85 
 
86 
 
 LTALIAN ORDER Bea 
 
 
 
 as the date for its foundation. René was 
 unable to hold his island kingdom very long. 
 The order was not popular, and those 
 honoured with it were afraid to wear the 
 badge. ‘The insignia consisted of three gold 
 chains from which is suspended a gold 
 crescent, bearing three letters in red, L.O.Z., 
 which signify, according to Favine, L’oz en 
 croissant (Praise by increasing). To the 
 crescent were attached gold tags indicating 
 the battles and feats of honour in which the 
 knights had been engaged.” 
 
 Aragon controlled the Island Kingdom of 
 Sicily from 1282 to 1442. In 1351 Louis I, 
 King of Sicily, founded the ORDER OF THE 
 STAR to replace that of the CRESCENT 
 MOON. This insignia was a Maltese 
 cross, in the centre of which is an eight- 
 pointed star. This Order seems to have 
 been discontinued in 1394. Giustinian, the 
 Italian writer in 1692, gives a list of eighteen 
 Grand Masters of the Order of the Crescent 
 Moon and of the Star from 1268 to 1667. 
 This would seem to indicate that the Orders 
 described above were connected or continued 
 by the several rulers under different titles. 
 
 NUMIS MAT ECan Ge 
 
Peewee Yt HON OUR 
 
 ORDER OF THE SPUR. Founded in 
 1266 by Charles d’Anjou, King of Naples 
 and Sicily, to commemorate his triumph over 
 Manfred near Benevento. The insignia is 
 a white-enamelled cross, each of the arms 
 having double points. A spur is attached 
 at the base. The Order was shortlived. 
 
 ORDER OF THE KNOT OF NAPLES. 
 Created in 1351 by Louis of Taranto when 
 he married the Queen of Naples. This was 
 also termed the “Order of the Holy Spirit 
 of the Right Desire.” It ceased to exist 
 after the death of the founder. The 
 insignia is a knot of cord entwined with 
 gold thread. 
 
 ORDER OF THE REEL AND LIONESS 
 (Naples). This Order, of short duration, 
 was instituted by partisans of the house of 
 Anjou, during the troubles of 1386-1390. 
 The insignia is a yarn reel and a lioness, the 
 significance of which is difficult to learn. 
 Clark, writing in 1784, states that the 
 followers of Louis II, Duke of Anjou, were 
 divided into two factions, one of which wore 
 
 AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 87 
 
 
 
88 
 
 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS 
 
 on its arms an embroidered reel as a sign 
 of contempt for Queen Margaret, widow of 
 Charles III, who desired to hold the reins of 
 government. This faction took the name 
 of “Knights of the Reel.” The other, the 
 Knights of the Lioness, wore on its breast 
 the figure of a lioness with feet tied, indi- 
 cating that it looked upon Queen Margaret 
 as one tied by the leg. 
 
 ORDER OF THE ERMINE (Naples). 
 Founded in 1463, by Ferdinand I (1423- 
 1494) Aragon, King of Naples, at the end 
 of the war which he had been waging against 
 John of Anjou, Duke of Calabria. He was 
 led into this war by his brother-in-law, 
 Marinus Marcianus, Duke of Sesso, who 
 conspired to murder Ferdinand. Marints 
 was not only pardoned for his treachery but 
 was admitted into this Order. The motto 
 was “MALO MORI QUAM FOEDARI 
 (Death is preferable to dishonor), and the 
 patron was St. Basil. The badge is a gold 
 ermine suspended from a gold chain. Au- 
 thorities differ as to the exact date of both 
 the creating and discontinuance of this Order. 
 
 NUIMISMA TIC N GEES 
 
 
 
Wee DAIS OF HONOUR 
 
 ORDER OF THE GRIFFIN (Naples). 
 Attributed to Alphonse by Perrot and by 
 De Genouillac. The date of its founding is 
 given as 1489. As Alphonse died in 1458 and 
 was succeeded by his son, Ferdinand I, who 
 reigned until 1494, it may, therefore, have 
 been instituted by Ferdinand. No descrip- 
 tion of the insignia can be found. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT MICHAEL (Naples). 
 This Order is likewise attributed to Ferdi- 
 nand I, and the insignia is described by 
 Ashmole as an oval, bearing the word 
 DECORUM. No other record has_ been 
 found. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT JANUARIUS (of the 
 Two Sicilies). Founded on July 6, 1738, by 
 King Charles of Sicily (1716-1788), to cele- 
 brate his marriage with Princess Amelia, 
 daughter of Augustus III of Poland. Charles 
 was of the Spanish Bourbons, and second 
 son of Philip V. His army had conquered 
 Sicily, and he became its King in 1735 at 
 the age of eighteen, having previously borne 
 the titles of Duke of Parma and Grand-Duke 
 
 AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 89 
 
90 
 
 ITALIANO} 
 
 of Tuscany. In 1759 he became Charles 
 III of Spain, at which time he resigned his 
 Neapolitan and Sicilian Kingdom in favor 
 of his son, Ferdinand. Charles formed the 
 Noble Order of the Immaculate Conception 
 of the Virgin Mary, often also called ‘The 
 Order of Charles III of Spain.” It was he 
 who, as King of Spain, joined France in 
 sending assistance to the American Colonies 
 in their war of Independence. At the Peace 
 Treaty following that conflict, he recovered 
 Florida for Spain from England, to whom it 
 had been ceded in 1763. 
 
 Saint Januarius (San Genaro), for whom 
 this Order is named, was the Patron Saint 
 of Naples. Relics of this Saint, to whom 
 miraculous cures are attributed, are pre- 
 served in the cathedral named for him in 
 that city. When the French invaded 
 Naples in 1806, the Order was abolished in 
 that country, though it continued in Sicily, 
 whither Ferdinand had fled. It was revived 
 after 1814. At the present time it is classed 
 among the non-active Orders of Italy. 
 There are two classes: Knights and Honor- 
 ary Knights. The badge of the Order is a 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pre Xoerlt 
 
 
 
 Two SICILIES 
 
 Order of Saint Januarius 
 
92 
 
 
 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS 
 
 gold Maltese cross, enamelled red with 
 white edges; gold Bourbon lilies in the 
 angles. The obverse centre has a figure of 
 the patron saint, San Genaro, clad in a red 
 robe and hat, with an open book in the left 
 hand. ‘The reverse shows an open book and 
 two receptacles partly filled with the mirac- 
 ulous blood of this martyr. The ribbon is 
 bright red. The plaque is of silver, the same 
 design as the cross, and bears the words 
 IN SANGUINE FOEDUS (the Covenant 
 in Blood). 
 
 ROYAL MILITARY ORDER OF SAINT 
 CHARLES. Instituted by Royal Decree of 
 October 22, 1738, by King Charles, its 
 purpose was to reward citizens and members 
 of the army and navy who had shown 
 exceptional zeal and fidelity to the crown. 
 This Order supposedly never received the 
 Apostolic confirmation of the Pope, and 
 according to an Italian writer, Ruo, was 
 shortlived, all record of its existence having 
 been lost when Charles, its founder, assumed 
 the throne of Spain in 17509. 
 
 The decoration is a four-armed cross, each 
 
 NUMISMATYPCS\ G7. 
 
