Order of Leopold II

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Order of Leopold II Ordre de Léopold II Orde van Leopold II
Officer's cross of the Order of Leopold II
Awarded by King of the Belgians
Type	Order of Merit with five classes and three medals
Established	24 August 1900 1900 – 1908 (Order of Congo) 1908 – present (as Belgian Order)
Motto	EENDRACHT MAAKT MACHT - L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE
Eligibility	Eligible for persons above the age of 42
Awarded for	Bravery in combat or meritorious service
Status	Currently constituted
Grand Master	His Majesty King Philippe
Grades	Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer Knight
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Crown
Next (lower)	Military Decoration for gallantry or exceptional devotion

The Order of Leopold II is an order of Belgium and is named in honor of King Leopold II. The decoration was established on 24 August 1900 by Leopold II as Sovereign of the Congo Free State and was in 1908, upon Congo being handed over to Belgium, incorporated into the Belgian awards system. The order is awarded for meritorious service to the sovereign of Belgium, and as a token of his personal goodwill. It can be awarded to both Belgians and foreigners, and is seen as diplomatic gift of merit.^[1]

The order has become a long service order for people in the civil service and is awarded alternatively with the Order of the Crown, as the Order of Leopold is awarded under rarer circumstances. The order currently stands third after the Order of Leopold (1st) and the Order of the Crown (2nd) in the Belgian honors hierarchy. The Order of Leopold II is awarded by royal decree.