The Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius /Insigne Reale Ordine di San Gennaro/ is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood founded by Charles VII of Naples on July 6, 1736, in honor of his engagement to Princess Maria Amalia of Saxony. It was the last great dynastic order to be constituted as a chivalric fraternity, with a limitation to Roman Catholics and a direct attachment to the dynasty rather than the state. The founder of the order, Charles VII of Naples, ruled from 1734 until 1759.
Only Catholic nobles who could prove at least four generations of noble rank in their family had the right to join (be awarded) it. After the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the united Italy in 1861, the order was no longer used. The Order of St. Januarius had only one class and initially limited the number of members to 60. It was then decided not to limit the number of members to any number.
The order insignia is an eight-pointed red and white Maltese cross, enameled and gilded at the edges, with gold balls soldered to the tips. In each corner of the cross is a gold Bourbon lily. In the center of the cross, on its outer side, is a half-length image of Saint Januarius in bishop's vestments. Below is a gold semicircular inscription "In sanguine foedus/Unity in the blood". On the back of the cross is a gold medallion surrounded by two green palm branches. The ribbon of the order is scarlet. The order was worn on a sash thrown over the right shoulder to the left hip, with the order star on the chest.
Set of insignias that belonged to the Duke of Doudeauville, Louis François Sosthène I de La Rochefoucauld (1785-1864) or the Viscount de La Rochefoucauld, his son, Augustin Marie Mathieu Stanislas (1822-1887).
Only Catholic nobles who could prove at least four generations of noble rank in their family had the right to join (be awarded) it. After the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the united Italy in 1861, the order was no longer used. The Order of St. Januarius had only one class and initially limited the number of members to 60. It was then decided not to limit the number of members to any number.
The order insignia is an eight-pointed red and white Maltese cross, enameled and gilded at the edges, with gold balls soldered to the tips. In each corner of the cross is a gold Bourbon lily. In the center of the cross, on its outer side, is a half-length image of Saint Januarius in bishop's vestments. Below is a gold semicircular inscription "In sanguine foedus/Unity in the blood". On the back of the cross is a gold medallion surrounded by two green palm branches. The ribbon of the order is scarlet. The order was worn on a sash thrown over the right shoulder to the left hip, with the order star on the chest.
Set of insignias that belonged to the Duke of Doudeauville, Louis François Sosthène I de La Rochefoucauld (1785-1864) or the Viscount de La Rochefoucauld, his son, Augustin Marie Mathieu Stanislas (1822-1887).
Gold, enamel.
Size 61 mm.
Weight 40 g.
Silver, gold, enamel.
Size 83 mm.
Weight 63 g.
Original case.