The Ordre du Mérite Militaire, one of the first chivalrous orders in France was created by Louis XIV in 1693 and dedicated to Saint-Louis.  It was reserved for French Catholic officers having served at least 10 years in the army.  They were not required to be noble.  There were three ranks: chevalier (unlimited), commandeur (limited to 24) and grand-croix (limited to 8; the limits were later raised).  The king was Grand Master.  The badge was a Malta cross, or and argent, with fleurs-de-lys between the arms, a medallion with the effigy of Saint-Louis on the obverse, a sword upright through a laurel wreath on the reverse.   The motto was bellicae virtutis praemium, the reward of warring valor.  The cross was worn hanging from a red ribbon for knights, from a red sash for commanders, and accompanied by a plaque for grand-cross.  In heraldry, a grand-cross placed a Maltese cross or behind his shield and placed a red riband under the shield, from which the badge was shown suspended.  The commander was entitled to the cross only, while the chevalier placed the badge hanging from a short red ribbon beneath the shield. Return to JPJ History