Military Virtue Medal

Award

Medalia "Virtutea Militară"
Order of Military Virtue, Knight rank (Obverse and reverse)
Type	Two class military medal
Country	Romania
Presented by	The King of Romania (1872–1947) The President of Romania
Eligibility	Military and Civilians
Established	April 1872

Ribbon for Military Virtue Medal

Precedence
Next (higher)	Ordinul național "Pentru Merit"
Equivalent	Ordinul "Virtutea Aeronautică" Ordinul "Virtutea Maritimă" Ordinul "Bărbăție și Credință"

The Military Virtue Medal (Romanian: Medalia "Virtutea Militară") is a Romanian military decoration, instituted on April 8, 1872, by King Carol I. A previous version, called Pro Virtute Militari, was established by Alexandru Ioan Cuza in 1860 for the veterans of the Dealul Spirii battle (1848) between the revolutionaries and the Ottomans, but it was issued to the recipients later, in 1866, due to political reasons (Romania was still under Ottoman suzerainty).

The medal had 2 classes, the 1st class (in gold) being awarded to the officers, and the 2nd class (in silver) to non-commissioned officers and the other enlisted ranks. After the Order of Michael the Brave was instituted (1916), the Military Virtue Medal was issued only to the NCO's and soldiers.

Data

Requirements: Awarded to NCOs and other enlisted ranks for exceptional deeds on the battlefield
Classes: 2nd and 1st
Date Instituted: April 1872

War Medal of Military Virtue

In 1880 Carol I of Romania, the first ruler of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty, instituted a new Medal of Military Virtue. This one was given for bravery only during wartime. Soldiers who had earned the medal during wartime were able to trade in their old medal for a new wartime version, the War Medal of Military Virtue (Medalia Virtutea Militara de Razboi).

Gallery

Ribbon of the War Medal of Military Virtue
Order of Military Virtue, World War II

External links

(in English) Military Virtue Medal at worldwar2.ro
(in Romanian) History of the Medal at the Romanian Presidency site

Orders, decorations, and medals of Romania

National
decorations^[a]

Orders	Order of the Star of Romania National Order of Faithful Service National Order of Merit
Crosses	Cross of Faithful Service
Medals	Medal of Faithful Service Medal for Merit

Commemorative
decorations

Order of Victory of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989
Commemorative Cross of the Second World War, 1941-1945
Commemorative Cross of the Anti-communist Resistance
Commemorative Medal "150 Years from the birth of Mihai Eminescu"

Peacetime
military decorations

Orders	Order of Military Virtue Order of Aeronautical Virtue Order of Matitime Virtue Order of Valour and Faith
Medals	Military Virtue Medal Aeronautical Virtue Medal Maritime Virtue Medal Valour and Faith Medal

Civil decorations

Orders	Agricultural Merit Order Cultural Merit Order (categories A to I)^[b] Diplomatic Merit Order Industrial and Commercial Merit Order Educational Merit Order Medical Merit Order Athletic Merit Order
Medals	Agricultural Merit Medal Cultural Merit Medal (categories A to I)^[b] Diplomatic Merit Medal Industrial and Commercial Merit Medal Educational Merit Medal Medical Merit Medal Athletic Merit Medal

Wartime
military decorations^[c]

Orders	Order of Michael the Brave Order of the Star of Romania Order of Faithful Service Order For Merit Order of Military Virtue Order of Aeronautical Virtue Order of Maritime Virtue Order of Valour and Faith Medical Merit Order
Crosses	Cross of Faithful Service
Medals	Medal of Faithful Service Medal For Merit Military Virtue Medal Medal of Aeronautical Virtue Medal of Maritime Virtue Medal of Valour and Faith Medical Merit Medal

Honorific signs

Eagle of Romania
Reward for the Work in the Public Service
In the Service of the Country (officers)
In the Service of the Country (warrant officers)

^{^} The peacetime military insignia added: two crossed swords (tip up) between the sign and the link if awarded to military personnel in peacetime
^{^} The categories are equal in ranking, and differentiate only the cultural field (A - literature; B - music; C - fine arts; D - performing arts; E - national cultural heritage; F - promotion of culture; H - religious cults; G - scientific research; I - architecture) ;
^{^} The war insignia added: two crossed swords (tip up) behind the sign (except for Order of Michael the Brave, an order exclusevely for military personnel with exception conduct in wartime or warzones)