The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

dynastic order of knighthood A dynastic order, monarchical order, or house order is an honorific distinction under royal patronage. This type of order is bestowed by a reigning sovereign or by the head of a formerly ruling family, recognized as a legitimate source of hono ...

bestowed by the royal

House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...

. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, and it is one of the rare orders of knighthood recognized by

papal bull A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden Seal (emblem), seal (''bulla (seal), bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it. History Papal ...

, in this case by

Pope Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII (, , born Ugo Boncompagni; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake ...

. In that bull, Pope Gregory XIII bestowed upon

Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy Emmanuel Philibert (; ; 8 July 1528 – 30 August 1580), known as (; "Ironhead", because of his military career), was Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 17 August 1553 until his death in 1580. He is notably remembered for resto ...

and his Savoy successors, the right to confer this knighthood in perpetuity. The Grand Master is Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Venice, also known as the Duke of Savoy, the grandson of the last

King of Italy King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a constitutional monarch if his power is restrained by ...

Umberto II Umberto II (; 15 September 190418 March 1983) was the last King of Italy. Umberto's reign lasted for 34 days, from 9 May 1946 until his formal deposition on 12 June 1946, although he had been the ''de facto'' head of state since 1944. Due to hi ...

. However, Emanuele Filiberto's cousin twice removed

Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta Prince Aimone, 4th Duke of Aosta (''Aimone Roberto Margherita Maria Giuseppe Torino''; 9 March 1900 – 29 January 1948), was a prince of Italy's reigning House of Savoy and an officer of the Royal Italian Navy. The second son of Prince Eman ...

in theory claims to be the rightful grand master as his father claimed to be head of the house of Savoy. The order was formerly awarded by the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...

(1861–1946) with the heads of the House of Savoy as the

Kings of Italy Kings or King's may refer to: *Kings: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations. *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'', an 11th-century epic Persia ...

. Originally a

chivalric order An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is a society, fellowship and college of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and pai ...

of noble nature, it was at one time restricted to members of noble families with proofs of eight noble great-grandparents. The order's military and noble nature was and is still combined with a Roman Catholic character. After the abolition of the monarchy and the foundation of the

Italian Republic Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

in 1946, the legacy of the order is maintained by the pretenders of the House of Savoy and the Italian throne in exile. The order is estimated to include about 2,000 members around the world, with about 200 in the United States. The Order also has roster consultative status with the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, as part of the U.N.'s

ECOSOC The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields of the organization, specifically in regards to the fifteen specialized ...

History

Both crosses from its two forerunners still exist in the insignia of their subsequent successor, today's Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, founded by amalgamation in 1572. File:Lazarus_cross.svg, The green-enameled

Maltese Cross The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four " V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which develope ...

of the

Order of Saint Lazarus The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, also known as the Leper Brothers of Jerusalem or simply as Lazarists, was a Catholic military order founded by Crusaders during the 1130s at a leper hospital in Jerusalem, Kingdom of Jerusalem, whose car ...

, founded c. 1119 File:Cross_of_saint_Maurice.svg, The white-enameled

cross bottony A number of cross symbols were developed for the purpose of the emerging system of heraldry, which appeared in Western Europe in about 1200. This tradition is partly in the use of the Christian cross an emblem from the 11th century, and increasin ...

of the

Order of Saint Maurice The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, an ...

, founded in 1434 File:Cross_of_saints_Maurice_and_Lazarus.svg, Combined

and

,
of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus

Order of Saint Lazarus (1119)

The

, founded c. 1119, can be traced to the establishment around 1100, of a

hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

for

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

Kingdom of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem, also known as the Crusader Kingdom, was one of the Crusader states established in the Levant immediately after the First Crusade. It lasted for almost two hundred years, from the accession of Godfrey of Bouillon in 1 ...

, by a group of

crusaders The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...

who called themselves "Brothers of Saint Lazarus". Those knights protected

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

pilgrims to the

Holy Land The term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Bible. It is traditionall ...

