Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), France's highest decoration, was established by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 May 1802, while he served as First Consul. Motto of the order of merit is Honneur et patrie ("Honour and Fatherland").
History
This merit-based award recognized exceptional military and civilian contributions, deliberately departing from the abolished Ancien Régime chivalric orders, which were often restricted to nobility and Catholics. Napoleon modeled it loosely on Roman legions, emphasizing merit over birth, and aimed to foster loyalty and national unity in post-Revolutionary France.
Initially structured with ranks (legionaries, officers, commanders, and grand officers) and regional cohorts, the order introduced its distinctive five-armed star insignia in 1804, bearing the motto Honneur et Patrie ("Honour and Fatherland").After Napoleon became Emperor in 1804, he added the highest rank (Grand Eagle, later Grand Cross) in 1805.
The order survived regime changes with minor modifications: the Bourbon Restoration (1814) altered symbols to royal emblems, the July Monarchy and Second Empire adjusted designs, and the French Third Republic (1870 onward) adopted the current republican effigy.
It has been continuously awarded by all subsequent French governments, remaining a secular, egalitarian institution open to French citizens and foreigners for eminent service.
Classes
Today, the order comprises five degrees or classes:
- Chevalier (Knight)
- Officier (Officer)
- Commandeur (Commander)
- Grand Officier (Grand Officer)
- Grand Croix (Grand Cross)
