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{{Short description|Highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia}}
{{Infobox order
|title=Order of the Black Eagle<br> <small>''Schwarzer Adlerorden''</small>
|image=[[Image:Black Eagle Order star.jpg|200px]]
|caption=Star of the Order of the Black Eagle
|image2=[[File:Order of the Black Eagle - Ribbon bar.svg|120px]]
|caption2=Ribbon of the order
|type=[[Order (honour)|State Order]] (formerly)<br>[[House Order]] (currently)
|motto           = ''Suum Cuique'' (idiomatically, "to each according to his merits")
|day             = 
|eligibility     = Members of ruling houses, senior civil and military officials and other worthy figures appointed by the King of Prussia.
|for             = Civil or military merit
|grades          = Knight
|status          = 
|established     = 17 January 1701
|first_induction = 1701
|last_induction  = 
|total           = 407 (to 1918)<ref name="Preußische Orden">''Preußische Orden.''</ref>
|recipients      = 
|individual      = 
|higher          = None
|lower           = [[Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown]]
|country         = {{flagicon|Prussia}} [[Kingdom of Prussia]]
|house           = [[House of Hohenzollern]]
|religion        = 
|ribbon          = 
|head_title      = Sovereign 
|head            = [[Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia|Prince Georg Friedrich]]
|notes           = 
}}

The '''Order of the Black Eagle''' ({{langx|de|Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler}}) was the highest [[order of chivalry]] in the [[Kingdom of Prussia]]. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became [[Friedrich I of Prussia|Friedrich I]], King in Prussia, the following day). In his Dutch exile after [[World War I]], deposed Emperor [[Wilhelm II of Germany|Wilhelm II]] continued to award the order to his family. He made his second wife, [[Hermine Reuss of Greiz|Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz]], a Lady in the Order of the Black Eagle.

== Overview ==
The statutes of the order were published on 18 January 1701, and revised in 1847. Membership in the Order of the Black Eagle was limited to a small number of knights, and was divided into two classes: members of reigning houses (further divided into members of the [[House of Hohenzollern]] and members of other houses, both German and foreign) and capitular knights. Before 1847, membership was limited to nobles, but after that date, capitular knights who were not nobles were raised to the nobility (''Adelsstand'').<ref>Werlich, ''Orders and Decorations,'' p. 182.</ref> Capitular knights were generally high-ranking government officials or military officers.

The Order of the Black Eagle had only one class, but could also be awarded at the king's prerogative "with the Chain" ("''mit der Kette''") or without ("''ohne Kette''"). By statute, members of the order also held the Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Red Eagle]], and wore the badge of that order from a ribbon around the neck. From 1862, members of the Prussian royal house, upon award of the Order of the Black Eagle, also received the Prussian [[Order of the Crown (Prussia)|Crown Order]] 1st Class.<ref name=psh38>''1918 Prussian State Handbook'', p. 38.</ref>

== Insignia ==
[[Image:Kreuz des Schwarzen Adlerordens.jpg|thumb|left|Badge of the Order of the Black Eagle.]]
The badge of the Order was a gold [[Maltese cross]], enameled in blue, with gold-crowned black eagles between the arms of the cross. The gold center medallion bore the royal monogram of Friedrich I ("FR", for ''Fredericus Rex'').

This badge was worn from either a broad ribbon (or sash) or a collar (or "chain"). The ribbon of the Order was an orange [[Moiré pattern|moiré]] sash worn from the left shoulder to the right hip, with the badge resting on the hip. The sash color was chosen in honor of [[Louise Henriette of Nassau]], daughter of the [[Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange|Prince of Orange]] and first wife of the great elector. The collar or chain (''Kette'') was worn around the neck and resting upon the shoulders, with the badge suspended from the front center; the collar had 24 elaborate interlocking links: alternately a black eagle and a device featuring a center medallion with the motto of the Order (''[[Jedem das Seine|Suum Cuique]]''—literally "To each his own," but idiomatically "To each according to his merits"), a series of FRs forming a cross pattern, a blue enameled ring around this, and crowns at each cross point.

The star of the Order was a silver eight-pointed star, with straight or faceted rays depending on the jeweler's design. The center medallion displayed a black eagle (which gripped a wreath of laurels in its left claws and a scepter in its right) on a golden background, surrounded by a white enamelled ring bearing a wreath of laurels and the motto of the Order.

