La Orden de la Corona Real Baleares

La Orden de la Corona Real Baleares

The Order took its name from the Crown of Aragon, that is from the Royal Power which the House of Aragon of the branch of Jayme, second son of the second marriage of the King of Aragon and of the Balearics James I, the Conqueror, and Iolanda, daughter of Andrea King of Hungary, exercised on the Balearic archipelago until the death of Jayme III of Aragon, who died without direct descendants in 1375. In the same year the kingdom was taken by Pedro IV King of Aragon, who united the Balearics with the Kingdom of Aragon. The passage by force of the Balearic Crown to Pedro IV of Aragon, whose line is long extinct, and the testament of James I the Conqueror in favour of the Ayerbe family of Aragon, direct descendants of James and of Teresa de Vidaure, and the last representatives and heirs of the House of Aragon (who are also extinct with the surname of Ayerbe of Aragon, but are yet represented by the branch which acquired the name from the Lordship of Paternó) did not remove from legitimate heirs of Jayme III, the blood relatives Ayerbe of Aragon, actually represented by the Paternó, their rights of succession and pretension of this Throne, which Jayme III abandoned without suffering the «debellatio».

It is also the Order of jus patronato and advowson of the Old Sovereign House of Paternó (Paternó-Ayerbe-Aragon); the branch of the Paternó Castello Guttadauro, Princes of Emmanuel, exercises the Magistracy for the succession, apart from that of the Paternó-Ayerbe-Aragon, also from the Guttadauro, who are now also extinct.

The Order was founded in 1861 by HRH Prince Don Mario I but remained in abeyance until 1959 when it was revived by HRH Prince Don Francesco Mario II, the grandfather of the present Grand Master. On March 1st, 1969 it was merged with the Order of San Salvador of Aragon to form the order of merit for the Military Order of the Collar. On February 5th, 1983 the two Orders were once again given their separate identities. The 1969 Statutes were amended in 1990.

Statutes

Article 1

The Order of the Royal Balearic Crown is of the jus patronato and advowson of the Royal House of Aragon of the Dynasty of Paternó Castello Guttadauro Ayerbe Aragona of Carcaci of Emmanuel, whose Head of Name and Arms is its Grand Master jure sanguinis.

Article 2

The Order is bestowed to reward services rendered to the Royal House of Aragon and also to such as merit recognition for their contribution in upholding spiritual values in whatsoever field of human activity.

Article 3

The necessary conditions for the bestowal of the Order are to be deduced from the aforegoing Article combined with the moral and civil standing of the candidate.

Article 4

Knights and Dames of the Order belong to a single class which includes the following ranks:

• Knights and Dames
• Commanders
• Grand Officers
• Knights and Dames with Grand Cross
• Collar
• Grand Collar

Article 5

Bestowal of the Order is the exclusive privilege of its Grand Master upon proposal by the Governor of the Royal House or the Grand Chancellor.

Article 6

The Order is conferred equally at all levels on Knights and Dames.

Article 7

The arms of the Order of the Royal Balearic Crown is also the basis of the insignia of same, namely a gold eight branched cross or Maltese cross enameled green, charged at its centre with the escutcheon of Paternó, between its branches a gold siren and surmounted by a royal crown.

Article 8

Matters of discipline concerning members of the Order are to be referred to a Court of Honour constituted by the Military Order of the Collar.

Article 9

The present Statutes replace and cancel those of 1861, 1961 and 1969. Full powers of amendment and exemption are reserved to the Grand Master.

Given from the Magistral Seat in Catania, today the 5th February 1990, XXII of our Magistry.
The Grand Master
Roberto P.

Witnessed by The Governor
Santa Margarita