Type Dynastic Order Religious affiliation Roman Catholic | Royal house House of Braganza Status Currently constituted | |
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Ribbon Light Pink with a thin White stripe in the middle. Awarded for Services in Support of the Portuguese Crown and Portuguese American communities. | ||
The Order of Queen Saint Isabel (Portuguese: Ordem da Rainha Santa Isabel) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of which the Grand Mistress is the Duchess of Braganza.
Contents
History
King John VI of Portugal created the on 4 November 1801 in honour of Queen Saint Isabel, consort of Portuguese King Denis I, investing his wife Carlota Joaquina as Grand Mistress of the order.
The order, limited to a total membership of twenty-six, is exclusively for Catholic noblewomen.
In 5 October 1910, the monarchy was replaced by a republic. The order, which was considered dynastic, continued to be bestowed by King Manuel II of Portugal, who in exile also awarded it to his wife. After his death, the Queen and Queen Mother both continued to use the order's insignia of Grand Mistress. In 1986 Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza re-established the Order of Saint Isabel as an honorific dynastic order of the Portuguese Royal Family, and claimed its Sovereign Grand Mastership. The Duchess of Braganza is the current Grand Mistress and, besides honouring Portuguese noblewomen on the Saint's feast day, celebrated each year on July 4 at the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova in Coimbra, the Royal House has, since 2000, bestowed it on various queens, princesses and women dedicated to the support of Portuguese charities.
Insignia
The order's sash is pale pink and has a white stripe in the middle. On the accompanying crowned medallion is a picture of the Queen Saint giving money to a poor man. This picture is surrounded by a frame with roses (an allusion to the Queen's miracle). The insignia's motto is Pauperum Solatio.