History

The Order of Carol I was established in 1906 in commemoration of the 40-year reign of King Carol I. It ranked equally with the Order of Ferdinand I as the highest decoration in Romania until 1947 when it was abolished along with the Romanian monarchy. It is currently awarded as a dynastic order by the House of Romania and is no longer associated with the state.

The Order of Carol I was conferred upon members of the Romanian Royal Family, as well as upon prominent Romanian citizens and foreigners. It could also be awarded posthumously, but only under exceptional circumstances. Women were first received into the Order in 1944. The King was the Grand Master.

The Order was originally composed of four grades (Collar, Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander), but was only awarded as a Collar and Grand Cross after 1932.

The Collar was reserved to recognise the most distinguished achievements. It was conferred upon military personnel for leading forces to victory, upon prime ministers and secretaries of state for long service, upon Romanian citizens for distinguished scientific and artistic merits which proved beneficial to all of humankind, and upon foreign heads of state. It was also conferred upon Romanian princes on their 18th birthday. There was a limit of 5 members in the Collar grade from 1906-1938 and a limit of 10 members from 1938-1947.

The Collar is composed of 22 links that depict the crests of the Romanian provinces (Wallachia, Moldavia, Banat and Oltenia, Dobrogea), the crest of the Royal House of Hohenzollern, and the royal cypher of King Carol I. The badge appendant has an obverse inscription that translates to “Through Perseverance to Success.”