WThe Order of the Annunciation, not to be mistaken with Savoy and Italy's well-known Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, was founded in 1619 by Charles Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, Duke of Nevers and soon flourished.
WThe Order of the Black Star was an order of knighthood established on 1 December 1889 at Porto-Novo by Toffa, future king of Dahomey. Approved and recognised by the French government on 30 July 1894, after the establishment of the new statutes of 30 August 1892, according this distinction to all those who worked to develop French influence on the west coast of Africa.
WThe Order of the Broom-cod, is believed to have been founded in 1234 by French king Louis IX the Saint to commemorate his wedding with Margaret of Provence, daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence, and her coronation. Other sources mention Charles VI the Beloved as the founder.
WThe Royal Order of Cambodia was a colonial order of chivalry of French Cambodia, and is still in use as an order of chivalry in the present-day Kingdom of Cambodia.
WThe Ordre du Croissant was a chivalric order founded by Charles I of Naples and Sicily in 1268. It was revived in 1448 or 1464 by René I, king of Jerusalem, Sicily and Aragon, to provide him with a rival to the English Order of the Garter. René was one of the champions of the medieval system of chivalry and knighthood, and this new order was neo-Arthurian in character. Its insignia consisted of a golden crescent moon engraved in grey with the word LOZ, with a chain of 3 gold loops above the crescent. On René's death, the Order lapsed.
WThe Order of the Holy Spirit, is a French order of chivalry founded by Henry III of France in 1578. Today, it is a dynastic order under the House of France.
WThe Order of the Iron Crown was an order of merit that was established on June 5, 1805, by Napoleon Bonaparte under his title of King Napoleon I of Italy.
WThe Order of the Ladies of the Cord, was a ladies order founded by the French queen Anne of Brittany in 1498. This rope with knots had been added by her step-grandfather Francis I, Duke of Brittany to his arms in honor of St. Francis its patron saint and her father Francis II, Duke of Brittany had continued the emblem. The order was founded after the death of her husband king Charles VIII. The choice of name is not clear. Some sources speak of the node in the Scourge of the Savior, others from the cord of the sacred Francis of Assisi and still others of deliverance from the pressing duty of the unfortunate and involuntary marriage of Charles and Anna.
WThe Ordre du Mérite combattant was a ministerial order of merit of France created on 14 September 1953 to reward individuals who distinguished themselves by their service and dedication in the management of the moral and material interests of veterans and war victims. These individuals' applicable service could be working in the Ministry of Veterans and War Victims or for organizations and associations who work for veterans. The order was administered and awarded the Ministry of Veterans and War Victims.
WThe Ordre du Mérite militaire was a ministerial order of merit of France created on 22 March 1957 to recognize the contributions of active members of the military reserves during times of peace. The order was administered and awarded the Ministry of Defence. The order was created to replace the Croix des services militaires volontaires established in 1934. Holders of the Cross were made members of the Ordre du Mérite militaire, bronze holders as knights, silver holders as officers, and gold holders as commanders.
WThe Ordre du Mérite Saharien was established in 1958 as a reward for social, scientific, economic or administrative services rendered by French or foreign persons who participated in the development of Saharan regions. The medal is fashioned in the form of the Agadez cross, a traditional emblem of the Tuareg clans inhabiting the area of the former Sultanate of Agadez in Agadez, Niger.
WThe Order of Military Merit, initially known as the Institution of Military Merit was an order of the French Ancien Régime created on 10 March 1759 by King Louis XV. It was created to reward the non-Catholic officers of the French Army.
WThe Ordre du Nichan El-Anouar was established in 1887 as a colonial order of merit of the Tajurah sultanate in French Somaliland.
WThe Order of the Holy Spirit, is a French order of chivalry founded by Henry III of France in 1578. Today, it is a dynastic order under the House of France.
WThe Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was founded in 1608 by Pope Paul V at the request of King Henry IV of France.