. From its inception, the order was concerned with the relief of leprosy and other illnesses, and many of its members were lepers who had been

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

s in other orders. It became rich, its practices dubious, and its funds eventually abused. With the

fall of Acre The siege of Acre (also called the fall of Acre) took place in 1291 and resulted in the Crusaders' losing control of Acre to the Mamluks. It is considered one of the most important battles of the period. Although the crusading movement continu ...

in 1291, the Knights of Saint Lazarus emigrated from the

and

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

and settled in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and, in 1311, in

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

. In the 16th century, the order declined in credibility and wealth. With papal support, the

Duke of Savoy The titles of the count of Savoy, and then duke of Savoy, are titles of nobility attached to the historical territory of Savoy. Since its creation, in the 11th century, the House of Savoy held the county. Several of these rulers ruled as kings at ...

became Grand Master in 1572. During medieval times, the Order of Saint Lazarus maintained a number of hospitals, including an institution in the Italian city of

Capua Capua ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, located on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etruscan ''Capeva''. The ...

Order of Saint Maurice (1434)

The Order of Saint Maurice was established in 1434 by

Amedeo VIII of Savoy Amadeus VIII (4 September 1383 – 7 January 1451), nicknamed the Peaceful, was Count of Savoy from 1391 to 1416 and Duke of Savoy from 1416 to 1440. He was a claimant to the papacy from 1439 to 1449 as Felix VWhen numbering of the popes began t ...

, during his stay in the

Ripaglia Thonon-les-Bains (; ), often simply referred to as Thonon, is a subprefecture of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. In 2018, the commune had a population of 35,241. Thonon-les-Bains is part of a ...

hermitage near

Thonon Thonon-les-Bains (; ), often simply referred to as Thonon, is a subprefecture of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. In 2018, the commune had a population of 35,241. Thonon-les-Bains is part of a ...

, named after

Saint Maurice Maurice (also Moritz, Morris, Maurits, or Mauritius; ) was an Egyptians, Egyptian military leader who headed the legendary Theban Legion of Roman Empire, Rome in the 3rd century, and is one of the favourite and most widely venerated saints of tha ...

of the

Theban Legion The Theban Legion (also known as the Martyrs of Agaunum) figures in Christianity, Christian hagiography as a Roman legion from Roman Egypt, Egypt —"six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men" — consisting of Christian soldiers who were marty ...

. From its beginning, it was a

military order Military order may refer to: Orders * Military order (religious society), confraternity of knights originally established as religious societies during the medieval Crusades for protection of Christianity and the Catholic Church Military organ ...

. The order declined, but in 1572 was reestablished by

Pope Pius V Pope Pius V, OP (; 17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri (and from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 January 1566 to his death, in May 1572. He was an ...

at the instigation of the then-Duke of Savoy.

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572)

In 1572, Pope

Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII (, , born Ugo Boncompagni; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake ...

united the Order of Saint Lazarus in perpetuity with the Crown of Savoy.

, merged it with the Savoyan Order of Saint Maurice, and thenceforth the title of Grand Master of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus was hereditary in that house. The pope gave him authority over the vacant commanderies everywhere, except in the states of the

King of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

, I. e. the Kingdoms of Naples,

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

and

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...

and the

Duchy of Milan The Duchy of Milan (; ) was a state in Northern Italy, created in 1395 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, then the lord of Milan, and a member of the important Visconti of Milan, Visconti family, which had been ruling the city since 1277. At that time, ...

. In England and Germany, these commanderies were suppressed by the

Protestant reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...

