German Awards - Military Order of Merit 3rd Class with Crown and Swords

This order was established by King Ludwig II. It was established on July 19, 1866 for brave soldiers who were not enough to be awarded the Order of Max Joseph, but who, nevertheless, should have been appreciated. Initially, the award consisted of 5 classes: Grand Cross, Comtour, Knight 1st Class, Knight 2nd Class and Cavalier Cross for military merit. On February 26, 1900, an officer's cross was added to the order. He takes a place between the knight of the 1st class and the commander. In 1905, Prince Regent Luitpold reorganized the order. New classes were: Big Cross, 1. Class with a star, 2. Class with a star (Big Komtur), 2. Class (Komtur), Officer's Cross, 3. Class (Knight 1. Class), 4. Class (Knight 2. Class) with Corona and 4. The class in the 1st and 2nd classes of 1913 underwent a re-transformation of the Cross of Military Merit
The Order of Military Merit 3rd class has been awarded since 1914 with and without a crown. Gold and silver gilt crosses were made. Gilded crosses wear silver punches on the cross and swords.
Since 1916, all classes except the 4th began to be made of gilded silver. At gilt silver crosses, the edging of the lower cross sleeve is wider. Notable manufacturers were Weiss & Cie, München, Gebrüder Hemmerle, München and Jakob Leser, Straubing. The Order of Military Merit of the 3rd degree with a crown and swords was awarded 552 times. Of these, 424 were made of gold. However, due to the strict duty of return, significantly fewer crosses have survived.

Cross with pointed cross-shaped sleeves, made of gold with dark blue, translucent enameled cross-shaped sleeves. Front and rear with a gilded central shield. They are 3 partially made. Between the cross sleeves is a golden flame. On the upper cruciform hand are slopes, crossed, golden swords. Above it is a trawler, to which the crown is movably connected. A ribbon ring passes through the imperial crown apple. (Manufactured by the Hemmerle Brothers) In the band ring is a gold punch 585.

Front side:

Round medallion, centre enamelled in black with gold cord - L - under Bavarian royal crown
This is surrounded by a wide white enameled belt hoop at the bottom with a buckle.
It has a curved gold font at the top: - MERENTI - at the bottom of the antennae and points (belt holes

Downside:

black enameled middle part of the gold medallion, walking to the left, Bavarian lion
This is surrounded by a wide white enameled belt hoop at the bottom with a buckle.
the upper region, the golden number: - 1866 - in the lower region of the antennae and points (belt holes
The golden edging of the lower cruciform shoulder is wider than the rest.
On the blade of the sword are the manufacturers and the golden punch - GEB.H. - 585 - and -

Tape:

Tape 1 combat 35 mm, white edging 1 mm, side stripes black/white 2 mm each, blue 4 mm, central stripes 23 mm white.

Volume 2 Civilian 35 mm, stripes black/white/blue/white/black 7 mm each.