The final Tunisian Order, the National Order of Cultural Merit, had its name chan~ed to the Cultural ~edal in 1969. However, its administration and structure remain in the pattern of an Order; thus it maybe treated as one. To date, no official source or document states the insignia form and for that reason ~ do not describe the insignia here. Nonetheless, the information located here may prove useful to individuals interested in the T~mlslan system.
I Country Republic of Tunisia II Name of Order Cultural Medal (N&tional Order of C~_ltural Merit until 1969) !YI Founded by Preslden~ Habib Bourguiba IV Founded on 5 July 1966 V Founded at Tunis, Tuulsia VI History of Country As explained above VII Purpose of Order Reward and encourage ~ose involved in developing or preservlhg a distinctly Tunisian culture VITI History of Order The 4th Tunisian Order established IX Pc±ton Saint None . X Chancery Located in Tunis as a bureau of the Presidency XI Officers Grand Master ..... the Pres~ent o~ the Republic (Habib Bour
NOTE: £~cording to the i966 statutes, this was a three class Orger.
This concludes our look at Tunisian Orders since independence. I should add that the present government awards %hess Orders sparingly and only after demonstrated merit. During the last major natiBnal holiday (August 1971--President Bourguiba’s Birthday) less than ~5 persons were honored with an Order and all of them received varying ~rades of the Order of the ~epublic. Seven Grand Cordons, four First Class, twenty Second Class and +an or twelve Third Class decorations comprised the awards given and President Bour~uiba persoun~lly decorated the recipients. S~BMITTED BY GEORGE PINGLE
In the book "Christophe, King of Haiti" by Hubert Cole, New York: Viking Press, 1967 I have gleaued the following information.
On March 28, 1811, Henri Christophe declared Haiti a Kingdom, ~ith himself as King Henry I ...... On April 15, he created a hereditary nobility, ~ith ~ princes, 8 dukes, 22 counts, 37 barons, and 14 knights, and t~o days later a spiritusl h~ersrchy .... (an archbishop and 3 bishops). On April 12, he issued the regulations for the dress of the nobility: a ~hite tunic reaching below the knee, ~hite silk hose and red morocco shoes ~Ith square gold buckles, a gold-hilted s~ord, a round hat, a black cloak embroidered ~zlth gold, a~ ~ith red facings for the princes a~d dukes; simple blue or red coats for barons and knights, and plumes of black, red, ~aite and green, in desasnding erder of seniority. On April 20, he created his Order of Chivalry, the Hsitinn equivalent of the Order ~f the Garter or St. Esprit ~ the B~yal and Military Order of St. Henry, ~hose members ~re a large cross set ~ith brilliants, engraved on one side ~ith Christophe’s head and the ~ords, "Henry, Fondateur, 1811" and on the other, a cro~n of laurel, a star, and "Pr~x de Valeur." On June 2, he was c~o~ned ~ith much splendor, although ~ithout some of the regalia, including an eight-foot ~ord of State, which had been ordered from London.
AUTHOR NEED HELP :::
The first edition of ORDERS AND DECORATIONS OF ALL NATIONS has been completely sold out. We are now in the process of issuing a new revised and corrected volume. I need help especially in spotting blatant errors, i.e.p. 147 The Order of St. Patrick Ribbon is Blue instead of Green and on p. 135 Opl. Hitler received the Iron Cross in the First Class as ~ll as Second Class, are typical.
I particularly need glossy black and white photographs and infoEcat- ion concerning the emerging nations of ~Africa ~hose embassi°es and foreign offices have not proved at all cooperative in supplying this information.
Under t~he Kingdom of Rumania, I ~m wel! aware that there were at least six or seven Orders that were established by Kin~ Carol II that were not included but little or no information can be found on these. ~ny help ~ill be appreciated. I also need information concerning Croatian and Burmese Orders and Decorations.
Excluding Fraternal, Social, Red Cross ~d Religious Orders, if there are any other errors and omissic~s from the present book, I ~ould certainly llke to know about them. I am concerned only ~ith Orders aud Decorations issued ~j sovereign governments.
This is an opportunity to really help and I hope that ~ Order and Medal enthusiasts ,Jlll give me their cooperation. Naturally, all help ~hen used ~ill be acknowledged. Write to: Robert Werlich, c/o Quaker Press, 3218 0 Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. "The young Duke d’Orleans and his German wife (Princess Helene of l~klenburg-Schwerin) had the greatest admiration for Victor Hugo and interceded with the King. Dumas received his invitation and the t~ friends went to V~rsailles together dressed in National-guard uniforms.
The f~iendship of the princely couple for the t~o scthors was hence- forth secure. It earned for ViCtor Hugo the rosette of an officer of the Legion of Honor; for Dumas a chevalierts ~ross.
Following is the letter in which Dumas, who had received the news of of these decorahions from the young Duke himself, announced it to Hugo: My dear Victor Your cross and mine were signed this ~ornlng. I have been charged to tell you unofficially. Madame the Duchess d~’Orleans was iudeed proud of your dispatch; she ~ill reply herself. I have been charged to tell you offloially I embrace you .....
Hugo accepted the honor with his usual lofty dignity, never intimating that he attached any importance to it; Dumas, happy as a sand-boy, proudly paraded up and down the boulevards, sporting on his chest ~z enormom cross next to which he had pinned the Cross of Isabella the CathOlic, a Belgian decoration, the S~liah Cross of Gustavus Vasa, and the Order of St. Jo~m of Jerussl~m~ In every country he visited he asked for a decoration and bought all those which were for sale. His cOat on ceremonious occasions was a veritable bazasr of medals and ribbon~ ~ inoffensive pleasures.~ from: m,~ANDRE D~S, by Andre Maurols New York: Alfred Y~opf - 1955
"Count Bielgorsky took it upon h~mself to introduce Liszt at his first concert in St. Petersburg at the Hall of Nobleman ......
Liszt outdressed the Count. He also wore a large white cravat, but over it shone the Order of the Golden Spur, which he clsimed to have received from Pope Pius IX. He was further adorned with various orders dangling and clanging from the lapels of his dress co~t."
from: FRANZ LISZT, by Victor Seroff New York; Macmillan - 1966
"Nicolo Paganini was born at Genoa, Italy on February 18, He appeared in solos on the violin at the age of nine. His professional tour was made in 1797. He lived in retirement from 1801 to 1804 (at the ages of 17-21) then resumed his career in 1805. Appointed musical director to ~l~isa, the Princess of Lucca and Piombo, sister to Napoleon. He was also made capt~n of the Royal Body~rd so that he might be admitted to court functions, from ~hich a mere musician would be barred. Since the Princess refused to allow Paganini to wear his uniform while comklucting he bec~me angry and left her service. In 1813 he visited Bologna, Milan and other cities. By 1820 he ~as rich enough to settle about $6,000 on his mother. Pope Leo XII made him a Knight of the Golden Spur and in 1828 he captivated the court of Vienna. After a successful car~er but failing in health he died at Nice on ~y 27, 1840."
from: M~T~P.S ~F THE VIOLIN by Henry To Finck - The ~ntor April 15, 1916 3O