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Order of Prince Henry
Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique
Ordem do Infante D. Henrique.jpg
Insignia of the order
Awarded by the Portuguese Republic
Type Order
Established 1960
Motto Talant de bien faire
Eligibility Portuguese and foreigners; military and civilian
Criteria exceptional and outstanding merit for Portugal and its culture
Grand Master President of Portugal
Chancellor Manuela Ferreira Leite
Grades
  • Grand Collar
  • Grand Cross
  • Grand Officer
  • Commander
  • Officer
  • Member
Precedence
Next (higher) Order of Saint James of the Sword
Next (lower) Order of Liberty
PRT Order of Prince Henry - Knight BAR.svg
Ribbon of the Order of Prince Henry

The Order of Prince Henry (which in Portuguese is called Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique) is a special award from Portugal. It was created on June 2, 1960. This award was made to remember Prince Henry the Navigator, a very important Portuguese prince. He lived 500 years before the order was created and helped start the Age of Discovery. This was a time when European explorers sailed to many new parts of the world.

This order has five different levels, or "grades." People receive these awards for doing great things for Portugal. This includes helping to spread Portuguese culture, sharing its history, and showing its values. There's a special focus on Portugal's history with the sea. Only a certain number of people can be members at each level. The awards are given out by the Grand Master of the Order, who is the President of Portugal.

Levels of the Order

The Order of Prince Henry has several levels of honor. These levels show how important the award is. They are listed here from the highest to the lowest:

  • Grand Collar (Grande-Colar – GColIH)
  • Grand Cross (Grã-Cruz – GCIH)
  • Grand Officer (Grande-Oficial – GOIH)
  • Commander (Comendador – ComIH)
  • Officer (Oficial – OIH)
  • Knight/Dame (Cavaleiro – CvIH / Dama – DmIH)

There are also two special medals: a Silver Medal (Medalha de Prata – MedPIH) and a Gold Medal (Medalha de Ouro – MedOIH).

The highest award, the Grand Collar, can only be given to leaders of countries.

What the Awards Look Like

The ribbons and medals of the order have blue, white, and black stripes. These stripes can be either straight up and down or side to side. The medals also have a golden cross with ruby-red enamel. The stars given to Grand Officers and Grand Cross members have the words "Talant de bien faire" written on them. This means "Talent for doing good."

How Members Are Chosen

The President of Portugal decides who receives these awards. Sometimes the President chooses people on their own. Other times, their ministers suggest people, or the Council of the Order nominates them.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Orden del Infante Don Enrique para niños

Images for kids

  • PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Collar BAR

    Ribbon for the Grand Collar

  • PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Cross BAR

    Ribbon for the Grand Cross

  • PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Officer BAR

    Ribbon for the Grand Officer

  • PRT Order of Prince Henry - Commander BAR

    Ribbon for the Commander

  • PRT Order of Prince Henry - Officer BAR

    Ribbon for the Officer

  • PRT Order of Prince Henry - Knight BAR

    Ribbon for the Knight/Dame

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