Order of the Tower and Sword

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The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood, and was created by King Afonso V in 1459.

It fell into disuse and was revived on 29 November 1808, by Prince Regent John, later John VI of Portugal. It commemorated the safe arrival of the Royal Family in Brazil, after Napoleon had invaded Portugal. Its full title was “the Order of the Tower and Sword”. It was available to both Portuguese and foreigners and for military, political or civilian achievement. Among the intended recipients were subjects of His Britannic Majesty, who had assisted the Royal Family to reach Brazil, but who were ineligible for the other Portuguese orders due to their religion.

In 1832 Peter IV of Portugal, Duke of Braganza, reformed the Order which now became the "Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit".

The re-formed order had four classes:

Grand Cross
Commander
Officer
Knight

In 1896 the class of Grand Officer was inserted between Grand Cross and Commander.

On 15 October 1910 the Republican government of Portugal abolished all military orders, with the exception of the Order of the Tower and Sword. Despite the fact that the order had not been abolished, on 26 September 1917 the order was revised for the third time. The order had four classes, the highest of which was confined to the President of the Republic of Portugal.

In 1918, the Order was expanded to five classes:

Grand Cross
Grand Officer
Commander
Officer
Knight

The President is ex officio the Order’s Grand Master and a member of the Order, Grand Cross.

The degree of Grand Collar was added in 1939. It was awarded only to Heads of State with notable military deeds, and it was first conferred on Francisco Franco, Leader of Spain. Since 1963 it has only been awarded to Presidents of Portugal.

[edit] Grades

The Order of the Tower and Sword, as awarded by the Portuguese government today, comes in six classes:

Grand Collar (GColTE), which wears the badge of the Order on a special collar (chain), and the star of the Order in gold on the left chest;
Grand Cross (GCTE), which wears the badge of the Order on a collar (chain), or on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order in gold on the left chest;
Grand Officer (GOTE), which wears the badge of the Order on a necklet, and the star of the Order in gold on the left chest;
Commander (ComTE), which wears the star of the Order in silver on the left chest;
Officer (OTE), which wears the badge of the Order on a ribbon with rosette on the left chest;
Knight (CavTE) or Dame (DamTE), which wears the badge of the Order on a plain ribbon on the left chest.

[edit] Insignia

The badge of the Order is a five-pointed gilt star, enamelled in white and with one point pointing downwards. The star has a wreath of green enamelled oak leaves between the arms of the star, and is topped by a gilt tower. The obverse central disc bears a sword surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves on a white enamel background, which is in turn surrounded by a blue enamel ring bearing the motto "Valor Lealdade e Mérito" (Valour, Loyalty and Merit). The reverse central disc bears the Portuguese coat-of-arms, surrounded by a blue enamel ring bearing the name "Repùblica Portuguesa" (Portuguese Republic).

The star of the Order is a five-pointed faceted star, in gilt for Grand Collar, Grand Cross and Grand Officer, and in silver for Commander, with the obverse of the badge (minus the wreath between the arms of the star-badge) superimposed upon it.