Meaewees OF HONOUR 
 
 arm terminating in the form of a lily, and 
 the whole surmounted by a royal crown. 
 The centre medallion bears the image of 
 Saint Charles. No description of the 
 reverse is given. The ribbon is violet. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT FERDINAND and 
 OF MERIT. Founded on April 1, 1800 by 
 Ferdinand IV, King of Naples (also Ferdi- 
 nand III of Sicily and I of the Two Sicilies). 
 It was instituted in commemoration. of his 
 having been restored to his Kingdom after 
 the defeat of the French by the united 
 forces of England, Austria, Russia and 
 Turkey. The object of the Order was to 
 reward the Neapolitans who had remained 
 faithful to the King and his monarchy. 
 Lord Nelson, Duke of Bronte, was one of 
 the first foreigners to have this Order 
 bestowed upon him. He was made a 
 Knight of the Grand Cross. Like the Order 
 of Saint Januarius, this was suppressed in 
 Naples when the French under Joseph 
 Bonaparte controlled that country. It was 
 continued in Sicily until 1814 but is said to 
 have been definitely abolished in 1860. 
 
 mee ON: OGRAPHS 
 
 
 
 23 
 
94 
 
 ITALTAN OR Dis 
 
 There were three classes: Knights of the 
 Grand Cross, Commanders and Chevaliers. 
 The cross of this Order is a gold star of six 
 branches, in the form of rays. In the angles 
 are Bourbon lilies. The whole is surmounted 
 by a crown of gold. The gold-centred 
 medallion bears a figure of St. Ferdinand in 
 Royal robes and crowned, holding a laurel 
 wreath in the left and a sword in his 
 right hand. The encircling blue-enamelled 
 band is inscribed FIDEI ET MERITO. 
 The reverse centre of gold is inscribed FERD. 
 IV. INST. ANNO 1800. The plaque of the 
 Order is similar to the obverse of the cross, 
 without the crown. A dark blue ribbon with 
 red edges is used for suspension of the cross. 
 
 MEDAL OF HONOUR. By a decree of 
 July 25, 1810, Ferdinand IV added a gold 
 and silver Medal of Honour. This was 
 33 mm. in diameter, with the obverse similar 
 to the cross. The reverse was inscribed 
 FIDEI ET MERITO. This was worn with 
 a similar ribbon. Officers and privates of 
 the Army and Navy were awarded this 
 medal for distinguished services. 
 
 NUMISMA TIC ON Ores 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pie 
 
 
 
 Two SICILIES 
 Medal of Honour 
 
96 
 
 ITALIAN ORD 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT FOR LOMBARDY. 
 Ferdinand IV instituted a medal of silver 
 for the Neapolitan troops who assisted him 
 in the campaign in Lombardy against the 
 French in 1796. This was 38 mm., bearing 
 on the obverse the helmeted effigy of the 
 king and the title, FERDIN. IV UTRI 
 SICILIAE REX P.FLAP QP-Pig even 
 F-Forte, brave, A-Augusto, august). On the 
 reverse, within a laurel wreath, FIDEI/ 
 REGIAE DOMUS / PATRIAE / PROPUG- 
 NATORI /OB / EGREGIA FACTA. Inthe 
 exergue; EE: ViA/MDCCXGY a. 
 
 MEDAL. OF MERIT FOR SIENA. This 
 medal was of gold and awarded by Ferdi- 
 nand IV to the troops who distinguished 
 themselves in the Siena campaign in 1797. 
 On the obverse is the helmeted effigy of the 
 king and his title FERDINANDUS IV 
 UTRIUSQ. SICILIAH REX ae 
 the obverse is an allegorical figure of a 
 woman crowning a soldier with a laurel 
 wreath. Surrounding this, an inscription 
 reads MILITIBUS BENE DE REGE AC 
 PATRIA MERITIS. In the exergue is 
 
 NUM 15 DDAWS Ce ies 
 
 
 
MeO OF HONOUR 
 
 E.V.A./MDCCXCVII. The ribbon is blue 
 and white, edged with narrower stripes of 
 blue (Sculfort, p. 176). 
 
 MEDAL OF HONOUR FOR THE SIEGE 
 OF GAETA. When Napoleon [I sent his 
 brother Joseph Bonaparte to rule over the 
 kingdom of Sicily, Ferdinand IV fled to 
 Gaeta. This fortress was gallantly de- 
 fended in 1806 against the French under 
 Maréchal Masséna, but was finally forced to 
 capitulate, and Ferdinand fled to the island 
 of Sicily. To reward those who valiantly 
 assisted him to hold his kingdom, Ferdinand 
 IV instituted this Medal of Honour. It is 35 
 mm., and was struck in both gold and silver, 
 and is suspended from a deep red ribbon. 
 The obverse of the medal has a bust of the 
 king facing to right, the head wearing a 
 helmet, laurel wreathed and surmounted by 
 a dragon. The inscription is FERDI- 
 NANDUS IV. D.G. SICILIARUM REX. 
 The reverse has in the centre a view of the 
 fortress of Gaeta, surrounded by the motto, 
 MERITO ET FIDEI CAJETAE DEFEN- 
 SORUM 1806. 
 
 Penomeevi NOG RAPHS 
 
 97 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 98 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ROYAL ORDER OF THE TWO SICI- 
 LIES. Created on February 24, 1808, by 
 Joseph Napoleon, when King of Naples 
 It was issued in three classes: Grand Officers, 
 Commanders and Chevaliers. Joachim Mu- 
 rat, when ruler, modified the Order in 1811; 
 its purpose was to reward those who had 
 assisted in the conquest of the country. 
 The decoration is a red-enamelled star of 
 five points, ball tipped and with gold edges. 
 Above this is the Imperial eagle surmounted 
 by a crown. In the centre medallion is the 
 Arms of Sicily, a Trinacria or Triquetra, 
 having a face in the centre, Phis me- 
 dallion is surrounded by the title, JOS. NA- 
 POLEO. SICIL. REX) INST IPE ii oe 
 reverse medallion bears a prancing horse, 
 the Arms of Naples, encircled by a_blue- 
 enamelled band inscribed PRO RENOVATA 
 PATRIA. The ribbon is dark blue with a 
 red stripe in centre. 
 
 Following the death of Murat on October 
 13, 1815, the Kingdom was restored to 
 Ferdinand IV, who changed the design of 
 the above decoration. The star was at- 
 tached to the surmounting crown by a lily 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
Weer OF HONOUR 
 
 (replacing the eagle). The obverse medal- 
 lion contained the Arms of Sicily and of 
 Naples, surrounded by the inscription 
 FERDINANDUS BORBONIUS UTRI- 
 USQUE SICILIAE REX P.F.A. (Pio Forte 
 Augusto). The reverse medallion had in 
 the centre a Bourbon lily and the motto 
 eer Ale RESTITUTA X, KALJIUN. 
 1815. The ribbon was changed to azure blue 
 with a red stripe in the centre. This Order 
 was finally abolished in 1819 and replaced by 
 the ‘‘Order of Saint George of the Reunion.” 
 
 -MEDAL OF HONOUR FOR THE PRO- 
 VINCIAL LEGION. On March 29, 1809, 
 Joachim Murat, instituted this medal for 
 the Provincial Legion. It is of silver and 
 bronze, and bears on the obverse the effigy 
 of the King, facing to left, encircled by 
 the words GIOACCHINO NAPOL. RE 
 DEP A DUEL. SIGIL. Qn the-teverse is. a 
 group of fourteen flags and a royal crown, 
 the outer flags bearing, respectively, the 
 words SICUREZZA/INTERNA. Around 
 this device is the inscription ALLE LEGIONI 
 
 Pen oeevie OWN O.G RAP HS 
 
 99 
 
100 
 
 LTALIAN ORDER 
 
 PROVINCIALI 26 MARZO 1809. The 
 ribbon is light blue moiré. Ruo, the 
 Italian writer, states that the inscription on 
 the obverse is Gioacchino Napoleone, but the 
 previous description is taken from a medal 
 and various French authorities. 
 
 MEDAL OF HONOUR FOR NAPLES. 
 Murat authorized another Medal of Honour 
 on November 1, 1814, to reward the guard of 
 Naples for its devotion to his cause. It is 
 of gold and silver, in the form of a wreath of 
 oak and laurel leaves, tied with a ribbon and 
 surmounted by a crown. Superimposed 
 on the wreath are two crossed flags, enam- 
 elled in the colours of the kingdom. On 
 the obverse centre medallion of white is the 
 bust of the king, facing to left, and the title 
 GIOACCHINO NAPOLEONE (or GIO- 
 ACCHINO RE DI NAPOLI). On the re- 
 verse medallion are the words ONORE ET 
 FEDELTA. ‘The ribbon is magenta. The 
 Medal for Civil Merit is similar to the above, 
 except that the reverse is inscribed ONORE 
 ET MERITO. 
 
