Institution of the military merit
The institution of the military merit is a French military decoration creates the March 10th 1759 by the king Louis XV to reward the Protestant officers with the service for France.
The institution was created in imitation of the royal and military Ordre of Saint-Louis, from which the goals were the same ones, but which was reserved to the catholics. The French Army of Old Mode maintained indeed many regiments of foreign mercenaries, especially Swiss and German, whose officers were generally Protestant. It is to excite the zeal of these officers that the lieutenant-general of Courten, catholic Suisse, initiated the idea of a decoration for the Protestants. The institution was not a royal order, since it did not have religious ceremonies nor of large-Master; the decorated soldiers were however to lend an oath of fidelity to the king.
The institution was divided into three degrees, which quickly accepted the abstract names of knight, commander and grand' cross. These title were officialized only in 1785. The number of 1st degrees was not limited, that of 2nd was it with four and that of 3rd to two. It was necessary to integrate the institution to count 18 (for the colonels), 20 (for the lieutenant-colonels), 22 (for the majors) or 28 years of services (for the officers sulbalternes).
The cross was comparable with that about Saint-Louis, except for the central medallion where a sword replaced the effigy of Louis saint. The currency was Pro virtute bellica (for the warlike virtues). The ribbon of the order was dark blue.
The institution was joined together with the order of Saint-Louis in 1791 under the name of military decoration . Military decoration was removed in 1792, but Louis XVIII named knights in exile. The institution was restored in 1814 and was intended for all the officers not-catholics of the armies. It was mainly allotted to Protestants, but the chief of the Mamelukes of the royal guard, Moslem, was also decorated. The ribbon of the institution was starting from 1814 the same one as that about Saint-Louis.
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