The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (
Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (
Commander), Grand officier (Grand Officer) and Grand-croix (
Grand Cross).
Napoleon famously declared, "You call these baubles, well, it is with baubles that men are led... Do you think that you would be able to make men fight by reasoning? Never. That is good only for the scholar in his study. The soldier needs glory, distinctions, rewards."[5] This has been often quoted as "It is with such baubles that men are led." Napoleon was also occasionally noted after a battle to ask who the bravest man in a regiment was, and upon the regiment declaring the individual, the Emperor would take the Legion d'Honneur of his own coat and pin it on the chest of the man.[6]
The establishment of the
Fourth Republic in 1946 brought about the latest change in the design of the Legion of Honour. The date "1870" on the obverse was replaced by a single star. No changes were made after the establishment of the
Fifth Republic in 1958.
Since the establishment of the Legion, the Grand Master of the order has always been the Emperor, King or President of France.
PresidentEmmanuel Macron therefore became the Grand Master of the Legion on 14 May 2017.[7]
Chevalier (Knight): minimum 20 years of public service or 25 years of professional activity with "eminent merits"
Officier (Officer): minimum 8 years in the rank of Chevalier
Commandeur (Commander): minimum 5 years in the rank of Officier
Grand officier (Grand Officer): minimum 3 years in the rank of Commandeur
Grand-croix (Grand Cross): minimum 3 years in the rank of Grand-officier
The "eminent merits" required to be awarded the order require the flawless performance of one's trade as well as doing more than ordinarily expected, such as being creative, zealous and contributing to the growth and well-being of others.
The order has a maximum quota of 75 Grand Cross, 250 Grand Officers, 1,250 Commanders, 10,000 Officers, and 113,425 (ordinary) Knights. As of 2010,[update] the actual membership was 67 Grand Cross, 314 Grand Officers, 3,009 Commanders, 17,032 Officers and 74,384 Knights. Appointments of veterans of
World War II, French military personnel involved in the
North African Campaign and other foreign French military operations, as well as wounded soldiers, are made independently of the quota.
There is not a single, complete list of all the members of the Legion in chronological order. The number is estimated at one million, including about 2,900 Knights Grand Cross.[11]
Every year at least five recipients decline the award. Even if they refuse to accept it, they are still included in the order's official membership.[8] The composers
Maurice Ravel and
Charles Koechlin, for example, declined the award when it was offered to them.[14][15]
Collective appointments can be made to cities, institutions or companies. A total of 64 settlements in France have been decorated, as well as six foreign cities:
LiĂšge in 1914,[22]Belgrade in 1920,[23]Luxembourg City in 1957,
Volgograd (the World War II 'Stalingrad') in 1984,[24]Algiers in 2004, and
London in 2020.[25][26] French towns display the decoration in their
municipal coat of arms.
The order has had five levels since the reign of King Louis XVIII, who restored the order in 1815. Since the reform, the following distinctions have existed:
Three ranks:
Chevalier (Knight): badge worn on left breast suspended from ribbon
Officier (Officer): badge worn on left breast suspended from a ribbon with a
rosette
Commandeur (Commander): badge around neck suspended from ribbon necklet
Two dignities:
Grand officier (Grand Officer): badge worn on left breast suspended from a ribbon (Officer), with star displayed on right breast
Due to the order's long history, and the remarkable fact that it has been retained by all subsequent governments and regimes since the First Empire, the order's design has undergone many changes. Although the basic shape and structure of the insignia has remained generally the same, the hanging device changed back and forth and France itself swung back and forth between
republic and
monarchy. The central disc in the centre has also changed to reflect the political system and leadership of France at the time. As each new regime came along the design was altered to become politically correct for the time, sometimes even changed multiple times during one historical era.
The badge or star is not usually worn, 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 their suit.
For less formal occasions, recipients wear a simple stripe of thread sewn onto the lapel (red for chevaliers and officiers, silver for commandeurs). Except when wearing a dark suit with a lapel, women instead typically wear a small lapel pin called a barrette. Recipients purchase the special thread and barrettes at a store in Paris near the Palais Royal.[28]
The first model of the Legion d'Honneur did not hang from a crown or wreath. It lasted for just 9 months from May 1804 until February 1805 and encompassed the founding of the
First French Empire on the 18th May 1804. Despite being officially established on 19th May 1802, no awards were made until this version. This version shows the
Emperor on the obverse and the imperial eagle on the reverse. The text on the ring on both the obverse and reverse would remain the same during the entirety of
Napoleon's reign.
The second model of differed only from the first by the addition of the
imperial crown atop the cross, and was attached to one of the arms of the cross. The image of the Emperor is also slightly smaller than the previous version, while the reverse ring also has a stylised wreath at the bottom instead of three stars.
