Order of the Golden Ruler
The Order of the Golden Ruler or the Order of the Taejo was the highest Order of chivalry in the Korean Empire. It was established on 17 April 1900 by Gojong of Korea, four years after he established the Korean Empire.
| Order of the Golden Ruler 대훈위 금척대수장 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Dynastic order |
| Awarded for | Merit |
| Presented by | the Korean Empire |
| Eligibility | Civilians and military, Korean and foreign, with rank/status determining which grade one received |
| Status | Obsolete |
| Established | April 17, 1900 (in Korea) |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | None |
| Next (lower) | Order of the Auspicious Stars |
History
In the summer of 1899, Gojong of Korea began to consider creating orders for his newly-established empire. For inspiration, he had considered a European-style model.[1] He formally established the order on 17 April 1900. The highest rank of the order, the Grand Cordon, was first awarded to Gojong of Korea, Sunjong of Korea, and Yi Un. Gojong named the order for a dream Taejo of Joseon claimed to have, which inspired him to establish Joseon. Gojong also stated that the award of the order was "happily" intended for those who served Korea.[1]
The first foreigner to receive the order was Prince Henry of Prussia on 20 March 1904. He received it during his visit to the Korean Empire, an exchange typically observed for foreign heads of state. Over ten years, 27 foreigners were named to the Order.
Recipients received a pension of 600~1,000 Won annually or a one-time payment of 2,000 Won[2] It is regarded that the order was awarded to too many recipients for its intended degree of honor.[3]
Form
"The badge is composed of a Badge and a Medal. The material of the suit jacket (章) is gold, and the diameter is 2 chi (寸) and 5 pun (分), which is 7.5 cm. With the blue-and-red Taegeuk wrapped in gold line as the center, the cross-shaped golden cheok and white rays extend from the golden cheok as the axis, and three white oyster flowers are arranged in each ray between the rays. Badge included Daesu, which is wore from right shoulder to left side. Medal is just the same as the badge but its perimeter is 6cm."[4]
Recipients
References
- "조선왕조실록". sillok.history.go.kr. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
- 이강칠 (1999). 대한제국시대훈장제도 (in Korean). 白山出版社. p. 113. ISBN 978-89-7739-259-5.
- 조선일보 (2021-01-26). "[박종인의 땅의 역사]망국 대한제국에는 훈장이 발에 걸리도록 많았다". 조선일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-12-03.
- 이강칠 (1999). 대한제국시대훈장제도 (in Korean). 白山出版社. pp. 91–92. ISBN 978-89-7739-259-5.