Military Merit Order (Württemberg)
| Military Merit Order (Militärverdienstorden) | |
|---|---|
Knight's Cross, obverse | |
| Type | Military order |
| Awarded for | Bravery and exceptionally meritorious deeds in combat |
| Description | White enameled cross pattée with a white-enameled center medallion ringed in blue enamel. |
| Presented by | The Kingdom of Württemberg |
| Eligibility | Württemberg military officers and officers of allied states |
| Status | Obsolete |
| Established | 11 February 1759 (as the Militär-Carls-Orden; renamed Militärverdienstorden on 11 November 1806) |
| First award | 1799 |
| Final award | 1919 |
| Total | Approximately 3,400 in all grades |
Ribbon of the order | |
The Military Merit Order (Militärverdienstorden) was a military order of the Kingdom of Württemberg, which joined the German Empire in 1871. The order was one of the older military orders of the states of the German Empire. It was founded on 11 February 1759 by Karl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg as the Militär-Carls-Orden, and was renamed the Militärverdienstorden on 11 November 1806 by King Friedrich I. The order underwent several more revisions over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It became obsolete with the fall of the Württemberg monarchy in the wake of Germany's defeat in World War I.