The third model is very similar to the previous second version however the depiction of Napoleon is more similar to the first version and the obverse ring has a wreath at the bottom. The crown, while almost identical to that of the second version this time is free-hanging and separately fixed above the cross.
The fourth model has as slightly different depiction of the Emperor while the obverse ring has a star and dots in place of the previous versions wreath. The reverse of the fourth model is notable as its the only First Empire model with the eagle facing to the right, while the bottom of the ring has three stars reminiscent of the first model. The crown the cross hangs from is also very different compared to the previous two versions.
The fifth and final version of the First Empire is different from the other versions by the execution of larger text on the rings, with the reverse showing a distinct wreath like object at the bottom. The obverse on some models shows and enamelled
laurel wreath adorning the Emperors head, while on the reverse the eagle is back facing left. The crown is also radically different from the previous models.
The sixth model from the
Bourbon Restoration period marks the first major alteration from the original design, due to the fact that the
regime and leader of France had changed. The crown the cross hangs from has been altered and also features the main symbol of the
House of Bourbon; the
Fleur-de-lis. The obverse features the profile of "The Good King"
Henri IV with the text of the ring bearing the words; Henry IV, King of France and the
Navarre. The reverse keeps the text of the previous versions; "Honour and Fatherland" and depicts the three Fleur-de-lis, the symbol of the Bourbons.
The seventh model from the
July Monarchy period is similar to the previous Bourbon Restoration period. The crown is very similar, with just the Fleur-de-lis omitted, the obverse keeps the profile of Henri IV but the obverse ring bears just his name, with the rest of the ring filled with stars and a wreath. The reverse bears the first depiction of what would continue for many future iterations; the two crossed
tricolours with the usual reverse ring motto "Honneur et Patrie".
The ninth or
"La Presidence" model was only used between 1851 and 1852 and is considered by some to be a hybrid model. It is at the very least a transitional model from the design used during the Second Republic to the
Second Empire. The execution of the cross is very similar to Second Republic models, just with the addition of a crown (different to that of the Second Empire models) while the obverse continues to show Napoleon, with the ring text of "Napoleon Emp. des Français". The reverse shows the imperial eagle and the usual ring text. The central discs bear a striking resemblance to the fifth model.
The tenth model used in the Second Empire would be the last to date to use either Napoleon's image or a crown of any sort. The crown used is quite unique and resembles the
Crown of Napoleon III, while the obverse shows the Napoleon I with the ring text of "Napoleon Empereur des Français" (the only model to fully spell out Emperor). The reverse shows the usual imperial eagle, though this time facing right like the fourth model. The usual reverse ring text is present with a large wreath at the bottom.
Louis XVIII era (1814) Knight insignia: the front features
Henry IV's profile and the rear, the arms of the French Kingdom (three fleurs-de-lis). A royal crown joins the cross and the ribbon.
Reverse of a Second Republic cross, with two crossed French flags
The insignia of an officer class of the Legion d'Honneur from the current Fifth Republic
Fifth Republic officer class, decorated with a
rosette
Fifth Republic Knight insignia: the centre features Marianne's head. A crown of laurels joins the cross and the ribbon.
Certificate for Major G M Reeves, a British recipient in 1958
The Grand Cross of the current version of the Legion of Honour
Commander of the Order of the Legion of Honour
Set of the Grand Cross from the Third Republic,
c. 1871, consisting of sash, badge, star and original case of issue by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils of Paris
Set of the Grand Cross from the Third Republic,
c. 1871, consisting of sash, badge, star, two rosettes and original case of issue by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils of Paris
Grand Cross badge of the Legion d'Honneur, in gold, by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils, from the Third Republic (Obverse)
Grand Cross badge of the Legion d'Honneur, in gold, by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils, from the Third Republic (Reverse)
Grand Cross Breast Star of the Legion d'Honneur â Third Republic,
c. 1871, by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils Paris
The FourragĂšre of the Legion of Honor
Ribbon Bar of the Grand Cross of the order
Ribbon Bar of the Grand Officer of the order
Rosette flanked both sides in gold, denoting the wearer has been awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
Rosette flanked both sides in silver, denoting the wearer has been awarded the Commander of the Legion of Honour
^Officially, military units are not members of the Legion of Honour, which include only individuals. As for foreign Legionnaires, they are "decorated with the Legion of Honour insignia", not "member of the Legion of Honour". Do not confuse military units that received the fourragĂšre to the colour of the ribbon of the Legion of Honour (units quoted at six, seven or eight times in the order of the army with military units whose flag is decorated with the Cross of the Legion of Honour.
^Pierre-Louis Roederer, "Speech Proposing the Creation of a Legion of Honour", Napoleon: Symbol for an Age, A Brief History with Documents, ed. Rafe Blaufarb (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008), 101â102.
