Order of Michael the Brave

Ordinul "Mihai Viteazul"
The Order "Michael the Brave" third class, as it looked like in the first years of World War II, during the reign of Mihai I. After the King's Coup the year was changed. Notice the M in the Center of the cross, the King's insignia at that time.
Awarded by The King of the Romanians (1916 - 1947) The President of Romania
Type	Military Award
Eligibility	Military in combat
Status	Awarded in time of war (only)
Statistics
Established	1916 2000
First awarded	1916
Last awarded	1944 disbanded in 1947
Precedence
Next (lower)	Ordinul naţional "Steaua României"
Ribbon of the Order of Michael the Brave

The Order of Michael the Brave (Romanian: Ordinul Mihai Viteazul) is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign of World War I, and was again awarded in World War II. The Order, which may be bestowed as an individual medal or as a unit award, was named in honor of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul), a late 16th century Prince of Wallachia.

1 Data
2 Recipients
3 See also
4 External links

Data

Requirements: Awarded to officers only for exceptional deeds on the battlefield. It is the highest ranking Romanian military order.

Classes: 3rd, 2nd and 1st

Date Instituted: September 26, 1916

Number awarded: 2184

During WW1:

1st class: 16

2nd class: 12

3rd class: 336 (of which 43 awarded to military units)

During WW2:

1st class: 15

2nd class: 76 (of which 13 awarded to military units)

3rd class: 1628 (of which 118 awarded to military units)

Recipients

Ion Antonescu
Vasile Atanasiu
Alexandru Averescu
Radu Bâldescu
Nicolae Dabija
Corneliu Dragalina
Grigore Gafencu
Eremia Grigorescu
Michael I of Romania (as Commander-in-Chief of the Romanian Army in 1941)
John J. Pershing
Radu Korne
Mihail Lascăr
Leonard Mociulschi
Ioan Palaghiţă
Constantin Prezan
Corneliu Teodorini
Constantin Mihalcea

During World War II, at a time when Romania was allied with Germany (see Romania during World War II), the Order was awarded to several members of the Axis military forces:

External links

(English) Order of Michael the Brave at worldwar2.ro
(Romanian) History of the Order at the Romanian Presidency site
(English) Order of Michael the Brave and its recipients at ww2awards.com

v • d • e Highest military awards for gallantry

Current	Argentine Nation to the Heroic Valour in Combat Cross (Argentina) · Bir Sreshtho (Bangladesh) · Hero of Belarus (Belarus) · Cross of Liberty (Estonia) · Mannerheim Cross (Finland) · Légion d'honneur (France) · Param Vir Chakra (India) · Medal of Valor (Israel) · Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (Malaysia) · Military William Order (Netherlands) · Nishan-e-Haider (Pakistan) · Medal of Valor (Philippines) · Virtuti Militari (Poland) · Order of Michael the Brave (Romania) · Hero of the Russian Federation (Russian Federation) · Nkwe ya Gauta (South Africa) · Laureate Cross of St. Ferdinand (Spain) · Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (Sri Lanka) · Order of Rama (Thailand) · Victoria Cross (United Kingdom • Australia • Canada • New Zealand) · Hero of Ukraine (Ukraine) · Medal of Honor (United States)

Obsolete	Military Order of Maria Theresa (Austria–Hungary) · Pour le Mérite (Kingdom of Prussia) · Military Order of Max Joseph (Kingdom of Bavaria) · Military Order of St. Henry (Kingdom of Saxony) · Military Merit Order (Kingdom of Württemberg) · Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Nazi Germany) · Order of the Golden Kite (Japan) · Castle of Good Hope Decoration (South Africa) · Vietnam Military Merit Medal (South Vietnam) · Hero of the Soviet Union (Soviet Union) · Order of Lāčplēsis (Latvia)

Romanian National Decorations System

National decorations

National Orders	Order of the Star of Romania • Order of the Faithful Service • Order for Merit

National Crosses	National Cross for Faithful Service

National Medals	National Medal for Faithful Service • National Medal For Merit

Commemorative decorations

Victory Order of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989 • Commemorative Cross of the Second World War, 1941-1945 • Commemorative Cross of the Anti-communist Resistance • Commemorative Medal "150 Years from the birth of Mihai Eminescu"

Military decorations in peacetime

Military Orders	Order of Military Virtue • Order of Aeronautical Virtue • Order of Matitime Virtue • Order of Manhood and Faith

Military Medals	Military Virtue Medal • Aeronautical Virtue Medal • Maritime Virtue Medal • Manhood and Faith Medal

Civil decorations on domains of activity

Civil Orders	Agricultural Merit Order • Cultural Merit Order (categories A to I)¹ • Diplomatic Merit Order • Industrial and Commercial Merit Order • Educational Merit Order • Medical Merit Order • Athletic Merit Order

Civil Medals	Agricultural Merit Medal • Cultural Merit Medal (categories A to I)¹ • Diplomatic Merit Medal • Industrial and Commercial Merit Medal • Educational Merit Medal • Medical Merit Medal • Athletic Merit Medal

Military decorations in wartime

Order of Michael the Brave • Order of the Star of Romania² • National Order for Faithful Service² • National Order for Merit² • Order of Military Virtue² • Order of Aeronautical Virtue² • Order of Maritime Virtue² • Order of Manhood and Faith² • Medical Merit Order² • Military Virtue Medal² • Medal of Aeronautical Virtue² • Medal of Maritime Virtue² • Medal of Manhood and Faith² • Medical Merit Medal²

Honorific signs

Vulture of Romania • Reward for the Work in the Public Service • In the Service of the Country (officers) • In the Service of the Country (warrant officers)

¹ the categories are equal in ranking, an differentiate only the cultural field (A - literature; B - music; C - fine arts; D - performing arts; E - national cultural heritage; F - promotion of culture; H - cults; G - scientific research; I - architecture); ²with two crossed swords (tip up) added (the war insignia)

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