Type Military Award | First awarded 1916 | |
Eligibility Military personnel on active service Status Awarded only in time of war Established 1916, re-instituted 2000 Last awarded 1944 and disbanded in 1947 | ||
The Order of Michael the Brave (Romanian: Ordinul Mihai Viteazul) is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign of the First World War, and was again awarded in the Second World War. The Order, which may be bestowed either on an individual or on a whole unit, was named in honor of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul), a late 16th-century Prince of Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia.
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Data
Requirements: Awarded to officers only for exceptional deeds on the battlefield. It is the highest ranking Romanian military order.Classes: 3rd, 2nd and 1stDate Instituted: September 26, 1916Number awarded: 2184During WW1:1st class: 162nd class: 123rd class: 336 (of which 43 awarded to military units)During WW2:1st class: 152nd class: 76 (of which 13 awarded to military units)3rd class: 1628 (of which 118 awarded to military units)First Class
The First Class Insignia is referred to as a Grand Commander of the Order.
Second Class
The Second Class Insignia of the Order is referred to as a Commander of the Order.
Third Class
The Third Class Insignia of the Order is referred to as an Officer of the Order. This grade was widely awarded rather than the higher grades.
Recipients
During the Second World War, at a time when Romania was allied with Germany, the Order was awarded to several members of the military forces of other Axis Powers, many in the Wehrmacht: