Orders and Medals

[Kevin_Australia]

I have seen photos of Grand Duchess Olga dressed in formal attire and wearing the Order of St. Catherine, but in some photos she is also wearing upto three medals on her shoulder, one of them I believe to be the Russian verions of the Order of the Red Cross, but does anyone know the other s medals orders she had?

[Kevin_Australia]

In "Grand Duchess Olga's Pics" there is a photo on the 1st page placed by "Olga" of Olga with the St Catherine and teh three medals.

[David_Pritchard]

In looking at the formal pictures of Grand Duchess Olga in the" GD Olga's Pics" thread, I see her wearing the sash and star of a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr. The three medals on her left breast appear to be firstly, two simple Russian medals, possibly the Tri-centenary of the Romanov Dynasty or the Centenary of the War of 1812. The third and largest decoration appears to be the Investment Badge of the Order of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr using the white pre-1797 ribbon (maybe she was wearing an antique from Empress Catherine II) or it is the post 1797 red ribbon photographed in very bright light or the picture has faded.

DAP

[Kevin_Australia]

Thank you so much for this David - it's greatly appreciated.

THe St. Catherine order is one that interests me and I am always looking for mentions of it.  Unfortunately it is hard to prove who had it - the non-Russians I mean of course.  

I am still trying to prove that Princess Helena Victoria (Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg) received it when she visit Russia in 1897/98, and that Princesses Thyra and Dagmar of Denmark received it in 1909 when tehy visited St. Petersburg when their parents King Frederik VIII and Queen Louise paid their State visit to Emperor Nicholas II.

[David_Pritchard]

It would be interesting to find out if the order were conferred on foreign, non-orthodox supernumeraries. According to the statues issued by Emperor Paul I, only twelve ladies could hold the Order of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr in the First Step (Grand Cross) besides ladies of the Imperial House. The Second Step of the Order was limited to 94 ladies.

It could be that there were no brevets issued to foreign non-orthodox ladies, just a presentation of the decoration as their membership was against the stautes.

I suppose that you know that the Order ran a school for noble girls founded by Empress Maria Feodorovna in 1798 that was located at 36 Fontonka Quay.

DAP

[Kevin_Australia]

I had heard of the school, but knew nothing of the details.

In the catalogue if the Maria Feodorovna exhibition at Christiansborg Copenhagen in 1997 it mentions that during the reign of Alexander III 31 badges of the 1st class order of St. catherine were bought, but alas no details of who the 31 were.  Obviously all the new born Grand duchesses and the brides of the grand dukes during that time.

[David_Pritchard]

The church of the order was located in the Tavrichesky Palace from 1797-1845, and then it was moved to the Church of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr in the School of the Order of Saint Catherine. The Feast of the Order was on 24 November, the day of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria. The ladies of the Order also had special chivalric dresses and hats for gatherings such as the Feast Day.

(Tavricheskey Palace, known in English as Tauride Palace was a gift to Prince Potemkin from Catherine II. It is located near the interesections of Spalernaya Ul. and Tavercheskaya Ul. in the City Children's Park).

DAP

[Kevin_Australia]

Thank you again David