The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: Ordinul Steaua României) is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the Order of Michael the Brave. It is the oldest Order of Romania. It is awarded by the President of Romania, and has six grades, from lowest to the highest: Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer, Grand Cross, and Collar.
History
In 1863, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the Domnitor of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, asked the Romanian representative to Paris to contact the then well-known jewellery house Krétly, to manufacture a state decoration. Krétly presented a model, which was immediately accepted by the domnitor, and based on his agreement, 1,000 pieces of the order were made. It was decided that the order would have five ranks: Knight (Cavaler), Officer (Ofițer), Commander (Comandor), Grand Officer (Mare Ofițer), and Grand Cross (Mare Cruce).
Unlike all other decorations in that time that were mostly inspired on the French Légion d'honneur, or which had their insignia like a Maltese cross, the model proposed by Krétly for this order was a blue cross crosslet (cruce repetată), a design that was then unique in decorational design.
The domnitor decided that the name of the honour would be "The Order of the Union" ("Ordinul Unirii"). It was planned to institute the order on 24 January 1864, the date when the 5th anniversary of his election would be celebrated and a moment that marked the unification of the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. Because of this, the motto of the new order would fit the event: "GENERE ET CORDES FRATRES" ("BROTHERS THROUGH ORIGINS AND FEELINGS"). The obverse of the insignia would bear the numbers "5" and "24", the days of January when he was elected in both Moldova and Wallachia.
Unable to legally institute the order due to Romania's status as an Ottoman vassal, Cuza awarded the insignia therefore only as a personal present, not as a state decoration. Most of the insignia produced for him remained stored in the Royal Palace's cellars.
In April 1877, when Romania gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, the debate regarding the institution of Romanian decorations was revived. Mihail Kogălniceanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Ion Brătianu cabinet, took part in the debates in the Assembly of Deputies regarding the institution of a state decoration. Because of the already earlier supplied "Order of The Union", it was decided that the shape of the decoration would be the same, modifying only the domnitor's seal. The motto was also changed, because the old one was not appropriate to the moment, to "IN FIDE SALUS" ("IN FAITH IS THE SALVATION"). Regarding the name, Kogălniceanu insisted on "Steaua Dunării" ("The Star of The Danube").
The name "Steaua României" ("The Star of Romania") appeared on 10 May 1877, when the law was voted in the Parliament, as the first law of the Sovereign Romania.
By Royal Decree (no. 1545/1932), King Carol II changed the order of precedence in the Romanian honours system. As a result, in 1932, The Star of Romania dropped in precedence from second place (where it had been since 1906) to fourth place (after the Order of Carol I and the ). In 1937, it dropped to seventh place. The main shape of the order, the blue repeated cross (called also "Romanian cross") was kept, but the rays between the cross' arms were replaced by four heraldic eagles with wings spread, the insignia of King Carol I was placed on the obverse, and the reverse bore the year of its establishment, "1877". Also the number of persons that could be awarded The Star of Romania was increased:
Knight (Cavaler): 1,000 civilians and 350 military; Officer (Ofițer): 500 civilians and 150 military; Commander (Comandor): 200 civilians and 75 military; Grand Officer (Mare Ofițer): 75 civilians and 25 military; Grand Cross (Mare Cruce): 35 civilians and 10 military.
In 1938, the order was given a superior rank, called "Clasa I" (First Class in English), between the Grand Officer rank and the Grand Cross rank, with a maximum of 50 civilians and 15 military personnel.
The statutes established by King Carol II were changed by General Ion Antonescu (who became Conducător on 4 September 1940). Generally, the rules were the ones used during World War I. The order "The Star of Romania" became the second in the national hierarchy, after that of the Order of Michael the Brave.
Inspired by the German Iron Cross, Ion Antonescu decided that the first three grades of the orders the Star of Romania and the Crown of Romania, with spades (swords), and the ribbon of The Medal "The Military Virtue" would be awarded for exceptionally brave acts with an oak leaf, attached to the ribbon.
