Spain, First Restoration. A Royal & Military Order Of St. Ferdinand In Gold, Officer’s Cross, C.1820

(Real y Militar Orden de San Fernando). Instituted by the General Courts of Cadiz in 1811, confirmed by King Ferdinand VII in 1814. Issued the French army of the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis between 1823-26. In Gold, a rare ball-tipped four armed cross with white enamels, surrounded by a nicely enameled green and red laurel wreath with pointing-down leaves, cross surmounted by green-enamelling laurel wreath also in Gold, obverse displaying an enameled figure of St. Ferdinand surrounded by an enameled blue border with the inscription AL MERITO MILITAR (For Military Merit), reverse featuring two crowned orbs encircled by an enameled light-blue border lettering EL REY Y LA PATRIA (King and Fatherland), measuring 35.93 mm (w) x 57.08 mm (h - inclusive of laurel wreath and integral ring suspension), weighting 16.2 grams, presenting minor cracked white enamels and light contact, suspended by original ribbon with bow on an old-fashion ring suspension, better than very fine.

Footnote: The Order of St. Ferdinand was established in recognition of the military personnel who participated in the Peninsular War against Napoleonic army. It was mainly conferred upon European royalist armies from Spain, Great Britain, Portugal, and France. This version was specially conferred upon the French army of the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis who helped the Spanish Royalists to restore the reign of King Ferdinand VII of Spain. The French army mobilized in 1823 by the Bourbon King of France, Louis XVIII; it was a force with around 60,000 troops led by the Duke of Angoulême.