Order of the Eagle of Este

Order of the Eagle of Este Ordine dell'Aquila Estense
Order's medall
Awarded by Duchy of Modena and Reggio
Type	Chivalric order with three degrees
Motto	PROXIMA SOLI
Awarded for	Faithful civilians and officers and distinguished foreigners
Status	former order
First Grand Master	Francis V, Duke of Modena
Grades (w/ post-nominals)	Grand Cross Commander Knight
Statistics
Established	27 december 1855
Precedence
Next (higher)	None (highest)
Next (lower)	Cross of Seniority of Service
Ribbon bar of the Order

The Order of the Eagle of Este is a knighthood order of the dynastic house of Duchy of Modena and Reggio, a former sovereign state before the Italian unification.

The Order was instituted on 27 December 1855 by Francis V of Modena, Duke of Modena & Reggio, to reward the services and the merits of faithful civilians and officers. The order was established under the protection (patronage) of Saint Contardo of Este, a founder's ancestor in maternal line (House of Este) & protector of Modena.^[1]

Grades

The ordine is divided in three classes:

• Grand Cross
• Commander
• Knight

The number of Grand Crosses was established to a maximum of ten, the Commander couldn't surpass twenty members & the Knights could be maximum sixty. The foreigners appointed into the Order were counted as supernumerary knights.

All grants were awarding personal nobility which, if mentioned in the letters patent, could also be hereditary.

The "Royal Parish of the Court" served as Church of the Order.

Knight	Commander	Grand Cross

The insignia

The medal of the order consisted of a white-enameled cross border of "overseas azure" and subdivided in eight "golden-balls" points. In the middle, an azure shield with a white eagle in its center, antique symbol of the Este. In the superior part of the shield, one can read the motto PROXIMA SOLI, and the inferior part, the data of foundation MDCCCLV. At the back, the shield shows the Saint Contardo's effigy with the inscription: S. CONTARDUS ATESTINUS. Between the four arms of the cross, four golden cursive letters, to form the word E S T E. The cross is surmounted by a trophy for military class, by an oak crown for the civilian one and a royal crown for foreigner knights.

The ribbon is white bordered with sky-blue stripes.

The founder, Francis V, continued to grant the Order, even in the years of his exile.

References

External links

• Photo of Grand Cross decorations
• Design of the different decorations.
• Ducato di Modena e Reggio, Corpo della Nobiltà Italiana - Circolo Giovanile. (Italian)

Orders of the Italian States before unification
Kingdom of Sardinia	Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Military Order of Savoy Civil Order of Savoy
Republic of Genoa	Military Order of Saint George (Red-coloured cross)
Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia (Austrian orders)	Order of the Golden Fleece Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Military Order of Maria Theresa Order of the Iron Crown Order of Leopold Order of Franz Joseph Order of the Starry Cross Order of Elizabeth and Theresa
Republic of Venice	Order of Saint Mark Company of the Hose Order of the Golden Stole
Duchy of Lucca	Order of Saint George for Military Merit Order of Saint Louis for Civil Merit
Duchy of Parma	Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George Order of Saint Louis for Civil Merit
Duchy of Modena and Reggio	Order of the Eagle of Este Cross of Seniority of Service
Grand Duchy of Tuscany	Order of Saint Stephen Order of Saint Joseph Order of the Civil and Military Merit
Papal States	Holy See Supreme Order of Christ Order of the Golden Spur Order of Pope Pius IX Order of Saint Gregory the Great Order of Saint Sylvester Protected the Holy See Order of the Holy Sepulchre Teutonic Order See also Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies	Order of Saint Januarius Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit Royal Order of the Two-Sicilies Order of Saint George and Reunion Royal Order of Francis I
See also: Template:Italian orders, decorations, and medals