Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy, italic=no, was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for civilian and military merit.
Compared with the older Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, the Order of the Crown of Italy was awarded more liberally and could be conferred on non-Catholics as well; eventually, it became a requirement for a person to have already received the Order of the Crown of Italy in at least the same degree before receiving the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.
The order has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic in 1946. However, Umberto II did not abdicate his position as fons honorum and it remained under his Grand Mastership as a dynastic order. 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.
Grades
The various degrees of the order, with corresponding ribbons, were as follows:| Ribbon | Class | Class | Manner of wear |
| Knight Grand Cross | Cavaliere di Gran Croce decorati del Grande Cordone | Badge on sash on right shoulder, plus star on left chest | |
| Grand Officer | Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia | Star on left chest | |
| Commander | Commendatore dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia | Badge on necklet | |
| Officer | Ufficiale dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia | Badge on ribbon with rosette on left chest | |
| Knight | Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia | Badge on ribbon on left chest |
Insignia
- The badge of the order was a gilt cross with curved edges, enamelled in white, with the so-called Savoy knots between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc featured the Iron Crown of Lombardy on a blue enamel background. The reverse central disc had a black-enamelled eagle bearing the Savoy cross on a golden background.
- The star of the Grand Cross was an eight-pointed faceted silver star; the central disc featured the Iron Crown on a blue enamelled background, surrounded by a white enamel ring bearing the inscription VICT. EMMAN. II REX ITALIAE MDCCCLXVI. There was a black-enamelled eagle bearing the Savoy cross above the star.
- The star of the Grand Officer was an eight-pointed faceted silver star with ball tips at each point and with the obverse of the badge superimposed upon it.
- The ribbon of the order was red-white-red.
Members
- Aaron Bradshaw Jr., United States Army; World War II, commanded Anti-Aircraft troops of U.S. Fifth Army
- John Buchan, Scottish novelist and diplomat
- Vice Admiral Felice Napoleone Canevaro, Italian admiral and diplomat
- Arthur Conan Doyle, Scottish statesman and Sherlock Holmes author
- James Whitelaw Hamilton, Scottish artist, member of the Royal Scottish Academy
- William Ernest Powell Giles, Australian explorer, gambler, not always strictly sober.
- Thomas Hanbury, English philanthropist and creator of the Giardini Botanici Hanbury
- Major General James Murray Robert Harriso
n DSO, CB, Royal Artillery, British Army in recognition of services on Italian-Austrian frontier WW1 - Vice Admiral Jules James Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Mediterranean at the close of WW II, decorated by the last King of Italy, Umberto II during his 34-day reign.
- Major General Clayton P. Kerr, United States Army general, World War II member of the Allied Mission to the Italian Army
- Major General Robert A. McClure, father of U.S. Army Special Operations, Director of Information and Media Control at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force during World War II
- Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, United States Army air power advocate
- Charles Poletti, American lawyer and politician, Governor of New York, and colonel in the United States Army; served in Italy during World War II
- John Rylands, English entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Rear Admiral Yates Stirling, Jr., United States Navy sea power advocate
- William Verbeck
- Giacomo Vuxani, Italian politician and patriot
- Brigadier General George H. Weems, United States Army; World War II
- Harry Woodburn Blaylock, Canadian lawyer and businessman
- Major General Arthur R. Wilson, United States Army; World War II, commanded Coastal Base Section in Naples
- Edward King, Viscount Kingsborough, in recognition of his work in researching and compiling his 'Antiquities of Mexico'.
- Major-general Walter Clutterbuck, British Army; World War II