Order of Leopold (Belgium) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Order of Leopold Ordre de Léopold Leopoldsorde
Order of Leopold (Civil Grand Cordon set of insignia)
Awarded by King of the Belgians
Type	Order of Merit with five degrees
Established	11 July 1832
Motto	L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE - EENDRACHT MAAKT MACHT EINIGKEIT MACHT STARK (Union makes strength) (Unity Makes Strength)
Eligibility	Belgian and foreign citizens
Awarded for	meritorious service to the Belgian state or society
Status	Active
Grand Master	His Majesty King Philippe
Grades	Grand Cordon Grand Officer (since 1838) Commander Officer Knight (OL)
Statistics
First induction	French Sapper Valentin Ausseil
Precedence
Next (higher)	None (highest)
Next (lower)	Order of the African Star
Ribbon (knight)

The Order of Leopold is the oldest and most important honor someone can receive in Belgium. It's a special award given to people who have done great things for the country. Think of it as a very special medal for bravery, service, or amazing achievements.

The order is named after its founder, King Leopold I. It is awarded by the current King of the Belgians. There are three types, or divisions:

Military Division: For people in the army.
Maritime Division: For people who work in the merchant navy (ships that carry goods).
Civil Division: For everyone else who has done something great for Belgium.

The order was created on July 11, 1832, not long after Belgium became an independent country.

Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians. He created the Order of Leopold.

The uniform of King Albert I, a member of the Royal Collection of Belgium.

The Story of the Order
- A Royal Gift
- Who has received the Order?
Different Levels of Honor
What the Medals Look Like
How the Order is Awarded
Images for kids
Gallery
See also

The Story of the Order

When Belgium became its own country, it needed a way to honor people and give special gifts to leaders from other nations. The first king, Leopold I, created the Order of Leopold for this reason. It was designed to reward not just soldiers, but anyone who served the kingdom well.

The design was approved in 1832. It was based on other European honors and has five levels, or classes. The order's official motto is "L'Union fait la Force" in French and "Eendracht maakt Macht" in Dutch, which both mean "Unity Makes Strength."

A Royal Gift

The Belgian royal family often gave the highest rank of the order, the Grand Cordon, as a special gift. It was sometimes given to other royal families during big celebrations like weddings. For example, when Prince Rudolf of Austria got married, his bride's father, King Leopold II, sent 20 Grand Cordons to the Austrian court.

In 1900, for the wedding of Prince Albert (who would later become King Albert I), 15 Grand Cordons were sent to the royal family in Bavaria, Germany. Even the bride's 14-year-old brother received one!

Who has received the Order?

Count Paul de Smet de Naeyer, who received the Grand Cordon.

Many famous people have been given the Order of Leopold. In the beginning, many who fought in the Belgian revolution were honored. Later, King Leopold II gave the order to famous Belgian artists, generals, and church leaders.

Over the years, thousands of people have received it. Some well-known recipients include:

World Leaders: Dwight Eisenhower (U.S. President and General), Sir Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom), and Charles de Gaulle (President of France).
Explorers and Inventors: Henry Morton Stanley (an explorer famous in Africa) and Charles Lindbergh (the first pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean).
Artists and Scientists: Victor Horta (a famous architect), Amschel Mayer Rothschild (a banker), and Karel Bossart (an engineer who helped design rockets).

After World War II, many foreign officers who helped free Belgium from German occupation were awarded the order. Today, the King of the Belgians still gives out the award on special days, like his birthday on April 15th and on King's Feast day on November 15th.

Different Levels of Honor

The Order of Leopold has five ranks, called classes. From highest to lowest, they are:

Grand Cordon: This is the top level. Recipients wear a badge on a large sash over their right shoulder and a star on their chest. It is usually given to monarchs, heads of state, and very important officials.
Grand Officer: The second-highest level. They wear a badge on a necklace and a star on their chest.
Commander: They wear the badge on a necklace.
Officer: They wear a badge on a ribbon on their chest. The ribbon has a small, fancy knot called a rosette.
Knight: This is the first level. They wear a badge on a simple ribbon on their chest.

The King of the Belgians is the Grand Master, which means he is the head of the order.

What the Medals Look Like

King Albert II (right) in 2005. The sash he is wearing is part of the Order of Leopold's insignia.

The insignia are the different medals and ribbons that show someone is a member of the order.

The badge is a white cross called a Maltese Cross. In the center, there is a black circle with a golden lion, which is the symbol of Belgium. Around the circle is a red ring with the motto "Unity Is Strength." A crown sits on top of the cross.
- For the military division, there are two crossed swords under the crown.
- For the maritime division, there are two crossed anchors under the crown.
- The civil division has neither swords nor anchors.

The star is worn by Grand Cordons and Grand Officers. It is a silver star with the same lion and motto in the center.

The ribbon is a solid purple color. Sometimes, special marks are added to the ribbon. For example, if the order is awarded for bravery in wartime, crossed swords are added.

Ribbon bars
Grand Cordon	Grand Officer	Commander	Officer	Knight

How the Order is Awarded

The Order of Leopold is given out by the King on specific dates each year. It is awarded to people for their long careers or for doing something truly special for Belgium.

For example, in the military, an officer might receive the Knight class after 20 years of good service. A general might become a Commander after 35 years. For civilians, someone might be made a Knight after a long and successful career in their job.

The order is a way for the country to say "thank you" for years of hard work and dedication.

Images for kids

A cartoon showing King Leopold II of the Belgians throwing medals to a crowd.
1/ Grand Cordon Star - civil and military divisions (left), Grand Cordon sash (middle),
Grand Officer plaques - civil and maritime divisions (right).
Bottom part: Commander's Cross (civil division),
officer's cross (military division), officer's cross (civil division), officer's cross (maritime division),
knight's cross (military division) (courtesy Société de l'Ordre de Léopold)