Order of the Blue Star

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Order of the Blue Star
(Italian) Ordine della Stella Blu

Design of the award

Ribbon
Awarded by the Federal Republic of St.Charlie
Type State order with four degrees
Awarded for Excellency and/or outstanding service in the interests of St.Charlie and of the micronational world.
Status Currently awarded
Statistics
Established February 13, 2009
First awarded February 13, 2009
Total awarded The maximum quotas:
Cavaliere: 12
Ufficiale: 4
Commendatore: 2
Grand Ufficiale: 4
Precedence
Next (higher) None
Next (lower) Salvo D'Acquisto Military Legion

The Ordine della Stella Blu or Ordine della Stella Blu St.Charliana (Italian: "Order of the St.Charlian Blue Star") is the highest ranking honour and most senior order of the Federal Republic of St.Charlie. It was designed by Alexander Reinhardt and established in District on February 13, 2009. At one time it was considered the most prestigious award in the MicroWiki Community.

It is awarded in four degrees for "excellency and/or outstanding service in the interests of St.Charlie", mostly in the fields of literature, the arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities and for long and conspicuous service in civilian and military careers. Save in exceptional circumstances, no one may be awarded a rank higher than Knight in the first instance. The only exceptions are posthumous investitures.

The order is bestowed by decree of the President of the Federal Republic, as official head of the orders of knighthood, on the recommendation of the St.Charlian Parliament, who votes and nominates members. The Order is divided into four grades: Cavaliere (Knight), Ufficiale (Officer), Commendatore (Commander) and Grand Ufficiale (Grand Officer).

History

The process of founding the Order of the Blue Star began early in February 2009 when the First Reinhardt Administration felt the need of establishing an award to honour those who were helping St.Charlie's establishment, which at the time was also being used as a school project. This decision was also influenced by Alexander Reinhardt's militaria collectioning and general interest in awards and medals. Planning came to a conclusion on February 13, 2009, when the award was officially established through the "Blue Star Decree", which also gave the basis for any other possible decoration within St.Charlie.[1]

From the Order of the Blue Star grew a larger St.Charlian honours system: the Meritorious Service Cross was created soon after to award military officers, while the Presidential Citation Ribbon was established as a secondary award that could be given by motu proprio by the Prime Minister. It is believed that other MicroWiki nations, at the time of the creation of the Order, were soon inspired to follow suit.

Insignia

The badge of the Order is a four-armed cross with the arms curving wider as they go out and with an enamelled laurel wreath around the arms, forming a circle. The obverse central disc, located in the middle of the cross, features a five-pointed star, symbol of St.Charlie and the November Revolution. On the reverse central disc are located the words "Pro Humanitate" (For humanity). Previously, the medal's obverse located the words "Per la pace" (For peace), but later the motto was replaced. The ribbon for the medal is Egyptian blue.

Distinctions have existed since the creation of the medal: up to the rank of Commander, the badge is worn on the left breast and suspended from a ribbon. The rank is distinguished by a star located on the ribbon itself (bronze for Officers, silver for Commanders). Grand Officers may wear the badge around the neck, suspended from a ribbon necklet, or also on the left breast like the other ranks, but with a golden star instead. The Order itself, however, is not worn usually, except at the time of the decoration ceremony or on a dress uniform or formal wear. Instead, one normally wears the ribbon or rosette on one's suit or uniform.

Grades

The President of the Federal Republic of St.Charlie, seen as the fount of honour, is at the apex of the Order of the Blue Star as the head of all St.Charlian orders of knighthood, followed by the Prime Minister, who serves as the Chancellor of the Order.

Thereafter follow four grades, which are, in order of precedence:

  • - Grand Ufficiale (Grand Officer)
  • - Commendatore (Commander)
  • - Ufficiale (Officer)
  • - Cavaliere (Knight)

All the grades are given with post-nominal letters that members are entitled to use. Each incumbent President should be also installed automatically as Grand Officer of the Order, being its official head, although such right was never added to the Blue Star Decree, nor incumbent Presidents requested to be promoted automatically. Promotions in grade are possible, though this is ordinarily done only after a significant amount of time has passed from its awarding.

Criteria

As the Order of the Blue star is the most important, and also the first medal issued by St.Charlie, it is given to St.Charlian citizens and members of foreign nations for outsanding service in the interests of the St.Charlian Nation and/or of micronationry. However, people can be nominated Knight of the order even as a prize for the career, or for excellency in crafts, writing, and science. For making an example, the Order could be compared to the French Legion d'Honneur or the Italian Order of Merit.

Recipients

Grand Ufficiale

Commendatore

Ufficiale

Cavaliere

Traditions

When created, the order adopted the tradition to use only the Italian language. This was made for remembering the first and original part of St.Charlie. However, the Order is also mentioned and called with its English name, except in official certificates, where everything is written in Italian.

References

  1. The "Blue Star Decree" also specifies the criteria for awards to be created, together with general rules on foreign awards, both macro and micronational.