Order of the White Eagle (Russian Empire)

The Order of the White Eagle was established in Poland in 1705 ^[2] . After the partition of the Polish state in 1795, the Order of the White Eagle was the reward of the Duchy of Warsaw (1807–1815), and then became part of the Russian Empire of the Kingdom of Poland (1815–1831) according to the results of the Vienna Congress .

In 1831, after the suppression of the Polish uprising and the deprivation of Poland’s autonomy, Emperor Nicholas I ranked the Russian orders of the White Eagle and St. Stanislav ^{[1] [3]} . Among the first granted were Field-Marshal , distinguished Prince of Warsaw, Count I.F. Paskevich-Erivansky , generals from the cavalry I.O. Witt and P.P. Palen who distinguished themselves in the Polish campaign.

The Order took pride of place in the hierarchy of Russian orders - since 1835, following the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky . They were awarded persons not lower than the 4th grade of the Table of Ranks . There were changes in the sign of the order, the motto changed to "For faith, the king and the law."

In 1855, two cross-swords were joined to the signs for military distinctions: on top of the sign under the crown, and on the star - in the center.

The badge of the order was worn at the right thigh on a wide ribbon over the left shoulder, the star was worn on the left side of the chest. Initially, the tape was blue, but in 1883 it was ordered to use a dark blue tape ^[4] .

The order was worn on the uniform and vice uniform below the star of the Order of St. George of the 2nd degree and above the star of the Order of St. Vladimir of the 2nd degree. Under the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, the star of the Order of the White Eagle with swords and without swords was not worn, and the sign of this order with the orders: a) St. Alexander Nevsky was worn on the neck, on a narrow sash, and worn below the crosses of the Order of St. George 2- 1st and 3rd degree and above the cross of the Order of St. Vladimir of the 2nd degree, and b) St. Andrew the First-Called-was worn on the chest to the left of the orders of St. George of the 4th degree and St. Vladimir of the 4th degree, and the badge of the order of the White Eagle should be the same size as the signs set for wearing on the chest. If the Order of the White Eagle was granted for military exploits, then his badge with swords, with a uniform and a vice uniform, was worn around the neck, and with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called he was worn below the cross of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (see above, 4th degree ) and above the cross of the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree. When the frock coat was worn only the sign of the Order of the White Eagle with swords, worn around the neck in the absence of order signs; a) St. George of the 2nd Art. or the 3rd Art.; b) St. Andrew the First-Called with swords; c) St. Vladimir 1st art. with or without swords, and d) St. Alexander Nevsky with swords ^[5] .

In 1915, the Medal "For Works on the Excellent Performance of the General Mobilization of 1914" was established , the only medal to use the ribbon of the Order of the White Eagle. This medal is considered the last medal of the Russian Empire.

The Provisional Government of Russia retained the Order of the White Eagle, slightly changing its appearance. Instead of crowns, a bow from a blue ribbon appeared over the Russian imperial eagle. On breast stars, the motto reminiscent of the king was replaced by laurel leaves.

The order was kept in exile by the Romanov dynasty as a dynastic award ^[6] . For awarding the Order after 1917, see the article Awarding Titles and Orders of the Russian Empire after 1917 .

According to the statute, the Order of the White Eagle stood one step lower than the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky . Unlike other Russian orders, the pension for the order of the White Eagle was not supposed.

Extracts from the Statute of the Imperial and Imperial Order of the White Eagle ^[7] :

• The Imperial and Imperial Order of the White Eagle has only one degree. Signs are its essence:

1) The tape is dark blue; it is hung with an order sign depicting a black, crowned, two-headed eagle with golden heads, necks interlaced, and wings and tail circled in gold, on the chest is a red enamel cross lying on a golden star with three narrow stripes near it, of which two are golden , and the middle one is silver; on the sharp corners of the cross there are small golden balls, and between them in the middle are small semi-circles; on the cross, supported by a two-headed eagle, is a white single-headed eagle, facing right, with a small golden crown on its head.

2) Gold star; in the middle of the star there is a fiery cross with three narrow stripes on the edges, of which the middle is red and the other two are golden; around him, on a blue wide strip, is the motto: “Pro Fide, Rege et Lege (For Faith, King and Law).”

3) The signs of this order, when he complains about the feats of war against the enemy, are joined by two swords lying crosswise: on top of the sign under the crown, and on the star so that the middle shield covers the intersection of swords.

• In the star of the Order of the White Eagle, when it was granted to non-Christians, the Imperial Russian Eagle is depicted, together with the cross.
• In the general order of seniority of Russian orders, the Order of the White Eagle follows the order of St. Alexander Nevsky.
• A White Eagle granted by the order is charged at a time and delivered to the Chapter of Orders for the pleasing of three hundred rubles. When awarding swords to the Order of the White Eagle, one hundred and fifty rubles is levied from the granted.

• Order of the White Eagle (Poland)
• Knights of the Order of the White Eagle (Russian Empire)
• Cavaliers of the Order of the White Eagle (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth)
• Cavaliers of the Order of the White Eagle (Warsaw Duchy)
• Cavaliers of the Order of the White Eagle (Kingdom of Poland)
• Cavaliers of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland, 1921-1939)
• Cavaliers of the Order of the White Eagle (Polish government in exile)
• Knights of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland)

• S. R. Serkov. Order of the White Eagle, Virtuosi Military, St. John of Jerusalem // Military History Journal . - 1990. - No. 7 . - S. 92-95 .
• S. Shishkov. Awards of Russia. 1698-1917 - T. 1.

• Order of the White Eagle , site "Awards of Imperial Russia 1702-1917."
  • Photos of Knights with the Order of the White Eagle
• Polish-born order , article on the website For Faith and Loyalty
• The Order of the White Eagle , by Rafal Heydel-Mankoo, 2004