View source for Order of the Starry Cross

{{Short description|Habsburg chivalric order for women}}
{{Infobox order
|title= Order of the Starry Cross
|image=[[File:Order_of_the_Starry_Cross_badge_(Austria_1850)_-_Tallinn_Museum_of_Orders.jpg|250px]]
|caption = Badge and ribbon of the order
|image2=[[File:Black ribbon bar - general use.svg|100px]]
|caption2=Ribbon of the order
|awarded_by      = the Head of the [[House of Habsburg-Lorraine]]
|type= [[Orders of chivalry for women|Order of chivalry for women]]
|for = Devotion to the service and worship of the [[Christian cross|Holy Cross]]<br> A virtuous life in the exercise of religion and works of charity
|motto           = ''SALUS ET GLORIA'' <br>("Hail and Glory")
|date= 28 June 1668
|house= [[House of Habsburg-Lorraine]]
|religion = [[Roman Catholic]]
|ribbon=
|head_title=Sovereign
|head= [[Karl von Habsburg|Archduke Karl]]
|head2_title= High Protectress (''Höchste Schutzfrau'')
|head2 = [[Gabriela von Habsburg|Archduchess Gabriela of Austria]]
|head3_title= [[Chancellor]]
|head3 = Count Norbert Salburg-Falkenstein
|grades = 
|notes=
|higher = ''none''
|same = [[Order of the Golden Fleece]]
|lower= [[Military Order of Maria Theresia]]
}}
The '''Order of the Starry Cross''' (also known as '''Order of the Star Cross''' or '''Star Cross Order'''; German: ''Sternkreuz-Orden'') is an imperial [[Austria]]n [[dynastic order]] for [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[Nobility|noble]] ladies, founded in 1668. The order still exists under the [[House of Habsburg-Lorraine]].

== History ==
The Order was founded in 1668 by [[Eleonora Gonzaga (1630–1686)|Eleonora Gonzaga]] of Mantua, dowager empress of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. This [[Orders of chivalry for women|all-female order]] was confirmed by [[Pope Clement IX]] on 28 June 1668 and was placed under the spiritual management of the Prince-Bishop of Vienna. Only high-born ladies could be invested with the Order, including “princesses, countesses, and other high nobility.” Once invested, members were to “devote themselves to the service and worship of the Holy Cross, and to lead a virtuous life in the exercise of religion and works of charity.”

According to legend, the Habsburg dynasty owned a piece of the [[True Cross]] on which [[Crucifixion of Jesus|Jesus was crucified]]. Though it is impossible to prove its authenticity, the holy relic was set in gold and worn by at least two Holy Roman Emperors, [[Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian II]] and [[Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand III]].  Ferdinand III’s last consort, Empress Eleanora, was given the relic by her stepson, [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Leopold I]], after Ferdinand’s 1657 death. In the aftermath of a fire at the [[Hofburg]] on 2 February 1668 the relic was discovered in near-perfect condition. The dowager empress founded the Order in celebration that the relic had survived the fire, believing it to be a true miracle.

In 1881, [[Empress Elisabeth of Austria|Empress Elisabeth]] accorded multiple noble ladies of the royal Belgian court the Starry Cross, after the engagement of [[Archduke Rudolf]].<ref>Handelsblad (Het) 07-05-1881</ref>

Members of the Order wore the following insignia:
<blockquote>
"An oval medallion, with a broad blue enameled border, inclosing a black enameled Eagle with two heads, and claws, both of gold, on which lies a Gold Cross, enameled green, and bordered with brown wood.  Over this, on an intwined (sic) wreath in black letters, on a white ground, is the motto of the Order, "''Salus et Gloria''” – (Hail and Glory.)  It is worn, pendent to a strip of black riband (sic), on the left breast."{{cn|date=November 2022}}
</blockquote>
The order was conceived with only one class.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ortner, M. Christian.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1001429416|title=Austrian orders and decorations|date=2017|publisher=Heeresgeschichtliches Museum/Militärhistorisches Institut|others=Ludwigstorff, Georg., Kozeluh, Anne.|isbn=978-3-902526-82-3|location=Vienna|pages=V.2, P381|oclc=1001429416}}</ref>

