This page is a list of the orders of chivalry and orders of merit awarded by France, in the order they were established or incorporated in France, and their origins.
Kingdom of the Franks, Merovingian and Carolingian periods (485–987) Order of Saint Remigius 485 (probably a legend) Order of the Rooster and the Dog 496 (probably a legend) Order of the Oak 723 (probably a legend)
Kingdom of France, Capetian period (987–1328) Order of the Lion 1080 Order of Saint Lazarus 1099 Order of the Temple, also known as the Templars, set up in Jerusalem by 7 French knights in 1118. The Order had its headquarters in Paris but was so spread across Europe it cannot be accounted a solely French order Order of Our Dear Lady of the Poor of Aubrac 1120 Order of the Holy Ghost 1198 Order of the Faith and Peace 1229 Militia of the Faith of Jesus Christ (first half of the 13th century) Order of the Broom-cod 1234
Kingdom of France, Valois period (1328–1589) Order of Saint Lazarus 1099 Order of the Star, also known as the Order of Our Lady of the Noble House 1351 Order of the Golden Shield (= Order of the Green Shield) - Duke of Bourbon 1369 Order of Our Lady of the Thistle - Duke of Bourbon 1370 Order of the Crown - Lord of Coucy 1378 Order of the Ermine - Duchy of Brittany 1381 Order of the Belt of Hope 1389 Noble Order of Saint George of Rougemont - Duchy of Burgundy 1390 Order of the Porcupine - Duke of Orleans (Valois-Orleans) 1394 Order of the Passion of Christ 1400 Order of the White Lady = Emprise de l'Escu vert à la Dame Blanche - Marshal Boucicaut round 1398-1400 Order of the Hop - Dukes of Burgundy round 1400 Order of the Golden Chains - Duke of Bourbon 1414 Order of the Greyhound (Order of the Faithfulness) Duchy of Bar 1416 = Order of Hubert - 1423 Order of Saint Michael - 1469 Order of the Ladies of the Cord 1498 Order of the Holy Spirit (1578) Order of the Christian Charity 1589
Kingdom of France, Bourbon period (1589–1793)
Order of Saint Lazarus 1099
Order of Saint Michael (1469) Order of the Holy Spirit (1578) Order of the Yellow Ribbon 1600 Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (1606) United Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus 1608 Order of the Knights Bannerets 1609 Order of Saint Magdalene 1614 Order of the Annunciation 1619 Order of the Celestial Blue Ribbon of the Holy Rosary 1645 Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis (1693) Order of the Bee 1703 Order of the Terrace 1716 Order of the Banner 1723 Order of Military Merit also Institution du Military Merit (1759) Order of the Rose 1780
On January 1, 1791, the Order of Saint Louis and the Order of Military Merit were merged into the Military Decoration (French: Décoration militaire) by the Convention, the revolutionary parliament.
French First Republic (1793–1804)
Revolutionary France abolished all chivalric orders of the monarchy in 1793. There were nevertheless decorations such as medals and Weapons of Honour.
Consulate of Napoleon Bonaparte (1800–1804)
The Legion of Honour was not, strictly speaking, a chivalric order at the time of its institution, since Napoleon did not like knighthood orders and the Legion of Honour had to be a "real" legion with legionaries, officers and commanders. Nevertheless, at the time of its institution, the Legion of Honour had all the hallmarks of a chivalric order except the name.
French First Empire (1804–1814, 1815)
Legion of Honour (1802) Order of the Iron Crown (1805) Order of the Reunion (1811)
Kingdom of France, Bourbon Restoration (1814, 1815–1830)
Order of Saint Michael (1469) Order of the Holy Spirit (1578) United Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus 1608 Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis (1693) Order of the Academic Palms (1808) Order of the Saint Sepulchre in Jerusalem (1814) Décoration du Lys 1814 Decoration of the Armband of Bordeaux (French: "Décoration du Brassard de Bordeaux" 1814) Legion of Honour (from 1815 also a formal knighthood order but no more the first of French decorations.) Hunting Order of St. Hubert (1815) Décoration de la Fidélité (1816)
Kingdom of France, July Monarchy (1830–1848)
Legion of Honour from 1830 the first in rank among French decorations and knighthood orders. Order of the Cross of July, (French: "Ordre de la Croix de Juillet"), established in 1830 by the "Bourgeois King" Louis Philippe I.
French Second Republic (1848–1852)
Legion of Honour 1802
French Second Empire (1852–1870)
Legion of Honour 1802
Order of the Public Instruction (French:"Ordre l’Instruction Publique") 1866
French Third Republic (1870–1945)