Item number: M522

Reference number: Borna Barac IV#707; RM#615; ODEC#354

Year: AD 1792-2025

Material: Gold, Enamel and Gemstone

Size: 65.1 x 11.8 x 2.6 mm

Weight: 1.45 g

Provenance: La Galerie Numismatique 2025

This is a miniature version of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III (Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III). In AD 1771, King Charles III instituted the order to celebrate the birth of a male heir born to his son, the Prince of Asturias, and his daughter-in-law after four years of marriage. Since AD 1847, the order has been fully accessible to Spanish civilians. The Order of Charles III comprises five ascending grades; the miniature version under consideration, commissioned specially from a craftsman, represents the fifth grade, the Knight (Cruz).

The badge of the order was originally conceived as a gold Maltese cross enamelled in blue with a white border; in this miniature variant, translucent blue and white gemstones are employed instead. Placed between the arms of the cross are the golden fleur-de-lis of the House of Bourbon, here set with translucent white gemstones. Surmounting the badge is a wreath of laurel leaves, originally rendered in gold or green enamel, which is here embellished with translucent white gemstones. The central oval medallion on the obverse features a full-length depiction of the Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción) against a white field, reportedly invoked to entreat the birth of a male heir. The Virgin Mary is portrayed standing upon a golden crescent moon with rays of light emanating from her nimbus, wearing a blue mantle starry with silver stars. In this miniature rendition, the figure of the Virgin is rendered in a highly abstract manner and is encircled by blue enamel. The centre of the reverse displays the symmetrical, interlaced monogram of the founder, Charles III (“CIII”), surrounded by golden laurel branches and an outer blue band inscribed in gold with the motto “VIRTUTI ET MERITO” (For Virtue and Merit).

The ribbon features a light blue field divided into three equal sections by a central white stripe, an arrangement indicating that this decoration does not represent the highest grade of the order.

King Charles III of Spain (Don Carlos III, 1716–1788) reigned during the zenith of the House of Bourbon. In his earlier years, he served as Duke of Parma before ascending the thrones of Naples and Sicily, where he enjoyed a prolonged period of governance. During his tenure in Italy, he vigorously advanced legal and financial reforms, erected grand structures such as the Teatro di San Carlo, and personally promoted the scientific archaeological excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii, thereby spearheading the Neoclassical movement across Europe; furthermore, on the occasion of his marriage in AD 1738, he instituted the Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius. Upon inheriting the Spanish crown in AD 1759, acting as an exemplary monarch of European enlightened absolutism, he placed great reliance on Enlightened ministers including Grimaldi, Esquilache, the Count of Aranda, Campomanes, and the Count of Floridablanca to push forward the comprehensive modernisation of the state. His measures encompassed the opening of free trade with the Americas, the establishment of Royal Manufactories and the Bank of San Carlos, the issuance of public bonds (vales reales), and the transformation of Madrid into a modern metropolis equipped with drainage, street lighting, and facilities such as the present-day Prado Museum, earning him the acclaim of “the best Mayor of Madrid”. In foreign affairs and cultural policy, he expelled the Society of Jesus and confiscated its property to fund education and healthcare, launched over sixty scientific expeditions across the Americas and the Pacific, and successfully recovered Menorca and Florida through participation in the Seven Years’ War and the American War of Independence; moreover, in AD 1785, he designated the red and yellow colour scheme of the modern Spanish national flag. Charles III professed the maxim “Charles first, King second”, leading a disciplined and continent life, remaining devoted to his wife María Amalia, maintaining a lifelong passion for hunting, and harbouring a profoundly devout faith in the Immaculate Conception, before ultimately passing away at the Royal Palace of Madrid in AD 1788 and being laid to rest in the Monastery of El Escorial.

物件編號: M522

參考書目編號: Borna Barac IV#707; RM#615; ODEC#354

年代: 公元 1792-2025 年

材質: 金、琺瑯、寶石

尺寸: 65.1 x 11.8 x 2.6 mm

重量: 1.45 g

來源: La Galerie Numismatique 2025

這是一枚「西班牙皇家傑出查理三世勳章」(Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III)的迷你版。公元1771年時任國王的查理三世為慶祝兒子，即皇太子和妻子結縭四年，總算產下一名男嬰所設立的勳章。自公元1847年起，該勳章已經全面對西班牙平民開放。查理三世勳章依序有五個等級，此件委託工匠額外打造的迷你版，即是第五級「騎士級」(Cruz)綬章。(見表格)

綬章章體原為金質、白邊搭以藍色琺瑯內襯的馬爾他十字（Maltese Cross），於此迷你版中改以藍色及白色的半透明寶石取代。十字臂間帶有波旁王朝的金色百合花飾，鑲有白色的半透明寶石。章體上方懸掛頂飾為月桂葉冠，原為金質或綠色琺瑯，改鑲以白色的半透明寶石。正面中央橢圓上蓋為白底的「聖母無染原罪」（Inmaculada Concepción）全身像，據稱用以祈求男性繼承人。聖母像足踏金色新月，自光冕散發金光，斗篷則為藍底綴銀星。在此迷你版中，聖母像極為抽象。立像以藍色琺瑯環繞。背面中央為創立者卡洛斯三世的簡寫字母「CIII」，對稱交織。圍繞著金色月桂枝，外圍藍環刻有金字格言「VIRTUTI ET MERITO」（致勇敢與功勳者）。

綬帶則為淺藍色底，中央白色色帶，呈三等分，代表此章並非最高等級的綬章。

西班牙國王卡洛斯三世（Don Carlos III，1716-1788），在位時為波旁王朝的盛期。其早年曾任帕爾馬公爵，後即位為拿坡里與西西里國王，長期執政。在義大利期間，他大力推進法制與財政改革，興建聖卡洛劇院等宏偉建築，並親自推動赫庫蘭尼姆與龐貝古城的科學考古挖掘，引領全歐的新古典主義風潮；此外，他於公元1738年大婚之際創立了聖亞努阿里烏斯皇家顯赫勳章。公元1759年繼承西班牙王位後，身為歐洲啟蒙專制代表君主的他，重用格里馬爾迪、斯基拉切、阿拉達伯爵、坎波馬內斯及佛羅里達布蘭卡伯爵等啟蒙派大臣，全力推動國家現代化，舉措包括開放美洲自由貿易、設立皇家國營工廠與聖卡洛斯銀行、發行公債，並將馬德里改造為具備下水道、夜間照明與普拉多美術館等設施的現代都市，被譽為「馬德里最佳市長」。在對外與文化方面，他驅逐耶穌會並沒收其財產用於教育與醫療，發起逾六十次美洲與太平洋科學遠征，並透過參與七年戰爭與美國獨立戰爭成功收復梅諾卡島與佛羅里達，更於 公元1785年指定了現代西班牙國旗的紅黃配色。卡洛斯三世自許「先為卡洛斯，後為國王」，生活嚴謹清心，對妻子瑪利亞·阿瑪利亞極為專一，且一生熱衷打獵並對「聖母無染原罪」抱有極度虔誠的信仰，最終於公元1788年在馬德里皇家宮殿逝世，安葬於埃斯科里亞爾修道院。