Order of Aviz (Brazil)

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Imperial Order of St. Benedict of Avis
Order of Aviz
Awarded by the Head of the Brazilian Imperial Family
Type	Dynastic Order
Established	9 September 1843 (as a Brazilian Order) 1843 – 1891 (National Order) 1891 – present (House Order)
Grand Master	Prince Pedro of Bourbon of Orléans-Braganza
Grades	Grand Cross Commander Knight
Precedence
Next (higher)	Imperial Order of Christ
Next (lower)	Imperial Order of Saint James of the Sword
Ribbon bar of the Order

The Imperial Order of St. Benedict of Avis (Portuguese: Imperial Ordem de São Bento de Avis) is an old Brazilian military order, originated from the Portuguese Military Order of Aviz, which in turn dates back to the medieval Order of Saint Benedict of Avis. This medieval order apparently originated in Spain from the Order of Calatrava; another theory reports that it originated in Portugal in the twelfth century under King Afonso Henriques.

The chancellery that took care of the records of the Brazilian order belonged to the Ministry of the Empire. Its religious character was deprived by means of Decree of 9 September 1843. It was maintained after the proclamation of the Republic, together with the Imperial Order of the Southern Cross, by determination of Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, by decree no. 227F of 22 of March 1890. Until its definitive extinction, by means of Constitution of 1891, arrived from the Fonseca to distribute the orders of Avis and the Cruise to 724 people.

By decree no. 4238 of 15 November 1901, an honorary medal was created that bears his name, reserved to decorate Brazilian soldiers of the three arms. Also, the Order of Military Merit, created by Decree No. 24660 of June 11, 1934, presents the cross flowering in reference to the Imperial Order of Avis.

Although, since the deposition in 1889 of the last Brazilian monarch, Emperor Pedro II, the order continues as a house order being awarded by the Heads of the House of Orleans-Braganza, pretenders to the defunct throne of Brazil. The current Brazilian Imperial Family is split into two branches Petrópolis and Vassouras, and as a consequence the Grand Mastership of the Order is disputed between those two branches.