The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (
Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (
Commander), Grand officier (Grand Officer) and Grand-croix (
Grand Cross).
Napoleon famously declared, "You call these baubles, well, it is with baubles that men are led... Do you think that you would be able to make men fight by reasoning? Never. That is good only for the scholar in his study. The soldier needs glory, distinctions, rewards."[5] This has been often quoted as "It is with such baubles that men are led." Napoleon was also occasionally noted after a battle to ask who the bravest man in a regiment was, and upon the regiment declaring the individual, the Emperor would take the Legion d'Honneur of his own coat and pin it on the chest of the man.[6]
The establishment of the
Fourth Republic in 1946 brought about the latest change in the design of the Legion of Honour. The date "1870" on the obverse was replaced by a single star. No changes were made after the establishment of the
Fifth Republic in 1958.
Since the establishment of the Legion, the Grand Master of the order has always been the Emperor, King or President of France.
PresidentEmmanuel Macron therefore became the Grand Master of the Legion on 14 May 2017.[7]
Chevalier (Knight): minimum 20 years of public service or 25 years of professional activity with "eminent merits"
Officier (Officer): minimum 8 years in the rank of Chevalier
Commandeur (Commander): minimum 5 years in the rank of Officier
Grand officier (Grand Officer): minimum 3 years in the rank of Commandeur
Grand-croix (Grand Cross): minimum 3 years in the rank of Grand-officier
The "eminent merits" required to be awarded the order require the flawless performance of one's trade as well as doing more than ordinarily expected, such as being creative, zealous and contributing to the growth and well-being of others.
The order has a maximum quota of 75 Grand Cross, 250 Grand Officers, 1,250 Commanders, 10,000 Officers, and 113,425 (ordinary) Knights. As of 2010,[update] the actual membership was 67 Grand Cross, 314 Grand Officers, 3,009 Commanders, 17,032 Officers and 74,384 Knights. Appointments of veterans of
World War II, French military personnel involved in the
North African Campaign and other foreign French military operations, as well as wounded soldiers, are made independently of the quota.
There is not a single, complete list of all the members of the Legion in chronological order. The number is estimated at one million, including about 2,900 Knights Grand Cross.[11]
Every year at least five recipients decline the award. Even if they refuse to accept it, they are still included in the order's official membership.[8] The composers
Maurice Ravel and
Charles Koechlin, for example, declined the award when it was offered to them.[14][15]
Collective appointments can be made to cities, institutions or companies. A total of 64 settlements in France have been decorated, as well as six foreign cities:
LiĂšge in 1914,[22]Belgrade in 1920,[23]Luxembourg City in 1957,
Volgograd (the World War II 'Stalingrad') in 1984,[24]Algiers in 2004, and
London in 2020.[25][26] French towns display the decoration in their
municipal coat of arms.
The order has had five levels since the reign of King Louis XVIII, who restored the order in 1815. Since the reform, the following distinctions have existed:
Three ranks:
Chevalier (Knight): badge worn on left breast suspended from ribbon
Officier (Officer): badge worn on left breast suspended from a ribbon with a
rosette
Commandeur (Commander): badge around neck suspended from ribbon necklet
Two dignities:
Grand officier (Grand Officer): badge worn on left breast suspended from a ribbon (Officer), with star displayed on right breast
Due to the order's long history, and the remarkable fact that it has been retained by all subsequent governments and regimes since the First Empire, the order's design has undergone many changes. Although the basic shape and structure of the insignia has remained generally the same, the hanging device changed back and forth and France itself swung back and forth between
republic and
monarchy. The central disc in the centre has also changed to reflect the political system and leadership of France at the time. As each new regime came along the design was altered to become politically correct for the time, sometimes even changed multiple times during one historical era.
The badge or star is not usually worn, 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 their suit.
For less formal occasions, recipients wear a simple stripe of thread sewn onto the lapel (red for chevaliers and officiers, silver for commandeurs). Except when wearing a dark suit with a lapel, women instead typically wear a small lapel pin called a barrette. Recipients purchase the special thread and barrettes at a store in Paris near the Palais Royal.[28]
The first model of the Legion d'Honneur did not hang from a crown or wreath. It lasted for just 9 months from May 1804 until February 1805 and encompassed the founding of the
First French Empire on the 18th May 1804. Despite being officially established on 19th May 1802, no awards were made until this version. This version shows the
Emperor on the obverse and the imperial eagle on the reverse. The text on the ring on both the obverse and reverse would remain the same during the entirety of
Napoleon's reign.
The second model of differed only from the first by the addition of the
imperial crown atop the cross, and was attached to one of the arms of the cross. The image of the Emperor is also slightly smaller than the previous version, while the reverse ring also has a stylised wreath at the bottom instead of three stars.
