Order of the Legion of Honor of 1871

Silver, gold, enamel. The original order is in good collector's condition. The enamel chips are visible in the photo. On the original tape. Guarantee of authenticity.

The Legion of Honor (French Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur) is the highest state award in France. The Order of the Legion of Honor was established by Napoleon Bonaparte on May 19, 1802, following the example of knightly orders. The Order became one of the most famous orders in the world, was established as a public organization designed to unite in its ranks the most worthy citizens, both military and civilian, who rendered significant services to the Republic. Membership in the Order is the highest mark of distinction, honor and official recognition of special merits in France. Admission to membership of the Order is carried out for outstanding military or civil services by the President of the French Republic, who is ex officio Grand Master of the Order.

After the establishment of the order in 1802, the number of members admitted to it gradually increased. In 1871, there were more than 70,000 active members of the order, after which there was a decrease in this number. In 1900, there were just under 45,000 French legionnaires. Since 1923, a sharp jump in annual admissions to the order began, which lasted 40 years and was caused by the need to reward citizens for their courage during two world wars and several colonial wars in which France participated in the first half of the 20th century. In 1962, the order had 320,000 members, or 0.7% of the total population.

General de Gaulle considered such an increase in the number of members of the order dangerous for the prestige of this honorary organization (as happened at the time with the Order of St. Michael). In 1962, a new Code (statute) of the order was approved, which established, among other things, a reduction in the number of active members of the order to 125,000 by the end of the 20th century. To achieve this goal, the annual rates of awarding the Legion of Honor were constantly decreasing, and in 1963 a special National Order of Merit was established, which allowed the award system to diversify. As a result, by 2009, the number of members of the order was about 93,000 people (of which there were 74,384 cavaliers, 17,032 officers, 3,009 commanders, 314 grand officers, 67 Grand Cross cavaliers).