Orders, decorations, and medals of Bulgaria

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 31. Chapters: Hero of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, International Botev Prize, Order of Georgi Dimitrov, Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Excerpt: Orders, decorations and medals of Bulgaria are regulated by the law on the Orders and Medals of the Republic Of Bulgaria of 29 May 2003.The National Military History Museum Of Bulgaria in Sofia currently has over 150 Bulgarian Orders in the collection, which it has acquired over 85 years in co-operation with the Bulgarian State Mint, which are in the main part imperial, including Orders awarded to Knjaz Alexander, Tsar Ferdinand and Tsar Boris III along with other high-ranking military leaders of the Royal Bulgarian Army. The decorations of the Principality Of Bulgaria (29 April 1879 - 5 October 1908) and the Third Bulgarian Tsardom (5 October 1908 - 15 September 1946) were divided into orders, medals and honorary insignia. Orders were awarded to civilians and military personnel for particularly great merits in service of the state (For example commanding an army to a victory). Honourary insignia (Badges) were awarded for a specific merit or achievement or due to a specific event (For example being wounded in action) and medals were presented on the occasion of a political or historic event or for merit (For example on the anniversary of independence). Most of the Imperial commemorative medals were only issued once, to participants at the commemorated event and only the highest level personnel could be expected to be at all these events during their term in high status society. No-one was issued every commemorative medal, as during the turbulence of coups, counter-coups and change of monarchs, the high level society was in near constant change. The Principality Of Bulgaria's first order was created with Article 59 of the Tarnovo Constitution, The Order Of Bravery, which came into force on 1 January 1880 (The order itself shows the date 1879 on the reverse). The highest Tsardom Of Bulgaria award was the Order Of Saint Cyril And Saint Methodius awarded to those who brought outstanding excellence to the culture of the Tsardom Of Bulgaria (The People's Republic Of Bulga