==High Protectresses (''Höchste Schutzfrauen'')==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  !! Period!!Name!! Remarks
|-
| 1.|| 1668–1686|| [[Eleanor Gonzaga (1630–1686)|Eleanor, Dowager Holy Roman Empress]]|| born Princess Eleonora Gonzaga 
|-
| 2.|| 1686–1720|| [[Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg|Eleanora Magdalena Theresia, Holy Roman Empress]]|| born Princess Eleonora Magdalena Theresia of Neuburg 
|-
| 3.|| 1720–1742|| [[Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Wilhelmina Amalia, Holy Roman Empress]]|| born Princess Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg
|-
| 4.|| 1742–1750|| [[Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|Elisabeth Christina, Holy Roman Empress]]|| born Princess Elisabeth Christina of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
|-
| 5.|| 1750–1780|| [[Maria Theresa|Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress and reigning Queen of Hungary and Bohemia]]|| 
|-
| 6.|| 1780–1792|| [[Maria Luisa of Spain|Maria Ludovika, Holy Roman Empress]]|| born Infanta María Luisa of Spain
|-
| 7.|| 1792–1807|| [[Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily|Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress]] || born Princess Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies
|-
| 8.|| 1807–1816|| [[Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este|Empress Maria Ludovika of Austria]]||  born Archduchess Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este
|-
| 9.|| 1816–1835|| [[Caroline Augusta of Bavaria|Empress Caroline Augusta of Austria]] || born Princess Caroline Augusta of Bavaria
|-
| 10.|| 1835–1848|| [[Maria Anna of Savoy|Empress Maria Anna of Austria]]|| born Princess Maria Anna of Savoy
|-
| 11.|| 1848–1854|| [[Princess Sophie of Bavaria|Archduchess Sophie of Austria]]|| born Princess Sophie of Bavaria
|-
| 12.|| 1854–1898|| [[Elisabeth of Bavaria|Empress Elisabeth of Austria]] || born Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria
|-
| 13.|| 1898–1916|| [[Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (1867-1944)|Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria]]|| born Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony
|-
| 14.|| 1916–1951|| [[Zita of Bourbon-Parma|Empress Zita of Austria]]|| born Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma
|-
| 15.|| 1951–2007|| [[Regina, Crown Princess of Austria]]|| born Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen
|-
| 16.|| 2007–present|| [[Gabriela von Habsburg|Archduchess Gabriela of Austria]]|| current High Protectress
|-
|}

== Current administration ==
According to the website of the [[Archdiocese of Vienna]],<ref>[http://www.erzdioezese-wien.at/edw/organisation/organigramm/detailinformation/detail?oidinst=23322191 Archdiocese of Vienna] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121230050934/http://www.erzdioezese-wien.at/edw/organisation/organigramm/detailinformation/detail?oidinst=23322191 |date=2012-12-30 }} - " ''Oberste Schutzfrau: Gabriela Habsburg-Lothringen'' "</ref> the officers of the Order are:

* High Protectress: [[Gabriela von Habsburg|Archduchess Gabriela of Austria]]<ref>[http://sancrucensis.wordpress.com/2010/09/18/sternkreuzorden/ Sancrucensis], blog article about the Order and its Grand Mistress</ref>
* Chancellor: Count Norbert von Salburg-Falkenstein
* Secretary: Altgraf Niklas zu [[Salm-Reifferscheid-Raitz]]

==Sources==
*  Tagore, Rajah Sir Sourindro Mohun. ''The Orders of Knighthood, British and Foreign''. Calcutta: The Catholic Orphan Press, 1884.  
{{Reflist}}

{{Orders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire}}
{{Orders of Italian States before unification}}
{{Orders of knighthood for women}}

[[Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of Austria-Hungary|Starry Cross,Order of the]]
[[Category:Orders of chivalry for women|Starry Cross, Order of]]
[[Category:Orders of chivalry of Austria]]
[[Category:1668 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1668]]
[[Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of the Austrian Empire| 7]]
[[Category:True Cross]]