The Order of Saint Michael
The Order of Saint Michael — from Medieval France to the Present Day
The Order of Saint Michael is the first secular award of France in its history. At the time of its foundation, the regalia served as a symbol of belonging to the union of knights who had proven their loyalty to the sovereign. Over time, the Order of Saint Michael lost its original meaning and was granted by the monarch as a sign of favor or for special services to the state. The French Revolution officially abolished all royal awards, which did not prevent the order from continuing its activities. Today it has the status of a dynastic regalia.
Characteristics of the Order of Saint Michael
- Author: unknown.
- Country: France.
- Date of establishment: August 1, 1469.
- Number of degrees: 1.
- Cross size: 52 mm x 52 mm.
- Chain weight: about 689 g.
- Order material: gold, enamel.
- Chain material: gold.
History of the establishment of the Order of Saint-Michel
The Order of Saint Michael was originally a knightly union established by the King of France Louis XI. In the 14th century, similar organizations arose in many European countries and represented a narrow circle of the most noble confidants of the overlord. The nobles considered belonging to a knightly union a great honor, and the insignia of the order were equated with insignia.
The French king founded the Order of Saint Michael as a sign of “exceptional love for chivalry, for the protection of the Holy Church and the prosperity of state affairs.” However, in reality, the monarch wanted to counter the influence of the Duke of Burgundy Philip the Good (Philippe le Bon), who, in an effort to attract noble French nobles to his side, granted them knighthood in the Order of the Golden Fleece.
The King of France needed a loyal squad, whose loyalty would be based on something more than feudal dependence. Following the example of his political rival, Louis limited the number of members of the union to 36 “noble men.” Fifteen were chosen by the king himself, the rest could be accepted by common decision. The patron saint of the order was the Archangel Michael, one of the most revered saints in the country, and the place of residence was the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy.
The charter of the organization prescribed that the chapter be held annually on September 29, the day of the festivities in honor of the saint. During the initiation ceremony, the knights took an oath of allegiance to the head of the order and swore to serve the French crown faithfully. In the first decades after the foundation of the union, general meetings were not held, despite the king’s repeated attempts to organize a ceremony.
The abbey was too far away, and the monarch could not leave the court for long. In 1471, Louis decided to hold the celebration in the capital and even introduced the position of master of ceremonies. The archives contain information that ceremonial clothing, portraits of knights, and a statue of the saint were ordered for the holiday. However, for some unknown reason, the meeting never took place. Under Louis XIV, the Cordeliers monastery in Paris became the official headquarters of the order.
Insignia and Knights of the Order of St. Michael
The ceremonial costume of a knight consisted of a white robe lined with ermine with a crimson hood; in the 19th century, the color of the cloaks was changed to blue. The order’s insignia was a Maltese cross with royal lilies and an image of the patron saint in the center. The regalia was supposed to be worn on a gold cord, later on a black ribbon. The insignia included a miniature, which was attached to the order chain with links in the shape of flat shells.
The first knights of the Order of Saint Michael included:
- Charles de France, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine;
- Jean de Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon;
- Louis de Luxembourg, Constable of France;
- André de Laval-Montmorency, Marshal.
At the dawn of the organization, membership limits were strictly observed, but in 1565, Charles IX increased the number of knights to fifty, and then completely stopped paying attention to the charter and granted the title to courtiers simply out of personal favor. Ten years later, the order consisted of more than five hundred people, and the regalia itself was dismissively called “a collar for all animals.” Henry III attempted to reform the charter, but it was unsuccessful. The monarch had to establish a new highest state award, which became the Order of the Holy Spirit.
The Order of Saint Michael lost its significance as a military award for the highest nobility in the 18th century. The king awarded the regalia even to commoners who had recently been elevated to the nobility. The monarchical award system was abolished by the Revolution, but during the Restoration the order was restored and awarded for merits in science and art. Today the regalia continues to exist as a dynastic award of the Bourbon family. Awards were given until the 1980s, one of the last recipients being the French sculptor and medalist Dominique Piechaud.
