Orders of chivalry for women
Orders of chivalry for women, orders of knighthood for women or ladies orders are orders of chivalry reserved solely for women. These knighthoods for women made their first appearance in 1600, and have been less numerous than traditional knighthoods reserved for men.[1]
Though many kingdoms, such as Great Britain or the Netherlands, allow both men and women to be invested with the same orders of knighthood, orders in other kingdoms were exclusive for men. Several of these kingdoms eventually established orders for the exclusive membership of women. Tradition frequently called upon the reigning queen or empress, queen or empress consort to serve as the Grand Mistress of their respective all-female, royal or imperial orders. In other cases, the king or emperor is the sole male member of the order, acting in his role as the sovereign or master of all orders established and conferred within his kingdom or empire. A high number of female orders existed in Germany, Austria and Russia.
List of Ladies' orders
The following list of orders that were established for the sole or primary membership of women:
Austria
- Order of Elizabeth
- Order of the Starry Cross
Egypt
- Order of the Virtues (Egypt)
France
Germany
Bavaria
- Order of Theresa
- Order of Saint Elizabeth
Prussia
- Order of Louise
- Ladies Merit Cross
Saxony
- Order of Sidonia
Württemberg
- Order of Olga
Greece
- Order of Beneficence[1]
- Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
Japan
Korean Empire
- Order of the Auspicious Phoenix [ko][citation needed]
Ottoman Empire
- Order of Charity
Persia
- Order of Aftab
- Order of the Pleiades
Portugal
Philippines
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
References
- ^ a b Hieronymussen, Paul (1967). Orders and Decorations of Europe in Color. New York: Macmillan Company. p. 15.
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for women:
- Austria: Order of the Starry Cross
- Order of Love of the Neighbour
- Order of Elizabeth
- Bavaria: Order of Theresa
- Order of Saint Elizabeth
- Order of Saint Anna
- Burgundy: Order of the Dames of Rougemont
- Brunswick: Cross of Merit for ladies
- Bulgaria: Order of Charity
- Cambodia: Order of Satrei Vathana
- Denmark: Ordre de Parfaite Amitié
- Kingdom of Egypt: Order of the Virtues
- Ethiopia: Order of the Queen of Sheba
- Germany - Holy Roman Empire: Order of the Slaves of the Virtue
- Third Reich: Cross of Honour of the German Mother
- Greece: Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
- Order of Beneficence
- Japan: Order of the Precious Crown
- Lippe-Detmold: Ordine di Berta
- Korea: Order of the Auspicious Phoenix
- Mantua: Order of the Dames of Maria Elisa
- Mexico: Order of Saint Charles
- Persia: Order of Aftab
- Order of the Pleiades
- Philippines: Order of Gabriela Silang
- Portugal: Order of Saint Isabel
- Prussia: Order of Louise
- Cross of Merit for Women and Girls
- Ladies Merit Cross
- Romania: Commemorative Cross for Ladies
- Order for Merits
- Russia: Order of Saint Catherine
- Order of the Red Cross for Ladies and Misses
- Holy See: Golden Rose (from 1759)
- Saxony: Order of Sidonia
- Ordine of Anna Maria
- Saxe-Merseburg: Order of the Skull
- Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt: Order of the Dames
- Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt & Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: Medal of Honour of Anna Luisa
- Serbia: Medal of Princess Nathalie
- Medal of Queen Nathalie
- Spain: Order of Queen Maria Luisa
- Turkey: Order of Charity
- Ukraine: Order of Princess Olga
- United Kingdom: Royal Family Order of King George IV
- Royal Order of Victoria and Albert
- Royal Family Order of Edward VII
- Royal Family Order of George V
- Royal Family Order of George VI
- Order of the Crown of India
- Royal Red Cross
- Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II
- Württemberg: Order of Olga
for women:
- Anhalt: Order of Albert the Bear
- Baden: House Order of Fidelity
- Finland: Order of the White Rose of Finland
- Hesse: Order of the Star of Brabant
- Netherlands: Order of the House of Orange
- Saxon Duchies: Saxe-Ernestine House Order
- Thailand: Order of Chula Chom Klao
- Westphalia: Order of the Crown of Westphalia