At meetings of the chapter of the Order of the Black Eagle and at certain ceremonies, the knights wore red velvet capes with blue linings. Embroidered on the left shoulder of each cape was a large star of the Order.<ref name=psh38/>

== Membership ==
From its founding in 1701 to 1918, the Order of the Black Eagle was awarded 407 times, with 57 of these installations occurring during the reign of Friedrich I (1701–1713).<ref name="Preußische Orden" /><ref>It is unclear whether this number only covers capitular knights, or also includes members of reigning houses.</ref> In 1918, the knights of the order totalled 118 — 14 were members of the Prussian royal house, one was a member of the Princely House of Hohenzollern, 49 (of whom nine were from states then at war with Germany) were members of other reigning houses, and 54 (including 17 who had not yet been fully installed) were nonroyal Germans.<ref>''1918 Prussian State Handbook'', p. 38–41.</ref> Subjects of the Prussian King receiving the order, which was only given in one class, were promoted to the peerage and received a hereditary title.

From the Prussian State Handbooks, it is clear that the Order of the Black Eagle (as well as, by statute, the other Prussian orders, as mentioned above) was conferred upon all male members of the royal family on their 10th birthdays; these men received the collar of the Order on their 18th birthdays. The Order was also conferred upon Prussian queens (and, later, German empresses), though other female members of the royal family usually received the [[Order of Louise]] instead.

== Sovereigns and Masters of the Order ==
* [[File:Friedrich Zweite Alt.jpg|thumb|alt=Portrait painting of Frederick as an old man|upright=.8|Frederick II with Order of the Black Eagle (Portrait by [[Anton Graff]] 1781).]]
* [[Friedrich I of Prussia]] (1657–1713) —,founder of the Order of the Black Eagle; last Elector of Brandenburg and first King in Prussia
* [[Frederick William I of Prussia]] (1688–1740) — first member of the Order, inducted in 1701, when he was crown prince; Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1713–1740
* [[Frederick the Great|Friedrich II]] (1712–1786) — "Friedrich the Great"; Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1740–1786
* [[Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia]] (1744–1797) — Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1786–1797
* [[Frederick William III of Prussia]] (1770–1840) — King of Prussia during the Napoleonic era; Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1797–1840
* [[Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia]] (1795–1861) — Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1840–1861
* [[William I, German Emperor|Wilhelm I]] (1797–1888) — King of Prussia and first German emperor; Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1861–1888
* [[Frederick III, German Emperor|Friedrich III]] (1831–1888) — better remembered as "Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm" of Prussia; general during the German wars of unification; briefly German emperor, March to June 1888; Died of throat cancer
* [[William II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II]] (1859–1941) — last King of Prussia and last German emperor; Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1888–1941
* [[William, German Crown Prince]] (1882–1951), Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1941–1951
* [[Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia]] (1907–1994), Sovereign and Master of the Order, 1951–1994
* [[Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia]] (born 1976), Sovereign and Master of the Order since 1994

