Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus

Order of Saint Lazarus (1119)

The Order of Saint Lazarus, founded c. 1119, originated from a hospital for leprosy in Jerusalem established around 1100 by "Brothers of Saint Lazarus."^[7] These knights protected Christian pilgrims and specialized in the relief of leprosy; many members were themselves lepers who had been knights in other orders.

Following the Fall of Acre in 1291, the knights settled in France and later Naples (1311). In the 16th century, the order declined in wealth and credibility. During medieval times, the order maintained hospitals in several cities, including Capua. Until, with papal support, the Duke of Savoy became Grand Master in 1572.^[4]

Order of Saint Maurice (1434)

The Order of Saint Maurice was established in 1434 by Amedeo VIII of Savoy during his stay in the Ripaglia hermitage. It was a military order from its inception.^[7] Though it declined, it was reestablished in 1572 by Pope Pius V at the instigation of the then-Duke of Savoy.^[3]

Amalgamation (1572)

• 
  The green-enameled Maltese Cross of the Order of Saint Lazarus, founded c. 1119
• 
  The white-enameled cross bottony of the Order of Saint Maurice, founded in 1434
• 
  Combined Maltese Cross and cross bottony,
  of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus

In 1572, Pope Gregory XIII united the Order of Saint Lazarus in perpetuity with the Crown of Savoy. Duke Emmanuel Philibert merged it with the Order of Saint Maurice, making the Grand Mastership hereditary in the House of Savoy. The Pope granted the Duke authority over vacant commanderies globally, with the exception of those in the states of the King of Spain (the Kingdoms of Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, and the Duchy of Milan). In England and Germany, these commanderies were suppressed by the Protestant Reformation.

The new organization was charged to defend the Holy See and Italian shores. Notably, the order’s war galleys fought against the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto and the Barbary pirates alongside the United States Marine Corps. In 1773, a hospital was founded in Aosta to combat a new outbreak of leprosy.

Napoleonic Wars and the 19th Century

During the Napoleonic Wars, the order lost its estates in Piedmont. It accepted many officers of the Royal Sardinian Army and Navy, who in 1815 were bestowed with the Military Order of Savoy. In 1831, under Charles Albert of Sardinia, the order was opened specifically to members of the upcoming bourgeoisie.^{[citation needed]}

King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy brought the order back into favor, conferring it sparingly for distinguished service as an exclusive award compared to the more common Order of the Crown of Italy. It consisted of five classes: Knight Grand Cross, Knight Grand Officer, Knight Commander, Knight Officer, and Knight.^[7] He bestowed the order on recipients eminent in the public service, science, art, letters, trade, and charitable works.^{[citation needed]}

Grades

Originally, the order was divided into Knights Petit Cross and Knights Grand Cross, the latter worn at the neck, the former on the chest. The Commendatori, who owned a commandery, weren't bestowed with a specific insignia. In 1831, Charles Albert of Sardinia divided the order into three classes:

• Knight Grand Cross with the Grand Cordon
• Knight Commander
• Knight

Since 1855, the Order is divided into five classes for the Knights (male members):^[9]

• Knight Grand Cordon, who wear a sash on the right shoulder to the left hip and the badge as well as star are worn on the left side;
• Grand Officer, who wear a necklet plus the star on the left chest;
• Commander, who wear a necklet;
• Officer, who wear a medal in Gold on the left side of the chest;
• Knight, who wear a smaller Medal in Silver on the left side of the chest.

For female members the Order is divided into in three classes:

• Dame Grand Cordon, wearing a sash similar to that of their male counterparts
• Dame Commander, who wear on a necklet. During daydress: wear a bow-formed necklet worn on the left side of the chest. During evening wear: bow formed necklet worn on the left side of the chest)
• Dame, who wear a smaller necklet; During daydress and evening wear: bow formed medal worn on the left side of the chest

Special Class of the Order:

• Knight Grand Cordon, Special Class, For the Grand Master of the Order; who wear a sash on the right shoulder to the left hip, the badge as well as star which is worn on the left side of the stomach are in Brilliants

Insignia

• The badge of the order is in gilt, consists of a white-enameled cross bottony of the Order of Saint Maurice, with a green-enameled Maltese Cross, the Cross of the Order of Saint Lazarus, placed in saltire between the arms of the cross botonny. The badge of each class except that of Knight and Dame is topped by a gilt crown.

• The star of the Order is a silver-faceted star, with eight points for Grand Cross and four points for Grand Officer, and with the badge (minus the crown) superimposed upon it.
• The breast cross for the "jus patronatus" Commander is identical to the badge, minus the crown.
• The ribbon of the Order is apple green, with slight variations for the several classes:

More information Ribbon, Class (English) ...

Ribbon	Class (English)	Full title in Italian
	Knight Grand Cross	Cavaliere di Gran Croce dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro
	Grand Officer (until 1865 Commander First Class)	Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro
	Commander	Commendatore dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro
	Officer	Ufficiale dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro
	Knight	Cavaliere dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro

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Council

The council is responsible for running the order, the order focuses mainly on charitable acts.^[10]

Until 1831, it was composed of the First Secretary of the Grand Magistracy (not to be confused with the Secretary of the Council itself), the Auditor General and seven dignitaries (Grandati):

• Grand Prior, a clergyman with episcopal rank as the
• Grand Admiral, the commander of the order's navy
• Grand Marshal, the commander of the order's land forces
• Grand Hospitaller, administrator of the order's hospitals
• Grand Conservator, administrator of the order's estates
• Grand Chancellor, head of the order's chancery
• Grand Treasurer

In 1831, the offices of Grand Admiral and Grand Marshal were abolished since the absence of an army. In 1851, the offices of Grand Conservator and Grand Chancellor where merged with the office of the First Secretary of the Grand Magistracy and the Grand Treasurer got renamed as Treasurer General, who also served as Vice Chairman of the council. The other nine members, among them an annual Chairman of the council, who replaced the Grand Prior, where chosen by the Grand master.

