Order of Ernst August

The Order of Ernst August (German: Ernst-August-Orden) was founded 15 December 1865 by King George V of Hanover in memory of his father Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover. The order was awarded for both civil and military merit.[1] It was divided in five classes:

  • Grand Cross
  • Grand Commander
  • Commander
  • Officer
  • Knight
Order of Ernst Augustus
Insignia of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Ernst August
Awarded by

Kingdom of Hannover
TypeKnightly State Order
MottoSUSCIPERE ET FINIRE
Awarded forCivil and military merit
StatusDissolved as a state order, given as a House Order
Grand MasterErnst August, Prince of Hanover
GradesGrand Cross
Grand Commander
Commander
Officer
Knight
Precedence
Next (higher)Royal Guelphic Order
Next (lower)-

Ribbon of the order

History

In 1866, Hannover was defeated and annexed by Prussia at the end of the Austro-Prussian War. As a result, Prussia dissolved the three Hanoverian orders of knighthood. George V and his successors still continued to award the Order of Ernst August, but now as a House Order, in the same manner of many non-regnant royal houses. Between 1865 and 1900, forty two Grand Crosses were granted. Most of them after the royal family's expulsion from Hanover in 1866. Seventeen Hanoverian and twenty five foreign Grand Crosses are recorded.[2]

Insignia

The medal is a gold Maltese cross, enamelled white, with small gold ball on eight points and four royal crowns in the corners. At the center is a medallion of red enamel with the monogram of Ernest Augustus (EA), and around, there was a band of blue enamel with the motto of the order "SUSCIPERE ET FINIRE" in gold. The back displays the founding date "DEC MDCCCLXV XV" with the initials of the king who had granted the order George V ("G").

The ribbon is scarlet red with two dark blue stripes parallel to each side.

References
  1. Hanover: Order of Ernst August Archived 2010-12-14 at the Wayback Machine. Megan C. Robertson, Medals of the World. 24 December 2006
  2. Lower Saxony Central State Archive, Dep.103, Stammbuch des Ernst-August-Ordens
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