== Recipients ==
[[Image:Friedrich Wilhelm IV by Kreuger.jpg|thumb|Friedrich Wilhelm IV, wearing the collar and cloak of the Order of the Black Eagle. Original portrait by Krüger]]
=== Royal House of Hohenzollern ===
* [[Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt]], Prince in Prussia (1700–1770) — nephew of Friedrich I.
* [[Prince Augustus William of Prussia|August Wilhelm]], Prince of Prussia (1722–1758) — second son of Friedrich Wilhelm I; brother of Friedrich II ("Friedrich the Great"); father of Friedrich Wilhelm II; Prussian general in the [[Silesian Wars]]
* [[Prince Henry of Prussia (1726–1802)|Heinrich]], Prince of Prussia (1726–1802) — third son of Friedrich Wilhelm I and younger brother of Friedrich the Great; general in the [[Seven Years' War]]
* [[Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia|August Ferdinand]], Prince of Prussia (1730–1813) — fourth and youngest son of Friedrich Wilhelm I, and youngest brother of Friedrich the Great
* [[Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1772–1806)|Ludwig Ferdinand]], Prince of Prussia (1772–1806) — son of August Ferdinand; general in the Napoleonic Wars, killed at the [[Battle of Saalfeld]]
* [[Prince Louis Charles of Prussia|Ludwig Karl]], Prince of Prussia (1773–1796) — second son of Friedrich Wilhelm II and brother of Friedrich Wilhelm III
* [[Augusta of Saxe-Weimar|Kaiserin Augusta]] (1811–1890) — Princess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, wife and empress consort of Wilhelm I
* [[Prince Charles of Prussia|Karl]], Prince of Prussia (1801–1883) — third son of [[Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia]], father of Friedrich Karl
* [[Adalbert of Prussia|Adalbert]], Prince of Prussia (1811–1873) — son of Prinz Wilhelm; Grandson of Friedrich Wilhelm II and nephew of Friedrich Wilhelm III; naval theorist, admiral, and founder of the first Prussian Fleet
* [[Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia|Friedrich Karl]], Prince of Prussia (1828–1885) — veteran of the Austro-Prussian War and Franco-Prussian War; hero of [[Königgrätz]]; Generalfeldmarschall of Prussia, and honorary field marshal of Russia; eldest son of Karl, father of Friedrich Leopold
* [[Prince Albert of Prussia (1809–1872)|Albrecht]], Prince of Prussia (1809–1872) — second and youngest son of Karl, father of Albrecht
* [[Prince Heinrich of Prussia|Heinrich]], Prince of Prussia (1862–1929) — second son of Friedrich III and brother of Wilhelm II; Grand Admiral in the German Imperial Navy, World War I
[[File:Philip Alexius de Laszlo - Auguste Viktoria, Deutsche Kaiserin, 1908.jpg|thumb|Empress Auguste Viktoria, wearing the sash and star of the Order of the Black Eagle. Portrait by Philip de Laszlo]]
* [[Victoria, Princess Royal|Kaiserin Victoria]] (1840–1901) — "Kaiserin Friedrich"; Daughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Royal of Great Britain; wife and Empress consort of Friedrich III; mother of Wilhelm II; Dowager German Empress and Queen Dowager of Prussia, 1888–1901; recognized by Friedrich III, 9 March 1888
* [[Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein|Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria]] (1858–1921) — Princess of Schleswig-Holstein, (first) wife and empress consort of Wilhelm II
* [[William, German Crown Prince|Kronprinz Wilhelm]] (1882–1951) — Crown Prince of Germany and Prussia until 1918, World War I-era German general.
* [[Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia|Friedrich Leopold]], Prince of Prussia (1865–1931) — son of Friedrich Karl, father of Friedrich Sigismund, Friedrich Karl, and Friedrich Leopold
* [[Prince Albert of Prussia (1837–1906)|Albrecht]], Prince of Prussia (1837–1906) — only son of Albrecht
* [[Friedrich Heinrich Albrecht|Friedrich Heinrich]], Prince of Prussia (1874–1940) — eldest son of [[Prince Albert of Prussia (1837–1906)|Albrecht]] and grandson of Albrecht
* [[Prince Joachim of Prussia (1876–1939)|Joachim Albrecht]], Prince of Prussia (1876–1939) — second son of Albrecht and grandson of Albrecht
* [[Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia|Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Prussia]] (1880–1925) — third son of [[Prince Albert of Prussia (1837–1906)|Albrecht]] and grandson of Albrecht
* [[Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia|Eitel Friedrich]], Prince of Prussia (1883–1942) — second son of Wilhelm II
* [[Prince Adalbert of Prussia (1884–1948)|Adalbert]], Prince of Prussia (1884–1948) — third son of Wilhelm II – ''invested 18 January 1903''<ref name=TT19011903>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Germany |date=19 January 1903 |page=5 |issue=36981}}</ref> 
* [[Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia|August Wilhelm]], Prince of Prussia (1887–1949) — fourth son of Wilhelm II
* [[Prince Oskar of Prussia|Oskar]], Prince of Prussia (1888–1958) — fifth son of Wilhelm II
* [[Prince Waldemar of Prussia (1889–1945)|Waldemar]], Prince of Prussia (1889–1945) — eldest son of Prince Heinrich, Grand Admiral
* [[Prince Joachim of Prussia|Joachim]], Prince of Prussia (1890–1920) — sixth and youngest son of Wilhelm II
* [[Prince Friedrich Sigismund of Prussia (1891–1927)|Friedrich Sigismund, Prince of Prussia]] (1891–1927) — eldest son of Friedrich Leopold; World War I pilot
* [[Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia (1893–1917)|Friedrich-Karl]], Prince of Prussia (1893–1917) — second son of Friedrich Leopold; Bronze medallist in the 1912 Olympics; World War I pilot; wounded in action, taken POW, and died of wounds (1917)
* [[Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia (1895–1959)|Friedrich Leopold]], Prince of Prussia (1895–1959) — third and youngest son of [[Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia|Friedrich Leopold]]
* [[Prince Sigismund of Prussia (1896–1978)|Sigismund]], Prince of Prussia (1896–1978) — second and youngest son of Prince Heinrich, Grand Admiral
* [[Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (1906–1940)|Wilhelm]], Prince of Prussia (1906–1940) — eldest son of Crown prince Wilhelm

