After the French Revolution abolished all the old royal orders, some form of official compensation was needed to honor outstanding service.

Napoleon Bonaparte created the Legion of Honor to convey that recognition to French citizens based on the principle of equality not only between military personnel and civilians, but in services rendered to the country.

From the outset Napoleon intended membership in the legion to be a distinction that would fire people’s imagination, spur soldiers to valor and be held in high esteem in other countries. With the head of state as its grand master, the Legion of Honor would be conferred on individuals in all walks of life – the military, magistrates, administrators and civil servants as well as men of distinguished achievement in the arts, fine arts, teaching, agriculture, trade and industry.

The Legion of Honor was retained during the Restoration and co-existed from 1814 to 1830 with old royal orders that were revived. At that time, it went to many civilians. Victor Hugo and Lamartine were made knights in 1825.

Starting with the reign of Louis Philippe, the Legion of Honor became the sole French national order, and the awards instituted by the kings disappeared for good.

In 1962 Gen. Charles de Gaulle signed a new code which, while taking into account the evolution of ideas and manners, restored the Legion of Honor to the character it had at its inception.

The legion has three ranks: knight, officer, commander, and two dignities: grand officer and grand cross.

A second national order, the National Order of Merit, was instituted in 1963.

Source: French Consulate in Boston