Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam
The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam was created on March 14 1886 in the ancient Vietnamese city of Hue, by Emperor Dong Khanh of the Imperial House of Annam, upon the "recommendation" of the President of France as a jointly awarded French colonial order. During this period (particularly during the era of Dong Khanh), Vietnam was ruled by the French.
The Order was originally created to reward and acknowledge those outstanding individuals who had performed both military and, non-military services to the Imperial Vietnamese House of Annam.
In 1976, after the fall of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the Order was abolished by the Communist government of the day, however it was never a communist award and the "fons honorum" always rested with the Imperial House of Annam.
At times during its honoured and revered history the Order of the Dragon of Annam was also bestowed by the French Colonial Government, and later the Republic of South Vietnam. However, the Order always was, and to this day remains the real, personal and dynastic property of the Imperial Vietnamese House of Annam.
Throughout its entire history, the Order was also bestowed by the French Colonial Government. When French colonial rule over Indochina ended, the Order of the Dragon of Annam was abolished and replaced by the National Order of Vietnam which was later retained and revised by the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The ribbon of the Dragon of Annam was retained for this award, but it was (belatedly) recognized that a colonial order had no place in the new regime which was trying (unsuccessfully) to encourage Vietnamese popular support for the southern government. Throughout the history of the order it became too associated with the period of French rule. Even the name of "Annam" in the title of the order was a point of dishonor as the name comes from the old Chinese term for Vietnam, which means "the peaceful south".
Prince Bảo Vang of Vietnam, son of the Emperor Duy Tan, was appointed by the late Crown Prince Bao Long to serve as the Grand Master of the Order [1] in 2005, and currently serves under the authority of His Imperial Highness Prince Bao Thang of Vietnam, the Crown Prince's brother and successor as Head of the Imperial Nguyen Dynasty. The focus of the order is on humanitarian, educational, and cultural endeavours of the people of Vietnam. Additionally, Prince Bảo Vang serves on the Executive Committee of the "Hội Ðồng Hoàng Tộc Nguyễn Phước Hải Ngoại", or Vietnamese Imperial Family Overseas Council [http://www.nguyenphuochaingoai.com/index.html}.
The Chancellor of the Order is Prince Nguyen-Phuoc Quy Jean-Luc.
Goal of the Order
The Order will henceforth focus on humanitarian, educational, and cultural endeavors rather than political goals. The Imperial Family wishes to remain out of the political fray and expects that Order will focus on efforts to aid the poor and disenfranchised people in Vietnam as well as outside the country, with particular emphasis given to children, the elderly, and the disabled. [2]
Distinguished Members
The Order currently has over 150 members in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Malta, Japan, the United States, Canada and Mexico. Distinguished foreign members include:
HM King Kigeli V of Rwanda
HM former King Sihanouk of Cambodia
HIRH Archduke Andreas Salvator of Austria, Prince of Tuscany
HRH Dom Duarte Pio of Portugal, Duke of Bragança
HRH Dona Isabel de Castro Curvelo de Herédia, Duchess of Bragança
HRH Infante Dom Miguel of Portugal, Duke of Viseu
HRH Infante Dom Henrique of Portugal, Duke of Coimbra
HRH Crown Prince Nikola Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro
HRH Don Jorge Bagration de Moukhrani of Georgia (d. 2007)
HRH Don Irakly Bagration de Moukhrani of Georgia
HRH Don Ugo Bagration de Moukhrani of Georgia
HRH Don David Bagration de Moukhrani of Georgia
HRH Prince Mangkra Souvannaphouma of Laos
HRH Prince Osman Rifat Ibrahim of Egypt
HH Sultan Ghalib bin Awadh al-Quaiti
HE Don Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, Duke of Seville, Grand Master of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem
HE Doña Maria de los Angeles Vargas-Zuñiga y de Juanes, Duchess of Seville
HE Dr. Pier Felice degli Uberti, Chairman, International Commission for Orders of Chivalry
HE Don Diego, Duke of Vargas Machuca, Vice President, International Commission for Orders of Chivalry
HE Dr. Maria Loredana Pinotti, Secretary General, International Commission for Orders of Chivalry
HE Abílio Rodas de Sousa Ribas, Bishop of São Tomé e Príncipe (retired)
HE D. Alfonso Ceballos Escalera y Gila, Marquis of La Floresta, Cronista de Armas (Spain)
HE Sir Conrad Fisher Swan, KCVO, former Garter Principal King of Arms (UK)
HE Rev. Father J. Guilbert Mariani, SOLT, Chaplain to the Royal Family of Portugal
HE D. Filipe Folque de Mendoça, Count of Rio Grande, President, Royal Commission of Portugal and Brazil, Sacred Military Constantian Order of St. George
HE John Gvozdenović Kennedy, Grand Chancellor of the Royal Montenegrin Orders
HE Don José Maria de Montells y Galán, Viscount of Portadei, heraldic scholar and author
HE Don Alfredo Escudero y Díaz-Madroñero, Marquis of Gori, heraldic scholar and author
Note
A political organization called the Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam created by Mr. Nguyen Buu Chanh, a self-styled "prince" and "Regent of the Imperial Nguyen Dynasty", enjoys no recognition or sanction from Prince Bao Thang of Vietnam, Head of the Imperial Nguyen Dynasty, from the Vietnamese Imperial Family Overseas Council [3], or affiliation with the Vietnamese Imperial Family in any form. See "World Orders of Knighthood and Merit" published by Burke's Peerage and Gentry (2006) for full details.