The new organization was charged to defend the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

and Italian shores, as well as continue to assist the sick. The war

galley A galley is a type of ship optimised for propulsion by oars. Galleys were historically used for naval warfare, warfare, Maritime transport, trade, and piracy mostly in the seas surrounding Europe. It developed in the Mediterranean world during ...

s of the order fought against the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

and the

Barbary pirates The Barbary corsairs, Barbary pirates, Ottoman corsairs, or naval mujahideen (in Muslim sources) were mainly Muslim corsairs and privateers who operated from the largely independent Barbary states. This area was known in Europe as the Barba ...

with the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

. When leprosy again broke out, the order founded a hospital in

Aosta Aosta ( , , ; ; , or ; or ) is the principal city of the Aosta Valley, a bilingual Regions of Italy, region in the Italy, Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and the G ...

in 1773. During the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

, the order lost its estates in

Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...

and accepted many officers of the

Royal Sardinian Army The Royal Sardinian Army (also the Sardinian Army, the Royal Sardo-Piedmontese Army, the Savoyard Army, or the Piedmontese Army) was the army of the Duchy of Savoy and then of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was active from 1416 until it became t ...

and

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

, who in 1815 were bestowed with the

Military Order of Savoy The Military Order of Savoy was a military honorary order of the Kingdom of Sardinia first, and of the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946), Kingdom of Italy later. Following the abolition of the Italian monarchy, the order became the Military Order of ...

Carlo_Alberto_nelle_vesti_di_Gran_Maestro_dell%27Ordine_del_Mauriziano

In 1831, under

Charles Albert of Sardinia Charles Albert (; 2 October 1798 – 28 July 1849) was the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard state from 27 April 1831 until his abdication in 1849. His name is bound up with the first Italian constit ...

the order was opened specifically for members of the upcoming

bourgeoisie The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and aristocracy. They are traditionally contrasted wi ...

. Brought back in favour by King

Victor Emmanuel II of Italy Victor Emmanuel II (; full name: ''Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso di House of Savoy, Savoia''; 14 March 1820 – 9 January 1878) was King of Sardinia (also informally known as Piedmont–Sardinia) from 23 March 1849 u ...

, the order was sparingly conferred for distinguished service in military and civilian affairs as an exclusive award compared with the more common

Order of the Crown of Italy The Order of the Crown of Italy ( or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate Italian unification, the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for ...

, consisting of five classes:

Knight Grand Cross A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

, Knight Grand

Officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

Knight Commander Knight Commander (or Dame Commander) is the second most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are dormant (and one of them continues as a German house order). The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the rec ...

, Knight Officer and

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

. With the

Italian unification The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...

(1860–1871), the order became a ''de facto'' Italian state

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood ...

. After Italy became a republic in 1946, the order was effectively replaced by the government's

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking honour of the Republi ...

. Since 1951 it has not been officially recognized by the Italian Republic, but remains recognized by most other jurisdictions, particularly those with extant royal houses. The formerly related

Maurician medal The Maurician medal is an honorary degree granted to a member of the Italian Armed Forces after 50 years of service. The commanding years are added afterward. The medal was established by Charles Albert of Sardinia as Grand master (order), Grand ...

for Military Merit of fifty years, established in 1839, was one of the few medals not suppressed by the Italian Republic, becoming the Maurician medal of Merit for 50 years military career in 1954. The House of Savoy in exile continues to bestow the order on recipients eminent in the public service, science, art, letters, trade, and charitable works. While the continued use of those decorations conferred prior to 1951 is permitted in Italy, the crowns on the ribbons issued before 1946 must be substituted for as many five-pointed stars on military uniforms.

Organisation

Until 1851, the knights of the order were divided into Knights of Justice, who had to prove nobility of eight great-grandparents, and Knights of Grace, who, like the Knights of the Most Holy Annunciation, were "suspended from the proof" (not required to provide such proof of nobility). All knights, regardless of category, were required to take three vows: obedience to the Grand Master; chastity except within marriage (castità almeno conjugale), meaning fidelity within marriage with papal approval; and service to the sick and poor. In 1831,

made the vow of the Knights of Grace facultative, and in 1851 the category of Justice was abolished by

Victor Emmanuel II Victor Emmanuel II (; full name: ''Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso di Savoia''; 14 March 1820 – 9 January 1878) was King of Sardinia (also informally known as Piedmont–Sardinia) from 23 March 1849 until 17 March ...

