Portrait of Carlo Emanuele I di Savoia (1562 - 1630) Wearing the Armour and Collar of the Annunziata by Jan Kraek |
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At its inception, the Order had fifteen knights. In 1409, Amadeus VIII (1383-1451), Count of Savoy, later elevated to the first Duke of Savoy in 1416, gave the Order its first known statutes. In 1518, Amadeus VIII’s statutes were amended and reformed by Duke Charles III (1486-1553) who extended the Order to five more knights. Further amendments were made in 1570 by Duke Emmanuel Philibert (1528-1580), and thereafter by succeeding Grand Masters. The most recent changes were promulgated on June 11, 1985 by H.R.H. Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy, the current hereditary Grand Master of the Order. The head of the Royal House of Savoy continues to confer the Order, though very rarely. A recent recipient was H.S.H. the late Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The Annunziata is now bestowed only upon members of royal families and heads of state. Today, in addition to senior members of the Savoy family, its members also include H.M. the King of Spain, H.M. the King of The Belgians, and H.I.M. the Emperor of Japan.
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Portrait of Philip Emmanuel of Savoy (1586-1605) in the Collar of the Annunziata and the Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, Madrid (1551-1608)
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The Order has only one rank and is limited to twenty knights. The first insignia was a goldplated silver collar with the motto, fert, inside a ring with three Savoy knots. The Order, however, has two sets of insignia, the Piccola Collana (Small Collar) and the Grande Collana (Large Collar). The primary and oldest insignia of the Annunziata is the collar. It consists of a solid gold medallion of the collar, which portrays the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel. The medallion is surrounded by three intertwined Savoy knots, decorated with small crosses fleury, and in the upper center, between two of the Savoy knots, a cluster of rays with a dove, representing the Holy Spirit, is also depicted in gold. The badge is suspended from a gold chain made up of fifteen ornate gold sections, each of which is linked by a Savoy knot. The star of the Annunziata, which was first used in 1680 is gold and also has a representation of the Annunciation in a medallion in the center which is set within a gold cross of four pommels. This is surrounded by a cluster of gold rays.
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Portrait of Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy in the Collar of the Annunziata and the Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus |
Modern Large Collar, Small Collar and Star of the Supreme Order of The Most Holy Annunciation |
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