=== Princely House of Hohenzollern ===
* [[Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern (died 1885)|Karl Anton, Sovereign Prince Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]] (1811–1885)
* [[Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern|Leopold, Sovereign Prince Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]] (1835–1905) — son of Karl Anton
* [[Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern|Wilhelm, Sovereign Prince Hohelnzollern-Sigmaringen]] (1864–1927)
* [[Ferdinand I of Romania|Ferdinand, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]] (b. 1865-1927) — brother of Sovereign Prince Wilhelm, reigned as Ferdinand I of Romania, 1914–1927
* [[Carol I of Romania|Karl, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]] (1839–1914) — second son of Karl Anton; reigned as Carol I of Romania, 1881–1914

=== Foreign royal members of the Order ===
* [[Prince Alexander of the Netherlands]] (1818-1848), invested with the order 4 December 1834<ref>{{Cite web |title='Liste der Ritter des Königlich Preußischen hohen Ordens vom Schwarzen Adler' - Digitalisat {{!}} MDZ |url=https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb10362193?page=30 |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=www.digitale-sammlungen.de}}</ref>
* [[Albert I of Belgium]] (1875–1934) — King of the Belgians during the First World War
* [[Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg]] (1865–1939) — Head of the Royal [[House of Württemberg]], invested with the order 18 January 1900<ref name=TT18011900>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Court Circular|date=19 January 1900 |page=7 |issue=36043| }}</ref>
* [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]] – [[Tsar]] of [[Russian Empire|Russia]] (1881–1894)
* [[Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn]] (1850–1942) — Kaiser Wilhelm II's uncle, he was still a member of the order in 1918 despite being a British military officer.
* [[Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland]] (1861–1951) — Prince of Sweden
* [[Carol I of Romania]] — King of [[Romania]] (1866–1914); member of the Princely House of Hohenzollern.
* [[Charles XV]] — King of [[Union between Sweden and Norway|Sweden and Norway]] (1859–1872)
* [[Christian IX of Denmark]] — King of [[Denmark]] (1863–1906)
* [[Chulalongkorn]] — [[King of Siam]] (1868–1910)
* [[Constantine I of Greece]] — King of [[Greece]] (1913–1917 and 1920–1922)
* [[Pedro II of Brazil]] — Emperor of [[Empire of Brazil|Brazil]] (1831-1889)
* [[Edward VII]] — King of [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Great Britain and Ireland]], [[Emperor of India]] (1901–1910).
* [[Prince Eugén, Duke of Närke]] — Prince of Sweden (1865–1947)
[[Image:Franz Josef as Prussian GFM ca 1900.JPG|thumb|Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria-Hungary, wearing the uniform of a Prussian field marshal and the sash and star of the Order of the Black Eagle, {{Circa|1900}}]]
* [[Franz Joseph I of Austria|Franz Joseph I]] — Emperor of [[Austria-Hungary|Austria]] (1848–1916)
* [[Frederik VIII of Denmark]] — King of [[Denmark]] (1906–1912)
* [[George V]] — King of Great Britain and Ireland, Emperor of India (1910–1936)
* [[Guangxu Emperor]] — Emperor of [[Qing Dynasty|China]] (1875–1908)
* [[Gustaf V of Sweden]] — King of [[Sweden]] (1907–1950)
* [[Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden]] — [[Crown Prince]], later King of [[Sweden]] (1950–1973)
* [[Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau]] — Prussian field marshal known as the "Old Dessauer"
* [[Leopold II of Belgium]] — King of the Belgians (1865–1909).
* [[Louis XVIII]] — King of France (1814-1815, 1815-1824).
* [[Ludwig II of Bavaria]] — King of [[Bavaria]] (1864–1886).
* [[Ludwig III of Bavaria]] — Last king of [[Bavaria]]
* [[Prince Maximilian of Baden]] – heir to the Grand Duchy of Baden (1867–1929) – ''invested 18 January 1903''<ref name=TT19011903 />
* [[Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia|Grand Duke Mikhail Aleksandrovich of Russia]] — Tsar Nicholas II's brother, Tsar presumptive sometimes referred to as "Tsar for a day" (15–16 March 1917) who was also the regimental chief of Ulanen-Regiment "Kaiser Alexander III von Rußland" (Westpreußisches) Nr. 1.<ref>''Rangeliste der Koeniglich Preussisches, 1903''. Berlin: Ernst Siegfried Mittler & Son, 1903. p 369</ref>
* [[Emperor Meiji]] – Emperor of Japan (1867–1912).
* [[Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar|Mozaffar ad-Din Shah]] — [[Shah]] of [[Persia]] (1896–1907) — ''29 May 1902'' — during the visit to Berlin of the Shah<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Latest intelligence - Germany |date=30 May 1902 |page=5 |issue=36781| }}</ref>
* [[Naser al-Din Shah Qajar]] — [[Shah]] of [[Persia]] (1848–1896).
* [[Count Oscar Bernadotte of Wisborg]] — former Prince Oscar of Sweden (1859–1953)
* [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]] — Last [[Emperor of all the Russias|Emperor]] of the [[Russian Empire]].
* [[Duke Nicholas of Württemberg]] (1833–1903) — heir presumptive to the throne of Württemberg – ''invested with the order 18 January 1900''<ref name=TT18011900 />
* [[Oscar I of Sweden|Oscar I]] — King of [[Union between Sweden and Norway|Sweden and Norway]] (1844–1859)
* [[Oscar II]] — King of [[Sweden]] (1872–1907) and [[Norway]] (1872-1905)
* [[Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria]] — Last crown prince of Bavaria and First World War German field marshal
* [[Emperor Taishō]] — Emperor of Japan (1912–1926).
* [[Umberto I of Italy]] — King of Italy (1878–1900).
* [[Victor Emmanuel III]] — king of [[Italy]] (1900–1946).
* [[Prince Vilhelm, Duke of Södermanland]] — Prince of Sweden (1884–1965)
* [[William III of the Netherlands]] — King of the [[Netherlands]] and Grand Duke of [[Luxembourg]] (1849–1890).
* [[William IV of the United Kingdom|William IV]] — King of Great Britain and Ireland (1830–1837)
* [[Gojong of Korea]] — Emperor of Korea (1863–1907)
* [[Abdul Hamid II]] - Sultan of the Ottoman Empire

