Order of Charles III facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Order of Charles III
Star and sash of the Order
Awarded by the King of Spain
Type	State Order
Established	1771; 254 years ago (1771)
Royal house	House of Bourbon
Motto	VIRTUTI ET MERITO ("Virtue and Merit")
Awarded for	Actions in benefit to Spain and the Crown
Status	Currently Constituted
Sovereign	King Felipe VI
Grand Chancellor	Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister
Grades	Knight/Dame of the Collar Knight/Dame Grand Cross Commander by Number Commander Knight's/Dame's Cross
Precedence
Next (higher)	None. The Order of the Golden Fleece is a dynastic order, not regulated by the State.
Next (lower)	Order of Isabella the Catholic
Sash & ribbon of a Collar grade member of the order Sash & ribbon of an ordinary member of the order

King Charles III in the robes of the order, the first design used until 1789

The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III is a very special award in Spain. It was created by King Charles III on September 19, 1771. Its main goal is to honor people who have done great things for Spain and its royal family.

The Order's motto is Virtuti et Merito, which means "Virtue and Merit" in Latin. This shows that the award is given for good character and important achievements. While it's officially the highest civil honor in Spain, it's often given to top government officials and leaders. The Order of Isabella the Catholic is also a very important civil honor.

History of the Order

King Charles III officially created the Order in September 1771. However, he made the rules public a bit later, on October 24. This was because the King was very thankful. His son, Prince Charles IV, had been married for five years without children. When his first child was born, King Charles III wanted to show his gratitude to God. He had prayed for the royal family to continue.

The King was especially devoted to the Immaculate Conception (a belief about the Virgin Mary). When his daughter-in-law attended a religious event with the new baby, the King announced the Order's rules. He named himself the "Great Master of the Order." He also said that all future Kings of Spain would hold this same important role. Even though the baby and other children sadly passed away soon after, King Charles III kept his promise. He continued to give out this special award.

Early Rules and Recognition

When the Order was first created, members had to be "worthy and affectionate of His Highness." There were two main groups:

• Knights Grand Cross
• Knights (also called caballeros pensionados)

The King decided who received these honors. There was a limit of 60 Knights Grand Cross and 200 Knights.

Pope Clement XIV officially recognized the Order on February 21, 1772. He gave it special religious benefits. This meant the Great Master could make decisions about religious matters for the members.

The symbols of the Order have changed over time. But some things have always stayed the same:

• A blue silk band with a white design.
• An eight-point cross with an image of the Immaculate Conception.
• The motto Virtuti et Merito.
• A figure of King Charles III.

In 1783, a third group was added: Supernumerary Knights. At this time, strict rules were set for who could join. Members had to prove they had "pure and noble blood" going back to their great-grandparents. This was a common rule in Spain at the time.

Those who joined the Order made an oath. They promised to be loyal to the King and his family. They also promised to protect the Royal House's property. They had to recognize the King as the Great Master. They also swore to live and die in the Catholic faith. They had to accept the Mystery of the Immaculate Conception. Finally, they had to attend and receive communion at mass at least once a year.

Changes Over Time

The way the Order was managed became more complex. But the King and the treasurer still made the main decisions. The King was careful to include religious scholars who studied the Virgin Mary. Sometimes, there were more religious leaders than knights in the Order! Meetings were held twice a year in Madrid.

During the Peninsular War, there was confusion about who controlled the Order. But eventually, it was restored. The blue and white colors of the Order's sash were even used by some leaders in Argentina. This was a sign of their loyalty to King Ferdinand VII. These colors later became part of the Argentine flag, symbolizing independence.

In 1847, the Order officially became a civil (non-religious) award. The old groups of Pensioner Knights and Supernumerary Knights changed. They became "Commander by Number" and "Knight." The number of Knights Grand Cross was limited to 120. Commanders by Number were limited to 300. But there is no limit to the number of Commanders and Knights today. In 1878, the "Knight of Collar" was added. This is the highest level, limited to 60 people.

The rules for the Order today were approved in 2002. They state that the Order's purpose is to "reward citizens who, with their effort, initiative, and work, have given distinguished and extraordinary service to the Nation." The King of Spain, currently King Felipe VI, is the Grand Master. The Prime Minister, currently Pedro Sánchez, is the Grand Chancellor.

The Grand Cross Award

Maximilian of Saxony wearing the blue and white sash and Grand Cross of the Order as well as the Spanish Fleece

Portrait of Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt wearing the Grand Cross, including blue and white sash of the Order

The Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III is a very high honor. It is given to people who have done important service for Spain. This includes:

• Presidents of the Congress of Deputies
• Presidents of the Senate
• Presidents of the Constitutional Court
• Ministers
• Other high-ranking government officials

Only 100 people can hold the Grand Cross at one time. This limit does not include government ministers.

Members who are Knights Collar and Knights Grand Cross are called "The Most Excellent." Other members are called "The Most Illustrious." These are special titles of respect.

Grades of the Order

The Order of Charles III has several different levels, or "grades," that people can be awarded:

• Knight of the Collar (Collar): This is the highest grade. Only 25 Spanish citizens can hold this award at one time. Members of the Spanish royal family do not count towards this limit.
• Knight Grand Cross (Gran-Cruz): Limited to 100 Spanish citizens. Government ministers are not included in this limit.
• Commander by Number (Encomienda de Número): Limited to 200 Spanish citizens. Again, government ministers are not included in this limit.
• Commander (Encomienda): There is no limit to how many people can receive this award. Women can choose to wear a special "Dame's Bow" (Lazo de Dama opcional).
• Knight's Cross (Cruz): There is no limit to how many people can receive this award.

When women receive these awards, they are not called "Knights." Instead, they are called:

• Dames of the Collar (Damas del Collar)
• Dames Grand Cross (Damas Gran Cruz)
• Dame's Cross (Cruz de Damas)

There are no limits on how many people from other countries can receive any of these awards.

Ribbon bars

Collar

Grand Cross

Commander by Number

Commander/Dame's bow

Knight's Cross

Insignia

	Collar
Knight of Collar breast star (since 1896)	Grand Cross breast star (1878–1896 also Knight of Collar breast star)	Commander by Number breast star (1815–1847 Pensioner Knight breast star)
Commander Cross	Dame-Commander Bow (since 1983, optional)	Knight's Cross

Current Members of the Order

The Order of Charles III includes many important people. This includes members of the Spanish royal family and leaders from other countries. These special members do not count towards the limit of 25 Spanish citizens for the highest award (Knight of the Collar).

See also

In Spanish: Orden de Carlos III para niños