WThe Royal Military and Hospitaller Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem united was a chivalric order instituted in 1608 by personal union of the medieval Order of Saint Lazarus in France and the new Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of King Henry IV of France. The union of the two orders was recognised by a bull of Cardinal Louis de Bourbon, papal legate in France, dated 5 June 1668.
WThe Order of Our Lady of the Thistle was founded in January 1370 in Moulins, by Louis II "the Good", Duke of Bourbon « in the honour of God and the Immaculated Virgin», at the occasion of his marriage with Anne of Auvergne, Heiress Countess of Forez, daughter of Beraud II, Dauphin of Auvergne and Jeanne of Forez; niece of John, Count of Forez.
WThe Ordre des Palmes académiques is a national order bestowed by the French Republic on distinguished academics and teachers and for valuable service to universities, education and science. Originally established in 1808 by Emperor Napoleon as a decoration to honour eminent members of the University of Paris, it was changed into its current form as an order of merit on 4 October 1955 by President René Coty, making it one of the oldest civil honours bestowed by the French Republic.
WThe Order of the Porcupine was established by Louis de France, Duke of Orléans, in 1394, at the occasion of his elder son Charles of Orléans' baptism.
WThe Order of the Reunion was an order of merit of the First French Empire, set up to be awarded to Frenchmen and foreigners to reward services in the civil service, magistracy and army, particularly those from areas newly annexed to France, such as the Kingdom of Holland. It was established in 1811 and abolished in 1815. There were similar orders in the other states annexed by France, such as the Palatinate, Papal States, Tuscany and Piedmont, including the Order of the Lion of the Palatinate, the Order of the Golden Spur, the Cross of St John Lateran, the Cross of St Stephen, the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.
WThe Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis is a dynastic order of chivalry founded 5 April 1693 by King Louis XIV, named after Saint Louis. It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles. By the authorities of the French Republic, it is considered a predecessor of the Legion of Honour, with which it shares the red ribbon.
WThe Order of Saint Michael is a French dynastic order of chivalry, founded by Louis XI of France on 1 August 1469, in competitive response to the Burgundian Order of the Golden Fleece founded by Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, Louis' chief competitor for the allegiance of the great houses of France, the Dukes of Orléans, Berry, and Brittany. As a chivalric order, its goal was to confirm the loyalty of its knights to the king. Originally, there were a limited number of knights, at first thirty-one, then increased to thirty-six including the king. An office of Provost was established in 1476. The Order of St Michael was the highest Order in France until it was superseded by the Order of the Holy Spirit.
WThe Order of Public Health was a French order of merit, created by presidential decree of President Albert Lebrun on 18 February 1938 and amended on 22 May 1954, and awarded for services to the public health and protection of children. It was replaced by the Ordre national du Mérite in 1963.
WThe Order of the Star or Company of the Star was an order of chivalry founded on 6 November 1351 by John II of France in imitation of the Order of the Garter founded in 1347 by Edward III of England. The inaugural ceremony of the order took place on 6 January 1352 at Saint-Ouen, from which it is sometimes called the Order of Knights of the Noble House of Saint Ouen.
WThe Ordre de l'Étoile d'Anjouan was a French colonial order of knighthood founded in 1874. It was established in 1874 by sultan Mohamed-Saïd-Omar of the Comoros island of Anjouan, reorganised on 18 June 1892 and authorised and recognised by the French government on 12 September 1896. It was made a French Overseas Order in 1950.
WThe Order of Tahiti Nui was established on 5 June 1996 by the Assembly of French Polynesia to reward distinguished merit and achievements in the service to French Polynesia.
WThe French Marshal Jean Le Maingre ("Boucicaut") was a knight who fought throughout Europe. Saracens refrained from attacking Boucicaut in Tunis when two "beautiful women in white robes fell from heaven with, into their hands, a flag with a red cross."
WThe Order of the Yellow Ribbon was founded in 1600 in Nevers by the French-Italian nobleman Charles III, Duke of Nevers, nephew of the French king Henry III, and knights would be imposed very peculiar duties.