Order of Merit (Chile)

Order of Merit (Chile)
The Order of Merit is a Chilean order and was created in 1929. Succeeding the Medal of the Merit, which was created during the term of the President Germán Riesco through the Minister of War decree No. 1350 on 4 September 1906. This new national distinction was created to recognize the meritorious service provided by foreign military personnel to Chilean officials. The order is only awarded to foreigners.
History
In 1817, Bernardo O'Higgins created the Legion of Merit, with the aim of recognizing the ones who have provided help to Chile, specially during its independence. In 1823, when O'Higgins fled the country after his abdication, the Legion was extinct.
Nevertheless, in 1906, Germán Riesco created the Medal of the Merit, with the same aim as the current Order: award those who gave civil services to the Republic. The first 200 military medals were minted in gold and silver, giving them the title of First and Second Class. They were minted at the Casa de la Moneda, having a tricolor ribbon. The order had three classes: First, Second, and Third Class; but later a new class was added (Grand Officer) that would be awarded to heads of state.
In 1929, the Medal was renamed as the Order of Merit, and the current regulations were enacted in 2000, being slightly reformed in 2016.
Grades
The President of Chile is the Gran Master of the Order. The Chancellor is the minister of Foreign Affairs.
Collar
Grand Cross
Grand Officer
Commander
Officer
Knight
Insignia
The Orders design is made up of a gold five-pointed star enamelled in while, backed by a gold laurel wreath. The central disc bears a representation of the national personification of Chile. The outer ring of the central disk is inscribed with "Republica de Chile" (Republic of Chile). The badge hangs from a gold Andean Condor, the national bird of Chile. The Star of the Grand Cross grade is made up of a ten-pointed highly curved star fronted by a gold laurel wreath. Placed on this is another five-pointed white-enamelled star with a central gold disc. The outer edge of the disc is enamelled in blue with the inscription; "Orden del Merito Chile" (Order of Merit Chile). The centre of the disc is emblazoned with a representation of the Coat of Arms of Chile. The badge of the Order is the same for the Collar, Grand Cross, Grand Officer and Commander grades, however the final two grades; the Officer and Knight, are the same basic design however instead of being enamelled in white, the star is enamelled in blue and red respectively. The Orders ribbon is made up of a blue field edged very thinly in red. This is the reverse of the ribbon for the other Chilean order of chivalry; The Order of Bernardo O'Higgins.
Recipients
Wilhelm Adam (colonel general)
Konrad Adenauer
Martti Ahtisaari
Jorge Alessandri
José Arce
Henry H. Arnold
Patricio Aylwin
Michelle Bachelet
Leszek Balcerowicz
Andrew Bertie
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Rafael Caldera
Felipe Calderón
Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
Horacio Cartes
Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Fernando Collor
António Costa
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada
Eduard Dietl
Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado
Willem Anton Engelbrecht
Matthew Festing
Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark
Eduardo Frei Montalva
Narciso Garay
Prince George, Duke of Kent
Władysław Günther-Schwarzburg
António Guterres
Christian Günther
William Halsey, Jr.
Miklós Horthy
Ted Kennedy
Aleksander Kwaśniewski
Luis Alberto Lacalle
José Antonio de Lavalle y García
Curtis LeMay
Maurice August Lippens
Joseph Taggart McNarney
George Marshall
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
Zoran Milanović
Ignacy Mościcki
Valentín Paniagua
Aleksandra Piątkowska
Augusto Pinochet
Koča Popović
Miguel Primo de Rivera
Mariano Rajoy
Kazimierz Raszewski
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Nelson Rockefeller
Karol Adam Romer
Jorge Sampaio
Julio María Sanguinetti
José Serrato
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
Krzysztof Skubiszewski
Frans Timmermans (politician)
Alejandro Toledo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Franjo Tuđman
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
August Zaleski
Arthur Zimmermann
Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu
References and links
Condecoraciones, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile.
Orders, decorations, and medals of Chile
1929 establishments in Chile
Merit of Chile, Order of the
Orders of merit
Awards established in 1929