. Today, women can be appointed as Dames, and a new category of Knights and Dames of Devotion was introduced in 1988. Also, the Grand Master can appoint hereditary ''

jus patronatus The right of patronage (in Latin ''jus patronatus'' or ''ius patronatus'') in Roman Catholic canon law is a set of rights and obligations of someone, known as the patron in connection with a gift of land (benefice). It is a grant made by the chu ...

Commanders of Merit''.

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 "Commendatori" is the seventeenth episode of the HBO original series ''The Sopranos'' and the fourth of the show's second season. It was written by David Chase and directed by Tim Van Patten, and originally aired on February 6, 2000. Starring ...

'', who owned a

commandery In the Middle Ages, a commandery (rarely commandry) was the smallest administrative division of the European landed properties of a military order. It was also the name of the house where the knights of the commandery lived.Anthony Luttrell and G ...

, 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 Wearing_of_the_insignia_of_the_Order_of_Saints_Maurice_and_Lazarus

Since 1855, the Order is divided into five classes for the Knights (male members): *''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

of the Order of Saint Maurice, with a green-enameled

, the Cross of the Order of Saint Lazarus, placed in

saltire A saltire, also called Saint Andrew's Cross or the crux decussata, is a Heraldry, heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross. The word comes from the Middle French , Medieval Latin ("stirrup"). From its use as field sign, the saltire cam ...

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:

Council

The council is responsible for running the order, the order focuses mainly on charitable acts. 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 Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for "earlier" or "first". Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be lowe ...

, a

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

man with episcopal rank as the *

Grand Admiral Grand admiral is a historic naval rank, the highest rank in the several European navies that used it. It is best known for its use in Germany as . A comparable rank in modern navies is that of admiral of the fleet. Grand admirals in individual ...

, 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 Chancery may refer to: Offices and administration * Court of Chancery, the chief court of equity in England and Wales until 1873 ** Equity (law), also called chancery, the body of jurisprudence originating in the Court of Chancery ** Courts of e ...

* Grand

Treasurer A treasurer is a person responsible for the financial operations of a government, business, or other organization. Government The treasury of a country is the department responsible for the country's economy, finance and revenue. The treasure ...

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

. 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 Jacob Lukas Anderson (born April 29, 1984), better known by his stage name Prof, is an American rapper, singer, and producer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He released his first full-length album, ''Project Gampo'', in 2007 and has since relea ...

. Alberto Bochicchio * H.S.H.

Mariano Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz Mariano Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz (German: ''Mariano Hugo Fürst zu Windisch-Graetz'', Italian: ''Principe Mariano Ugo di Windisch-Graetz''; born 27 July 1955) is the current head of the Austrian''Les Manuscrits du CEDRE V, Le Royaume d'It ...

* H.S.H. ''

Don Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name * Don, Benin, a town in Benin * Don, Dang, a village and hill station in Dang district, Gu ...

'' Alessandro Jacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi Altemps * ''

'' Giancarlo Melzi d’Eril dei Duchi di Lodi * ''

'' Carlo Buffa dei Conti di Perrero – Honorary Member

Junta

The Junta is responsible for voting in new

Dame ''Dame'' is a traditionally British honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry. It is the female equivalent of ''Sir'', the title used by knights. Baronet, Baronetesses Suo jure, in their own right also u ...

to the dynastic order on behalf of the grand master,

Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice Emanuele Filiberto Umberto Reza Ciro René Maria di Savoia (born 22 June 1972)''Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser'' XIV. "Haus Italien". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1997, pp. 33, 38–39. .Willis, Daniel, ''The Descendants of Loui ...

