The Order of Carol I (Romanian: Ordinul Carol I) instituted on 10 May 1909 by King Carol I of Romania to celebrate his Ruby Jubilee of 40 years of his reign; The Order was the highest ranking of the Romanian Decorations of the Kingdom of Romania until the abolition of monarchy in 1947. It is still currently the highest ranking Dynastic Order of all the Decorations of the Romanian Royal House awarded by the Head of the House of Romania.
During its time as a National Order it was widely awarded to Members of the Romanian Royal Family, Romanian Prime Ministers, Romanian politicians, foreign Monarchs & Heads of State, select few Consorts & Heirs and also people thought to be worthy of receiving the order by the King of the Romanians. There are currently no foreign Knights or Dames of the Order except for members of the Romanian Royal Family.
The order has only the superior classes, each of them with limited numbers:
Grand Collar (limited to 10)
Grand Cross (limited to 20)
Grand Officer (limited to 30)
Commander (limited to 40)
The Collar is in Gold and consists of 8 links of the emblems of the Danubian Principalities of The: Principality of Wallachia, Principality of Moldavia, Principality of Oltenia and Principality of Dobruja, 4 emblems on either side of the collar with 2 of the emblems of the House of Hohenzollern between each two Principalities; between each emblem is the monogram of King Carol I. At the back of the collar is the lock which is an Eagle with open wings which suspends in half to wear. At the front of the collar is the Steel Crown of Romania which the badge of the order suspends from.
The Badge is the Romanian Eagle on top of a square Gold sunray on top of a Red Maltese cross. The Eagle wears the Crown of Romania, holds the Orthodox cross in its beak, holds the Sword of King Carol I in its left claw, holds the Royal Mantle in its right claw and supports the ribbon inscribed "PRIN STATORNICIE LA IZBÂNDĂ" by both its claws whilst on its chest is a small Gold effigy of King Carol I.
On the obverse is the Red Maltese cross on top of the Gold sunray, in the middle of the Maltese Cross is a small Gold monogram of King Carol I.
The Badge is featured on: The Collar, The Sash, The Medal and The Necklet.
There are two types of stars of the order: 1st which is for the Grand Cross with Collar/Grand Cross and the 2nd which is for the Grand Officer; both are to worn on the left stomach.
The 1st Star is in Gold which is 8-pointed, set in sunray's and is similar in shape of the Swedish Royal Order of the Seraphim; the Eagle which is on the Badge is on top of the star and set in Silver.
The 2nd Star is also in Gold and also in sunray's, it is set in a Rhombus shape and is similar in shape of the Dutch Order of the Crown; the Eagle which is on the Badge is on top of the star and set in Gold.
The Sash is pale Blue with Gold edges bearing a narrow Red stripe; at the bottom of the sash is a bow which joins both sides together and where the badge hangs from; It is worn from the right shoulder.
Grand Cross with Collar
Romanian royal family
Kingdom of Romania: King Carol I of Romania
Kingdom of Romania: King Ferdinand I of Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Queen Marie, Queen Grandmother of Romania
House of Hohenzollern: Prince Carol of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen - revoked
House of Hohenzollern: Prince Nicholas of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen - revoked
House of Romania: King Michael I of Romania
House of Romania: Queen Anne, Queen Consort of Romania
House of Romania: Crown Princess Margareta of Romania
Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Gheorghe Manu, 17th Prime Minister of Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, 20th & 23rd Prime Minister of Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Patriarch Miron of Romania, 38th Prime Minister of Romania and 7th Patriarch of All Romania
Foreign
Albanian Royal Family: Former King Zog I of Albania
Kingdom of Bulgaria: King Boris III of the Bulgarians
Kingdom of Egypt: King Fuad I of Egypt
Egyptian Royal Family: Former King Farouk I of Egypt
France: Albert François Lebrun, 15th President of France
German Imperial and Royal Family: Former Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany
Kingdom of Greece: King Constantine I of Greece
Kingdom of Greece: King George II of Greece
Kingdom of Greece: King Paul I of Greece
Ottoman Imperial Family: Former Emperor Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire, 33rd Ottoman Caliph
United Kingdom: King George V of United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Colin Robert Ballard, Brigadier of the British Army
Netherlands: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Norway: King Haakon VII of Norway
Russian Imperial Family: Former Emperor Nicholas II of Russia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia: King Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Grand Cross
Romanian Royal Family
Kingdom of Romania: Queen Elisabeth, Dowager Queen Consort of Romania
House of Romania: Prince Radu
Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Theodor Rosetti, 16th Prime Minister of Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Alexandru Averescu, 24th, 27th and 31st Prime Minister of Romania
Romanian Royal Family: Alexandru Vaida-Voevod, 28th, 35th and 37th Prime Minister of Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Nicolae Iorga, 34th Prime Minister of Romania
Romanian Royal Family: Gheorghe Tătărescu, 36th and 42nd Prime Minister of Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Constantin Prezan, 28th and 25th Chief of the Romanian General Staff
Foreign
Belgium: King Albert I of Belgium
Belgium: Queen Elisabeth, Queen Grandmother of Belgium
Belgium: Former King Leopold III of Belgium
Sultanate of Egypt: King Abbas II of Egypt
Germany
German Imperial and Royal Family: Empress Augusta Victoria, Former Empress Consort of Germany
Grand Ducal Family of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: Prince Georg Alexander, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Kingdom of Greece: Queen Sophia, Queen Mother of Greece
Greek Royal Family: Queen Frederica, Queen Mother of Greece
Italian Royal Family: Former King Umberto II of Italy
Poland: Józef Piłsudski, Chief of State of Poland
Russian Imperial Family: Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, The Former Empress Consort of Russia
United Kingdom: Former King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom: King George VI of United Kingdom
Kingdom of Yugoslavia: Prince Arsen of Yugoslavia
Grand Officer
Romanian Royal Family
Romanian Royal Family: Princess Elisabeth of Romania
Romanian Royal Family: Queen Maria, Queen Mother of Yugoslavia
Romanian Royal Family: Queen Helen, Queen Mother of Romania
Romanian Royal Family: Princess Ileana of Romania
House of Romania: Princess Elena of Romania
Romania
Kingdom of Romania: Constantin C. Arion, 50th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania
Romania: General Nicolae Samsonovici, 20th Chief of the Romanian General Staff