After 1948, all the existing decorations were outlawed, and their wearing was forbidden. Just by keeping the insignia, one was considered a delinquent in the first years of communism.
In 1993, the idea of reinstating the oldest Order was proposed within the Special Commission of the Chamber of Deputies. After several attempts, in 1998/1999 the National Order "The Star of Romania" was reinstituted, with a design similar to the one used in 1932, but without the insignia of King Carol I, and with the republican insignia.
Grades As per Law 29/2000, regarding Romania's national system of decorations, there are currently six grades:
1st Class: Collar (Colan); 2nd Class: Grand Cross (Mare Cruce); 3rd Class: Grand Officer (Mare Ofițer); 4th Class: Commander (Comandor); 5th Class: Officer (Ofițer); 6th Class: Knight (Cavaler).
Notable recipients
First issue (1877–1948) Ernesto Burzagli Archduke Eugen of Austria (1881) Friedrich von Beck-Rzikowsky Aurel Vlaicu (1911) Pratap Singh of Idar (1921) Jan Karcz Aristide Razu (1918) Harry Gideon Wells (1919) Ismail of Johor (1920) Hendrik Pieter Nicolaas Muller (1922) Scarlat Cantacuzino Artur Phleps Edward Rydz-Śmigły Jack Corbu (1930) Stanisław Maczek Amha Selassie of Ethiopia Rudolf Walden Fritz Witt (1942) Martin Unrein Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala (1935) Walter Staudinger (1942) Ismail of Johor (1942) Walther Wenck (1943) Emmerich Jordan (1944) Samuel C. Cumming Paul de Smet de Naeyer Joseph Maria von Radowitz Klement Gottwald (1947)
Second issue (since 1998) Foreign citizens No. Name Known for YearAppointed 1 Jacques Chirac President of France1998 2 Alberto Fujimori President of Peru 3 Martti Ahtisaari President of Finland 4 Petar Stoyanov President of Bulgaria 5 Aleksander Kwaśniewski President of Poland1999 6 Thomas Klestil President of Austria 7 Konstantinos Stephanopoulos President of Greece 8 Süleyman Demirel President of Turkey 9 Harald V King of Norway 10 Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar 11 Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Emir of Kuwait 12 Nursultan Nazarbayev President of Kazakhstan 13 Rexhep Meidani President of Albania 14 Ezer Weizman President of Israel 15 Petru Lucinschi President of Moldova2000 16 Elizabeth II Queen of the United Kingdom 17 Jorge Sampaio President of Portugal 18 Árpád Göncz President of Hungary 19 Margrethe II Queen of Denmark 20 Rudolf Schuster President of Slovakia 21 Stjepan Mesić President of Croatia 22 Ernesto Zedillo President of Mexico 23 Fernando Henrique Cardoso President of Brazil 24 Bhumibol Adulyadej King of Thailand 25 Leonid Kuchma President of Ukraine 26 Émile Lahoud President of Lebanon2001 27 Kofi Annan Secretary-General of the United Nations 28 Beatrix Queen of the Netherlands 29 Valdas Adamkus President of Lithuania 30 Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga President of Latvia 31 Andrew Bertie Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta2002 32 Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of United Arab Emirates 33 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo President of Philippines 34 Milan Kučan President of Slovenia 35 Ferenc Mádl President of Hungary 36 George W. Bush President of the United States 37 Mauro Chiaruzzi Captains Regent of San Marino 38 Giuseppe Maria Morganti Captains Regent of San Marino 39 Zine El Abidine Ben Ali President of Tunisia2003 40 Carl XVI Gustaf King of Sweden 41 Juan Carlos I King of Spain 42 Carlo Azeglio Ciampi President of Italy 43 Arnold Rüütel President of Estonia 44 Condoleezza Rice United States Secretary of State 45 Henri I Grand Duke of Luxembourg2004 46 Angelo Sodano Cardinal Secretary of State 47 Eddie Fenech Adami President of Malta 48 Giuseppe Arzilli Captains Regent of San