. 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

. * H.S.H. ''

'' Alessandro Jacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi Altemps – President * ''

'' Paolo Thaon di Revel Vandini – Secretary * ''

'' Enrico Sanjust dei Baroni di Teulada * Gualtiero Ventura * Federico Pizzi

List of Grand Masters

Charles_Felix_as_the_Grand_Master_of_the_Order_of_the_Most_Holy_Annunciation

(1572–1580) #

Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy Charles Emmanuel I (; 12 January 1562 – 26 July 1630), known as the Great, was the Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 30 August 1580 until his death almost 50 years later in 1630, he was the longest-reigning Savoyard monarch ...

(1580–1630) #

Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy Victor Amadeus I (; 8 May 1587 – 7 October 1637) was the Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 26 July 1630 until his death in 1637. He was also known as the ''Lion of Susa''. He was succeeded by two of his sons; Francis Hya ...

(1630–1637) #

Francis Hyacinth, Duke of Savoy Francis Hyacinth (; 14 September 1632 – 4 October 1638) was Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states under the regency of his mother Christine Marie. Biography Born at the Castle of Valentino in Turin he was the eldest surviving son ...

(1637–1638) #

Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy Charles Emmanuel II (); 20 June 1634 – 12 June 1675) was Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 4 October 1638 until his death in 1675 and under regency of his mother Christine of France until 1648. He was also Marquis of Saluz ...

(1638–1675) #

Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia Victor Amadeus II (; 14 May 166631 October 1732) was the head of the House of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 12 June 1675 until his abdication in 1730. He was the first of his house to acquire a royal crown, ruling first as King o ...

(1675–1731) #

Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia Charles Emmanuel III (27 April 1701 – 20 February 1773) was Duke of Savoy, King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard states from his father's abdication on 3 September 1730 until his death in 1773. He was the paternal grandfather of the l ...

(1732–1773) #

Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia Victor Amadeus III (Vittorio Amedeo Maria; 26 June 1726 – 16 October 1796) was King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard state, Savoyard states from 20 February 1773 to his death in 1796. Although he was politically conservative, he carrie ...

(1773–1796) #

Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia Charles Emmanuel IV (Carlo Emanuele Ferdinando Maria; 24 May 1751 – 6 October 1819) was King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard states from 16 October 1796 until 1802, when he abdicated in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel I. Ea ...

(1796–1802) #

Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia Victor Emmanuel I (; 24 July 1759 – 10 January 1824) was the Duke of Savoy, King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard states from 4 June 1802 until his reign ended in 1821 upon abdication due to a liberal revolution. Shortly thereafter, hi ...

(1802–1824) #

Charles Felix of Sardinia Charles Felix (; 6 April 1765 – 27 April 1831) was the King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard states from 12 March 1821 until his death in 1831. He was the last male-line member of the House of Savoy that started with Victor Amadeus I ...

(1824–1831) #

(1831–1849) #

(1849–1878) #

Umberto I of Italy Umberto I (; 14 March 1844 – 29 July 1900) was King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his assassination in 1900. His reign saw Italy's expansion into the Horn of Africa, as well as the creation of the Triple Alliance (1882), Triple Alliance a ...

(1878–1900) #

Victor Emmanuel III of Italy Victor Emmanuel III (; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. A member of the House of Savoy, he also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 and King of the Albania ...

(1900–1946) #

Umberto II of Italy Umberto II (; 15 September 190418 March 1983) was the last King of Italy. Umberto's reign lasted for 34 days, from 9 May 1946 until his formal deposition on 12 June 1946, although he had been the ''de facto'' head of state since 1944. Due to hi ...

(1946–1983) #

Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, Prince of Naples (Vittorio Emanuele Alberto Carlo Teodoro Umberto Bonifacio Amedeo Damiano Bernardino Gennaro Maria di Savoia;''Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser'' XIV. "Haus Italien". C.A. ...

