Order of the Union


The Order of the Union was a chivalric order established in 1806 by Louis Bonaparte, younger brother of Napoleon I, for the Kingdom of Holland. The order was abolished in 1811 when the French Empire absorbed the Kingdom of Holland. It was succeeded by the Order of the Reunion.

Variants

Louis Napoleon was highly active despite the short length of his reign and so there were six variants of the order, though these all had more or less the same form, rules and decorations and the different names were all for more or less the same order – the orders have been described by authors such as Mr.,, George Sanders, and as an organic whole. These variants were:
  • Order of the Union
  • Royal Order of Merit
  • Royal Order of Holland
  • Royal Order of the Union
  • Royal Order of the Union of Holland
  • Royal Order of the Union
The Order of the Union and the Royal Order of Merit merged to become the Royal Order of Holland. This new order became the Royal Order of the Union, also known as the Royal Order of the Union of Holland and finally the Royal Order of the Union.
The order's chaotic history has led some to argue that the Royal Order of Holland broke up in 1807. Other authors such as Schutte, Van Zelm van Eldik and George Sanders emphasize its continuity. They write that the order established in 1806 died out at the same time as the Kingdom of Holland. The continuity is reflected in a letter or circular in French in which Grand Chancellor Maarten van der Goes van Dirxland explains that all these orders all actually made up one order and that "the Knights of the Royal order of Holland can also bear the name of Knights of the union. Union is the aim and foundation of the order. This article must be inserted into the order's statutes. Perhaps it would be convenient to make it the first one?".

History

Louis was made king of the new Kingdom of Holland on 6 June 1806. Like the other Bonapartes, he wanted to add the luster of pomp and knighthood to his reign. Until 1806 the Netherlands had always been a republic and so had no pre-existing system of orders so, on 24 August 1806, Louis wrote to Napoleon :
Image:Placement bij het derde feest van de Koninklijke Orde van de Unie.jpg|thumb|Seating plan for the third meeting of the Royal Order of the Union in June 1809.

Appointments