The Order of the Sun of Peru (Spanish: Orden El Sol del Perú), formerly known as the Order of the Sun, is the highest award bestowed by the nation of Peru to commend notable civil and military merit. The award is the oldest civilian award in the Americas, first being established in 1821.
History
The Order was originally instituted on 8 October 1821 by General José de San Martín upon reaching Lima, to recognize those who had distinguished themselves in the campaign against the Spanish Royalists. The three classes of appointment to the Order were, in descending order of precedence: Founder, Meritorious and Associate.
It was discontinued four years later, after many grantees started to use the award as a nobility title, similar to the earlier Castile titles awarded by the colonial government. The Congress issued a law abolishing the Order of the Sun on 9 May 1825.
In 1921, the Order was re-established to commemorate the Centennial of Peruvian Independence.
Classes
The award consists of the following classes:
Grand Collar
Grand Cross with Diamonds
Grand Cross
Grand Officer
Commander
Officer
Knight
Notable recipients
Royalty
King Philip VI of Spain, invested as a Grand Cross (17 October 1991) and later promoted to Grand Collar (7 July 2015) Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, Grand Collar (13 February 2014) King Abdullah II of Jordan, Grand Cross with Diamonds (23 May 2005) King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Grand Cross with Diamonds (30 November 2004) Queen Letizia of Spain (as Princess of Asturias), Grand Cross (5 July 2004) Prince Albert II of Monaco (as Hereditary Prince), Grand Cross (25 November 2003) King Ja'afar of Negeri Sembilan of Malaysia, Grand Cross with Diamonds (8 November 1996) King Rama IX of Thailand, Grand Cross with Diamonds (8 November 1996) Prince Michael of Kent, Grand Cross (2 November 1994) King Rama X of Thailand, Grand Cross (10 April 1993) Emperor Akihito, invested as a Grand Cross (11 May 1967) and later promoted to Grand Cross with Diamonds (13 March 1992) Empress Michiko, Grand Cross (13 March 1992) Queen Sofía of Spain, Grand Cross (17 October 1991) King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Grand Cross with Diamonds (8 November 1978) Emperor Haile Selassie, Grand Cross (1966) King Albert II of Belgium (as Prince of Liège), Grand Cross (23 October 1965) Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Grand Cross with Diamonds (13 February 1962) Empress Nagako, Grand Cross (24 April 1961) Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1960) King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden King Edward VIII of Great Britain (as Prince of Wales), Grand Cross (1931) Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala (1925) King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1923) King Gustaf V of Sweden, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1923) King Christian X of Denmark, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) King Albert I of Belgium, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) King Haakon VII of Norway, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) Emperor Yoshihito of Japan, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) King Ferdinand I of Romania, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922) King Leopold III of Belgium (as Prince of Belgium), Grand Cross with Diamonds (1922)