Awards of Germany - Order of Military Merit Cross 4th class with swords

The Order of Military Merit was established on July 19, 1866 by King Ludwig II. donated. The order was awarded for valiant feats of arms, which, however, did not meet the conditions for awarding the military order of Max Joseph. Civilians could also be awarded if they particularly deserved an army. The order first had 5 classes: Grand Cross, Komtur, Knights of the 1st and 2nd classes. class and cavaliers of the Military Merit Cross. In 1891, swords were donated for the wars of 1866 and 1870/71. Swords had to be looked for and purchases were paid. In 1900, the Officer's Cross was presented to the Military Order of Merit. In 1905, the enameled cross "For Military Merit" as the lower class of the order was replaced by a silver cross "For Military Merit" in 2 classes. Classes were converted. Now the classes were the Grand Cross, 1st class with a breast star, 2nd class with and without a breast star, Officer's Cross, 3rd class (formerly Knight of the 1st degree. class), 4th class with and without crown, and with and without swords (Knight 2. the class of 1866 fell away) and the Military Merit Cross (silver) 1st and 2nd class.
4th grade was made of silver. The middle shields are gold or silver gilded.
Notable manufacturers were the Hemmerle brothers, Munich and Jacob Leser of Straubing.

Cross with pointed cross-shaped sleeves, silver with dark blue enameled cross-shaped sleeves. Front and rear with a gilded central shield. There is a silver flame between the cross sleeves. On the upper cross shoulder are slopes, crossed, silver swords. Above it is a trawler with an ear and a ribbon ring.

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 medallion golden Bavarian lion
This is surrounded by a wide white enameled belt hoop at the bottom with a buckle.
The golden number is arched from above: - 1866 - at the bottom of the antennae and points (ribbon holes
On the right end of the lower cruciform shoulder - G. Kh. - 950 - (hebr. hemmerle)

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.

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