Physical Description

A Maltese cross constructed of gold and enamels. The arms of the cross in light blue enamel with a white enamel border. Blue and white enamel lozenges lay in the quadrants between the arms. The obverse centre with a central white enamelled medallion with a royal “T” monogram, encompassed by a white enamel border with green trefoils. The reverse bears a central white enamelled medallion with the date “1827”, encompassed by a white enamelled border with the inscription “UNSER ERDENLEBEN SEY GLAUBE AN DAS EWIGE” (Our Earthly Life is Faith in the Eternal). The cross is topped with a Bavarian crown suspension, on a light blue and white striped ribbon.

History

The Order of Theresa was founded on December 12, 1827 by Queen Therese Charlotte Luise of Bavaria, the wife of King Ludwig I, as an order for noble women. Queen Therese established a fund that paid an annual pension to twelve unmarried noble women, six received a pension of 300 guilders and six received a pension of 100 guilders.

In order to qualify for the Order of Theresa, women had to be from noble families, born in wedlock and unmarried. The award was available for girls as young as ten. When an individual married, the annual pension was paid as a dowry aid for a year. If the marriage was according to the rank of the member, the lady was permitted to continue to wear the insignia of the order.

The Grand Mistress of the order was the respective queen or princess of the royal house and could appoint ladies to the Order of Theresa with the king’s ultimate approval. The admission fee was 55 guilders for Bavarian ladies and 1,100 guilders for foreign women, and the fees assisted in the foundation fund. The order was returned upon the recipient’s death.

The Order of Theresa is a single class order. Ranking within the Order is indicated through the addition of diamonds to the cross, and by the ribbon style on which the cross was worn. The Order is still in existence today and it functions as an honorary society.