(1983–2024) #

(2024–present)

Recipients in selection

Artemisia_Gentileschi_Condottiero_Bologna

Ritratto_di_Giovanni_Battista_Cacherano_di_Bricherasio_-_Anonimo

Monarchs

* Franz Josef I, Emperor of Austria *

Wilhelm II, German Emperor Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as the Hohenzollern dynasty ...

* Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia * Gojong, Emperor of Korea *

Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I (born Tafari Makonnen or ''Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles#Lij, Lij'' Tafari; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as the Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles, Rege ...

Emperor of Ethiopia The emperor of Ethiopia (, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse (, "emperor"), was the hereditary monarchy, hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century until the abolition of the monarchy in 1975. The emperor w ...

* Zog I, King of the Albanians *

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

King of the United Kingdom The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers Constitutional monarchy, regula ...

Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar (; 23 March 1853 – 3 January 1907) was the fifth Qajar shah of Iran, reigning from 1896 until his death in 1907. He is often credited with the creation of the Persian Constitution of 1906, which he approved of in ...

of Shah of Persia * H.M.E.H.

Servant of God Servant of God () is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression ''Servant of God'' appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in ...

Fra'

Andrew Bertie Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie (15 May 1929 – 7 February 2008) was Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1988 until his death in 2008. On 20 February 2015 a formal inquiry for the cause of his beatificat ...

, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta *

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

Jagatjit Singh Colonel Maharajah Sir Jagatjit Singh Sahib Bahadur (24 November 1872 – 19 June 1949) was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Kapurthala during the British Raj in India, from 1877 until his death, in 1949. He ascended to the ...

* Maharaja

Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana Field Marshal Shri Shri Shri Maharaja Sir Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana () GCB GCSI GCIE (19 April 1875 in Narayanhity Palace, Kathmandu – 20 November 1952 in Dehradun, India) was the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1 September 1932 ...

Mihailo Obrenović Mihailo ( sr-cyr, Михаило) is a South Slavic masculine given name. It is a variant of the Hebrew name ''Michael'', and its cognates include Mihajlo and Mijailo. Common as a given name among Serbs, it is an uncommon surname. Notable peopl ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

* Abbas I,

Wāli ''Wāli'', ''Wā'lī'' or ''vali'' (from ''Wālī'') is an administrative title that was used in the Muslim world (including the Rashidun, Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates and the Ottoman Empire) to designate governors of administrative divis ...

Military

General of the Armies General of the Armies of the United States, more commonly referred to as General of the Armies, is the highest military rank in the United States. The rank has been conferred three times: to John J. Pershing in 1919, as a personal accolade fo ...

John Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was an American army general, educator, and founder of the Pershing Rifles. He served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forc ...

General of the Army Army general or General of the army is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System. Army general is normally the highest rank used in peacetime. In countries that adopt the general officer fou ...

George Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (31 December 1880 – 16 October 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army under pres ...

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

Walther von Brauchitsch Walther Heinrich Alfred Hermann von Brauchitsch (4 October 1881 – 18 October 1948) was a German ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (Field Marshal) and Commander-in-Chief (''Oberbefehlshaber'') of the German Army during the first two years of World War ...

Francisco Solano López Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 or 1826 – 1 March 1870) was a Paraguay, Paraguayan statesman, Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he serve ...

* General

Matthew Bunker Ridgway Matthew Bunker Ridgway (3 March 1895 – 26 July 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Although he s ...

* General

François d'Astier de La Vigerie François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter * François-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire; 1 ...

* General

Tasker H. Bliss Tasker Howard Bliss (December 31, 1853 – November 9, 1930) was a United States Army officer who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army during World War I, from September 22, 1917, until May 18, 1918. He was also a diplomat involved i ...

* General

Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (1 May 1896 – 17 April 1984) was a United States Army officer who fought in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the U.S. Army during World War II. During World War I, he wa ...

