Physical Description

Consisting of an eight-pointed star of faceted rays silver and gilt, the obverse features a blue enamel oval medallion at its center, the oval contains the legend HOÀNG ĐẾ ĐỒNG KHÁNH (Emperor Đồng Khánh) in stylized characters with decorative lines of flame, encircled by red enamel, the reverse of the Order is plain, on a stylized suspension of a Western crown, surmounted by a green enamel left-facing dragon, with gold and red enamel accents, on a red ribbon with yellow trim and a rosette.

History

The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam was established on March 14, 1886 by Emperor Dong Khanh, and was also assumed as a national order of France in May of the same year. It was created originally to acknowledge and reward individuals who performed meritorious civil and military services to the Emperor and the French Protectorate. On December 5, 1899, Emperor Thanh Thai decreed that when the order was awarded by the President of France the award would have a distinct ribbon separate from the Vietnamese ribbon. Orders awarded by the Emperor of Annam were suspended from red ribbons with yellow trim, and the orders awarded by France were suspended from green ribbons with orange trim. From 1886 to 1916, the order was suspended from a white ribbon with orange-yellow trim when presented for meritorious military service.

The order could be awarded in five classes:

Grand Cross
Grand Officer
Commander
Officer
Knight

The Emperor, alone, could wear the Grand Cross along with the Knight's badge. The original Grand Officer badges were awarded on a neck ribbon, but were later changed to a breast star or plaque.

In 1976, after the fall of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the formation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the order was abolished and replaced by the National Order of Vietnam (which was instituted on August 15, 1950). It was recognized that the Order of the Dragon of Annam was associated with colonial French rule and also Chinese rule (pre-French Protectorate) and did not have a place in the new independent republic. To this day the Order remains the dynastic and personal property of the Imperial Vietnamese House of Annam.

There is a great deal of variety in this Order, and as a result, decorations vary in size, composition, and manufacturer.