 NUMIS MAS) Gi i> 
 
 
 
Pepa s OF HONOUR 
 
 MEDAL OF HONOUR. After the death 
 of Murat at Pizzo, a medal of 38 mm. was 
 authorized by Ferdinand IV. It was issued 
 in gold and silver, and worn with a bright 
 red ribbon. On the obverse is a crowned 
 effigy of the restored king, facing to left, 
 and the inscription FERDINANDUS IV 
 erty SOUL SICILIAE REX PFA. 
 The reverse has in the centre a large Bourbon 
 lily, surrounded by the inscription OB 
 EGREGIAM URBIS PITII FIDELITA- 
 TEM. In the exergue, POSTRIDIE NO- 
 NAS OCTOBRIS/ANNI R. S./MDCCCXV. 
 
 MEDAL OF HONOUR (Sicily). By de- 
 crees of August g and 30, 1816, bronze 
 medals were authorized and awarded to 
 soldiers and sailors who were faithful to the 
 cause of Ferdinand IV. This is a green- 
 enamelled Maltese cross with gold Bourbon 
 lilies in each angle. The centre medallion 
 bears the effigy of the king to right, and the 
 words FERDINANDOIV INSTITUI 1816. 
 The reverse has in the centre a lily and the 
 inscription CONSTANTE ATTACCA- 
 MENTO. This was worn witha red ribbon. 
 
 ee OeN OG RA PHS 
 
 IOI 
 
102 
 
 
 
 ITAL VA Ne ORD aes 
 
 SECURITY GUARD MEDAL. Created 
 on May 30, 1816, and issued in gold and 
 silver; it was worn with a Bourbon red rib- 
 bon: The medal is surrounded by a wreath 
 of oak leaves and surmounted by a crown, 
 attached by laurel branches. On _ the 
 obverse is the effigy of the king surrounded 
 by the title FERDINANDOIV RE DELLE 
 DUE SICILIE P.F.A. The reverse bears 
 a lily and the motto ALLA GUARDIA DI 
 SICUREZZA. In the exersucey Fok 
 GIORNATA DE 22 MAGGIO 1815. 
 
 ROYAL MILITARY ORDER OF SAINT 
 GEORGE OF THE REUNION. This 
 order was created on January 1, 1819, by 
 Ferdinand IV. It commemorated the 
 reunion of Naples and Sicily, and was 
 
 awarded for valour, military distinction and 
 
 loyalty. There are four classes: Knights of 
 the Grand Cross, Commanders, Officers and 
 Chevaliers, the decoration varying in size 
 according to the grade. This Order was 
 discontinued in 1860, with the formation 
 of the present Kingdom of Italy. The 
 insignia is a red-enamelled cross, fleurée, with 
 
 NUMISMAT Ty Cee. 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS iad By PONY 
 
 
 
 Two SICILIES 
 
 Order of Saint George of the Reunion 
 
[ITALIAN ORDER 
 
 concave arms. ‘Two gold swords cross at 
 the angles, and a wreath of green-enamelled 
 laurel connects the arms of the cross and 
 the swords. The medallion bears a figure 
 of Saint George slaying the dragon; around 
 this is a blue-enamelled band inscribed IN 
 HOC SIGNO VINCES. The reverse is the 
 same, with the word VIRTUTI above. 
 The ribbon is light blue moiré. The decora- 
 tion of the Knights of the Grand Cross is 
 distinguished from the other grades by a 
 gold pendant of St. George and the dragon. 
 The Chevalier’s cross has no such pendant; 
 
 and on the reverse is the word MERITO. 
 
 MEDAL OF ST. GEORGE. In addition 
 to the “‘Order of Saint George of the Re- 
 union,” gold medals were awarded for 
 heroism in war, and in silver for continued 
 service. These are 28 mm., bearing in the 
 centre the figure of St. George slaying the 
 dragon, encircled by a wreath and the words 
 VIRTUTI or MERITO according to the 
 purpose of the award. The obverse and 
 reverse are the same. The ribbon is blue 
 with yellow edges. 
 
 NUMIS MATTC WO 
 
 
 
MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 ORDER OF CONSTANTINE, (described 
 on page 18). Instituted in Naples and 
 Sicily by Don Carlos in 1734. Joseph 
 Bonaparte abolished it in 1808, although it 
 continued in the island of Sicily. Upon.the 
 return of Ferdinand IV to Naples in 1814, 
 it was restored in both Kingdoms. 
 
 ROYAL ORDER OF FRANCIS I. 
 Francis I, upon the death of his father, 
 Ferdinand IV, became King of the Two 
 Sicilies on January 4, 1825. He was of the 
 Neapolitan branch of the Bourbon family. 
 On September 28, 1829, he founded the 
 Royal Order of Francis I. Though usually 
 conferred as a reward for Civil Merit, the 
 army was not debarred from its honours. 
 There are five classes: Grand Cross, Com- 
 manders, Officers, Knights and Chevaliers. 
 The fourth and fifth classes receive, re- 
 spectively, the gold and silver medals, 
 described later. This Order was discon- 
 tinued in 1860 when the Kingdom of the 
 Two Sicilies became part of Italy, though, as 
 a family Order, it was continued for a while 
 longer. The decoration is a four-armed, 
 
 Powe ON OGRAPHS 
 
 105 
 
ITALIAN ORDERS oe 
 
 double-pointed cross of white enamel with 
 gold edges, surmounted by a gold crown. 
 Bourbon lilies of gold are in each angle. 
 The medallion is larger than in most of the 
 other Orders. In the centre, on a field of 
 gold, appear the initials of the founder, F./., 
 with crown above. These are surrounded 
 by a laurel wreath of enamel. On the blue 
 encircling band are the words, DE REGE 
 OPTIME MERITO. The reverse bears the 
 inscription FRANCISCUS PRIMUS IN- 
 STITUIT MDCCCXXIX, within a green 
 wreath. The ribbon is bright red with 
 blue edges. The star or plaque of the order 
 is a silver cross without the crown, and 
 with the same centre medallion. 
 
 The gold and silver medals, worn by the 
 fourth and fifth classes, are 36 mm. in diam- 
 eter, bearing on the obverse the portrait 
 of the founder, within a laurel wreath, and 
 the inscription FRA NCISCUS I.D.G.UTRI- 
 USQUESICIL. ET HIER. REX. The reverse 
 has three Bourbon lilies in the centre within a 
 wreath, and the motto DE REGEOPTIME 
 M ERITO 1829. The ribbon is dark red with 
 blue edges; not as wide as that for the Cross. 
 
 N:.U M TS'M A Tel C NOsieress 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Prey y | 
 
 
 
 Two SICILIES 
 Order of Francis I 
 
108 
 
 ITAGIAN ORD ise eee 
 
 MEDAL OF CIVIL MERIT. Authorized 
 by royal decree of December 17, 1727. It 
 is of gold and silver and worn with a red 
 ribbon. The obverse bears an effigy of the 
 king, and the title FRANCISCUS I.D.G. 
 REGNI UTRIUSOUE SICI Lae ae ee. 
 REX. On the plain reverse is engraved 
 the name, date and cause of award, A medal 
 similar to this was awarded during the reign 
 of Ferdinand II and may be found with 
 either of the following inscriptions: FERDI- 
 NANDUS II REGNI UTRIUSQUE SICI- 
 LIAE ET HIERUS. or FERDINANDO II 
 RE DEL REGNO DEELE DUEL SiC a 
 
 Another MEDAL OF CIVIL MERIT was 
 issued, 44 mm. in size. On the obverse are 
 busts of Francis I and Queen Maria Isabella, 
 facing to right, surrounded by branches of 
 laurel. On the reverse is a Bourbon lily, 
 crowned. 
 
 MEDAL FOR MESSINA. Francis I was 
 succeeded in 1830 by his son, Ferdinand II, 
 who died in 1859. Ferdinand II instituted 
 the Medal for Messina for troops faithful 
 to him, in that city, during the Revolution 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOs 
 
VEAL Ss OF HONOUR 
 
 of 1847. It is of bronze, and 30 mm. On 
 the obverse, within a wreath of oak and 
 laurel leaves, is the word FEDELTA with 
 one Bourbon lily. The reverse reads, 
 MESSINA 1 SEPTEMBRE 1847. The 
 ribbon is light blue and white. A variant 
 of this medal has on the obverse the effigy 
 of the king and the words FERDINANDO 
 II RE DEL REGNO DELLE DUE SICILIE; 
 and on the reverse the word FEDELTA. 
 
