Romania – Order of the Crown of Romania, (commander)

Description

The Order was instituted on 10 May 1881 to be awarded for meritorious service to the newly-declared Romanian kingdom. The significance of the years is as follows: In April 1866 Carol I was asked to become Domnitor of the Principality of Romania under Ottoman suzerainty and he arrived in Bucharest, welcomed by a huge crowd, on 10 May. The Romanian Principality declared its independence from Ottoman rule on 21 May 1877. Romania proclaimed itself a kingdom on 14 March 1881.  

Large silver and white-enamel-edged red enamel Maltese cross with the cipher ‘C’ (for King Carol I) between the arms, with eyelet for ribbon suspension between the upper arms and with original neck ribbon loop with original ribbon. The face with a circular central red enamel medallion bearing the silver crown of Romania within a white enamel ring inscribed in gilt letters “PRIN NOI ÎNŞINE” (By ourselves) and dated “14 MARTIE 1881” (14 March 1881). The reverse with a circular central red enamel medallion bearing the date “10.MAIU” (10 May) in gilt letters within a white enamel ring with the dates “1866”, “1877” and “1881”. This is the first type, 1881-1932.