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The Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Austria. Slovakia's territory spans about 19,000 square miles. The population is over 5.4 million and the capital and largest city is Bratislava.

The Slovaks and Czechs established Czechoslovakia after World War I. A separate Slovak Republic (1939-1945) existed during World War II as a totalitarian one-party client state of Nazi Germany. At the end of World War II, Czechoslovakia was re-established as an independent country. In 1948 they created a totalitarian one-party state and the country existed as a satellite of the Soviet Union. In 1989, the Velvet Revolution ended the Communist rule in Czechoslovakia. Slovakia became independent on 1 January 1993.

The Order of Prince Pribina is the highest Slovakian Order and it was awarded to high-ranking officers or officials. Pribina was a Slavic prince during the 9th century. He was the first Slavic ruler to build Christian churches and he ruled over Lower Pannonia.