 LONG SERVICE MEDAL. Ferdinand 
 II also created a bronze medal for Long 
 
 Service. It is 38 mm. and bears on the 
 obverse the king’s bust on a_ pedestal, 
 surrounded by implements of war and flags. 
 Above is FERDINANDO ITI. The reverse 
 reads LODEVOLE SERVIZIO MILITARE 
 DI 25 ANNI. The ribbon is red. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE SIEGE OF MES- 
 SINA. After the long siege of the citadel 
 of Messina in 1848 by Ferdinand II which 
 resulted in his reconquest of Sicily, a com- 
 memorative medal was authorized by the 
 king. This was to reward the troops who 
 
 Poe vi ON OGRAPHS 
 
 109 
 
 
 

 
 LTAL LA N “ORS Drr as 
 
 had taken part in the campaign. The 
 medal for the senior officers was of gold and 
 enamel, 35 mm. in diameter. On the 
 obverse within a green-enamelled laurel 
 wreath, is a pentagonal fort; in the corners 
 are five bombs, the flames of which rest 
 upon the wreath. In the centre is the 
 fleur-de-lis of the Bourbons, in relief. The 
 reverse is similar, except that in the centre 
 of the pentagon is the legend, ASSEDIO/ 
 DELLA / CITTADELLA / DI MESSINA / 
 1848. The ribbon is red. For the junior 
 officers and soldiers the medal was of bronze 
 and of the same size, without enamel. 
 Obverse and reverse are identical, and the 
 medal was worn witha red ribbon. A variant 
 of this medal has a plain reverse, no fort, or 
 bombs, but with the same inscription in relief. 
 
 MEDAL FOR SICILY. Created for the 
 troops who, under the leadership of Filan- 
 gierl, suppressed the Insurrection of 1848- 
 1849. This is of bronze-gilt, and displays 
 the effigy of Ferdinand II facing to right 
 within a wreath of oak leaves. Outside the 
 wreath are two draped flags, the whole is 
 
 N.UM 13S:M AWGN ar 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS PL, XXVII 
 
 
 
 Two SICILIES 
 
 Siege of Messina 
 Long Service Medal, Ferdinand II 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 112 ITALIAN O8}DapRes 
 
 surmounted by a Bourbon lily. The plain 
 reverse has CAMPAGNA DI SICILIA 1849, 
 in relief. The ribbon has three equal stripes 
 of light blue and white. 
 
 MEDAL FOR CAMPAIGN OF 1860. 
 Francis II came to the throne of Sicily in 
 1859, about the time of the Garibaldi 
 campaign for the Independence of Italy. 
 His reign was short. The Medal for the 
 Campaign of 1860 was created by him for 
 those troops who were loyal to him and 
 opposed to Garibaldi. It is bronze, 37 mm., 
 and bears on the obverse the effigy of the 
 king, facing to left, within a wreath of oak 
 leaves. Surrounding this is FRANCESCO 
 II RE DELLE DUE SICILIE. The reverse 
 bears the words, TRIFRISCO, CAIAZZO, 
 S.MARIA,S, ANGELO, GARIGLIA NO, sur- 
 mounted by three Bourbon lilies. Around 
 this inscription appear the words, CAM- 
 PAGNA DI SETT, OTT. 1860. ‘The ribbon 
 is red with a blue stripe in the centre. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF EASTERN SICILY. 
 Authorized in 1860. It bears on the obverse 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
 l 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pr XXVIEI 
 
 
 
 3 Two SICIEIES | 
 Medal for Sicily, Ferdinand II 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 TIT AL TAN WOR ase 
 
 the effigy of Francis II facing to right, and 
 the words SICILIA ‘OCCIDENTAL, 
 APRILE E MAGGIO/1860. On the reverse, 
 within a wreath of laurel, the words AL 
 VALORE. This is bronze, and 27 mm. in 
 diameter. A variant of this medal was 
 issued without the likeness of the king on 
 the obverse. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE “DEFENSE ou 
 CATANIA. The obverse Lears the effigy of 
 Francis II, a trophy of arms, and the words 
 CATANIA 31 MAGGIO 1860; the reverse, 
 within a wreath of laurel, the words AL 
 VALORE. 
 
 MEDAL FOR GAETA. Issued to the 
 refugees who fled to Gaeta with the Royal 
 family in 1860-61 when Garibaldi entered 
 Naples. The medal is silver, 36 mm., 
 having on the obverse the jugated busts of 
 the King and Queen Maria Sophia of Bavaria 
 and the words FRANCESCO II—MARIA 
 SOFIA. The reverse shows a view of the 
 city of Gaeta, with GAETA 1860-1861 in 
 the exergue. <A variation of this medal has 
 
 
 
 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS PL, XXIX 
 
 
 
 Two SICILIES 
 Medal for Gaeta, Francis II 
 
ITALIAN ORDER See 
 
 on the reverse the fortress of Gaeta only, 
 with the same inscription in the exergue. 
 After the Garibaldi campaign of 1860- 
 1861 for the freedom of Sicily, and after the 
 Royal family had given up the Kingdom of 
 Sicily, Francis II. by a decree dated March 
 12, 1861, authorized medals for all his 
 soldiers who took part in the second siege of 
 Messina. It appears that dies were made 
 but only one medal is known to have been 
 struck. That rests in the famous Ricciardi 
 collection in Naples. The writer is in- 
 debted to Sig. Guido de’Mayo’s article in 
 the May-June 1922 issue of Miscellanea 
 Numismatica, which describes this medal. 
 It is silver, 35 mm., and bears on the 
 obverse the jugated busts of the King and 
 Queen, facing to left (similar to the Gaeta 
 Medal), and the titles, FRANCESCO IJ— 
 MARIA SOFIA. The reverse has a design 
 of the pentagonal fortress of Messina; in 
 the corners of the pentagon are five bombs, 
 the flames of which rest on the wreath which 
 surrounds the fort. In the centre is the 
 Bourbon fleur-de-lis. The exergue reads 
 CITTADELLA DI MESSINA 1360-6. 
 
 NUMTS MAI CoN Gers 
 
 
 
Pees OF HONOUR 
 
 The ribbon is given as red with blue 
 stripes. 
 
 MEDAL FOR SICILY. This is said to 
 have been awarded to those who took part 
 in the uprising against Ferdinand II in 1848, 
 in the movement for a United Italy, but the 
 purpose of this award cannot be verified 
 from the several authorities consulted. It 
 was issued in silver and bronze, 30 mm., 
 and suspended from a ribbon of the Italian 
 National colours—three equal stripes of 
 green, white and red. On the obverse is an 
 
 allegorical figure of Sicily, armed with a | 
 
 sword; at her feet is a shield with the Arms of 
 Sicily, while in the sky, a brilliant sun bears 
 the Arms of Savoy. In the distance is Mt. 
 Aetna in eruption. The reverse has in the 
 centre SICILIA/1848. Around this is the 
 inscription, JNJZIO DEL RISORGIMENTO 
 DALALTA: 
 
 peers OON OGRA PHS 
 
 117 
 
118 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 TUSCANY 
 
 Tuscany, the ancient Etruria, lies south 
 of the Apennines. On the east it was 
 bounded by the districts of Umbria and the 
 Marches, while to the south lay the section 
 known in Classical times as Latium, but 
 which later, with the rise of the Church, 
 was usually known as the Papal States. 
 None of these provinces had boundaries that 
 were fixed for any great length of time, and 
 their geographical history is very com- 
 plicated. 
 
 Between the roth and 16th Centuries, 
 Tuscany was composed of several self- 
 governed communes or Republics, the most 
 important of which were Lucca, Pisa, 
 Florence and Siena. The Medici family 
 was a dominant factor in the government for 
 a long period. In 1735 the country came 
 under Austrian rule. Francis, Duke of 
 Lorraine and afterwards Emperor of Aus- 
 tria (1708-1765), became Grand Duke of 
 Tuscany. He succeeded John Gaston, the 
 last of his line, and thus the Duchy passed 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
MrDALSYOF HONOUR 
 
 from the control of the Medici and into that 
 of the Hapsburg family. This had been 
 arranged by treaty. 
 