* General

Ira C. Eaker General (Honorary) Ira Clarence Eaker (April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Eaker, as second-in-command of the prospective Eighth Air Force, was sent to England to form an ...

* General

Peyton C. March General Peyton Conway March (December 27, 1864April 13, 1955) was a senior officer of the United States Army. He served in the Philippines, on the Mexican border, and World War I. March was the ninth Chief of Staff from 1918 to 1921, accomplishi ...

* Admiral

Ernesto Burzagli Ernesto Burzagli (7 June 1873 – 13 September 1944) was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Italy during the early 20th century. During a lifetime career in the Italian Royal Navy ('' Regia Marina Italiana''), he rose to the rank of admiral an ...

Senato della Repubblica
biographical summary
/ref> * Surgeon Rear-Admiral

Arthur Skey Arthur Richard Harrie Skey (13 February 1873 – 13 July 1942) was an English people, English first-class cricketer and Royal Navy officer. Skey served as a surgeon in the Royal Navy from 1896, rising to the rank of Rear admiral (Royal Navy ...

* Major General

Ulysses S. Grant III Ulysses Simpson Grant III (July 4, 1881August 29, 1968) was a United States Army officer and planner. He was the son of Frederick Dent Grant, and the grandson of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army and President of the United ...

* Major General

Mason Patrick Mason Mathews Patrick (December 13, 1863 – January 29, 1942) was a general officer in the United States Army who led the United States Army Air Service during and after World War I and became the first United States Army Air Corps, Chief of the ...

Head, William Pace (1995). Every Inch a Soldier: Augustine Warner Robins and the Building of U.S. Airpower Volume 37 of Texas A & M University military history series. Texas A&M University Press, 1995: Issue 37, p. 75 , 9780890965900 https://books.google.com/books?id=5utyzXwyh1MC&dq=italian+order+of+st.+maurice+and+st.+lazarus+%22mason+patrick%22&pg=PA75 Retrieved November 2, 2012. * General

Sebastiano Visconti Prasca Sebastiano Visconti Prasca (27 February 1883, Rome – 25 February 1961, Monte Porzio Catone) was an Italian general. A veteran of the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912 and he led the initial offensive of the Greco-Italian War in 1940 during Worl ...

* Rear Admiral Richard Byrd * Brigadier General

Billy Mitchell William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who had a major role in the creation of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, ...

* Naval Captain

Emilio Faà di Bruno Emilio Faà di Bruno (7 March 1820 – 20 July 1866) was an Italian naval officer. He was born in the Kingdom of Sardinia and was a key figure in the unification of Italy and the creation of the Royal Italian Navy. Between 1863 and 1864 he toured ...

* Flight Commander

Douglas Harries Sir Douglas Harries (30 March 1893 – 6 December 1972) was an English people, English first-class cricketer and an officer in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. Harries began his military career with the Royal Navy, serving in the e ...

* SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Lammers * Chom Phon, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram * Brigadier General Evan M. Johnson * Brigadier General Walter McCaw * Rear Admiral Charles R. Train (admiral), Charles R. Train

Politics

* Aminoff family, 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 de Broqueville, Charles, 1st Count de Broqueville * Charles Rogier * Edmond de Sélys Longchamps, Edmond, Baron de Sélys Longchamps * President Porfirio Díaz *Dr Hans Frank, 26.9.1936 * Minister of foreign affairs Giustino Fortunato (1777-1862), Giustino Fortunato * Member of Parliament Cristiana Muscardini * Diplomat Jose Maria Quijano Wallis * Luigi, Count Cibrario * Oswald von Richthofen, Oswald, Freiherr von Richthofen, Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany), State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the German Empire - ''August 1902'' - during the visit to Germany of King

