History

The Order of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel was founded by Henry IV in 1607 and was recognized by Pope Paul V in February 1608. Later in the same year Henry IV combined the new Order with the ancient Order of Saint Lazarus to create the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem and Notre Dame of Mount Carmel.

The Order was created by Henry IV with motivation to demonstrate his sincerity in conversion to the Catholic faith. It was also used to recognize those Lords who had been loyal to him.

The Order was originally a military order conferred upon those who were of four quarters nobility and who had made a career of military service. Under the Reign of Louis XIV the Order was superseded by the Order of Saint Louis, and its status as the preeminent military order was diminished. During this period it continued to be awarded, but to individuals of lesser noble status, and to members of the bourgeoisie, and could also be awarded for meritorious diplomatic service.

The Order was suppressed on July 30, 1791. It was not re-established during the Restoration Period and was officially discontinued in 1830. The last members of the Order were named in 1788.

The motto of the Order is “Atavis & Armis,” which translates to “By Ancestors and Arms.”

The Order of Saint Lazarus and Notre Dame of Mount Carmel is translated from the French "Ordre royal militaire et hospitalier de Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel et de Saint-Lazare de Jérusalem réuni".

The Cross was originally suspended from a purple ribbon, but after 1773 it was suspended from a green ribbon. Crosses produced after 1774 are surmounted by a fixed crown and may or may not have ball finials. Later versions of the Cross may also have a green border with the inscription "ATAVIS & ARMIS" surrounding the image of Saint Lazarus.