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Reference.org
Legion of Honour
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<p>The National Order of the Legion of Honour , formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (<i>Ordre impérial de la Légion d'honneur</i>), is the highest and most prestigious French national <a href="/facts/Order_of_merit/gvwQc8l0">order of merit</a>, both <a href="/facts/Military/kgNmLUnN">military</a> and <a href="/facts/Civil_society/2rV8LTm9">civil</a>. Currently consisting of five classes, it was originally established in 1802 by <a href="/facts/Napoleon/8TKBIjPM">Napoleon Bonaparte</a>, and it has been retained (with occasional slight alterations) by all later French governments and regimes. </p><p>The order's <a href="/facts/Motto/zPMmWKAW">motto</a> is <i><i>Honneur et Patrie</i></i> ("Honour and Fatherland"); its <a href="/facts/Seat_(legal_entity)/UMRMYX3z">seat</a> is the <a href="/facts/Palais_de_la_L%25C3%25A9gion_d%2527Honneur/DnkmezaT">Palais de la Légion d'Honneur</a> next to the <a href="/facts/Mus%25C3%25A9e_d%2527Orsay/JjVmhRfz">Musée d'Orsay</a>, on the left bank of the <a href="/facts/Seine/Chd1gSKo">Seine</a> in <a href="/facts/Paris/DrNHpwnA">Paris</a>. Since 1 February 2023, the Order's grand chancellor has been retired General <a href="/facts/Fran%25C3%25A7ois_Lecointre/n2g9yVol">François Lecointre</a>, who succeeded fellow retired General <a href="/facts/Beno%25C3%25AEt_Puga/tzaY6CWA">Benoît Puga</a> in office. </p><p>The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: <i><i>Chevalier</i></i> (<a href="/facts/Knight/q6oIppem">Knight</a>), <i><i>Officier</i></i> (Officer), <i><i>Commandeur</i></i> (<a href="/facts/Commander_(order)/3V8YDHjy">Commander</a>), <i><i>Grand officier</i></i> (Grand Officer) and <i><i>Grand-croix</i></i> (<a href="/facts/Grand_Cross/j8aqhQe1">Grand Cross</a>). </p>