 The Hapsburgs continued in control until 
 the entrance of the French in 1799 under 
 Napoleon I, though the battle of Waterloo 
 in 1815 brought back once more their rule 
 in the domain. Ferdinand III (1769-1824) 
 was succeeded by his son, Leopold II, who 
 lost the Duchy of Tuscany when the constit- 
 uent Assembly voted for its inclusion in the 
 Kingdom of Italy on August 16, 1860. 
 From that time all the Orders of Tuscany 
 have been discontinued. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT STEPHEN. This 
 Order was founded at Pisa in 1561 or 1562, 
 by Cosimo I de’ Medici, Duke of Florence, 
 afterwards the first duke of Tuscany, to 
 commemorate his victory over the French at 
 Siena. The battle took place on St. Stephen’s 
 day, August 2, 1554 (or August 6 accord- 
 ing to some historians). The inhabitants 
 of the city and the troops under Henry II, 
 after withstanding a siege of fifteen months, 
 finally capitulated. In 1567, Pope Pius V 
 
 AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 119 
 
120 
 
 PTALTAN OSD 
 
 granted Cosimo the title of the first Grand 
 Duke of Tuscany. The Order was named in 
 honour of Stephen IX, Pope and martyr, 
 once bishop of Florence, on whose festival 
 Cosimo de’ Medici gained his victory. It 
 is said to have been discontinued in 1565, 
 but Elias Ashmole states that new statutes 
 were approved in 1590. He also lists it as 
 one of the Orders extant in 1715; though 
 Hugh Clark informs us that the Order was 
 “revived in 1764 and put on a respectable 
 footing.”” Whatever its status in the 
 interval may have been, the Order was 
 reorganized in 1817 by Ferdinand III, 
 Grand Duke of Tuscany (1769-1824), and 
 its regulations were altered by him at that 
 time. ‘The insignia is a red-enamelled, gold- 
 edged cross, similar to that of the Knights 
 of Malta. In the angles are golden fleurs- 
 de-lis and above’ the cross is a ducal crown of 
 gold. The ribbon is bright red. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT JOSEPH. Founded 
 by Ferdinand III on March 19, 1807, when 
 as Grand Duke of Wurtzburg he was ad- 
 mitted to the Confederation of the Rhine. 
 
 N U!M LS MAY DG SN Ogi 
 
ITALTAN. DECORATIONS 
 
 per ticncange 
 
 LON RB Rett cet te RRO EEE POR C. 
 es ‘ ences 
 
 samsonite 
 
 TUSCANY 
 Order of Saint Stephen 
 
 
 
 Pee 
 
[IT AL ANS eRS ere 
 
 Upon the downfall of the Napoleonic control 
 of Tuscany in 1814, Ferdinand restored the 
 Order in Tuscany when he again assumed 
 control of the Duchy. The Order was for 
 meritorious service and was awarded to 
 civilians, ecclesiastics and the military, 
 whether native or foreign. Generally the 
 honour was confined to those of the Roman 
 Catholic faith. There are three classes: 
 Grand Cross, Commanders and Knights. 
 The Decoration of the first class is silver, 
 a double-pointed, six-armed cross, with 
 rays between the arms. An oval medallion 
 in the centre bears the figure of St. Joseph; 
 around this on the band, likewise of silver, 
 is the motto UBIQUE SIMILIS (Everywhere 
 the same), with a branch of laurel and oak. 
 In the lower centre of the band is the letter 
 F. The cross of the second class is gold, 
 and similar to the star of the first class, 
 though smaller. It has white-enamelled 
 arms, and the rays and the medallion band 
 are of red enamel. It is surmounted by a 
 gold crown and a suspension ring for the 
 ribbon, which is bright red, with a white 
 stripe at each edge. The reverse medallion 
 
 NUMISMA TIC NOEs 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Jef aw OO, | 
 
 
 
 TUSCANY 
 Order of Saint Joseph 
 
124 
 
 ITALIAN OR DAs 2 
 
 has in the centre S.J.F.1807 (Sancto Josepho 
 Ferdinando—Dedicated by Ferdinand to 
 Saint Joseph). The third class cross is 
 smaller and worn with a narrower ribbon. 
 
 ORDER QF THE WHITE CROSS. 
 Instituted by Grand Duke Ferdinand III 
 in 1814. This was a decoration solely for 
 the military faithful to him. It is sometimes 
 called the ‘‘Cross of Loyalty.” A MEDAL 
 OF HONOUR was also founded in 1816 for 
 those who had distinguished themselves in 
 the Duchy. No description of these two 
 insignia is obtainable from the several 
 authorities consulted. 
 
 MILITARY MEDAL. Authorized in 1815 
 for distinguished service. It was awarded 
 only to junior officers and soldiers. This 
 medal is silver, bearing on the obverse a 
 bust of the founder facing to right, and the 
 title FERDINANDO III.A.D.A.GRAND. 
 DI TOSCANA. The reverse has in relief 
 AI PRODI E FEDELI TOSCANI 1818. 
 (To the brave and faithful Tuscans.) The 
 ribbon is half red and half white. 
 
 NUMISMAT ICON Oy Ss 
 
 
 
MEDpDALs> OF HONOUR 
 
 LONG SERVICE MEDAL. Founded in 
 1816 and issued to junior officers and sol- 
 diers. It is bronze, 37 mm., and bears on 
 the obverse two crossed swords, with a 
 shield bearing the letter F superimposed. 
 Above this device is a crown, and below is 
 1816, the date of its creation. The reverse 
 reads, im relief, AL LUNGO E FEDEL 
 SERVIZIO. The ribbon is half red and 
 half white. 
 
 MEDAL OF MILITARY MERIT. This 
 
 was founded by Leopold II on May to, 1841, 
 and bears the effigy of the Duke and the 
 words LEOPOLDO II GRANDUCA DI 
 TOSCANA. The reverse has in relief 
 FIDELTA E VALORE. The ribbon is 
 half red and half black. 
 
 ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT. In- 
 stituted on December 19, 1853, by Leopold 
 II. The decoration is a five-armed white- 
 enamelled cross of gold on a gold laurel 
 wreath, which is surmounted by a gold 
 crown. The obverse medallion is inscribed 
 L II. surrounded by the words MERITO 
 
 AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 125 
 
 
 
126 
 
 ITALIAN OF0027 5: 
 
 MILITARE. On the reverse medallion, 
 1853 records the date of its creation. ‘The 
 ribbon is of red and black in equal stripes. 
 
 MEDAL OF 1848. Founded by Leopold 
 II for the war of Italian Independence. 
 This was a service medal for his troops 
 taking part in that campaign. It is bronze- 
 gilt, and bears on the obverse the effigy of 
 the Grand-duke and title LEOPOLDO II 
 GRANDUCA DI TOSCANA. On the re- 
 verse within a laurel wreath is the inscription 
 GUERRA/DELLA/INDIPENDENZA/ 
 ITALIANA/1848. The loop for the ribbon 
 is a wide bar-like affair, similar to that for 
 many of the Italian medals. The ribbon is 
 blue, bordered with two red stripes. 3 
 
 MEDAL OF MERIT. Attributed by but 
 one authority to Ferdinand IV. Issued 
 in five classes; gold, of 40 mm. and 30 mm.; 
 silver, of 49 mm. and 30 mm., and bronze, 
 45 mm. in diameter, according to the impor- 
 tance of the award. On the obverse is a 
 bust of the Grand-duke and FERDINANDO 
 IV GRANDUCA DI TOSCANA. ‘The re- 
 
 NUMISMATI C2 
 
 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Prsx xt 
 
 
 
 TUSCANY 
 Order of Military Merit, Leopold II 
 
128 
 
 
 
 [TA LIT AN SOR ae 
 
 verse bears the inscription AL MERITO 
 within a wreath. The ribbon is dark blue 
 with black stripes at the sides. 
 
