Item number: M489-4

Year: AD 1881-1941

Material: Gold, Silver and Enamel

Provenance: Cambi Auction 2025

This is an Order of the Crown of Romania, instituted in AD 1881 by Carol I, the founder of the Kingdom of Romania. From AD 1916 onwards, the decoration was further subdivided into a civil division and a military division adorned with swords. Chronologically, the Order of the Crown of Romania exists in two distinct types: the AD 1881–1932 model and the AD 1932–1947 model. The AD 1881–1932 design, to which this miniature specimen belongs, comprises a total of five classes.

At the centre of the obverse medallion is the Romanian royal crown set against a red enamelled ground. This is encircled by a white enamelled band with a gilt border inscribed with the Romanian phrase “PRIN NOI INSINE”, which translates approximately as “by ourselves” or “through our own efforts”. This was the core slogan of the Romanian National Liberal Party following the nation’s independence from the Ottoman Empire. The four arms of the decoration form a Maltese cross, executed in red enamel with white enamel borders. Positioned within the angles between the arms are two interlaced, mirrored florid letters “C”, representing the monogram of the founder, Carol I.

The reverse of the decoration mirrors the structure of the obverse, although the central medallion cover has detached. It originally would have featured the inscription “10. MAIU” (10 May) on the central red enamelled ground, denoting Romanian National Day. This date commemorates Carol I first setting foot on Romanian soil on 10 May AD 1866, as well as the signing of the Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire on 10 May AD 1877. This central area is surrounded by a white enamelled ring inscribed with the years “1866 · 1877 · 1881”, all of which are of monumental significance to Romanian independence and the establishment of the monarchy.

Carol I, a scion of the German House of Hohenzollern, studied artillery and gunnery in Dresden before officially becoming the Prince of Romania on 10 May AD 1866. During the Romanian War of Independence of AD 1877–1878, Carol I personally served as the supreme commander of the joint Russian and Romanian forces on the front lines. He successfully directed the siege and assault of the Plevna stronghold, thereby preserving the independent operational command of the Romanian army within the Bulgarian theatre. Following the victory in the War of Independence and the consolidation of national sovereignty, Romania officially proclaimed its elevation to a kingdom on 26 March AD 1881, whereupon Carol I was crowned King of Romania. Reigning for 48 years (AD 1866–1914), Carol I remains the longest-serving monarch in Romanian history. Under his governance, Romania experienced a prolonged period of political stability, institutional consolidation, and economic prosperity, earning the moniker the “Belgium of the Orient”. He vigorously championed the modernisation and structural reform of the Romanian military, formally establishing the General Staff (High Headquarters) in AD 1882 to oversee critical defensive functions such as drafting mobilisation and campaign plans and training commanders. Furthermore, he founded the Higher School of War (Superior School of War) in AD 1889 to cultivate senior staff officers. In terms of foreign policy and strategy, confronted by the expansionist threat of the Russian Empire, he secretly signed a political and military alliance with the Central Powers in Vienna in AD 1883. In July AD 1913, as the leader of a regional military power, Carol I chaired the peace conference in Bucharest that concluded the Second Balkan War. On the morning of 11 October AD 1914, Carol I passed away at Peleș Castle in the Carpathian Mountains, physically and emotionally exhausted after the Crown Council ultimately resolved to maintain neutrality in the First World War—a decision that directly contravened his secret treaty with the Central Powers.

物件編號: M489-4

年代: 公元 1881-1941 年

材質: 黃金、銀和琺瑯

來源: 坎比拍賣行 2025

這是一枚公元1881年，羅馬尼亞王國開創者卡羅爾一世創立的「羅馬尼亞王冠勳章」。自公元1916年起，勳章再次細分為民事版和佩劍裝飾的軍事版。

羅馬尼亞王冠勳章依照時間先後，還依序有「公元1881至1932年」、「公元1932至1947年」，兩種不同的版別。這枚迷你版所屬的公元1877至1932年版型，總計有五種不同的等級。

勳章章體圓蓋中央為羅馬尼亞王冠，以紅色琺瑯為底。外圍環繞金邊白色琺瑯為底的羅馬尼亞語「PRIN NOI INSINE」，約可譯為「自力更生」，為羅馬尼亞國家自由黨於羅馬尼亞自鄂圖曼土耳其獨立後的口號。四道星芒為馬爾他十字，以紅底白邊的琺瑯構成。星芒間的角隅為兩個花體字的「C」反向交錯而成，為創立者卡羅爾一世的縮寫。

章體背面形制類似於正面，但上蓋脫落。原應為中央紅底琺瑯上的「10. MAIU」，即五月十日，為羅馬尼亞國慶日，紀念公元1866年五月十日卡洛爾一世首次踏上羅馬尼亞的土地，也紀念公元1877年羅馬尼亞簽署《獨立宣言》自鄂圖曼帝國獨立。周圍以白色琺瑯為底，環列「1866 · 1877 · 1881」，皆為對羅馬尼亞的獨立與君主制有紀念意義的年份。

卡洛爾一世（Carol I）是德意志霍亨索倫家族（Hohenzollern）的後裔，曾在德累斯頓學習砲兵炮術，並於公元1866年5月10日正式成為羅馬尼亞親王。在公元1877至1878年的羅馬尼亞獨立戰爭期間，卡洛爾一世親自擔任前線俄羅斯與羅馬尼亞聯軍的最高統帥，成功指揮了對普列文（Plevna）要塞的包圍與攻堅戰，維護了羅馬尼亞軍隊在保加利亞戰場上的獨立指揮權。隨著獨立戰爭的勝利與國家主權的確立，羅馬尼亞於公元1881年3月26日正式宣布升格為王國，卡洛爾一世也隨之加冕為羅馬尼亞國王。卡洛爾一世在位長達48年（公元1866–1914年），是羅馬尼亞歷史上在位時間最長的君主。在他的統治下，羅馬尼亞經歷了長期的政治穩定、制度鞏固與經濟騰飛，更被譽為「東方比利時」。他大力推動羅馬尼亞軍隊的現代化與組織變革，於公元1882年正式成立了武裝部隊總參謀部（High Headquarters），使其具備起草動員與作戰計畫、訓練指揮官等關鍵國防職能，並於公元1889年創辦了高等戰爭學校（Superior School of War）以培育高階參謀人才。在外交與戰略上，面對俄羅斯帝國的擴張威脅，他於公元1883年在維也納秘密與德奧意同盟（Central Powers）簽署了政治與軍事同盟條約。公元1913年7月，作為區域軍事強權的首腦，卡洛爾一世在布加勒斯特主持了結束第二次巴爾幹戰爭的和平會議。公元1914年10月11日清晨，卡洛爾一世因王室會議最終決定在第一次世界大戰中保持中立（此舉違背了他與同盟國的秘密條約）而心力交瘁，最終於喀爾巴阡山脈的佩萊斯城堡（Peleș Castle）逝世。