=== Knights of the Order ===
[[Image:Alfred von Schlieffen 1906.jpg|thumb|Graf Alfred von Schlieffen in 1906]]
*[[Henning Alexander von Kleist]] (1677&ndash;1749) — Prussian general, field marshal, for action at the [[Battle of Mollwitz]].<ref name=ADV>Artikel „Kleist, Henning Alexander von“ von Heinrich Kypke in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, herausgegeben von der Historischen Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Band 16 (1882), S. 150–151, Digitale Volltext-Ausgabe in Wikisource, [https://de.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=ADB:Kleist,_Henning_Alexander_von&oldid=2234354 von Kleist](Version vom 26. September 2015, 20:02 Uhr UTC)</ref>
* [[George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal|George Keith]] (1692/93-1778) - 10th Earl Marischal of Scotland, and Confidante of Friedrich the Great, Ambassador of Prussia to France and Great Britain.
* [[Friedrich von Beck-Rzikowsky]] (1830–1920), Austrian [[field marshal]], [[Austro-Hungarian General Staff|chief of the general staff]] of the [[Common Army|Imperial and Royal Army]] of [[Austria-Hungary]], invested 19&nbsp;September&nbsp;1893<ref>{{citation|chapter-url=https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1916&page=43&size=45|chapter=Hofstaat Seiner Kaiserlichen und Königlichen Apostolischen Majestät|title=Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie|date=1916|location=Vienna|publisher=Druck und Verlag der K.K. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei|language=German|page=16|via=alex.onb.ac.at}}</ref>
* [[Otto von Bismarck]] (1815-1898) — Prussian chancellor and statesman
* [[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher|Gebhard von Blücher]] (1742-1819) — Prussian field marshal and leader of Prussian troops at the [[Battle of Leipzig]] and [[Battle of Waterloo]].
* [[Wilhelm Malte I]] of [[House of Putbus|Putbus]] (1677&ndash;1749) — Swedish-German [[aristocrat]], [[Prussia|prussian]] [[General of the Infantry (Germany)|general]], for his dedication and skillful leadership of the province of [[New Western Pomerania|New West Pomerania]] and of [[Principality of Rügen|Rügen]].<ref name="ADV" /> 
* [[Joachim von Blumenthal]] (1720-1800) — Prussian War and Finance Minister, received the order in 1787
* [[Leonhard von Blumenthal|Leonhardt von Blumenthal]] (1810-1900) — [[Prussian Army|Prussian]] [[field-marshal]], 1877.
* General von Bock und Polack – ''invested 18 January 1903''<ref name=TT19011903 />
* [[Bernhard von Bülow]] (1849-1929) — German chancellor and statesman.
* [[Karl von Bülow]] (1846-1921) — Prussian general — ''invested with the order 18 January 1900''<ref name=TT18011900 />
* General [[Mikhail Chertkov]] (''sometimes written Tchertkoff'') (1829-1905) — Russian [[Namiestnik of Poland|Governor-General of Warsaw]] — ''September 1902'' — when he visited [[Province of Posen|Posen]] for German army maneuvers.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Latest intelligence - The German Emperor at Posen|date=4 September 1902 |page=3 |issue=36864| }}</ref>
* [[Wilhelm René de l'Homme de Courbière]] (1733-1811) — Prussian field marshal
* [[Adolf von Deines]] (1845-1911) - Prussian [[General of the Cavalry (Germany)|General of the Cavalry]] and [[aide-de-camp]] to [[Wilhelm II]].<ref>Witzleben, E. v. ''Adolf von Deines. Lebensbild 1845-1911'' (Berlin, 1913)</ref>
* General Edler von der Planitz – ''invested 18 January 1903''<ref name=TT19011903 />
* [[Karl von Einem]] — World War I-era German general and Minister of War.
* [[Prince Philip of Eulenburg]] — German politician and diplomat.
* [[Count Albrecht Konrad Finck von Finckenstein]] — Prussian field marshal under [[Frederick William I of Prussia]]
* [[Count Karl-Wilhelm Finck von Finckenstein]] — Prussian Prime Minister under [[Frederic the Great]]
* [[Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix]] — Prussian lieutenant general under [[Frederic the Great]]
* [[Jean de Forcade de Biaix|Johann Quirin von Forcade de Biaix]] — Prussian lieutenant general under [[Frederick William I of Prussia]]
