ordre du Lion et du Soleil

Overview

The Order of the Lion and the Sun, a Persian order of chivalry founded in 1808 and widely given to foreigners in the nineteenth century. It was created by Fath-Ali Shah Qajar and intended first to reward foreigners' services; detailed statutes followed under Mohammad Shah in 1834, and it was replaced by the Order of Homayoun under the Pahlavis. (Sources: Wikipedia, «Order of the Lion and the Sun», https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Lion_and_the_Sun; Encyclopaedia Iranica, «Decorations», https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/decorations; the later grade structure varies between sources.)

References in Diary

• 1878-06-21 (080.0710): the Shah of Persia, in Paris for the Exposition, has Cassagnac presented to him and sends word that he is decorated «de l'ordre du Lion et du Soleil» (reader footnote 080.0710.2). The scene is at Queen Isabella's house in Paris (the Shah «s'est fait présenter M. de Cassagnac»); Marie, who is out of sorts that day, calls the whole business «révoltant et ridicule». The Shah was Naser al-Din (footnote 080.0710.1).