Royal Order of Francis I

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Royal Order of Francis I
Breast Star of the Order
Awarded by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Type	Previously a State Order, Currently a Dynastic Order
Established	28 September 1829
Motto	MERITO DE REGE OPTIME
Awarded for	Civil and military merit and services to industry, agriculture, and the arts to the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of Saint George of the Reunion
Ribbon of the Order

The Royal Order of Francis I (properly 'The Royal Order of Francis I of the Two Sicilies' Italian: Reale Ordine di Francesco I) was an extinct order of merit of the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies which was annexed in 1861 by the King of Italy (until 1860 King of Piedmont and Sardinia). It has been revived by Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, as an award for services to charity and inter-religious understanding and includes a number of non-Roman Catholic statesmen and stateswomen among its membership.

The Royal Order of Francis I was founded on 28 September 1829 as an award of civil merit in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies for distinction in public service, science, the arts, agriculture, industry and commerce.

Although the order was a State Order and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ceased to exist in 1860, the Order continued to be awarded by the exiled King Francis II and his brother and successor Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta, although the latter did so for the last time in 1920, since they were still claiming all the prerogatives of the crown. His successor as head of the Dynasty, Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Calabria who was head of the family from 1934-1960 accepted the de facto existence of the Italian State and abandoned an active pretension to the throne, considering the order to be abeyance. The latter's nephew, Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, and great-nephew Infante Carlos, Duke of Calabria continued this policy, as has the latter's son and heir.

Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, much like his father, Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro, head of the line of the family descended from Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro has claimed the title and right of Grand Master and bestowed the order.

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Knight	Commander	Knight Grand Cross

The Order is now divided into five grades (the modern revival has allowed the award to women):

• Knight Grand Cross, with cross suspended from sash/cordon and star
• Dame Grand Cross, with cross suspended from breast bow edged in gold and covered with fleurs-de-lis and star
• Knight Grand Officer, with cross suspended from neck ribbon and star
• Dame Grand Officer, with cross suspended from breast bow edged in gold and star
• Knight Commander, with cross suspended from neck ribbon
• Dame Commander, with cross suspended from breast bow edged in gold
• Knight Officer, with cross suspended from breast drape ribbon
• Dame Officer, with cross suspended from breast bow
• Knight First Class, with cross suspended from breast drape ribbon
• Dame First Class, with cross suspended from breast bow

• Order of Saint Januarius
• Order of Saint George and Reunion
• Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit
• Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George