Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation

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From the "Statuta Sabaudie. Nova and vetera noviter impressa." (the old and the new statutes of Savoy). The title page is adorned with a representation of the Duke of Savoy in majesty, surrounded by his chamberlains, with, at his feet, The Shield of Savoy, held by Three lions, surrounded by the collar of the Annunciation on which appears the motto " Fert ". 1513 edition

The oldest representation of the collar, in the document in which the Green count founded a perpetual mass in 1382. The Madonna of Lausanne. (da: Maria José di Savoia, Amedeo VI, Amedeo VII di Savoia), Mondadori ed.

The premier dynastic order of chivalry of the Royal House of Savoy, above all other honors and awards, is the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (Ital. Ordine Supremo della Santissima Annunziata), also known in Italian as the “Annunziata.” One of the greatest of all chivalric orders, comparable to the Habsburg Golden Fleece, the English Order of the Garter and the Papal Supreme Order of Christ, the Annunziata was reserved exclusively for distinguished men-at-arms who, apart from exemplary service, had to be Roman Catholic and of noble birth. The Order was created in 1362 when Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy (1343-1383), known as the Green Count, instituted it as a dynastic religious order under the title of Order of the Collar, on the occasion of his sister Bianca’s marriage to Galeazzo II Visconti. It was originally called the Order of the Collar, and it was reserved for the most illustrious and faithful nobles. The aim was “to engender unity and fellowship among the powerful, so as to avoid private wars,” and the original statute required all bearers to be considered equals and to call each other “brother.”

Portrait of Carlo Emanuele I di Savoia (1562 - 1630) Wearing the Armour and Collar of the Annunziata by Jan Kraek

The Order was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is celebrated as ‘Our Lady of the Annunciation.’ To commemorate the ‘fifteen joys of the Virgin,’ the Order initially had fifteen Knights and fifteen Chaplains, who said fifteen masses every day; the Order’s original statutes had fifteen clauses.

The Order was reserved only for members of the nobility, who swore allegiance to their sovereign. The main rule declared all knights equal among themselves, united in a military and religious ‘fraternity.’ This is probably why the Order has only one rank. All the Knights had an equal say in the decisions concerning the admission of new members, who were elected unanimously.

The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation ceased to be a national order when the kingdom became a republic in 1946. Today, it continues as a dynastic order under the jurisdiction of the Head of the House of Savoy, Victor Emmanuel, Prince of Naples, who is the Order’s hereditary Sovereign and Grand Master.

The Collar of the Annunziata

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.

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)

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.

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

The Pendant of the Small Collar of The Annunziata

The Star of the Annunziata Detail

Antique Engraving of a Knight of the Annunziata in Helmet and Cloak, late 16th Century

Ceremonial Robes of a Knight of the Annunziata

Emmanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy in the Robes of the Grand Master of the Order of the Annunziata

Charles Emmanuel III in Coronation Robes

Victor Amadeus III

Cavaliere of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation

Victor Amadeus III as Child in the Insignia of the Annunziata, 1733 Portrait in the Castle of Moncalieri, Piedmont. Artist: Maria Giovanna Clementi

Portrait of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia wearing the badge and star of the Order of the Annunziata -18th century Maria Giovanna Clementi

King Umberto II of Italy

Victor Amadeus II in the Large Collar and Star of The Annunziata

Charles Albert of Sardinia

King Victor Emmanuel II and Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour Wearing Grand Collars of the Annunziata

King Umberto I