The order was founded in 1915 by King Constantine I in honor of his father, George I. It was only the second Greek order to be created after the Order of the Redeemer in 1833, and remained the second senior award of the Greek state for the duration of its existence. The order was closely associated with the Greek monarchy, and was hence abolished with the establishment of the Second Hellenic Republic in 1924, to be replaced with the Order of the Phoenix. The order was restored along with the monarchy in 1935, and continued to be awarded until the final abolition of the monarchy in 1973. It was replaced by the Third Hellenic Republic in 1975 by the Order of Honour.
Grades
The Order has five classes:
Grand Cross - wears the badge of the Order on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
Grand Commander - wears the badge of the Order on a necklet, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
Commander - wears the badge of the Order on a necklet;
Gold Cross - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
Silver Cross - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.
A sixth, supremeclass comprising a Collar of the order was originally envisaged, but never realized. As the Order was restricted to officers and senior state officials, an additional Commemorative Medal of the Order of George I was instituted in 1915 for NCOs and common soldiers, junior officials and ordinary citizens. It had initially two classes, silver and bronze, with a third in gold added after 1935.
Insignia
The badge of the Order is a white-enamelled Latin cross pattée, in silver for the Silver Cross class, in gold for the higher classes, with a wreath of laurels between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc was in red enamel, bearing the royal cypher of George I, two crossed gammas with a crown above and a "I" below, surrounded by a white enamel ring bearing the royal motto ΙΣΧΥΣ ΜΟΥ Η ΑΓΑΠΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΑΟΥ. The reverse central disc bears the years of George I's reign, 1863-1913. The badge is topped by a crown; the military division also had crossed swords behind the badge. The Commemorative Medal's badge is identical in design, except that the cross is not enameled. The star of the order is a silver star with straight rays, with eight points for Grand Cross and four points for Grand Commander, and with the obverse of the badge superimposed upon it. The ribbon of the Order is plain crimson red.
