Order of Skanderbeg (1925–90)
| Order of Skanderbeg Urdhëri i Skënderbeut | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Grand Officer's insignia | |
| Awarded by Head of the House of Zogu | |
| Type | Order of merit |
| Royal house | House of Zogu |
| Awarded for | Distinguished services rendered to the Crown and achievements in every field of society |
| Sovereign | Crown Prince Leka of Albania |
| Grades |
Grand Cross, Grand Star Grand Cross, Special Class Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer Knight/Dame |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of Fidelity |
| Next (lower) | Order of Bravery |
 Ribbon of the order | |
The Order of Skanderbeg (Albanian: Urdhëri i Skënderbeut) was originally instituted in 1925 as an order of merit of the Albanian Republic. It was replaced by the Communist government in 1945 with a new award of the same name. Skanderbeg is the national hero of the Albanian people.
The Albanian royal family currently maintains the Order of Skanderbeg as a dynastic order, which has only been awarded to a select number of people since the fall of the monarchy in 1939. This order should not be mistaken for the award of the same name which is currently given by the head of the Republic of Albania.
History
The president and later king of Albania, Ahmet Zogu, founded the order in 1925 as an order of merit with four grades. After the Italian annexation of Albania, his successor, Victor Emanuel III, King of Italy and of Albania, Emperor of Ethiopia, added a fifth grade (Officer) in 1940.
In 1945, the People's Republic of Albania decided to replace the order. In that same year, a new order with the same name was founded, along the lines of the Socialist Orders of Merit. It was awarded until the fall of Albanian Communism in 1990.
The Communist version of the order was created on 13 October 1945 with three classes. The medal design included an image of Skanderbeg on a five pointed star, and the ribbons were red with 1 to 3 blue stripes according to the class of award. It was awarded to officers of the Albanian Peoples Army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a recognition of services to the country and the people for the organization, modernisation and reinforcement of the armed forces.
Another honorary award bearing Skanderbeg's name, also known as the Order of Skanderbeg, has been instituted by the current Republic of Albania.
Notable recipients
- 1927 Kiamil bey Vlora (Knight)
- Sir Edward Boyles
- Marquis Giacomo Paulucci di Calboli
- 1930 Lt-Col Edward Cuthbert de Renzy-Martin (Commander)
- 1930 Lt-Col Herbert John Mackenzie (Commander)
- 1930 Lt-Col Walter Francis Stirling (Grand Cordon)
- General Xhemal Aranitasi, former commander in chief of the Royal Albanian Army
- 1930 Colonel Ugo Boldrini (Officier)
- 1931 Charles Telford Erickson, (Commander)
- 1933 Herman Bernstein
- 1934 Edwin Cripwell (Commander), Hon Albanian Consul in London
- 1937 Lt-Cmder Conway Vivian Dodgson (Commander)
- 1937 Captain Waldene Edgar Bredin (Commander)
- 1937 Admiral Thaon di Revel (Grand Cordon)
- Sir Jocelyn Percy (Grand Cordon)
- Captain Fiqri Dine (Officer)
- Prenk Pervizi (Officer)
- Muharrem Bajraktari (Officer)
- Hysni Dema (Officer)
- Hysen Selmani (Officer)
- Colonel Shefki Shatku (Grand Officer)
- Colonel Djémal Laçi (Grand Officer)
- Alfred Rappaport von Arbengau (Grand Cordon)
- Mehdi Frashëri (Grand Cordon)
- Iliaz Vrioni (Grand Cordon)
- Koço Kota (Grand Cordon)
- Musa Juka (Grand Cordon)
- Malik bej Libohova (Commander)
- Eqrem Libohova (Grand Cordon)
- Rauf Fico (Grand Cordon)
- 1939 Roger Peyrefitte (Knight), last decoration awarded by King Zog
- Paul Adamidi bey Frasheri (Grand Cordon)
- 1975 Abaz Kupi (Grand Cordon)
- Julian Amery (Grand Cordon)
- 1978 Peter Kolonen
- 1988 Konstanty von Hanff (Grand Cordon)
- Cafo Beg Ulqini (Knight)
For subsequent awards, see Order of Skanderbeg (1990–).