 LONG SERVICE MEDAL. Instituted 
 by Leopold II in December, 1850, for officers 
 of the Army who had served at least thirty 
 years. It is 36 mm., a gilt Maltese cross, 
 having in the centre medallion of silver the 
 head of Leopold II to left, encircled by 
 LEOPOLD II Ge Do DI TOSG) Gatie 
 reverse medallion is the word ANZIANITA, 
 with a crown above. No _ information 
 concerning the ribbon is obtainable. 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOTES 
 
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Led 1 OO. O.2 OB | 
 
 
 
 Venice. Defence of Venice, 1848 
 
 Tuscany. Long Service Medal 
 
130 
 
 ITALIAN O} DA ee 
 
 VENICE 
 
 At the time of Augustus, there was no 
 city of Venice, and Padua was the chief city 
 of the district which has since come to be 
 known as Venetia. This district occupied 
 the Northeastern section of that country 
 from the Alps on the North and East to the 
 
 Adriatic Sea, and to the River Po on the 
 
 West. From the Sixth and Seventh Cen- 
 turies, after the foundation and the growth 
 of Venice, it developed a considerable com- 
 merce with its island domains and became a 
 great maritime power. For many centuries 
 an independent Republic was maintained, 
 governed by a Senate and a Doge, elected 
 by the people; his authority, however, was 
 limited. Constant wars with neighboring 
 peoples and with the Turks did not exhaust 
 the wealth of Venice; and until the Eight- 
 eenth Century Venice wielded great in- 
 fluence in European politics. ‘The Republic 
 was unable to withstand the French army, 
 however, and on October 17, 1797, was 
 divided—one half of the territory going to 
 
 NUM ISMAE LC NO 
 
Meo nwee OI HONOUR 
 
 Austria and the other half to the Cisalpine 
 Republic; the Ionian Islands went to France. 
 For a thousand years the Venetian Republic 
 maintained its independence, and exhibited 
 a form of government which commanded 
 universal admiration. 
 
 ORDER OF SAINT MARK. Probably 
 founded early in the Eighth Century. 
 Giustinian, writing in 1692, states that 
 Domenico Leoni was the first Grand Master 
 of the Ordine di San Marco in the year 737. 
 He also lists a number of the Grand Masters 
 from that date to 1688, and gives several 
 authorities. Other writers fix the date of 
 its origin as 828, when the remains of Saint 
 Mark were taken from Alexandria to Venice. 
 No exact information is obtainable as to the 
 discontinuance of the Order, though Ashmole 
 indicates its existence in 1672, as does Clark 
 in 1784. 
 
 The insignia is a gold chain to be worn 
 around the neck. From this a gold medal- 
 lion is suspended. On the obverse is the 
 Arms of Venice—the winged lion of St. 
 Mark, seated with a sword in the right paw, 
 
 eee) NIC) G RAP HS 
 
 ney 
 
 
 
ino 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS 
 
 and with the left paw resting on an open 
 book, on which is the motto PAX TIBI 
 MARCE EVANGELISTA MEUS (Peace 
 to thee, Mark, my Evangelist). The reverse 
 is believed to have been plain, although 
 Ashmole asserts that it had the name of the 
 Doge then living as well as a portrait—if 
 that is what may be understood by his words 
 ‘a particular impress.” This Order was 
 conferred by the Senate or by the Doge, 
 and later was called the Order of the Doge 
 of Venice. On late forms, the insignia was 
 changed to a blue-enamelled cross, on the 
 centre of which was a medallion with the 
 above described Arms. The reverse bore 
 the effigy of the reigning Doge, sometimes 
 represented as on his knees receiving a 
 standard from the hands of St. Mark. 
 All recipients of this Order had to show 
 records of noble birth and were known as 
 the Knights of Saint Mark. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE DEFENCE OF 
 VENICE OF 1848. This medal was issued 
 in 1849, during the second year of the short- 
 lived Republic of Saint Mark—as Venice 
 
 NUM TES MATT ON Gai 
 
MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 was at that time called. It was of silver and 
 bronze, 27 mm., bearing on the obverse the 
 Arms of the Republic. Around this are 
 the words INDIPENDENZA ITALIANA. 
 On the reverse is the cross of St. Maurice 
 surrounded by VESSILLO DI VITTORIA 
 1848. The ribbon is crimson with a narrow 
 gold stripe at each side. (Pl. XXXTIII.) 
 
 MEDAL FOR BRAVERY. Also issued 
 in 1849. It was of silver and bronze, but 
 32 mm. in diameter. The obverse has the 
 lion of St. Mark and GOVERNO PROVI- 
 SORIO 1848-49. 
 
 On the reverse, within an oak wreath, are 
 the words DIFENSORE DI VENEZIA. 
 The ribbon is red with gold stripes at the 
 sides. 
 
 MEDAL FOR THE CIVIL GUARD. 
 Authorized in 1849. It was silver and 
 bronze gilt, oval in form, 40 mm. by 34 
 mm. On the obverse appear two crossed 
 flags and the words GUARDIA CIVICA 
 VENETA. The reverse “feads VV/ 
 LITALIA. The ribbon is yellow. 
 
 mee DLON:O.GRAPHS 
 
 133 
 
 
 
134 
 
 ITALIAN OR DIGRSeA 
 
 OBSOLETE ORDERS 
 
 The following Orders listed by the several 
 authorities consulted, as having been formed 
 in Italy, have long been discontinued. 
 
 Order of the Golden Star of Venice, date 
 not given. 
 
 Order of the Golden Stole, date not given. 
 
 Order of the Royal Crown of Mantua, was, 
 according to Genouillac, created in 771 by 
 Prince Louis of Gonzaga (son of Witikind, 
 King of Saxony), in honour of his marriage 
 with Adalgise of Lombardy, daughter of 
 Gisulf, duc de Frioul. 
 
 Order of the Eagle of Italy. Created 
 February 15, 941, by Hugo II of Gonzaga, to 
 perpetuate the memory of his marriage with 
 Princess Elizabeth of Gonzaga and Lom- 
 bardy. New statutes were formed for the 
 Order in 968. 
 
 Order of Holy Mary, Mother of God. 
 Founded in Italy in 1233. Its creation is 
 attributed to Bartholomew, Bishop of 
 Vincenza. The purpose of its foundation 
 was to quell the discords which arose 
 
 NUMISMAAIC NOPES 
 
Peano SOE) HON OUR 
 
 between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines 
 and also to defend and support the Roman 
 Catholic religion. It was approved by 
 Pope Martin IV, who placed the knights 
 under the protection of St. Augustin. It was 
 called by some the ‘Order of the Brothers 
 of the Jubilation,” later the ‘‘Order of St. 
 Mary of the Tower,” and the “‘Order of the 
 Chevaliers of the Mother of God.’ Archer 
 states that this later Order was founded in 
 1737- Towards the end of the Sixteenth 
 Century the Order had entirely disappeared. 
 
 Order of the Black Swan of Italy, founded 
 in 1350 by Amadeus VI and other Italian 
 Princes, for the purpose of preventing feuds, 
 then so prevalent. 
 
 Order of St. George of Genoa. Founded 
 in 1472 by Frederick III of Germany. It 
 was to reward the Genoese for the reception 
 he received during his journey to Rome, 
 where he received the Imperial Crown. 
 The Order was short-lived. The badge is 
 a plain red cross suspended from a gold 
 chain. This Order is not to be confused with 
 the Order of St. George of Austria, founded 
 in 1468 by the Emperor Frederick III. 
 
 mem De MOIN'O.G. RAP HS 
 
 135 
 
 
 

 
 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 Order of St. George of Ravenna. Founded 
 in 1534 by Alexander of Farnese (then 
 Pope Paul III). Its award was confined 
 to those who defended the city and its 
 vicinity from the attack of the Moslems 
 or Corsairs. On the death of its founder 
 it ceased to exist. Cappelletti says it was 
 suppressed by Gregory XIII. The insignia 
 was a red-enamelled star of eight points, 
 over which was a gold ducal crown. 
 
 Order of the Lily. Founded in 1546 by 
 Alexander of Farnese. 
 
