The Legion of Honour is France’s highest order, recognizing military and civilian personnel for their bravery or honorable service. It was created by Napoleon in 1802 to distinguish merit regardless of social class. There are five classes, with the president of France serving as the Grand Master. Foreigners are recognized but not admitted to the order. The insignia has a strict protocol on how and where it is worn.
The Legion of Honour, or Légion d’honneur, is the highest order, or decoration, of France, recognizing both military and civilian personnel for their bravery or honorable service rendered to the country. On May 19, 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte instituted it as a way to distinguish civilians and soldiers in a way that had nothing to do with chivalry. The French Revolution destroyed the kingdom’s previous orders, so while previously only nobility and army officers could hope to achieve such a designation, this order recognized anyone who showed merit.
Headquartered at the Palais de la Légion d’honneur in Paris, the Legion of Honor is a secular organization with the motto Honor and Fatherland. It was the first of its kind to recognize honorable service in modern times and bears similarities to a Roman legion with its officers, legionaries and commanders. Napoleon attached much importance to the symbolism of the insignia worn by members of the order, once saying that “it is by such trinkets that men are guided”.
The women were decorated by the Legion in 1852 and the top three included Virginie Ghesquière, Anne Biget and Marie-Jeanne Schelling, all of whom had served in the military. During successive rulers and reigning parties, the decoration was adapted to the values of the current administration. Each war saw thousands of new designates, with more than 55,000 decorations in World War I, including 20,000 non-French.
Today there are five different classes within the Legion of Honor: Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Knight. The current president of France serves as the Grand Master, although the order has no governing authority. When a Frenchman is named in the order, he starts with the class of knight. To ascend to the upper classes, he must prove himself worthy with new services or merits. The years between promotions are strictly designated.
While foreigners are often recognized by the organization, they are never admitted to the order; instead, they are emblazoned with the insignia of the Legion. This is often a courtesy bestowed upon leaders and wives of foreign countries. Nearly 10,000 Americans have received the honor since its inception.
The eminent merit designation is awarded with admission to the Legion of Honour, but a distinguished merit award is recognized with a National Order of Merit designation. There is a quota of how many people can be in the order at any given time. The insignia has a strict protocol on how and where it is worn and who wears it. Currently, it is a five-armed Maltese cross, hung on a deep red ribbon with a rosette. Depending on the class of the designee, it is worn on the right or left chest, over the shoulder, or hung around the neck.
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