Order of Satavia

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Order of Satavia
Order of Satavia.png
Medal of the Order of Satavia
Awarded by the President of Satavia
TypeNational order
Established1 October 1927; 97 years ago
Country Satavia
MottoAmor patriae ("Love of the fatherland")
EligibilityAll living persons
Awarded forAchievement, merit or service to the Satavian Federation, its people, humanity, or God
StatusCurrently constituted
FounderRichard XIII
Grand MasterPresident of Satavia
Classes
  • Knight/Dame (SK/SD)[note 1]
  • Companion (SC)
  • Officer (SO)
  • Member (SM)

The Order of Satavia is the national order and highest honour in the orders, decorations, and medals of Satavia. It can be awarded to all living persons, regardless of nationality, and has both general and military divisions. The order was established on 1st October 1927 by Richard XIII, King of Estmere and the Lands Beyond the Sea on the advice of the government of Edward Limes. Before the establishment of the order, Satavian citizens (who were also Estmerish subjects) were awarded Estmerish honours, on the advice of the Governor-General of Satavia. From its establishment until 23 September 1936, when Satavia achieved independence from Estmere, Satavian citizens remained eligible for Estmerish honours.

History

The Order of Satavia was established on 1 October 1927 by letters patent of Richard XIII of Estmere and the Lands Beyond the Sea on the recommendation of the Governor-General of Satavia, Lord Ashgrove. Ashgrove was acting on the advice of Prime Minister of Satavia Edward Limes, whose 1927 electoral campaign had been fought on the issue of Satavia's relationship with Estmere. Limes' Liberal Party had been committed to independence since the 1919 general election, and Limes, a fanatical republican, had promised to begin the process of achieving independence if elected; he described such a process as a "long and winding road" during a speech he made at the University of Port Hope on the 12 July 1927. After his election in August 1927, Limes created the Exploratory Committee for Satavian Honours which proposed its findings in mid-September of that year.

The order, as proposed to Edward Limes by the exploratory committee was accepted with few complaints by Limes and the Cabinet of Satavia; however, several objections were raised to the criteria under which the proposed order would be awarded. The original criteria for its award stated that it was awarded for:

Achievement, merit or service to the Dominion of Satavia and its people, God or His Majesty the King

Many of Limes' cabinet were uncomfortable with the order being awarded based on services to "God or His Majesty the King", and the Cabinet were successful in removing references to services rendered to the King. However, largely due to the pressure of the Satavian Reformed Church, services to God remained a reason for the awarding of the Order of Satavia (and presently continues to be a basis for awarding the honour). Additionally, the original design for the insignia of the order included the then-Coat of Arms and Crown of St Edward, which cabinet rejected, resulting in a hasty re-design which instead simply featured Pelham river dolphins as its central motif, with no topping crown.

With Satavia's independence in 1936, the level of Knight/Dame became defunct, although was never officially abolished. The Grand Master of the Order, who is the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, was held ex officio by the prime minister from 1936 until 1941, when this position was passed over to the President of Satavia. Between 1939 and 1976, during the existence of the Republic of Satavia, the National Party awarded some 3,000 honours. Following the restoration of democracy in 1976, 2,165 of these honours were investigated and cancelled, mostly by the governments of Eric Edwards and Leander Kokkinakis. Most of the cancelled awards were for political service; for instance, Daniël Wilson and Christiaan Pienaar, who had both been inducted as Companions of the Order, had their awards cancelled in 1977. Although the order can be awarded to any living person, of any nationality, it is now sparingly given to foreigners and usually given only to foreign heads of state or government.

Grades

The four levels of appointment to the order are as follows:

  1. Knight and Dame of the Order of Satavia (SK and SD – inactive);[note 1]
  2. Companion of the Order of Satavia (SC);
  3. Officer of the Order of Satavia (SO);
  4. Member of the Order of Satavia (SM).

Knights and Dames of the Order of Satavia are entitled to use the title Sir or Dame. The last living knight, Admiral Sir Ryan Holmes, died in 1980 aged 103. Knights/Dames were also entitled to the use of the post-nominals SK/SD. Knights and Dames were awarded based on "extraordinary achievement, merit or service".

Companions of the Order of Satavia are entitled to use the post-nominals SC. Companionship is awarded based on "distinguished achievement, merit or service". Officers of the Order of Satavia are entitled to use the post-nominals SO and are awarded based on "illustrious achievement, merit or service" whilst Members of the Order of Satavia are entitled to use the post-nominals SM and are awarded based on "achievement, merit or service worthy of recognition".

In the event that a holder of one of the four levels of the order is promoted, they are no longer entitled to use their former post-nominals. An example is Leander Kokkinakis, who having been appointed a Member of the Order of Satavia in 2005 was entitled to the post-nominals SM; upon his reception of the Companion of the Order of Satavia in 2011, he became entitled to use the post-nominals SC, but was no longer entitled to use the post-nominals SM.

