3rd-class Order of Virtuti Militari

The Order of Virtuti Militari is one of the oldest military decorations in the world. King Stanisław August Poniatowski established it in 1792 to honour heroic deeds on the battlefield. According to the statute, the order was divided into five classes, which are still in force today and linked to the decorated person's rights and privileges. During the period of the Kingdom of Poland, it was awarded to participants of the military campaigns of 1812, 1813 and 1814. The orders slightly varied in execution and dimensions as they were made in different goldsmith workshops. The presented Knight's Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari belonged to Polish General Franciszek Dzierżykraj-Morawski (1783-1861), a poet, translator, participant in the Napoleonic Wars, and Minister of War during the November Uprising (1831). Morawski's military career began when he joined Napoleon's army in 1806. For his bravery and courage in numerous military campaigns, he was decorated with Polish (Order Virtuti Militari 3rd and 4th Class) and French awards (Knight's Cross and Officer's Cross of the Legion of Honour). Morawski received the Knight's Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari for his participation in Napoleon's war against Russia in 1812. These decorations (the French ones have not survived) can be seen on the General's portrait, painted in the second half of the 19th century (the painting is in the collection of the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw). The National Museum in Szczecin acquired part of the General's legacy in the 1970s. Along with the cross on display, the collection also included its miniature and three other Orders: Saint Stanislaus 1st Class with two stars, a miniature and a ribbon, Saint Anne 2nd Class, Saint Vladimir 3rd Class and the Mark of Honour for 20 years of military service. The monuments gathered in such a large group are extremely rare, and certain metrications increase their historical significance.

Genowefa Horoszko