Legion of Merit of Chile

Legion of Merit (Legion de Mérito de Chile)
Obverse of the Type I breast badge of the Legion of Merit of Chile, IV Class. Shown is the design used for those who fought at the Battle of Chacabuco, June 1817. This specimen is missing its enamel work.
Awarded by Republic of Chile
Type	Order of merit
Motto	Libertad
Eligibility	Chilean citizens and foreign supporters of Chile
Awarded for	Distinguished personal merit contributing to the independence of Chile or to the nation
Status	Abolished in 1825
President of the institution	Supreme Director of Chile
Grades	I: Grand Officers II: Officers III: Sub-officers IV: Legionnaires

The Legion of Merit of Chile (Spanish: Legion de Mérito de Chile), frequently abbreviated to the Legion of Merit or the Legion, was a Chilean multi-class order of merit established on 1 June 1817 by Bernardo O'Higgins to recognise distinguished personal merit contributing to the independence of Chile or to the nation. Membership of the Legion conferred a variety of privileges in Chile and its members were entitled to wear insignia according to the class conferred. The Legion of Merit of Chile was abolished in 1825.

The Legion of Merit of Chile was established as an order of merit along similar lines to the French Légion d'honneur. The Supreme Director of Chile (as the Chilean head of state was then known) was established as the head of the Legion. The order was established in four classes:

All appointees to the Legion were required to swear on their honour to defend Chile, to sustain its liberty and independence and not to forget the duty and 'glorious distinction' for which they were decorated.

The Council of the Legion (Spanish: El Consejo de la Legion) was composed of the Supreme Director as President (ex officio), the Grand Officers of the Legion (the most senior was appointed Vice President of the Legion), twelve Officers of the Legion, six Sub-officers of the Legion and six Legionnaires. The Council was charged with reforming the laws and regulations of the Legion as required; presiding over meetings and assemblies of the Legion; approving appointments to the Legion (this task was performed by a five-person panel and excluded the initial appointments to the Legion); considering cases of alleged dishonourable conduct by appointees to the Legion (if found guilty, their appointment could be revoked and they were then prohibited from being reappointed); and overseeing the administration and finances of the Legion (including administering the pensions for appointees).

The Legion of Merit was established by the Supreme Director of the newly independent Chile, Liberator General Bernardo O'Higgins, on 1 June 1817, in the wake of the Battles of Chacabuco and Maipú, to recognise distinguished contributions to the liberation of Chile or to the nation. At the time, it was the most senior honour of Chile. O'Higgins was the Chilean-born illegitimate son of Ambrosio O'Higgins, 1st Marquis of Osorno, a Spanish officer born in Ireland, who became governor of Chile and later viceroy of Peru. His mother was Isabel Riquelme, daughter of Don Simón Riquelme y Goycolea, a member of the Chillán Council. Notwithstanding his aristocratic background, O'Higgins abolished the system of nobility in Chile; establishment of the Legion of Merit helped to fill the void with a more egalitarian recognition system. This was in keeping with the ideals of many of the revolutionaries, but alienated the existing aristocracy.