 Order of the Lamb of God of Tuscany. 
 Founded in 1568 by John III. 
 
 Order of the Redeemer or of the Precious 
 Blood of our Saviour. Founded in 1608 by 
 Vincent (IV) Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. 
 It was in honour of the marriage of his son 
 Francis with the Princess Marguerite, the 
 daughter of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of 
 Savoy. The Order survived about a 
 century and lapsed in 1708 on the death of 
 Ferdinando Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. 
 An attempt was made to revive it in 1847 
 but without success. The insignia was an 
 oval medallion, in the centre of which were 
 
 NUMISMATIC INO Es 
 
Piers OP FON.O UR 
 
 two angels in adoration. Around this was 
 the motto NIHIL HOC TRISTE RECEPTO. 
 
 Order of the Conception. Instituted on 
 September 8, 1617, by Ferdinand I of 
 Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, in: honour of 
 the conception of the Virgin and _ placed 
 under the protection of St. Michael the 
 Archangel. Like many other Orders founded 
 about this time, the members swore alle- 
 giance to the Church and agreed to fight 
 against the infidels. 
 
 Order of the Virgin or the Order of the 
 Virgin Mary the Glorious. Created in Italy 
 by three gentlemen of Spella, named Peter, 
 John the Baptist, and Bernard, surnamed 
 Petrignani. The Order was approved by 
 Pope Paul V in 1618, and placed under the 
 protection of the holy Virgin. The mem- 
 bers agreed to defend and uphold the Roman 
 Catholic religion and make war on the in- 
 fidels. No record has been found of the 
 discontinuance of the order. 
 
 Order of Saint Rosalie of Palermo. Founded 
 in 1634 by Alderon de Carreto. 
 
 PaeeOeeeNOGRAPHS 
 
 
 
 
 137 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NOTES 
 
 1Charles Albert (1789-1849) was of the line of 
 Savoy-Carignano which was founded by Thomas 
 Francis (1596-1656), son of Charles Emmanuel the 
 Great. Carignano, a town in the province of Turin, 
 was in 1630 bestowed by Charles Emmanuel I upon 
 his son Thomas Francis, who was known as the Prince 
 of Carignano. The present reigning king of Italy is 
 of this house. Ency. Brit. Vol. X XI, p. 342 and Vol. 
 Spe LOS: 
 
 2*At this Crescent was fastened as many small 
 Pieces of Gold fashion’d like Columns and enamell’d 
 with Red, as the Knights had been engag’d in Battels 
 and Sieges; for none could be adopted into this Order 
 unless he had well trod the Paths of MHonour.’’ 
 Ashmole, E., Hist. of Order of the Garier, 1715, p. 69. 
 
 3Ashmole, 1672, p. 80. ‘“‘It was approved and con- 
 firmed by Pope Urban IV, anno 1262, and the Rule of 
 St. Dominick prescribed to the Knights.” 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 ARMANI, E. Insegne Cavalleresche e Meda- 
 glie del Regno d'Italia. Rome, 1915. 
 
 ASHMOLE, Eras. The Institution, Laws and 
 Ceremonies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. 
 London 1672. ; 
 
 AsHMOLE, Evias. The History of the Most 
 Noble Order of the Garter. London 1715. 
 
 NUMISMADICG NG ieee 
 
MrmeDALTS OF HONOUR 
 
 Burke, SiR BERNARD. The Book of Orders 
 of Knighthood and Decorations of Honor. 
 London 1858. 
 
 CAPPELLETTI, LicurGo. Ordini  Cavalle- 
 reschi. Livorno 1904. 
 
 CrIBRARIO, Lurci. Descrizione e Storica degli 
 Ordini Cavallereschi. 2 vols. Torino 1846. 
 
 Ciark, HucH A. A Concise History of 
 Knighthood. London 1784. 
 
 Cuomo, RAFFAELE. Ordini  Cavallerescht 
 anticht e moderni. 2 vols. Naples 1894. 
 
 Ervin, C. N. Handbook of the Orders of 
 Chivalry. London 1893. 
 
 FAVINE, ANDREW. The Theatre of Honour 
 and Knighthood. London 1623.—Translated |. 
 from a French Edition of 1620. 
 
 GENOUILLAC, H. GouRDON DE. _ Diction- 
 naire historique des ordres de Chevalerie. Paris 
 1860. 
 
 GENOUILLAC, H. GOURDON DE. Nouveau 
 Dictionnaire des ordres de Chevalerie. Paris 
 1891. 
 
 GrorGcio, FLorInpO DE. Delle cerimonie 
 Pubbliche della onorificenze della nobilta e 
 de Titoli e degli Ordinit Cavallereschi nel Regno 
 delle Due Sicilie. Naples 1854. 
 
 GIUSTINIAN, BERNARDO. Historie degli Or- 
 dint militart, etc. Venezia 1692. 
 
 ZN DeewONOGRAPHS 
 
 
 
140 
 
 DTALIAN ORDERS An 
 
 J. S.. The History of Monastical Conven- 
 tions and Military Institutions, etc. London 
 1701. 
 
 LAWRENCE-ARCHER, Major J. H. The 
 Orders of Chivalry. London 1897. 
 
 MENNENH, FrRAncisci. Deliciae Equvestrivm 
 sive Militarivm Ordinum et Eorundem Origines, 
 etc. Coloniae Agrippinae 1638. 
 
 PERROT, A.-M. Collection| Historique des 
 Ordres de Chevalerie. Paris 1820. 
 
 Puca, ANTONIO. Gli ordini cavallereschi del 
 Regno d’Italia. Naples 1879. 
 
 RiccrtarpI, Epuarpo. Medaglie delle due 
 Sicilie. Naples 1910 and 1913. 
 
 Ruo, RAFFAELE. Ordini Cavallereschi.... 
 instituti nel regno delle Due Sicilie. Naples 1832. 
 
 Saint Joachim. An accurate historical account 
 of all the Orders of Knighthood, by an Officer of 
 the Chancery of the Order of Saint Joachim. 
 London 1802. (Said to be by Sir L. Hamon). 
 
 ScuLFortT, Lieut. V. Catalogue; Decorations 
 et Médailles du Musée de Armée. Paris 1912. 
 
 Trost, L. J. Die Ritter- und Verdienst 
 Orden, Ehrenziechen und Medaillen aller Sou- 
 verane und Staaten. Wien & Leipzig 1910. 
 
 NUMIESMA Tt CaN Ol) 
 
 
 
MEDALS OF HONOUR 
 
 INDEX 
 Lucca 
 Pete GU AOL OVOTIC 5 csc ce ese ede ss 8 
 Military Service Medal................ 8 
 LS US 7 Ge | 5 
 ye. Waly eI i ee ee 6 
 Modena 
 ECOSG OP SEIVICED sak insets oe eae 13 
 Pagiewmt Meters trder ol’); .. ela... .. IO 
 ese FO Pe FE Ea a 14 
 Military Medal for Loyalty...... baa 12 
 Ditiitaryenicds OC Nierit,. 4 lsc. es. 13 
 Parma 
 onetantine POTUET Gl wc fe isnt kee a Hao 16 
 igtiatvon Neri ctu file. ot os ls 20 
 cL Ro Ol ee Fe tek ae re 19 
 San Marino 
 OW VISTLG ere is ks oc ew as 24 
 rer SV ALT Vint cree aoe os So ee ws 21 
 Sardinia, Savoy and Kingdom of Italy 
 WATIAC ARE CGAL LOD Oars a NG sists + 4 3000's 65 
 Boxer Uprising, Medal for (Medal for Far 
 (USGS SO a ae 66 
 
 China, Medal for (Medal for Far East)... 66 
 
 AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 I4I 
 
142 
 
 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS AND 
 
 
 