Marino 49 Roberto Raschi Captains Regent of San Marino 50 Ricardo Lagos President of Chile 51 Ilham Aliyev President of Azerbaijan 52 Abdullah II King of Jordan 2005 53 Tarja Halonen President of Finland 2006 55 Tarcisio Bertone Cardinal Secretary of State2008 56 Matthew Festing Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta 57 Lech Kaczyński President of Poland2009 58 Michel Suleiman President of Lebanon 59 Albert II Prince of Monaco 60 Albert II King of the Belgians 61 Mihai Ghimpu President of Moldova2010 62 George Abela President of Malta 63 Valdis Zatlers President of Latvia2011 65 Toomas Hendrik Ilves President of Estonia 66 Giorgio Napolitano President of Italy 67 Pietro Parolin Cardinal Secretary of State2015 68 Aníbal Cavaco Silva President of Portugal 69 Dennis Deletant Professor 70 Dalia Grybauskaitė President of Lithuania 71 Sergio Mattarella President of Italy2016 72 Rosen Plevneliev President of Bulgaria 73 Joachim Gauck President of Germany 74 Andrzej Duda President of Poland 75 François Hollande President of France 76 Andrej Kiska President of Slovakia 77 Nicolae Timofti President of Moldova2017 78 Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović President of Croatia 79 Charles III King of the United Kingdom 80 Dominique Prince de La Rochefoucauld-MontbelGrand Hospitaler of Order of Malta (SMOM) 81 Frédéric JennyProfessor 82 Kersti Kaljulaid President of Estonia 202181 Gitanas Nausėda President of Lithuania2022
By class
1st Class Collars Abdullah II of Jordan George Abela Valdas Adamkus Albert II of Belgium Albert II, Prince of Monaco Amha Selassie Teoctist Arăpașu Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Traian Băsescu Beatrix of the Netherlands Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Carl XVI Gustaf Jacques Chirac Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Emil Constantinescu Nicolae Corneanu Ion Dragalina Andrzej Duda Elizabeth II Matthew Festing Joachim Gauck Mihai Ghimpu Dalia Grybauskaitė Tarja Halonen Harald V of Norway Ioan Holender François Hollande Ion Iliescu Toomas Hendrik Ilves Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Lech Kaczyński Andrej Kiska Thomas Klestil Émile Lahoud Margrethe II of Denmark Sergio Mattarella Michael I of Romania Giorgio Napolitano Nursultan Nazarbayev George Emil Palade Josef Šnejdárek Angelo Sodano Konstantinos Stephanopoulos Petar Stoyanov Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Gherman Titov Ezer Weizman 2nd Class Grand Crosses Alois Lexa von Aehrenthal Martti Ahtisaari Yıldırım Akbulut Albert I of Belgium Archduke Albrecht, Duke of Teschen Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale Alexander III of Russia Alexander of Battenberg Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg Prince Alfons of Bavaria Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo Teoctist Arăpașu Count Kasimir Felix Badeni Ehud Barak Bartholomew I of Constantinople David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty Kurt Beck Radu Beligan Silvio Berlusconi Andrew Bertie Birendra of Nepal Herbert von Bismarck Otto von Bismarck Albrecht von Boeselager Victor, Prince Napoléon Boutros Boutros-Ghali Josip Broz Tito Bernhard von Bülow Ernesto Burzagli Leo von Caprivi Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland Carol I of Romania Charles, Prince of Waleswww.presidency.ro, Decret de decorare semnat de Președintele României, domnul Klaus Iohannis, 29 March 2017. Christian IX of Denmark Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein Doina Cornea Pat Cox Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem Bülent Ecevit Edmond de Gaiffier d'Hestroy Edward VII Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg Archduke Eugen of Austria Prince Eugen, Duke of Närke Laurent Fabius