Editing Legion of Honour (section)

===First Empire===
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In a decree issued on the {{lang|fr|10 [[Pluviôse]] [[French Republican Calendar|XIII]]}} (30 January 1805), a grand decoration was instituted. This decoration, a cross on a large [[sash]] and a silver star with an eagle, symbol of the Napoleonic Empire, became known as the {{lang|fr|Grand aigle}} (Grand Eagle), and later in 1814 as the {{lang|fr|Grand cordon}} (big sash, literally "big ribbon"). After Napoleon crowned himself [[Emperor of the French]] in 1804 and established the [[Nobility of the First French Empire|Napoleonic nobility]] in 1808, award of the {{lang|fr|Légion d'honneur}} gave right to the title of "Knight of the Empire" ({{lang|fr|Chevalier de l'Empire}}). The title was made hereditary after three generations of grantees.

Napoleon had dispensed 15 golden collars of the {{lang|fr|Légion d'honneur}} among his family and his senior ministers. This collar was abolished in 1815.

Although research is made difficult by the loss of the archives, it is rumoured that three women who fought with the army were decorated with the order: [[Virginie Ghesquière]], [[Marie Schellinck|Marie-Jeanne Schelling]] and a [[nun]], Sister [[Anne Biget]].{{efn|The first recorded women's award is 1851, under [[Napoleon III of France|Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte]].}}

The {{lang|fr|Légion d'honneur}} was prominent and visible in the French Empire. The Emperor always wore it, and the fashion of the time allowed for decorations to be worn most of the time. The king of [[Sweden]] therefore declined the order; it was too common in his eyes. Napoleon's own decorations were captured by the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussians]] and were displayed in the {{lang|de|Zeughaus}} (armoury) in Berlin until 1945. Today, they are in Moscow.

{{Gallery
|title=The Legion of Honour under the Empire
|align=center
|File:Debret - Premiere distribution des decorations de la Legion d'honneur.jpg|''First {{lang|fr|Légion d'Honneur}} investiture, 15 July 1804, at {{lang|fr|[[Les Invalides|Saint-Louis des Invalides]]}}'' by [[Jean-Baptiste Debret]] (1812)
|File:Hennequin - Napoléon Ier distribue les croix de la légion d'honneur au camp de Boulogne le 16 août 1804 (grand).jpg|A depiction of Napoleon making some of the first awards of the Legion of Honour, at a camp near [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]] on 16 August 1804
|File:Napoleon Paul Delaroche.jpg|As [[Emperor of the French|Emperor]], [[Napoleon]] always wore the [[Grand Cross|Cross]] and Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour.{{cn|date=April 2022}}
|File:Napoleon coat-IMG 1412.jpg|Embroidered insignia of the Legion of Honour, detail of Napoleon's uniform of colonel of the Chasseurs à cheval of the [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)|Imperial Guard]]
}}