* [[August von Gneisenau]] — Napoleonic-era Prussian field marshal. His insignia of the order was formerly Napoleon's.
* [[Gottlieb Graf von Haeseler]] — German field marshal.
* [[Paul von Hindenburg]] — World War I-era German field marshal and later president of Germany.
* [[Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf]] — Napoleonic-era Prussian general (promoted to field marshal two days before his death).
* [[Hermann von Hatzfeldt|Prince Hermann von Hatzfeldt]] — Prussian statesman and [[Oberpräsident|Chief President ]] of [[Silesia]].
* [[Hans von Koester|Hans von Köster]] – German Grand Admiral – ''18 September 1902''<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Court Circular |date=19 September 1902 |page=7 |issue=36877| }}</ref>
* General von Lignitz – ''invested 18 January 1903''<ref name=TT19011903 />
* [[August von Mackensen]] — World War I-era German field marshal.
* [[Patrice de Mac-Mahon, duc de Magenta]] — French politician; second president of the [[French Third Republic|Third Republic]].
* [[Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel|Edwin von Manteuffel]] (1809–1885) — Prussian field-marshal 
* [[Adolph Menzel]] — German artist.
* [[Helmuth von Moltke the Elder]] — Prussian field marshal of the German wars of unification. Served as chancellor of the Order of the Black Eagle.
* [[Napoleon I of France|Napoléon Bonaparte]] — Admitted in 1803 when he was First Consul.
* [[Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts]] — British Commander-in-Chief of the Forces — Received the Order in 1901<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=2731 |date=7 May 1901 |page=3123}}</ref>
* [[Ernst von Pfuel]] — [[Prussian Army|Prussian]] [[general]] and [[Prime Minister of Prussia]].
* [[Albrecht von Roon]] (1803-1879) — [[Prussian Army|Prussian]] [[field marshal]] and Minister.
* Count [[Alfred von Schlieffen]] — German field marshal and strategist
* [[Gustav von Senden-Bibran]] an admiral of the German Imperial Navy
* [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz]] — Prussian cavalry general under Frederick the Great.
* [[Friedrich Sixt von Armin]] — World War I-era German general.
* [[Alexander Suvorov]] — Napoleonic-era Russian general and [[Generalissimo]].
* [[Ernst von Tettau]] (1644–1711) — General in Danish, Brandenburg, and Dutch service.
* Karl von Thielen – Prussian Minister for Public works – ''invested 18 January 1903''<ref name=TT19011903 />
* [[Alfred von Tirpitz]] — German Admiral.
* [[Alfred von Waldersee]] — German field marshal and Supreme Commander of the [[Eight-Nation Alliance]] in the [[Boxer Rebellion]].
* [[Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg]] — Napoleonic-era Prussian field marshal.
* [[Karl von Wedel]] – Prussian general and diplomat (1842–1919) – ''invested 18 January 1903''<ref name=TT19011903 />
* [[Johann Jakob von Wunsch]] (1717-1788) — Wuerttemberg-born Prussian general.<ref name=Pfister>{{in lang|de}} Albert Pfister, "Johann Jakob Wunsch." ''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie.'' Band 44. (1898), pp. 315–317</ref>
* [[Giuseppe Zanardelli]] (1826-1903) — Italian Minister-President — in August 1902, in connection with the visit to Germany of King [[Victor Emmanuel III of Italy]]<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Latest intelligence - The King of Italy in Berlin|date=29 August 1902 |page=3 |issue=36859| }}</ref>
* [[António José Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira|Duke of Terceira, Prime Minister of Portugal]]
* [[Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia]] (1871-1899) — younger brother and initial heir of Emperor [[Nicholas II of Russia]]
* [[Eduard von Simson]] (1810-1899) &ndash; German jurist, President of the [[Frankfurt Parliament]] (1848&ndash;1849), President of the [[North German Confederation]]'s Parliament (1867&ndash;1871), President of [[Reichstag (German Empire)|Reichstag]] (1871&ndash;1887), President of the [[Supreme Court of Justice]] ([[Reichsgericht]]) (1877&ndash;1891)<ref>{{EB1911|wstitle=Simson, Martin Eduard von|volume=25|pages=136–137}}</ref>

