Portugal has a system of orders, decorations, and medals as a means of honouring individuals for personal bravery, achievement, or service to Portugal. The honorific orders are currently regulated by Law 5/2011. The decorations are given by the President of the Portuguese Republic, currently Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. In addition the Portuguese government, through the Portuguese Red Cross legal framework, regulates and recognizes the Portuguese Red Cross Decorations.

Ancient military orders

Order of the Tower and Sword

Military Order of Christ

The Military Order of Christ is one of the ancient military orders. It was created by request of King D. Dinis to the pope, upon the extinction of the Order of the Temple. The Templars had been granted important jurisdictions over the Portuguese territory, as well as being of strategic importance in its protection, in the end of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula. So, when the Order of the Temple was extinguished, King Dinis requested, and was granted, that all the possessions of this order in Portugal be attributed to a new order, to be created: the order of Christ. In essence, the Templars in Portugal simply changed name. The headquarters of the Order were established in Tomar. The Order had a major role in the Portuguese discoveries. In the course of the subsequent centuries, the King of Portugal became the grand-master of this and all of the military orders, which acquired a simple honorific role. The Order of Christ is now conferred by relevant services to the country in the exercise of functions related to the government or public administration (e.g., courts, diplomacy, armed forces)

Military Order of Aviz

Military Order of St. James of the Sword

National orders

Order of Prince Henry

Order of Liberty

Order of Camões

Orders of civil merit

Order of Merit

Order of Public Instruction

Orders of Entrepreneurial Merit

Portuguese Red Cross Decorations

Extinct orders

Order of the Colonial Empire

Royal Dynastic Orders

During Portugal's time as a monarchy, several orders were created by the sovereign as honorific orders and not military orders. As such, when Portugal became a republic, these orders remained with the House of Braganza as dynastic orders and were not nationalized by the Portuguese Republic. Their Grand-Masters are Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza and Isabel, Duchess of Braganza.

Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa

Order of Saint Michael of the Wing

Order of Saint Isabel

Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House

Decorations

Medals

Orders of Precedence

Current Order of Precedence

(Established by Decree-Law No 316/2002 of 27 December 2002) Notes

Former Order of Precedence

(As prior to the 1974 Carnation Revolution ) Notes