Order of the Crown of Italy

Ordine della Corona d'Italia

Order instituted on 20 February 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861.
Order awarded to civilian and military for merits.
Order have five classes.
The badge of the order is a gilt cross with curved edges, enamelled in white, with the so-called Savoy knots between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc featured the Iron Crown of Lombardy on a blue enamel backbround. The reverse central disc had a black-enamelled eagle bearing the Savoy cross on a golden background.
The star of the Grand Cross was an eight-pointed faceted silver star; the central disc featured the Iron Crown on a blue enamelled background, surrounded by a white enamel ring bearing the inscription VICT. EMMAN. II REX ITALIAE MDCCCLXVI (Victor Emmanuel II, King of Italy, 1866). There was a black-enamelled eagle bearing the Savoy cross above the star.