From 1861 to 1946, the council also served as the council of the Order of the Crown of Italy.

Today, some of the old offices are re-established.

• Chairman: Vacant
• Vice Chairman: Antonio d’Amelio
• Grand Chancellor: Theo Niederhauser
• Grand Treasurer: Nicolas Gagnebin
• Grand Prior: Monsignor Paolo de Nicolò
• Grand Master of Ceremonies: Prof. Alberto Bochicchio
• H.S.H. Mariano Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz
• H.S.H. Don Alessandro Jacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi Altemps
• Don Giancarlo Melzi d’Eril dei Duchi di Lodi
• Don Carlo Buffa dei Conti di Perrero – Honorary Member

Junta

The Junta is responsible for voting in new Knight or Dame to the dynastic order on behalf of the grand master, Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice. There are always five members of the Junta to ensure that there is never an equal count in votes for and against a new possible new Knight or Dame.^[10]

• H.S.H. Don Alessandro Jacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi Altemps – President
• Don Paolo Thaon di Revel Vandini – Secretary
• Don Enrico Sanjust dei Baroni di Teulada
• Gualtiero Ventura
• Federico Pizzi

Monarchs

• Franz Josef I, Emperor of Austria
• Wilhelm II, German Emperor
• Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia
• Gojong, Emperor of Korea
• Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia
• Zog I, King of the Albanians
• George V, King of the United Kingdom
• Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar, Shah of Persia
• Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran
• H.M.E.H. Servant of God Fra' Andrew Bertie, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
• Maharaja Jagatjit Singh
• Maharaja Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana
• Mihailo Obrenović of Serbia
• Abbas I, Wāli of Egypt

Heads of State

• Poglavnik Ante Pavelić Knight Grand Cross^[11]

Military

• General of the Armies John Pershing
• General of the Army George Marshall
• Marshal Slavko Kvaternik Knight Grand Cross^[12]
• Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch
• Field Marshal Francisco Solano López
• General Matthew Bunker Ridgway
• Lieutenant General John C. H. Lee
• General François d'Astier de La Vigerie
• General Tasker H. Bliss
• General Mark W. Clark
• General Ira C. Eaker
• General Peyton C. March
• Admiral Ernesto Burzagli^[13]
• Surgeon Rear-Admiral Arthur Skey
• Major General Ulysses S. Grant III
• Major General Mason Patrick^[14]
• General Sebastiano Visconti Prasca
• Rear Admiral Richard Byrd
• Brigadier General Billy Mitchell
• Naval Captain Emilio Faà di Bruno
• Flight Commander Douglas Harries
• SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Lammers
• Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram
• Brigadier General Evan M. Johnson^[15]
• Brigadier General Walter McCaw^[16]
• Rear Admiral Charles R. Train^[17]

Politics

• Antonio Profumo, 1st Baron Profumo (1788–1852)
• Vilhelm Sixten Gregorius Aminoff (1838-1875), Swedish diplomat and courier
• Diplomat Isaac Artom
• Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 1921
• Enrico d’Arienzo, Prefect of Caltanisetta 1925
• Henri Jaspar
• Charles, 1st Count de Broqueville
• Charles Rogier
• Edmond, Baron de Sélys Longchamps
• President Porfirio Díaz
• Dr Hans Frank, 26.9.1936^[18]
• Minister of foreign affairs Giustino Fortunato^[19]
• Member of Parliament Cristiana Muscardini
• Diplomat Jose Maria Quijano Wallis^[20]
• Luigi, Count Cibrario
• Oswald, Freiherr von Richthofen, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the German Empire - August 1902 - during the visit to Germany of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy^[21]
• President of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition and Former St. Louis Mayor David R. Francis^[22]
• Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York City (2001) Cavaliere di Gran Croce (Motu Proprio)^[23]
• Aldo Oviglio, Minister of Justice (1922–1925)
• James Charles Risk of New York City, Cavaliere di Gran Croce,^[24] originally inducted by the last reigning King of Italy, Umberto II of Italy
• Benito Mussolini, Prime Minister of Italy and Duce of Fascism
• Francesco Ruffini, Italian jurist, historian, politician and antifascist.
• Mike Gatto, American politician of Italian heritage
• Gianni Letta, Italian politician and journalist

Culture

• Architect Carlo Rainaldi
• Architect Giovanni Battista Meduna and his brother, engineer Tommaso Meduna^[25]
• Sculptor Christopher Ross
• Tenor Andrea Bocelli^[26]
• Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow rejected the honor^[27]

Priests

• Pietro Tacchi Venturi
• Agostino Cardinal Rivarola
• Blessed Tommaso Reggio
• Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan
• Désiré-Félicien-François-Joseph Cardinal Mercier
• Blessed Andrea Carlo Cardinal Ferrari

Sciences

• Charles Combes
• Giovanni Miani, explorer
• Giuseppe Peano
• Joseph Vallot^[28]

Philanthropy

• Edoardo Gabardi^[29]
• Thomas Hanbury
• J. P. Morgan