In the Middle Ages, orders of knights were communities of knights. They were established to carry out specific tasks, such as to protect the Holy Grail. These knights were noblemen. Hence, their decorations referred to nobility.
Later, the term 'order of knights' was only used for the decoration. The sovereign used these orders of knights as evidence of his favour. Originally, orders of knights were only conferred on noblemen. Through the centuries, the connection between orders of knights and nobility has disappeared.In the period of the Republic of the United Netherlands, there were no orders. During that period, 'triumph medals' in gold or silver were awarded to servicemen for bravery or excellent leadership.
The first Dutch decoration worn on a ribbon was the so-called Dogger Bank medal. The medal was awarded on nomination of Stadholder Prince Willem V on the occasion of the battle at Dogger Bank on 5 August 1781. This makes the Dogger Bank medal the precursor of the current Dutch orders and other honours.
In 1806, King Lodewijk Napoleon created the Order of the Union. He is therefore seen as the creator of the first official Dutch civil order. When the Netherlands became part of France in 1810, the Order of the Union was terminated. To replace it, Napoleon created the Order of the Réunie in 1811. When Napoleon was finally defeated in 1815, the Order of the Réunie was also terminated. |
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Medal of the Dogger Bank |
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