* President of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition and Former St. Louis Mayor David R. Francis * Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York City (2001) Cavaliere di Gran Croce (Motu Proprio) * Aldo Oviglio, Minister of Justice (1922–1925) * James Charles Risk of New York City, Cavaliere di Gran Croce, originally inducted by the last reigning King of Italy,

*Benito Mussolini, Prime Minister of Italy and Duce of Fascism *Francesco Ruffini, Italian jurist, historian, politician and Anti-fascism, antifascist. *Mike Gatto, American politician of Italians, Italian heritage *Gianni Letta, Italian politician and journalist

Culture

* Architect Carlo Rainaldi * Architect Giovanni Battista Meduna and his brother, engineer Tommaso Meduna * Sculptor Christopher Ross (sculptor), Christopher Ross * Tenor Andrea Bocellihttps://www.ordinidinasticicasasavoia.it/en/maestro-andrea-bocelli-named-knight-of-the-civil-order-of-savoy-by-h-r-h-the-grand-master-prince/

Priests

* Pietro Tacchi Venturi * Agostino Rivarola, Agostino Cardinal Rivarola * Beatification, Blessed Tommaso Reggio * Timothy M. Dolan, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan * Désiré-Joseph Mercier, Désiré-Félicien-François-Joseph Cardinal Mercier * Beatification, Blessed Andrea Carlo Ferrari, Andrea Carlo Cardinal Ferrari

Sciences

* Charles Combes * Giovanni Miani, explorer * Giuseppe Peano * Joseph Vallot

Philanthropy

* Thomas Hanbury * J. P. Morgan

Recipients (amongst others)

* Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Venice,

Grand Cross * Clotilde Courau, Princess of Venice * Princess Vittoria of Savoy, ''Princess of Carignano'' Marchioness of Ivrea * Princess Luisa of Savoy * Marina Doria, Princess of Naples and Duchess of Savoy * Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma * Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy * Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy * Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia * Prince Michael of Yugoslavia * Prince Sergius of Yugoslavia * Princess Helen of Yugoslavia * Princess Diana Elizabeth D'Hauteville * Nicholas, Crown Prince of Montenegro * Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro * H.S.H.

Grand Cross * H.S.H. Don (honorific), ''Don'' Alessandro Jacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi Altemps

Grand Cross * Don (honorific), ''Don'' Paolo Thaon di Revel Vandini

Grand Cross * Don (honorific), ''Don'' Enrico Sanjust dei Baroni di Teulada

Grand Cross *

. Alberto Bochicchio

Grand Cross * Don (honorific), ''Don'' Carlo Buffa dei Conti di Perrero

Grand Cross * Don (honorific), ''Don'' Giuseppe dei Conti Rizzani

Grand Cross * Don (honorific), ''Don'' Giancarlo dei Duchi Melzi d'Eril

Grand Cross * Don (honorific), ''Don'' Andrea dei Conti Boezio Bertinotti Alliata * Giovanni Cheli Grand Cross * Antonio d’Amelio Grand Cross * Monsignor Paolo de Nicolò Grand Cross * Nicolas Gagnebin Grand Cross * Theo Niederhauser Grand Cross * Andrea Rivoira Grand Cross * Franca Sciaraffia Grand Cross * Luigi Acquaviva Grand Officer * Alberto Di Maria Grand Officer * Giuseppe Resnati Grand Officer * Zina Losapio

* Alberico Guerzoni * Alessandro Santini

References

Notes

External links

Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy

American Delegation of Savoy Orders

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maurice and Lazarus, Order of Saints Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, 1572 establishments in Italy, Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Order of Organizations established in 1572 History of Catholicism in Italy Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy Pope Gregory XIII

History

Order of Saint Lazarus (1119)

Order of Saint Maurice (1434)

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572)

Organisation

Grades

Insignia

Council

Junta

List of Grand Masters

Recipients in selection

Monarchs

Military

Politics

Culture

Priests

Sciences

Philanthropy

Recipients (amongst others)

See also

References

Notes

External links