 Civil Medal of Valours 2.3 49 
 Civil Order of Savoy eee 36 
 Colonial Order of the Star of Italy...... 43 
 Crimean Medal... 32. ..= we 
 Crown of Merit... ..- 9.) ee 76 
 Crown of Italy, Order‘ol j73 ee ee 38 
 Far East,. Medal for: 73.2). =e 66 
 Industry, Ordersof, 2209 42 
 Italian Independence Medal............ 60 
 Italian Unity Medal, a ae 76 
 Liberation of Sicily, Medal for.......... 58 
 Life Saving Medal.) ee 54 
 Marsala Medal (Medal of the Thousand)... €0 
 Medal of Merit. ,..343.2 eee 54 
 Medal of Merit (Battle of Vicenza)...... 79 
 Medal of Merit (Rome)> >) eee 79 
 Medal of Ment.(“S.7.0: ee 80 
 Medal of the ‘Thousand... ae ge ee 60 
 Military Cross for Service;..... 2). i 
 Military Medal of Valour. 7. 2a eee 40 
 Most Sacred Annunciation, Order of..... 24 
 National Gratitude, Medal of......... 74 
 Naval Medal of Valour) =.) 50 
 Public Safety, Medal of Merit.......... 51 
 Royal Military Order of Savoy......... 35 
 St.. Maurice, Medal of. 22 3.95. eee 34 
 St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, Orderof.... 30 
 “Star.of the Thousand. tas =: emer 59 
 
 NUMISMA POICEN Ors 
 
Mr ALs Orr: HONOUR 
 
 Turkish War of 1911-1912 
 United Italy, Medal for 
 Valour Medal 
 
 Victory Medal 
 
 War Cross of Italy 
 War in Lybia Medal 
 War Orphans Medal 
 War Volunteers Medal 
 World War Medal 
 
 The Two Sicilies 
 Campaign of 1860 
 
 Civil Merit, Medal of 
 
 Constantine, Order of 
 
 Crescent, Order of the. 
 
 Defence of Catania, Medal for the 
 
 Double Crescent (Order of the Ship) 
 
 Eastern Sicily, Campaign of 
 
 Ermine (Naples), Order of the 
 
 Francis I, Royal Order of 
 
 Gaeta Medal 
 
 Griffin (Naples), Order of the 
 
 Holy Spirit of the Right Desire (Order of 
 the Knot) 
 
 Knot (Naples), Order of 
 
 Lombardy, Medal of Merit for 
 
 BeeeoevLONOGRAPHS 
 
 
 
144 
 
 ITALIAN ORDERS SNS 
 
 Long Service Medal...” 22 ame ce eee 109 
 Medal of Honour... 93-45 ee 94 
 Medal of Honour (1815)42.0 eee IOI 
 Medal of Honour (Sicily).............. IOI 
 Messina, Medal for... 108 
 Naples, Medal of Honour for........... TOO 
 Provincial Legion, Medal of Honour forthe 99 
 Reel and Lioness, Order of............. 87 
 St. Charles, Royal Military Order of..... 92 
 St. Ferdinand, Order of, and Order of 
 Merit. 2.50. 50.23. ee 93 
 St..George, Medal of =.) ey eee 104 
 St. George of the Reunion, Royal Military 
 Order ofs . #. '. 3 ya 102 
 St. Januarius, Order of 2, eee 89 
 St. Michael (Naples), Order of.......... 89 
 Security Guard Medal; \2..., a) uae 102 
 Ship, Order of the... 4. eee 85 
 Sicily, Medal for (Ferd ije ee 110 
 Sicily, Medal for (Nationalist).......... 117 
 Siege of Gaeta, Medal of Honour for the.. 97 
 Siege of Messina, Medal for the......... 109 
 Siena, Medal of Merit for.............. 96 
 Spur, Order of the? -g.) oa) ae 87 
 Two Sicilies, Royal Order of the........ 98 
 Tuscany 
 Long Service Medal; 2yapae2) eee 125 
 Long Service Medal (Leopold IT)........ 128 
 
 NUMISMATIC NOs 
 
 
 
Pe ei Or yVHON-O UR 
 
 Medal.of 1848 
 
 Medal of Merit 
 
 Military Medal 
 
 Military Merit, Medal of 
 
 Military Merit, Order of 
 
 St. Joseph, Order of 
 
 St. Stephen, Order of 
 
 White Cross, Order of the (Cross of 
 Loyalty) 
 
 See also Obsolete Orders 
 
 
 
 Venice 
 Bravery, Medal for 
 Civil Guard, Medal for the 
 Defence of Venice of 1848, Medal for the.. 132 
 St. Mark, Order of 
 
 Obsolete Orders 
 Black Swan of Italy, Order of the 
 Conception, Order of the 
 Eagle of Italy, Order of the 
 Golden Star of Venice, Order of the 
 Golden Stole, Order of the 
 Holy Mary, Mother of God, Order of the.. 134 
 Lamb of God of Tuscany, Order of the... 136 
 Lily, Order of 
 Precious Blood of Our Saviour (See Order 
 of the Redeemer) 
 Redeemer, Order of the 
 
 Pewee ONO GRAPHS 
 
 
 

 
 
 I TA L LAgNes OF REDE Ras 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Royal Crown of Mantua, Order of the... 134 
 St. George of Genoa, Order of.......... 145 
 St. George of Ravenna, Order of........ 136 
 St. Rosalie of Palermo, Order of........ 137 
 Virgin,,Order of the... :. 9a poe 
 
 
 
 NUM. SCAR LE CooN Or rei 
 
 Hit eae fs 
 
NuMISMATIC NoTES AND MONOGRAPHS 
 
 1. Sydney P. Noe. Coin Hoards. 1921. 
 47 pages. 6 plates. s5oc. 
 
 2. Edward T. Newell. Octobols of Histiza. 
 1921., 25 pages. 2 plates. soc. 
 
 3. Edward T. Newell. Alexander Hoards— 
 Introduction and Kyparissia Hoard. 
 1921. 21 pages. 2 plates. soc. 
 
 4. Howland Wood. ‘The Mexican Revolu- 
 tionary Coinage 1913-1916. 1921. 44 
 pages. 26 plates. $2.00. 
 
 . Leonidas Westervelt. ‘The Jenny Lind 
 Medals and Tokens. 1921. 25 pages. 
 9 plates. s5oc. 
 
 5. Agnes Baldwin. Five Roman Gold Me- 
 dallions. 1921. 103 pages. 8 plates. 
 $1.50. 
 
 7. Sydney P. Noe. Medallic Work of A. 
 
 Meee. AY CIMA Ne. V 192%." gn pages. 17 
 
 ay 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 he Mint of the Philip- 
 x1. 8 pages. 4 plates. 
 
 th, LL.D. Computing 
 7o pages. 25 plates. 
 
 The First Seleucid 
 I92I. 40 pages. 8 
 
 
 
NuMIsMATIC NoTEes AND MonocraPHs 
 
 If. 
 
 Ts. 
 
 ra, 
 14. 
 16. 
 iy 
 18. 
 
 aah 
 
 (CONTINUED) © 
 
 Harrold E. Gillingham. French Orders 
 and Decorations. 1922. 10 pages. 35 
 plates. $2.00. 
 
 Howland Wood. Gold Hallars of 1853.07 «1 , 
 
 1922. 7 pages. 2 plates. soc. 
 
 R. B. Whitehead. Pre-Mohammedan |. 
 Coinage of N. W. India. 1922. 56 
 pages. 15 plates. $2.00. 
 
 George F. Hill. Attambelos I of ie 
 
 Characene. 1922. 12 Pages, Dei 
 $2.00, 
 
 M. P. Vlasto. Taras Oikistes (A Ce 
 
 tribution to Tarentine Numismatics). — 
 1922. 234 pages. 13 plates. $3.50. 
 
 Howland Wood. Commemorative Coin- che oe 
 age of United States. 1922. 63 pages. 
 
 7 plates. $1.50. 
 
 Agnes Baldwin. pigs bi Roman Bronze ge ee i < 
 Medallions, 1923. 39 pages. 6 plates. Se 
 
 $1.50. 
 
 Howland Wood.  tegadgatoa. coe Me gael 
 of 1823. 1923. 16 Pages. ue PISS 
 
 50c. 
 
 Edward T. Newell Aloadser Hoaragen akin 
 
 II. Demanhur Hoard. 1923. 56a 8 he 
 pages. 8 plates. $2.50. ‘ ey