The Order of the Crown of Italy ( or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for civilian and military merit. Today the Order of the Crown has been replaced by the Order of Merit of Savoy and is still conferred on new knights by the current head of the house of Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice. The order has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic in 1946. However, Umberto II did not abdicate his position as fons honorum and it remained under his Grand Mastership as a dynastic order. While the continued use of those decorations conferred prior to 1951 is permitted in Italy, the crowns on the ribbons issued before 1946 must be substituted for as many five pointed stars on military uniforms.

Grades

The various degrees of the order, with corresponding ribbons, were as follows:

Insignia

Members

Members of the order have included:

Order of Merit of Savoy

The Order of Merit of Savoy was founded by Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, on 23 January 1988, „within the framework of the Civil Order of Savoy“. Current Grand Master is Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice. The insignia are the same as those of the Civil Order, but with the white vitreous enamel of the Order of the Crown. The ribbon is blue with a broad white centre stripe. The order has the same classes as the Order of the Crown, additionally a Gold Cross of Merit and a Silver Cross of Merit is awarded below the Knight's cross.

Recipients (amongst others)

As of the year 2000 there are/were 1453 recipients of the Order of Merit.