Ellanic Cross
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Ellanisches Ehrenkreuz
Ellanic Cross
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| Founded | 6th March 1846 | ||||||
| Type | Military Award | ||||||
The Ellanisches Ehrenkreuz, also informally known as the Ellanic Cross, is an order of merit established in 1846 by Queen Ella I of Zokesia. The Ellanisches Ehrenkreuz was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of Magdalene, the Order of the Zokesian Empire and the House Order of Ward, among the highest orders of merit in the Kingdom of Zokesia. The order of merit was the highest royal Zokesian order of bravery for officers of all ranks.
The Ellanisches Ehrenkreuz was awarded strictly as a recognition of extraordinary personal achievement, rather than as a general marker of social status or a courtesy-honour, although certain restrictions of social class and military rank were applied. The order was secular, and membership endured for the remaining lifetime of the recipient, unless renounced or revoked.
A civil class for merits in sciences, humanities, and arts was established in 1892 by King Cira III. The civil class was revived as an independent organization in 1923 (Ellanisches Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaften und Künste). Instead of the King of Zokesia, the President of Zokesia acted as head of the order. The Ellanisches Ehrenkreuz is still an order into which a person is admitted into membership and is not simply a medal or state decoration.