An order of merit is an honorific order that is conferred by a state, government, royal family, or other sovereign entity to an individual in recognition of military or civil merit. The historical background of the modern honours system of orders of merit may be traced to the emergence of chivalric orders during the Middle Ages.

The cross of the Order pro Merito Melitensi, an order of merit established in 1920 by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, an independent, Catholic order of chivalry and sovereign entity.

Orders of merit may be bestowed as official awards by states, or as dynastic orders by royal families. In the case of modern republics, an order of merit may constitute the highest award conferred by the state authority.

National orders of merit

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Dynastic orders of merit

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Gillingham, Harrold E. (1970). South American Decorations and War Medals. Lenard L. Babin (Reprint ed.). New York: The American Numismatic Society. pp. 136–137 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ "بشأن قانون الاوسمة والانواط لسنة 1961 ". site.eastlaws.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2023-03-15.