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| Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium | |
|---|---|
| Name | Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium |
| Established | 1830 onward |
| Country | Kingdom of Belgium |
| Type | Orders, decorations, medals |
| Awarded by | Monarch of Belgium |
Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium are the system of honours and awards conferred by the Monarchy of Belgium and Belgian institutions to recognize military service, civil merit, police work, and participation in campaigns and commemorations. Rooted in the aftermath of the Belgian Revolution and the establishment of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Belgian honours system has evolved alongside institutions such as the Belgian Army, the Belgian Air Component, the Federal Police (Belgium), and the Belgian State Security Service, reflecting Belgium's role in events like the World War I, the World War II, and deployments with NATO and the United Nations.
Belgian honours trace to the reign of King Leopold I, who founded early awards during the formative years after the Treaty of London (1839) and amid European orders like the Order of the Garter and the Légion d'honneur. Reforms under King Leopold II and King Albert I followed patterns set by monarchies such as the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, responding to conflicts including the Campaign against the Boers and the Battle of the Yser. The two world wars prompted expansion of military decorations tied to actions at Passchendaele, Ypres, and the Liberation of Belgium (1944), while postwar decolonization and missions to the Belgian Congo influenced commemorative medals. Later statutory changes by the Belgian Federal Parliament and royal decrees under King Baudouin and King Philippe standardized precedence and modernized insignia to align with contemporaneous NATO and European Union practices.
Belgian chivalric and merit orders include the Order of Leopold, the Order of the Crown (Belgium), the Order of Leopold II, and dynastic or commemorative decorations connected to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The Order of Leopold—established under Leopold I—remains the senior national order and is awarded for distinguished service in contexts such as diplomatic achievements recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Belgium), cultural contributions noted by institutions like the Royal Library of Belgium, and scientific advances associated with the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. The Order of the Crown (Belgium) often honors excellence in commerce or cultural diplomacy tied to the Belgian Development Cooperation. Recipients range from figures in the European Parliament and the Council of Europe to leaders in the Belgian Olympic Committee and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
Belgian military decorations include the Croix de guerre (Belgium), the Order of the African Star, the Military Cross (Belgium), and the Medal of Military Merit. The Croix de guerre (Belgium) was widely awarded for actions during World War I and World War II at battles such as Mons and St. Vith, and later for service in theatres involving Operation Allied Force and UN missions in Congo Crisis and Rwanda. The Military Cross (Belgium) recognizes leadership and conduct among officers, paralleling awards in countries like the United Kingdom and France. Campaign decorations tie to deployments with NATO Rapid Deployable Corps units and to cooperation with the European Union Naval Force.
Civilian and police awards encompass the Civilian Decoration for Bravery, the Police Cross and the Medal of Honour for Civil Protection. The Federal Police (Belgium) and local municipal forces confer distinctions related to actions during incidents such as the Brussels bombings and the Charleroi attacks, while the Civil Protection (Belgium) recognizes rescue work in floods and industrial accidents connected to sites like Liège and Antwerp Port Authority. Cultural institutions such as the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and academic bodies like the Université Libre de Bruxelles may coordinate with state honours when recognizing public service or philanthropy.
Campaign and commemorative medals mark participation in operations and anniversaries: examples include the 1914–1918 Commemorative War Medal, the 1940–1945 War Commemoration Medal, and medals for missions to Congo (1960–65) and more recent expeditions to Afghanistan (ISAF). Commemorative issues relate to events including the Annexation of the Congo Free State controversies during Leopold II's era, the Belgian Revolution anniversaries celebrated in Brussels civic ceremonies, and remembrance of battles at Passchendaele and Ypres Salient. Medals have been struck to honor participation in multinational operations under the banners of United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC), UNAMID, and other UN mandates.
Awards are conferred by royal decree upon recommendations from ministries such as the Ministry of Defence (Belgium), the Ministry of the Interior (Belgium), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Belgium), following legal frameworks codified by Belgian statutes and administrative orders. Precedence places the Order of Leopold above the Order of the Crown (Belgium) and the Order of Leopold II, with military gallantry awards like the Croix de guerre (Belgium) accorded specific ranks in relation to civil orders under rules comparable to practices in France and The Netherlands. The Grand Chancellor of the Belgian National Orders administers investitures alongside offices such as the Chancellery of the Orders.
Insignia comprise badges, stars, and sashes reflecting Belgian heraldry—lions from the Coat of arms of Belgium—and use ribbon colors tied to historic campaigns and royal livery. Badge designs have been produced by firms and artists associated with the Royal Museums of Art and History, and regulations specify wear on uniforms of the Belgian Armed Forces and civilian ceremonial dress used at institutions like the Royal Palace of Brussels. Collecting and study of Belgian decorations intersect with societies such as the Belgian Numismatic Society and publications from the Royal Library of Belgium.
Category:Belgian awards Category:Orders, decorations, and medals by country