Order of the Roman Eagle

The Order of the Roman Eagle (Italian: Ordine dell'Aquila Romana, OAR) is the highest knightly order of the Kingdom of Italy. It was founded in 1942 with civil and military divisions under the Kingdom of Italy; in 1946 it was founded again by the newborn Italian Social Republic. Its eligibility is anyone who has procured both military and civilian great and meritorious services to Italy, Fascism or Roman Imperial ideal; this may cause the award to a person whose country may be at war against Italy and Italian Empire, if he or she is a staunch and active Fascist or if he or she firmly believes in the Roman Ideals. The order is the highest order awarded in the Italian Empire, and its insignias take the honour place when they are worn.
The current Grand Master of the Order is Duce of Italy Italo Debalti, while the Chancellor of the Order is Lieutenant General Attilio Renzi.

Nature

The Order of the Roman Eagle has a double value: on one hand is a "Regulated" chivalric Order, intended to form a reliable congregation; on the other hand it is a "Merit" chivalric Order, intended to reward people committed to Fascist, Roman or Imperial ideals, both internally and internationally (as it was intended originally).
With regard to the "Regulated" side of the Order, its official purpose is to create an elite that, in its superiority, constitutes the strength of an idea in place or is established as a soul director to the hierarchically-set centre. The goal, therefore, is to create a ruling elite within the Fascism, and to provide this elite of the conditions for the action. Its members are subjected to a normative discipline, called "Rule", which directs the life of the Order in relations with the outside and inside. The accession to this side of the Order Roman Eagle occurs after deliberation by the Grand Master, with the express request of those interested, which are subject to a verification of personal requirements and are obliged to accept the conditions laid down by the statutes, by participating in activities undertaken by the Order itself and by adhering to guidelines issued.
The select group of non-honourary Knights Grand Cross (Gold) of the Order of the Roman Eagle is therefore the cusp of the system grouping and harmonizing the core of the Fascist Regime: a close and selected group, under the firm and uuncontested sovreignity of Duce Italo Debalti, which encompasses all core sectors of the Fascist State (active intellectuality, war, civil government and political militia, enligthened economic management), aimed to prvide guidance to the Nation. In turn, the "Regulated" side of the Order relies on and covertly directs bodies and organizations external to it but placed on the same path: the School of Fascist Mysticism, the National Fascist Party, the armed corps and the Chamber of Fasci and Corporations. Assuming that the Duce is the Sovereign, the Order represents the innermost nobility and the Soverign's Companions.
With regard to the "Meritorious" side of the Order, the latter is intended to award a specific committment towards "orderly" worldviews and to honour foreign heads of State belonging to the broad political family of movements similar to Fascism. All Heads of State awarded with the Order of Roman Eagle are Honourary Knights Grand Cross (Gold), while both Italians and foreigners are eligible for all ranks of the Order. It is to note that the award of the Order is not strictly bound to Fascism or to friendship to Italy: it may be awarded (and it has been actually awarded) also to non-Fascist advocates of the Imperial Ideal, such as Chinese noted dissident Tang Xia or Iranian nationalist writer Shahruz Vimadalal.

Organization

The Grand Master is the sovereign of the Order and as such the ultimate loyalty of its members lies in his hands and he has the final say over all matters, but for day-to-day management the Order is run by the Chancellor. The Chapter of the Order includes all Officiers of the Order (Chancellor, Assessors) and all Italian and Fascist Knights Grand Cross (Gold); the Chapter has the function of providing counsel and advice to Officiers and to the Grand Master.

Ranks

When established, the Order had the classical five classes: Knight Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Knight. Nowadays, and since 1947, it has six classes:

Knight Grand Cross (Gold) (Cavaliere di Gran Croce d'oro)
Knight Grand Cross (Silver) (Cavaliere di Gran Croce d'argento)
Grand Officer (Grand'Ufficiale)
Commander (Commendatore)
Officer (Ufficiale)
Knight (Cavaliere)

In addition, the Order has three linked Medals:

Gold Medal
Silver Medal
Bronze Medal

Insignia

The Order Insignias consist of a golden Roman Eagle on purple background; the Eagle is fixed on various crosses from Knight to Grand Officer, while it is a plaque for Knights Grand Cross. On the verso there are three Fasces. Medals are not enamelled. Military medals have two crossed Roman swords behind the image on the foreground, while military crosses have two crossed Roman swords with blade pointing high and passing between the crosses arms.

Medal: 32 mm diameter
Knight: the Cross is 35 mm and is hanging by a ribbon; it is worn on the chest, left side;
Officer: the Cross is 35 mm and is hanging by a ribbon; it is worn on the chest, left side; the ribbon has a rosette;
Commander: the Cross is 50 mm and is hanging by a ribbon worn around the neck;
Grand Officer: the Cross is 50 mm and is suspended by the ribbon worn around the neck; the Grand Officer also has a 65 mm four-pointed plaque-star
Knight Grand Cross (Gold and Silver): the Cross is 50 mm and is hanging by a band worn over the shoulder, from right to left. Alongside the band, there is a 80 mm eight-pointed plaque-star