Nomination and appointment

Eligibility

All living persons, regardless of nationality, are eligible for the award. The order can, however, be given posthumously, as long as the nominated person was living when nominated to the Appointments Committee. Although there are no offences which automatically invalidate the award, the Appointments Committee has complete discretion in removing members, which may be done for any reason the Appointments Committee sees fit. Below are listed the current members of the Appointments Committee:

Satavian citizens are able to nominate any living person for the award. Nominations will be deliberated upon by the Appointments Committee, who decide with complete discretion the merits of any person's actions and whether they are worthy of an award. When the person nominated is a foreign citizen (including persons who are dual citizens), the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is invited to the committee as the tenth member. A successful nomination is carried by rough consensus, unless the nominee is a foreigner in which case the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs must be in approval. The President can veto any nomination, should they choose to do so, without the need to provide a justification. In 2005, it was widely reported that President Damian de Jager vetoed Leander Kokkinakis' nomination twice, once in 1993 and again in 1996 despite the unanimous approval of the Appointments Committee on both occasions.

Upon their successful nomination, the President has the sole prerogative in deciding which class a nominee is inducted into. Upon notice of their successful nomination and appointment, a person may choose to refuse or accept the award. If they choose to accept the award, it will be announced on one of two separate occasions; the New Year's Day Honours List, issued on 1 January, and the Satavia Day Honours List, issued on 1 October. Additionally, appointments can be announced upon the resignation of a government as part of a Prime Minister's Resignation Honours.

Appointees are invited to a ceremony at Cape House, Port Hope (the official residence of the President) where they are invested into the order. On occasion, investitures may occur elsewhere (including abroad) and can also be carried out by the Prime Minister, (when applicable) Deputy Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Senate. The award is held for life unless the member chooses to resign or is removed.

Forfeiture

In order to resign, the member must submit a request to the Appointments Committee, which will deliberate on the request. In the event that the Appointments Committee finds that it is willing to carry out the member's request, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee - who is by right of office the President of Satavia - will approve of the resignation and terminate the member's appointment. This process is lengthy, and some members choose instead to simply stop referring to themselves as members (and thereby voluntarily forgo their post-nominals), although they are still considered members by the government.

Upon forfeiture, the member must return their insignia, as it is government property, and is no longer entitled to the relevant post-nominals. Additionally, upon the death of a member, their award is considered terminated and their next of kin must return the insignia to the government. The sale of insignia is a criminal offence and is punishable by a fine and removal from the order.

Precedence

Main article: Satavian honours order of wearing

Between 1 October 1927 and 23 September 1936, the precedence of the Order of Satavia was unclear. In Satavia, the Order was senior to all provincial orders and most imperial (Estmerish) orders, except the Exalted Order of Estmere and the Lands Beyond the Sea and the Gallentry Cross. In Estmere, the Order of Satavia was ranked below all Estmerish honours in order of wear.

After 23 September 1936, the Order of Satavia became the highest honour in Satavia. Satavia still awards the Gallentry Cross for Satavia, which superseded the Gallentry Cross (Imp) but they share their place in the order of wear. The Gallantry Cross (Imp) was the only Estmerish honour to retain its place in the order of precedence, whilst all others - including the Exalted Order of Estmere and the Lands Beyond the Sea - were ranked below all Satavian honours in order of wear as they are deemed foreign honours. Satavian citizens, additionally, are not entitled to use post-nominals granted by foreign awards.

Provincial civilian orders, such as the Exalted Order of the Crocodile River (Western Freestate), rank below the Order of Satavia at an equal rank to one another, and at the same rank as the Gallantry Cross.

Notable recipients

General division

Presidents of Satavia

Provincial Governors

Prime Ministers of Satavia

Provincial Premiers

Foreign Heads of State and Government

Others

Military division

Air Force

Army

Naval Service

Provincial Guard

Former recipients

Removed

2,172 recipients have had their awards removed; of these, 2,165 were removed under the provisions of the Order of Satavia Act 1977 which created a committee to investigate order members who had been inducted during the existence of the Republic of Satavia (1939-1976). The National Party regime inducted some 3,000 order members during this time, of whom roughly 70% later had their awards removed. Below is listed, by date of removal, the seven people who have had their awards removed for other reasons:

Resigned

98 people have resigned from the order for a variety of reasons, including personal reasons, as an act of protest or to pre-empt removal from the order for a serious criminal conviction. In order to resign, the member must submit a request to the Appointments Committee, which will deliberate on the request. In the event that the Appointments Committee finds that it is willing to carry out the member's request, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee - who is by right of office the President of Satavia - will approve of the resignation and terminate the member's appointment.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The level of Knight/Dame remains constituted but is defunct, the final awarding of this level having taken place on 23 September 1936 with the Independence Honours List
  2. ↑ Previously a Member of the Order of Satavia (awarded in 2005), cancelled upon upgrade to Companion in 2011
  3. ↑ Removed in 1939 upon his delcaration as an "illegal person", but reinstated in 1977.
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