Order of Prince Danilo I
The Order of Prince Danilo I (Montenegrin: Орден Књаза Данила I, romanized: Orden Knjaza Danila I) is an order, formerly of the Principality and later Kingdom, of Montenegro; it is currently a dynastic order granted by the head of the House of Petrović-Njegoš, Crown Prince Nicholas. It is awarded to prominent champions of the preservation of Montenegrin independence and for other humanitarian, scientific, artistic and pro-social achievements as defined by statute.
| Order of Prince Danilo I Орден Књаза Данила I | |
|---|---|
Badge of the order | |
| Type | State order (formerly) House order (currently) |
| Country | Montenegro |
| Royal house | House of Petrović-Njegoš |
| Awarded for | Championing and preserving Montenegrin independence and social and scientific merit |
| Grades | Knight Grand Cross Knight Grand Officer Knight Commander Knight Cross of Merit |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of Petrović Njegoš |
| Next (lower) | Order of Saint Peter of Cetinje |
Ribbon of the order | |
Alterations were made to the appearance of the original decoration created by Prince Danilo, and during the rule of King Nikola I Petrović Njegoš the order underwent two restructurings. During the first restructuring in 1861, three classes were introduced, while in the second restructuring, in 1873, an additional fourth class was added, so that not only is there a star in the 1st class but also a 2nd class with star was introduced. By 1922, the order consisted of five classes: Knight Grand Cross, Knight Grand Officer, Knight Commander, Knight, and Cross of Merit.
Although no longer a state order, Montenegrin officials such as the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanović, who was awarded with it, have accepted the order.