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Royal Order of Francis I

 

King Francis I of the Two Sicilies instituted the Royal Order of Francis I as an order of merit in 1829, shortly before his untimely death, to recognize achievement in the arts, letters, sciences, and service. As we have seen, in youth he was something of an intellectual, having authored papers on botany.

 

A Reflection of Greatness

 

In a certain sense, this was the quintessential order bestowed in the kingdom. The very existence of an award of this kind suggests the crown considered personal accomplishment and service to be something worth encouraging. From its beginning, the Royal Order of Francis I was a “secular” honor. Those decorated need not have professed any religion. 

 

The decoration, typical of its era, is a white Maltese-style cross bearing four golden fleurs de- lis between its limbs; in the center medallion is the king’s royal monogram “F.I.” The cross pends from a large golden coronet. The ribbon of the order is deep red with a blue edge. In addition to the order itself, a medal of merit is occasionally issued.

 

As head of his dynasty and pretender to the Neapolitan throne, Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta, brother and heir of King Francis II, bestowed the Order in exile into the Twentieth Century. Recent times have seen its statutes amended by grand-magisterial decrees to include dames as well as knights.

 

It will be remembered that a clear distinction was not drawn between dynastic and national (state) orders in the Kingdom, hence the survival of orders such as Saint Ferdinand and Francis I even though, unlike Saint Januarius, these were not “collar” orders.

 

Amongst conferees during the present century, we find the late Margaret Thatcher, British prime minister, and philanthropist Stephen Schwarzman, known as a great patron of the New York Public Library. Michael Smurfit, an Irish entrepreneur, was also decorated with the order, along with Baron Scott Mac Millan, a herald.

 

Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie of Ethiopia, Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess Elena of Romania, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have received the order.

 

Other conferees are Admirals Bruce Clingan and James Foggo III of the United States Navy. This was the last order of knighthood founded in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It reflects the esteem in which scientific, industrial, and artistic progress was held.

 

In practice, Alfonso, Count of Caserta, who bestowed the order right up until the year of his death, 1934, often conferred it for the loyalty shown to his dynasty.  The Royal Order of Francis I was restored by Prince Ferdinand in 1997, and has been granted ever since.