The third model is very similar to the previous second version however the depiction of Napoleon is more similar to the first version and the obverse ring has a wreath at the bottom. The crown, while almost identical to that of the second version this time is free-hanging and separately fixed above the cross.
The fourth model has as slightly different depiction of the Emperor while the obverse ring has a star and dots in place of the previous versions wreath. The reverse of the fourth model is notable as its the only First Empire model with the eagle facing to the right, while the bottom of the ring has three stars reminiscent of the first model. The crown the cross hangs from is also very different compared to the previous two versions.
The fifth and final version of the First Empire is different from the other versions by the execution of larger text on the rings, with the reverse showing a distinct wreath like object at the bottom. The obverse on some models shows and enamelled
laurel wreath adorning the Emperors head, while on the reverse the eagle is back facing left. The crown is also radically different from the previous models.
The sixth model from the
Bourbon Restoration period marks the first major alteration from the original design, due to the fact that the
regime and leader of France had changed. The crown the cross hangs from has been altered and also features the main symbol of the
House of Bourbon; the
Fleur-de-lis. The obverse features the profile of "The Good King"
Henri IV with the text of the ring bearing the words; Henry IV, King of France and the
Navarre. The reverse keeps the text of the previous versions; "Honour and Fatherland" and depicts the three Fleur-de-lis, the symbol of the Bourbons.
The seventh model from the
July Monarchy period is similar to the previous Bourbon Restoration period. The crown is very similar, with just the Fleur-de-lis omitted, the obverse keeps the profile of Henri IV but the obverse ring bears just his name, with the rest of the ring filled with stars and a wreath. The reverse bears the first depiction of what would continue for many future iterations; the two crossed
tricolours with the usual reverse ring motto "Honneur et Patrie".
The ninth or
"La Presidence" model was only used between 1851 and 1852 and is considered by some to be a hybrid model. It is at the very least a transitional model from the design used during the Second Republic to the
Second Empire. The execution of the cross is very similar to Second Republic models, just with the addition of a crown (different to that of the Second Empire models) while the obverse continues to show Napoleon, with the ring text of "Napoleon Emp. des Français". The reverse shows the imperial eagle and the usual ring text. The central discs bear a striking resemblance to the fifth model.
The tenth model used in the Second Empire would be the last to date to use either Napoleon's image or a crown of any sort. The crown used is quite unique and resembles the
Crown of Napoleon III, while the obverse shows the Napoleon I with the ring text of "Napoleon Empereur des Français" (the only model to fully spell out Emperor). The reverse shows the usual imperial eagle, though this time facing right like the fourth model. The usual reverse ring text is present with a large wreath at the bottom.
Louis XVIII era (1814) Knight insignia: the front features
Henry IV's profile and the rear, the arms of the French Kingdom (three fleurs-de-lis). A royal crown joins the cross and the ribbon.
Reverse of a Second Republic cross, with two crossed French flags
The insignia of an officer class of the Legion d'Honneur from the current Fifth Republic
Fifth Republic officer class, decorated with a
rosette
Fifth Republic Knight insignia: the centre features Marianne's head. A crown of laurels joins the cross and the ribbon.
Certificate for Major G M Reeves, a British recipient in 1958
The Grand Cross of the current version of the Legion of Honour
Commander of the Order of the Legion of Honour
Set of the Grand Cross from the Third Republic,
c. 1871, consisting of sash, badge, star and original case of issue by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils of Paris
Set of the Grand Cross from the Third Republic,
c. 1871, consisting of sash, badge, star, two rosettes and original case of issue by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils of Paris
Grand Cross badge of the Legion d'Honneur, in gold, by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils, from the Third Republic (Obverse)
Grand Cross badge of the Legion d'Honneur, in gold, by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils, from the Third Republic (Reverse)
Grand Cross Breast Star of the Legion d'Honneur â Third Republic,
c. 1871, by Ouizille Lemoine et Fils Paris
The FourragĂšre of the Legion of Honor
Ribbon Bar of the Grand Cross of the order
Ribbon Bar of the Grand Officer of the order
Rosette flanked both sides in gold, denoting the wearer has been awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
Rosette flanked both sides in silver, denoting the wearer has been awarded the Commander of the Legion of Honour
^Officially, military units are not members of the Legion of Honour, which include only individuals. As for foreign Legionnaires, they are "decorated with the Legion of Honour insignia", not "member of the Legion of Honour". Do not confuse military units that received the fourragĂšre to the colour of the ribbon of the Legion of Honour (units quoted at six, seven or eight times in the order of the army with military units whose flag is decorated with the Cross of the Legion of Honour.
^Pierre-Louis Roederer, "Speech Proposing the Creation of a Legion of Honour", Napoleon: Symbol for an Age, A Brief History with Documents, ed. Rafe Blaufarb (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008), 101â102.