Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/360

 MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN (GRAND-DUCHY.)

MEDALS AND DECORATIONS OF HONOUR.

1. Military Medal of Merit, (Plate 11, Nos. 1 and 2), was founded on the 23rd July, 1814, by Duke Frederick Francis, for the troops who had distinguished themselves in that memorable campaign. It is worn at the button-hole suspended by a ribbon of the ducal colours: bright blue with narrow borders of red and yellow, and is divided into two classes— the gold and silver medal. The front exhibits an antique sword in a perpendicular position, entwined by a laurel wreath with the year '1813' at the sides of it; the reverse shows the inscription: 'Mecklenburg's Streitern' (To Mecklenburg's warriors), and the initial of the founder.

2. Civil Medal of Merit—It is rather larger than the previous, and bears on the front the effigy of the founder with the legend: ' Friedrich Franz, Herzog zu Mecklenburg ' (Frederick Francis, Duke of Mecklenburg). The reverse shows the words: 'Dem redlichen Manne, und dem guten Biirger' (To the honest man and good citizen). It is presented either in gold or silver, and is worn by a ribbon of the same colour as the previous military medal (No. 3).

3. The Military Cross of Service, (Nos. 4 to 8).—It was founded on the 30th April, 1841, by the Grand Duke Paul Frederick, and consists, for officers and officials of the same rank, of a gold cross, bearing in front the initial of the