Order of St. Hubert
St. Hubertusorden
- Order instituted in 1444 or 1445 by Gerhard V, Duke of Jülich and Count of Ravensberg. He sought to commemorate his victory over the House of Egmond at the Battle of Linnich on 3 November, which is Saint Hubert's day.
- In confirming the Order, on 18 May 1808, the King of Bavaria declared the Order to be the first in the kingdom and linked it to the Order of Civic of Merit. He limited membership to twelve knights from the ranks of counts and barons, excluding himself, as grandmaster, and members (native and foreign), who may be nominated by the sovereign.
- The cross was a Maltese cross with narrow arms also enameled white strewn with numerous golden flames, with three straight rays between each arm, each point of the cross being tipped with a small gold ball. Between the two gold balls on the top arm of the cross was a three-dimensional gold representation of the Bavarian crown, by which the cross hung from its sash. In the center of the cross was a large round medallion consisting of a small golden representation of the conversion of Saint Hubert against a green enamel background and surrounded by a wide border in red enamel with the motto the order In trau vast in Gothic letters set with small diamonds.
- On the reverse, in the center of the cross was a golden representation in relief of the imperial orb and cross (i.e., the heraldic symbol of the Prince-Elector as the Arch-Steward of the Holy Roman Empire) against a red enamel background and surrounded with a white enamel scroll-like border with the inscription In memoriam recuperatae dignitatis aviate. 1708 (I. e., In remembrance of the restoration of the original dignity, 1708).
- The star of the order, worn on the left breast, was a radiant silver star of eight points surrounding a gold, white enameled cross pattée strewn with golden flames and with a round poppy red enameled central medallion bearing the motto In trau vast in golden Gothic letters and surrounded by a white enameled and gold border.