== Current usage ==
[[File:M Barettabzeichen FJg.png|right|thumb|250px|Feldjäger emblem]]
The Order of the Black Eagle is currently used as the emblem of the German Military Police (''[[Feldjäger]]'').

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
* Robert Werlich, ''Orders and Decorations of all Nations'' (Quaker Press, 2nd edition 1974).
* ''Handbuch über den Königlich Preußischen Hof und Staat für das Jahr 1874,'' (Berlin, 1873).
* ''Handbuch über den Königlich Preußischen Hof und Staat für das Jahr 1883,'' (Berlin, 1882).
* ''Handbuch über den Königlich Preußischen Hof und Staat für das Jahr 1907,'' (Berlin, 1906).
* ''Handbuch über den Königlich Preußischen Hof und Staat für das Jahr 1918,'' (Berlin, 1918) (herein "1918 Prussian State Handbook").
* [http://www.preussenweb.de/prorden.htm Preußische Orden] (herein ''Preußische Orden'').
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=Xi2nX_VLRqcC&q=Handbuch%20%C3%BCber%20den%20K%C3%B6niglich%20Preu%C3%9Fischen%20Hof%20und%20Staat%20f%C3%BCr%20das%20Jahr%201918 ''Rangeliste Der Königlich Preußisches, Für 1903'']. Berlin: Ernst Siegfried Mittler & Son, 1903.

== External links ==
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Eagle, Black|short=x}}

{{Orders and decorations of the Kingdom of Prussia}}
{{Orders of Imperial Germany}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of Prussia]]
[[Category:Orders of chivalry of Germany|Black Eagle, Order of the]]
[[Category:1701 establishments in Prussia]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1701]]
[[Category:Frederick I of Prussia]]